Another hero

Animation is one of the few BPO services where we can still compete in because our animators are more artistic and still cost-competitive. The market for animation services continues to expand as online games have taken off, and big-budget feature films like King Kong and Narnia continue to depend more and more on CGI (computer generated images) technology. While this field is growing, the competitors are fierce. The competition from India, Korea and now Malaysia and Thailand is giving the Philippines a run for its money.

To compete in this service arena, we need well-trained and experienced animators. With demand for good animators very high overseas, the rewards are high and the temptation to work abroad is high, too. But if the animator stays in the Philippines and shares his knowledge, the skills’ multiplier will benefit the country. One such animator who made a choice to come home is Dani Montano. He has just returned from his one-year diploma course in 3D Animation at Vancouver’s British Columbia Institute of Technology and is hard at work to service Holy Cow’s roster of clients. He is the co-founder and creative director of Holy Cow! Animation. (In the past year, Holy Cow! was the preferred animator for most of the local TV commercials like Nestlé Chuckie, BayanTel and Johnson’s Pink Blossoms Powder. The company also just completed some direct to video films fully animated in 2D for a French company.)

His wife, Marlyn, the business side of Holy Cow!, helped form the animation council to educate the government on what the industry needs in terms of training and infrastructure and staying competitive.

My Two Cents: This loving couple proves to me that there is hope for our country. They are fighting to keep the animation business competitive and alive. They are heroes in my book. We just need more of them.

New Year’s resolution

Among the gifts and tokens I received this past Christmas, a little orange book my Uncle Robbie (JRD as he is known to his work colleagues) of TDG (Transnational Diversified Group) gave me was the most significant. The book is called "12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country" by Atty. Alexander Lacson (you can e-mail him at [email protected]). This was a few days after I read Max Soliven’s story about how a Good Samaritan came to his aid when he had car trouble. I was curious to find out what this kind soul had to say.

The little things are quite simple, but if done by most of us could possibly be a step forward to making our country great. Maybe we should all resolve as our New Year’s pledge to try and do most, if not all, of the 12 things:

• Follow traffic rules. Follow the law.

• Whenever you buy or pay for anything, always ask for an official receipt.

• Don’t buy smuggled goods. Buy local. Buy Filipino.

• When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak positively about us and our country.

• Respect your traffic officer, policeman and soldier.

• Do not litter. Dispose your garbage properly. Segregate. Recycle. Conserve.

• Support your church.

• During elections, do your solemn duty.

• Pay your employees well.

• Pay your taxes.

• Adopt a scholar or a poor child.

• Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and love our country.

My Two Cents: In a few weeks will be the 20th anniversary of People Power in the Philippines. We should all take a minute and reflect how the country and its people have fared since. If we have not moved forward, then today should be Day 1.

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Dickson Co is the CFO (C is for cheap) for Dfnn, Intelligent Wave Philippines and HatchAsia. For comments or suggestions e-mail [email protected].