Pacquiao leads activation of Google Street View in the Phils, including Gensan & Sarangani, the first ones in Mindanao

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n September 16, 2015, at ceremonies held at the Grand Ballroom of Marriot Hotel, Google finally launched Street View in the Philippines, with dozens of tourist spots in  the country already being viewed via Google Maps at 360-degree panoramic angles.

Google Country Manager Ken Lingan in his opening spiel, explained that about 30 locations in the country now has have Street View images, a feat they gathered through the Street View Trekker and  Street View Car.  Both use at least 15 cameras capturing images of the area they pass as the same time.

What made the activation even more awesome is that it had to be Sarangani Representative and Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao who turned the switch in the ceremonial launch.

In my capacity as Community Manager of Google Business Group (GBG) – Gensan, I helped facilitate Pacman’s participation in this historic event.  It took the Google Street View Team of Google Philippines PR Head Ms. Gail Tan and Google Philippines Marketing Head,Mr. Ryan Morales at least a month of negotiations directly with the Congressman and his hardworking Chief of Staff, Bren Evangelio, to convince him of the importance of the event to Tourism in the Philippines and arrange him to fly to Manila and be present at the much-awaited launching.

And what a trouper Manny was!  When the Boxing Champ arrived at the venue on that eventful 16th day of September, it only took the Google Street View Team a few minutes to coach him on the technicalities of maneuvering Google Street View on Google Maps using his iPad.

Later on, at the official event itself, he flawlessly demonstrated to everyone present how to use Google Street View after he clicked and dragged a “pegman” icon on the screen to signal its activation nationwide.

Manny then revealed his favorite spots in General Santos, like his Pacman Wildcard Gym along San Miguel Street, the Plaza Heneral Santos, his farm in Malungon, Sarangani.

Eventually, we learned later on that effective that day, Gensan and Sarangani can now be visited by Google Street View, the first areas in Mindanao to be given this distinction.

“Now I do not have to fight Mayweather again and spend millions just to bring all of you to Gensan,” Manny joked, spreading laughter and cheer among the eager adoring crowd at the jampacked hall.

Here is Rappler’s YouTube video of that eventful day in September 2015, when Manny Pacquiao ceremoniously activated Google Street View in the Philippines, including Gensan and Sarangani, his home towns in Mindanao.  More photos after the jump.

Here’s another video showing how Google does it.. capturing Street Views in the Philippines.

Now, generals, look for Plaza Heneral Santos and the Pacman Wildcard Gym in this last video about Google Maps Philippines.

NOTE: To activate Street View in Google Maps, one just had to drag an icon at the bottom right hand corner of the screen, and orange-colored pegman towards any point in the map and find streets outlined in blue.  These are  where Street View is available.

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