Campus culture items are a big hit nowadays, not only to the students, but also to the alumni, and even the faculty and staff, of a school. Case in point, enter University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo (ADMU), La Salle (DLSU) and University of Sto. Tomas (UST). You would agree with me that students, alumni, faculty and staff of these schools really show their love and pride for their Alma Matter in various ways.
Enter BrandX. :) No it's not a unnamed brand juxtaposed to Tide or Safeguard, or some detergent. It is actually a collaboration between Xavier alumni, namely Nate Dy-Liacco (XS'01) and Migs Siojo (XS'00) who both work with Publicis Manila and Mark Gosingtian (XS'05), with Kirk Damasco and Ken Sy of Get Blued, Ateneo's biggest campus culture brand.
BrandX is the first Xaverian campus culture and lifestyle brand, that intends to unite Xaverians and celebrate the unique Luceat Lux spirit. Initially, they have launched shirts, but true to their vision of a campus culture and lifestyle brand, they will expand their offerings in the near future.
We can all expect quality, creativity and sophistication, combined with freshness of designs, to appeal to the sensibilities of the younger generation (and of course, to the young at heart).
They don't look like the typical Xavier Physical Ed shirts (which is good), but something that you would wear out to the mall, when you're with your friends, or in any relaxed and casual occasion.
As they are new to the scene and need to built presence and awareness, they've enlisted some of the biggest Xaverian names in media and sports, such as Christ Tiu, Drew Arellano, Charles Tiu, Jeron Teng. Leigh Wong, Lorenzo Sy and Enrico Sy completes the list of their initial brand models, who gladly agreed to endorse the brand.
I was away during the weekend for the committee deliberations of the University of the Philippines Diliman University Student Council. Now we're back in Manila. While I was catching up with news, reading the Sunday papers, one whole spread advertisement caught my attention -- Ako Mismo! And so, being very curious about what it is and why Ely Buendia, Edu Manzano, Maxene Magalona and Chris Tiu among others are there, I registered to find out. After I registered, I saw from a friend's post that she saw this TV ad while watching the delayed telecast of the Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton bout.
The main point of the site is to make a stand and to take "real action for the causes you believe in, causes that you yourself can truly pursue to make a real, positive difference to your fellow countryman and to your country", for me, this is really good. No doubt about that. I believe that this heck-of-a-site (no pun intended) would make Filipino people aware and join in. With about 30,000 pledges, and a lot more to come, this is a great vehicle to raise consciousness of the inequalities, irregularities, and problems individuals have and see right now in society, and among our midst. This is a sample of the pledges people committed in the website:
Now, yes that this is a good site, but more than that, I have qualms regarding my full support to it. More than knowing what Ako Mismo really is (who is behind it, is it a political ploy for 2010, and all our other questions), I am more particular in pointing out that although as I have said that this raises people's awareness, this also creates pop-culture social activism or worse, an illusion of actually doing something, for change, for the nation. What do I mean by that?
This campaign only gives the Filipino people an excuse to feel-good, and feel that they are actually doing something by joining the bandwagon for social activism and change. Yes, you can easily register and pledge something. Not doubting one's capability to actualize the pledge, but I find it too superficial and hiding behind the curtains.
Bikoy clearly gives an example of my point saying, "Sure, by all means, let us pay our taxes, register to vote, obey traffic rules, sweep the floor, pray, smile at others, be nice, be proud to be pinoy! Aba, dapat lang. Isn’t that what one is supposed to do regardless of any campaign for social change? Isn’t that what we are already doing? Let’s not stop doing it, fine. But please, it reeks of great naivete to think that doing things we are already doing will change Philippine society." He adds that "let us not justify the laziness or the inability of the [people] to get out of their comfort zone to change society."
But for me, I still believe in the "I", the "ako", the individual aspirations, dreams, hopes, and actions that create a whole, that move the I to become the "we" or the "tayo". As Fritz say, We cannot engage collectively without the I. It is important for everyone to believe that he or she is the change, thus "I am Change!" Once the people or majority of the people are aware, then the collective action can take place; it enjoins more people, thus making the action bigger, louder, and maybe can actually see change systemically.
Edit:
As I was browsing through other bloggers' sites, I found reason to speculate against or doubt about this as blogged about by Carlo Ople, but I leave these to the political analysts and technical specialists like Manolo Quezon, "who thinks that this might be the program that will launch the candidacy of Manny Pangilinan", and others who are questioning why the site is requesting a lot -- from your full name, contact details, email, among others.
P.S. I'm sure those Dog Tags would sell like hotcakes (a really nice way to market something, don't you think?)
