Theme: Moving to a New Beat

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

Xavier School San Juan
64 Xavier St, Greenhills West
San Juan City, National Capital Region, 1500
Philippines

Anton Lim

He is a Filipino veterinarian, businessman, public figure, and humanitarian. Aside from this, he is also a frequent speaker, organizer, and community volunteer throughout the Philippines as he advocates for the disadvantaged. As the coordinator of Tzu Chi Foundation and Zamboanga Liaison Office, where he began volunteering in 1998. Then, he co-founded the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation in 2010, which speaks to the needs of communities where (for example) students are often forced to swim to and from school. He also sits on the Board of Tzu Chi Foundation, Philippine Branch Office, and is a director of Rotary Club of Zamboanga City, and has received numerous Rotary International awards among which is the Rotary International Service Above Self Award, the highest award Rotary International can bestow to its members worldwide.

Arsenio Jr. Alianan

Clinical Psychologist and Professor

Professor of Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, the Philippines

Francis Jim Tuscano

Educator

EdTech Integrator and Chairperson of the Grade School Christian Life Education Department of Xavier School, San Juan, the Philippines

Franco Addun

Mr. Addun is a Social Science Teacher in Xavier High School and a part-time professor in the Ateneo de Manila University. During the pandemic, he developed a YouTube channel, where he releases videos that help teachers around the country navigate and maximize the online learning set-up. Mr. Addun’s YouTube channel mainly comprises instructional videos, introducing teachers to useful educational applications and platforms that can be used to enhance the online learning experience, and providing both teachers and parents with technology-related insights.

Illac Diaz

Illac Diaz is a social entrepreneur. He started the Liter of Light foundation which makes efficient and inexpensive lights for people without access to electricity. During Typhoon Yolanda, he started to help others out when the village next to his house got destroyed. Afterward, the idea hit him to create the grassroots initiative Liter of Light; from scratch. He also made the Light it Forward campaign which meant passing it on to others and taking up the challenge of creating those types of lights. He can serve as an inspiration to the youth in finding their passions and using these to impact others lives through worthwhile initiatives like the Liter of Light Foundation.

Maria Ressa

Journalist and Nobel Laureate

A journalist in Asia for more than 30 years, Maria Ressa co-founded Rappler, the top digital only news site that is leading the fight for press freedom in the Philippines. Rappler's battle for truth and democracy is the subject of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival documentary, A Thousand Cuts. In October 2021, Maria was one of two journalists awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her "efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."

Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo

Former Vice President of the Philippines, Lawyer, and Humanitarian

Leni Robredo was the 14th Vice President of the Philippines, serving as such from 2016 to 2022. During her term, she reinvented the Vice President’s office from purely ceremonial functions to an advocacy-centered organization, instituting a poverty alleviation program that thrived on private-public partnerships, bringing much-needed interventions on education, health, nutrition and food security, rural development, women empowerment, and housing and resettlement. The kind of leadership she has long believed in—ethical, empowering, efficient, and inclusive—was further highlighted during the height of the pandemic, when the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines, under her helm, was at the forefront of COVID response operations. Her work in politics was heavily inspired by the years she spent as a human rights lawyer, serving basic sectors including farmers, fisherfolk, laborers, informal settlers, indigenous peoples, women, and children.

Martika Escobar

Film Director

Martika Escobar is the first Filipino feature film director to win at the Sundance Film Festival with her outstanding movie 'Leonor Will Never Die" in 2022.

Mishka Ligot

Poet

Filipino poet and creative writer based in Wisconsin, US

Paul Rivera

Paul Rivera is the co-founder and CEO of Kalibrr, a careers platform for over three million young professionals and over 18,000 companies across Southeast-Asia. After many attempts to start Kalibrr in the states, Paul decided to return to the Philippines, his home country, and try to start Kalibrr here. Currently, Paul is successful in his business as he was able to create a program that would find individuals the right job for their skills. Moreover, he was able to spread Kalibrr to other Southeast-Asian countries.

Pocholo Gonzales

The Titan of Filipino voice acting. Veteran radio broadcaster. Internationally-awarded youth advocate. Award-winning author. Highly sought-after voice director, trainer, and motivational speaker. Pocholo de Leon Gonzales is known as the “Voice Master of the Philippines” for having utilized his voice not only for the purpose of entertaining people but more importantly for inspiring, motivating, and empowering particularly the Filipino youth. At the young age of 16, Pocholo started his voice acting career after winning a competition in DZMM’s drama and singing contest “Radyo, Radyo” where he later became one of the anchors, scriptwriter, and co-director.