Wazzup Pilipinas!
Samsung Corporate Citizenship celebrates the richness of Filipino culture and heritage by using innovative technology to cast the spotlight on historical sites and landmarks.
Once the center of Filipino life, plazas in Manila are either disappearing or falling into a state of disrepair. Few people recognize the historical and cultural significance of these landmarks, and they are often overlooked by heritage conservationists, as well as students of history.
To help Filipinos rediscover Philippine heritage and culture, Samsung and the Philippine Science High School Foundation, Inc. have teamed up to hold an exhibit entitled The Plazas of Manila at Yuchengco Museum with noted architect, designer, and urban planner Paulo Alcazaren as the curator. Open from August 27 until September 18, the exhibit highlights the historical and cultural significance of plazas in Manila, with the use of augmented reality on Samsung’s latest digital tablet and Smart TV technology.
Coinciding with the exhibit is the launch of Culture Explorer, a mobile application that uses augmented reality technology to help people, especially the youth, learn about Manila’s plazas and other cultural and heritage landmarks. The app is virtually a tour guide in one’s pocket, with fresh content and plenty of interesting trivia. It also allows users to navigate around key landmarks and travel back in time to see how the landmark has looked and evolved over the years. Since history is better appreciated with other people, the Culture Explorer app allows users to connect with other Culture Explorers who share their interest in the different sites.
"Through this exhibit, we are able to cast the spotlight on one of the most important elements of Filipino culture and history, the plaza. This exhibit allows us to bridge technology and art together, giving the Filipino youth a chance to learn about their roots," said Linda Cordova, Executive Director of the Philippine Science High School Foundation, Inc.