ComCo Southeast Asia recently held the first-ever Camp ComCo Unity Games, a fun-filled event that brings together the alumni of the Camp ComCo Mentorship Program as part of the Agency’s 5-Part Blazing Sapphire anniversary celebration this year.
With fourteen cycles in and running, the Camp ComCo Mentorship Program has produced fresh and great young voices of the communication industry as part of the Agency’s Igniting Talent thrust. This developed culture of sharing the learning from the program has birthed the Camp ComCo Alumni Society, founded and officiated by graduates of Camp ComCo.
Since its establishment in 2019, the Camp ComCo Alumni Society has organized meaningful projects with the Camp ComColidays at Precious Heritage Children’s Home in Antipolo and an online fundraising project supporting the frontliners in the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. Truly, these alumni (also referred to as “ComCowans” inspired by Star Wars’ padawan term for an apprentice) have made more than just passing the torch of learning. They are also enabling new opportunities for individuals in need.
This is why the first Camp ComCo Unity Games is a special event for ComCo SEA. It’s a chance to not just celebrate their humbling contributions, but also allow them an opportunity to unite and have fun despite the many limitations brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are gathered at the ComCo SEA GymnaZoom (a virtual spin on a virtual gymnasium and Zoom virtual conference app) and united with their respective mentorship houses (House Bearcat, House Flyingfox, House Hawksbill, and House Whaleshark) for a competitive battle of wit, talent, and of course, House Pride! It opened with a virtual torch lighting ceremony, parade of the four houses, with each member proudly waving their House flag to the virtual crowd, and the Cheer Dance Competition where each house performed catchy and innovative house chants. They are then warmed up for a fun round of Virtual Charades and the special Bring Me – Challenge Me Game, before finally, undergoing a secret mission for the Unity Game’s Main Challenge, “On the Case: Agents of C.O.M.C.O.”, which is an escape room built by ComCo SEA that brings the inner detectives among alumni.
In the end, House Whaleshark placed 4th place (winning the Best House Chant), House Flyingfox was announced 3rd place (winning Virtual Charades and social media contest), and House Bearcat was announced 2nd place (winning Virtual Charades, Bring Me – Challenge Me Game, and the most number of house contingents joining the event).
House Hawksbill emerged as the Grand Champion of Camp ComCo Unity Games after winning the Bring Me – Challenge Me activity and the Unity Games’ Main Challenge. They also won a cash donation of PhP 20,000 for their chosen beneficiary, CARA Welfare Philippines, a non-profit organization advocating animal welfare.
“Ever since the pandemic started, ComCo SEA is always looking for ways on how to reconnect and unite our Camp ComCo Alumni Society. The Camp ComCo Unity Games is truly unlike anything we’ve done before, and we’re truly happy to see our ComCowans together and sharing smiles even virtually. More than that, we are fulfilled to see how the seeds of the alumni culture we planted since ComCo’s creation 5 years ago has blossomed into this. We are proud of how our alumni have grown to becoming a new breed of communications practitioners, the way we envisioned them to be,” said Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy, ComCo Southeast Asia’s Regional Integration and Chief Executive Director and creator of Camp ComCo Mentorship Program.
“Thank you to our Camp ComCo alumni across Cycles 1 to 14 for joining the very first Unity Games. And this event is even more apt with ComCo SEA celebrating its Blazing Sapphire anniversary celebration. Coach is very proud of your growth from being young ComCowans to now, being the ates and kuyas of future apprentices of the Camp ComCo Mentorship Program. See you at the Camp ComCo Unity Games 2022, hopefully, face-to-face next time.”
Watch the Camp ComCo Unity Games 2021 virtual torch lighting ceremony by the Camp ComCo Council and the parade of houses by the Camp ComCo Alumni Society here:
Facebook: https://fb.watch/5-XIQ9qc-7/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/c6_ASQwhJqU
To know more about ComCo Southeast Asia, visit www.comcosea.com. Follow them on social media: facebook.com/comco.southeastasia on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comco-hq and @comco_sea on both Instagram and Twitter.
