The Benilde Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HiFi) Campus, also known as Peter D. Garrucho Jr. Innovations Institute (PDGii), was launched to the public in an event named “Space Walk,” which featured a tour around the campus, prototype exhibits, and a series of workshops and talks with social-purpose professionals and innovators yesterday, August 22.
Photo by Denise Paule
“The event is called Space Walk because we encourage our guests today to take a walk with us through uncharted territory, a territory that is quite new and quite unusual for some schools,” Mark Alvin Antiqueño, HiFi Community Manager, stated in an interview with The Benildean.
Exploring the space
PDGii, designed by Javier Design Studio-Manila (JDSM), was inspired by the four core principles of Design Thinking, specifically its phases namely: Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.
According to Antiqueño, the lobby and the mezzanine are designed “to deliver on the Empathy phase of design thinking” which is why it was named “The Commons” to create a common space for people to come together. “This is the place for Benildeans and other innovators [where they] can gain empathy with the communities, same with mezzanine,” he stated.
The second floor is referred to as “The Bright Space” where the main office of HiFi is located and where problems are identified, ideas are formed, and the innovator within each individual is molded, inspired by the Define and Ideate phases.
Moreover, “The Maker Space” is located on the third floor of the building where prototyping and testing out the ideas are done. Antiqueño mentioned that The Maker Space is the place for workshops: a workshop on software in terms of skills development and values development and a workshop where carpentry tools, 3D printers, and other materials are provided to prototype their ideas to life.
Lastly, the Evergreen, or the rooftop, is an open space where “pitching can happen and presentations to investors” are done.
Forming the innovator within
Other than Space Walk, simultaneous activities aimed to highlight and shape future innovators’ minds were also done throughout the day.
At The Commons, a film screening of “Humble Stories with Heart” showcasing AB-Animation students’ projects and theses were shown to selected residents in one of the College’s partner barangays, Barangay 755, emphasizing good values and virtues to the children through its films.
Photo by Denise Paule
A masterclass and Design Thinking workshop named “Reimagining the Metro Manila Traffic Experience with LEGO® Serious Play™” was also organized at The Maker Space to brainstorm ideas in solving problems with the use of LEGO® as blueprints for human-centered and creative methods under the supervision of David O’Hagan of Kick Fire Kitchen, an organization that ignites ideas through user-centered innovation sessions and mentoring.
Photo by Denise Paule
Meanwhile, “Coffee.Collabs: Innovator’s DNA” is a buddy walk program which aided participants in discovering their Emotional Quotient (EQ) and the essence of being an innovator, also helping them realize their unique characteristics that may set them apart as innovators. This also helped introduce the programs of HiFi that lean toward the Incubation Program’s Emotional Intelligence Aspect. The event was held at The Bright Space and was moderated by Judith Claridades, the consultant for HiFi’s Future Development department.
Photo by Denise Paule
Followed by “Coffee.Collabs: Innovator’s DNA” is “Deep Dive Sessions: Spark Crowdfunding,” an in-depth, small-group mentoring session for crowdfunding campaign aspirators with Patch Dulay, the founder of The Spark Project, a company that aids development, planning, and launching of working and effective crowdfunding campaigns.
The day was wrapped up with “The Founder’s Journey to Impact Entrepreneurship,” a dialogue with social entrepreneurs who have been very successful in their fields as they expand the business landscape and maintain the triple bottom-line of People, Planet, and Profit at Heart in their enterprises. This features speakers Stephanie Choo of Eden + Elie, Zhihan Lee of Bagosphere, Anna Meloto-Wilk of Human Nature, Panya Boonsirithum of Citihub, and Maan Dela Cruz of Happy Helpers.
PDGii’s benefactor, Peter D. Garrucho Jr., graced the event and gave a speech titled “A Founder’s Journey.” As he celebrated his 75th birthday months ago, he said “it was finally give back time,” mentioning the institute as one of the things he helped aside from his hometown in Antique, Asian Institute of Management (wherein he is chairman of), and Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).
Photo by Denise Paule
“Now that this building is up, I hope it will attract not just institutions but also practitioners of innovation to spread their gospel within this building confines. My last aspiration is for the leadership of this innovation that it remains steadfast and perseveres with its initiatives. I hope it continuously reinvents itself so it will have greater impact, not just for Benilde and the La Salle system but for the development in our country,” Garrucho Jr. stated.
Garrucho Jr. also mentioned that as he gives back, he also wants “to try to be involved” with whatever he gave money to. He also mentioned he was partly attracted to it because the world is changing in many sectors and innovation is one of the tools to imbibe with the flow.
“The initiatives that I have seen are really not quite innovation but more on entrepreneurship but that’s okay (…) for it takes a while for innovation to develop. I do hope that in a small way, we strive to [aspire] and search for innovative solutions for development problems in which we are [therein]. If the profit should be the motive driver for innovation, so be it. And our experience with entrepreneurship should fastrack our efforts,” he said.
HiFi’s edge and purpose defined
HiFi Director Abigail Mapua-Cabanilla accentuated the purpose of PDGii as a platform for innovation in the Benildean and non-Benildean scope.
“HiFi is that hub that lives and brings innovation. We realize that we cannot do it alone as Benilde because problems are bigger than just Benilde; we need to work with different individuals, different organizations outside. So we want to be that place where people and organizations can come together to work on challenges in the innovation for inclusion space,” Mapua-Cabanilla stated in an interview with The Benildean.
“Innovation for Inclusion,” as stated in the name, is the said edge that PDGii and HiFi have to offer in comparison to other innovation centers.
“What I felt was missing is innovation for inclusion. Nobody is really looking into that as deeply as Benilde does. So HiFi, the reason it was established is because we want to deepen our impact in that field,” Mapua-Cabanilla said, pointing out that innovation for inclusion is what sets HiFi apart from others.
Meanwhile, Claridades drew attention in HiFi’s principles and premises during her talk. “Here in HIFI, our [approach] is different. We are just not innovating for innovation’s sake and that is the reason why we are so glad that you are sharing the space with us to explore, to build a community of hopeful and responsible innovators who will create inclusive and sustainable opportunities for the last, the lost, and the least.”
Benildeans may apply for incubation through a biannual event called Benilde Prize, the first university-based social design competition in the country that calls for ideas and projects that will be mentored, funded and supported by HiFi once chosen.
