Thursday, February 22, 2007

Names Before, Faces Later... Friends Forever

The FOSS-Empowered PINOY Group

Shown in this wacky shot are (from left, front row); Cheekay Cinco, Nelia Victolero, Bangge Lopez, Dianne Gonzales, Ela Bona, Joanna Mariazeta, Latreia Estabillo, Evelyn Villaflor, Yolynne Medina, Magie Antonio. Second row, from left: Pretchie Obja-an, Myra Siazon, Dr. Francis Sarmiento II, Bobby Soriano, Marvin Pascual, Joyce Sulit, Dirk Slater??? Hey, Fabulous!!!, Jerome Gotangco, Trixie Concepcion and Dr. Alvin Marcelo.

When the call for applications for Asia Source II was posted in the IOSN website last November 2006, I was confronted with a lingering question on what a source camp is all about. I didn't even recall encountering the combined words "source camp" in my past readings. Little did I know when I e-mailed my application on November 25, I was set for a journey of colorful discoveries.

The month-long wait for an invitation to attend the event was never without suspense each time I opened my mailbox - only to be interrupted by the rush of the Christmas holidays made worse by the internet disruption brought about by that strong earthquake off the coast of Taiwan towards the end of 2006. And then it finally came... I'M DEFINITELY IN AND GOING!

Of the more than 230 applications received by the organizers, 120 plus got accepted - 18 of whom are from the Philippines. I learned later that we are the 2nd largest group next to Indonesia, the host country. A name or two were familiar to me, either I've met them in recent FOSS events or I've heard or read about them. But the rest of the people in the Filipino list was totally unknown to me. I started to send them e-mails off the asiasource2 participants mailing list. I told myself that I need to know them and organize something for us all even before leaving for Asia Source II. And I felt this would be a strong group.

I flew to Indonesia a week before Asia Source II opened as I needed to attend to tasks for the camp at the ICTWatch office in Jakarta and proceeded to Sukabumi on a bus at the stroke of midnight of 20 February together with the first batch of delegates. Bobby was my bus seatmate and Cheekay, seated with Fran Boon on the opposite side. It was "getting-to-know-you" time. Days later, the rest rolled into the camp. The names have become faces and we have been a FOSS-Empowered Pinoy Group since then.

Oh yes, we have prepared for this photo-op complete with a custom-made banner, Philippine flags and loads of souvenirs the Bazaar crazed over. It was really fun!

You, what can you say about it?

5 comments:

Radite said...

Hey you Francis.. BTW, do you realize that your blog and mine kinda have the same "template"? *grins*

It's neat to see you blog, and I'd like to read more in coming days!

May I link you?

Unknown said...

Pinoy Power it is! ;)

AS2 people will continue to be our family and friends until the nth. :)

See more of them at

Unknown said...

Friends Forever....I totally agree!!! :-) Love you all....

Unknown said...

can you spot the adopted filipino? filipino or not..AS2 will always be family regardless of nationality....

Unknown said...

Oh sino yung mukhang terrorist