With “creating a difference” as its objective and “Inspire People to Collaborate for a Better Country” as its slogan, Design.Co Mission – a designers’ avenue for ideas that have positive social impact – held its first event on August 3 at the Ayala Museum, Makati City. The event aims to present design challenges to creative companies or studios regarding the improvement of public services, invention of new solutions, and strengthening of branding. The area was crowded with design enthusiasts including some of our very own students who were inspired with our local design industry’s top studios: Team Manila, Plus63, and Inksurge.

Founded by Jowee Alviar and Mon Punzalan, Team Manila is a movement that features the best of our rich culture and heritage. Plus63 is a design studio established by Bernice de Leon-Yumul, Dan Matutina, and Rhea Alarcon, together with young designers Jo Malinis and Kitkat Pecson that delivers fresh insights and creative solutions to every project and campaign. Lastly, Inksurge is a multi-awarded studio by Rex Advincula and Jois Tai where they showcase famous international design magazines and conferences locally and globally.

The event was hosted by Jao from BBDO Guerrero while the opening remarks were led by Plus63’s Bea. The first one to present was Team Manila whose focus was on creating solutions about educational issues related to children 0-6 years old such as lack of parents’ involvement and limited resources.

Alviar and the rest of the team feel that the quality of education in rural areas is affected by the schools lack of learning materials. Therefore, they proposed that Banig (hand-woven mat), bayong (a coarse sack of woven strips), used boxes, cans and sacks that can be found at home be redesigned and used as educational materials in order to alleviate the needs of students in far flung areas.

Dan Matutina, on the other hand, found out from his team that problems regarding blood donation was commonly posted on Facebook walls.  So, they’ve decided to improve the way of spreading the message by making the KindRed app. This app will be able to help you donate blood and speed up the process so that recipients will receive the blood as quickly as possible, saving them from disease or even from death.

Finally, Inksurge proposed the revamping of the National Museum of the Philippines because they feel that it lacked aesthetic appeal. So they planned a total makeover which involved the enhancement of its facilities and image starting off with its logo, collaterals, and signage. This will make locals and foreigners enjoy learning more about the culture of the Philippines and appreciate the country’s rich history.

Sen. TG Guingona who made the Republic Act 10557 or “Philippine Design Competitiveness Act of 2013,” graced the said event. Republic Act 10557 is about promoting Filipino design and providing the national design policy in the country which is exactly what the event wants to uphold.