GBG Pangasinan holds exciting inaugural meet up

GBG Pangasinan members mark their first stop on Quezon Island.

Aboard the boats, GBG Pangasinan members set out to conquer Hundred Islands during their first ever meet up.

The newest chapter of Google Business Groups (GBG) Philippines—GBG Pangasinan—has set new standards when it held its very first event.

On Dec. 14, 2013, the group, led by its manager Vanj Padilla, conducted the GBG Pangasinan Inaugural Meet Up. And while other chapters would have opted to spend several hours in a restaurant or a function hall with catered food, GBG Pangasinan chose to stay outdoors and made the event more exciting by island hopping.

Held at the famous Hundred Islands National Park in Alaminos City, the inaugural meet up focused on the discussion of Google tools that would be very helpful to the attendees.

Photo op on Cuenco Island.

Miss Padilla welcomed the pioneer members to the group and discussed with them what the group is all about, its undertakings and advocacies. She further explained what it means to be a part of GBG and how she and the others work on a volunteer basis without receiving any salary.

After the warm welcome, JR Padilla, GBG Dagupan manager, explained the use of Google Maps and how it has helped communities all over the world. He even discussed the benefits of using this tool during calamities where evacuation and donation drop off centers can be plotted.

Even the social networking site of Google, Google Plus, had been introduced to the participants. EJ Dangla, GBG Pangasinan co-manager, explained its parts and features, comparing the site with other social media networks.

The last speaker during the meet up was the other co-manager of GBG Pangasinan, Reginald Agsalon, who talked about Google Drive, how it works and how they can access their files on the go even without bringing the physical hard drive of their PCs.

It was a hot day. But the heat never drained the participants’ energy even if island hopping meant being soaked under the sun’s rays. And as they posed for photo ops and autoawesomes, and held on to the place holder as they set foot on each island, they vowed to connect, inform and inspire.

Last stop on the Governor's Island where all the lectures were delivered.

Know what happened at the inaugural meet up of GBG Pangasinan? Watch this video of TalkTV Global