UP students’ exhibit tackles social issues with traffic apps, animated heritage

MANILA, Philippines – Visual Communication majors at the University of the Philippines-Diliman’s College of Fine Arts are presenting their thesis projects in an exhibit, showcasing innovative solutions to social issues.

The exhibit at the 2nd floor of the Parola gallery, open until July 28, features apps to ease traffic and promote inclusive education for the hearing-impaired, along with animated stories celebrating Filipino heritage.

An app to improve traffic in Metro Manila, another to teach Filipino sign language, an interactive game based on Jose Rizal’s novels, and a game for reclaiming the Baybayin script are among the student projects currently on display at the UP’s Fine Arts Gallery.

The exhibit, called Dagos (current), showcases the students’ desire to drive change through their thesis projects. By combining technology and creativity, the graduating students have developed creative solutions to various real-world issues, offering a diverse market of ideas to benefit Philippine society.

The exhibit is divided into clusters, namely: illustrations and publications, campaigns, moving images, and hypermedia.

Catherine Bollas’ project, Pinay – Kagitingan ng Kababaihan, seeks to present a counterpoint to the negative portrayal of Filipino women as kontrabida (antagonists) in the popular teleserye genre. This would be achieved through the production of animated stories of such historical figures as Gabriela Silang, Maria Orosa, Kumander Liwayway, Carmen Rosales, and Corazon Aquino. This undertaking can help inspire Filipinos by providing realistic representations of Filipino women and empowering them.

Alexander Mataverde Jr. aims to use animation to pique the interest of elementary graders about Tadlac Lake – a place shrouded in legend – in Los Banos, Laguna with Alamat ng Pasong Buwaya (Legend of Pasong Buwaya).

Tirik, an experimental short film by Victor Emmanuel Carmelo Nadera II, seeks to raise awareness about and encourage the preservation of the Cementerio Para Los Indios in Tayabas, Quezon among the youth – considering its architectural, historical, and sociocultural significance.

Juan Pablo Basilio appeals to the youthful interest in animation, with a