Choyoołʼįįhí:Filipinayzd

Irvin Sto. Tomas

Community Leader, Bikol Wikipedia Community
Board Secretary, Commons Photographers User Group
First Cohort, Wikisource Loves Manuscripts Learning Partners Network
Council Member, ESEAP Preparatory Council
Regional Ambassador, Wiki Loves Folklore International

About me

I am a community organizer, cultural activist, poet, photography enthusiast and a Wikimedia volunteer since 2006 from the Philippines.

In 2009, we formed the Bikol Wikipedia Community which later on became the Philippine Wikimedia Community User Group. Since its formation in 2015, I served as the community coordinator and the Board Chair in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. I am an administrator on Bikol Wikipedia, proponent and former administrator of Bikol Wiktionary, among other projects namely the Bikol language-based Wikipedia editions of Rinconada Bikol Wikipedia, Pandan Bikol Wikipedia, Miraya Bikol Wikipedia, and Bikol Wikisource. Currently, I serve as a member of the ESEAP Preparatory Council.

I am the project lead of Wikipedia Asian Month (WAM) on Bikol Wikipedia in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM) in the Philippines in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023, Wiki Loves Earth (WLE) in the Philippines in 2018 and 2019, WikiGap in the Philippines in 2020, 2021 and 2022; and Wiki Loves Folklore in the Philippines in 2023. In 2020, I was a Wikipedia Asian Month international jury member, and a final round jury in Wiki Loves Earth 2020 in Armenia and in Wiki Loves Monuments 2020 in Armenia. From 2018 — 2020 and 2023, I also served as a jury member in Wiki Loves Earth in the Philippines.

As a community leader, organizer and seasoned contributor, I represented the PhilWiki Community at the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Wikimedia Summit held in Berlin, Germany, 2018 ESEAP Wikimedia Conference held in Bali, Indonesia, and Wikimedia+Education Conference 2019 held at San Sebastian, Basque Country in Spain. I participated at the 2020 Movement Strategy Global Conversations as a representative of PhilWiki Community, and at the 2022 Wikimedia Summit as an online participant representing Commons Photographers User Group. Recently, I participated at the EduWiki Conference 2023 held in Belgrade, Serbia and at Wikimania 2023 held in Singapore as a scholarship recipient.

Outside the Wikimedia movement, my day job is teaching primary learners. I am involved in various cultural organizations serving leadership roles. Currently, I am the Boarcd Chair of Parasurat Bikolnon writers organization formed in 2010. My other organizations are Sumaro Bikolnon cultural organization, Kintab Artists Group Inc. and the Nueva Caceres Heritage Movement Inc.

During the CoViD-19 pandemic, I participated in Wikimedia Sverige's WikiGap Challenge 2020 wherein I finished 6th Place and got the Mind the Gap Barnstar "for [the] great contribution in the WikiGap Challenge, and to the visibility of women on Wikipedia". I also joined WikiDonne's Wikipedia 20 Concorso per testi poetici wherein one of my entries received an honorable mention. I submitted Wikipedia:Wikipedia which received “meritevoli di menzione”: "I testi, rispondendo al tema del concorso, esprimono un messaggio ad esso pertinente con un linguaggio corretto e non privo di efficacia comunicativa" (the text responds to the theme of the competition, it expresses a pertinent message using a correct and effective language). Here is my second entry to the contest:

Wikipedia Alphabet

Another article and

Bytes of information

Contributed to a

Digital

Encyclopedia

For free;

Gaps fixed and closed;

Humans and bots

Interlinking,

Joining together to make

Knowledge available to anyone;

Learning actively

Making studying interesting;

New projects created and

Open resources are shared:

Photographs of world heritage,

Quotations of notable persons,

Reportage of news around the globe,

Species of flora and fauna,

Travel guides for tourist destinations,

Understanding unknown

Vocabularies of different languages,

Wiki Loves

X photography contests;

You can edit with

Zestfulness!

Barnstars

The Asian Month Barnstar
Thanks for your great contribution in Wikipedia Asian Month 2015! -AddisWang (talk) 19:13, 21 January 2016 (UTC)

The Writer's Barnstar
Dios mabalos saimo manoy! hehe Hollyckuhno (talk) 16:39, 5 July 2016 (UTC)

The Original Barnstar
Thank you for your lightning talk at the Wikimedia Conference 2017. Ijon (talk) 08:32, 4 April 2017 (UTC)

Mind The Gap Barnstar
You get a Mind the Gap Barnstar from us, for your great contribution in the WikiGap Challenge, and to the visibility of women on Wikipedia. Eric Luth (WMSE) (talk) 10:29, 24 April 2020 (UTC)

The Wikipedia Asian Month 2022 Barnstar
Thanks for participating Wikipedia Asian Month 2022. We are grateful of your dedication to Wikimedia movement and hope you join us next year! Wish you all the best!

My work

• Promoting the Wikimedia Movement:

1. Instructor, sponsor; Bikol Poetry and Tigsik Writing Contest during the National Book Week celebration as part of the 1st anniversary of Bikol Wikipedia at Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges in Naga City (November 24 - 26, 2008)
2. Project lead, exhibit on Mga Harigi kan Arte asin Literatura promoting Bikol Wikipedia during the National Conference of Bicol History and Culture held at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary in Naga City (October 21 - 23, 2009)
3. Resource speaker, guesting as a volunteer in Boses ni Lolo radio radio program's national arts month episode on DWRN 657 khz Naga (February 21, 2015)
4. Resource speaker, guesting as a volunteer in Boses ni Lolo radio program on DWRJ 96.1 Naga post-Wiki Takes Rinconada (March 18, 2016)
5. Resource speaker, presenting Bikol Wikipedia during Kurit-kugit sa Rawitdawit sa Isla writing workshop organized by Catanduanes State University (CSU), and the provincial government of Catanduanes as a volunteer (May 19, 2018)
6. Resource speaker, guesting with a fellow volunteer Ramon Olano, Jr. as volunteers in Ini an Totoo radio program on DWOK 97.5 OK (July 27, 2019)
7. Resource speaker, guesting as a volunteer in Abogado Juan - Hapot mo Simbag ko radio program's national language month episode on Home Radio 95.1 Naga (August 29, 2020)
8. Honorable mention, WikiDonne's Wikipedia 20 Concorso per testi poetici (January 31, 2021)
9. Resource speaker, guesting as a volunteer on WikiGAP: Closing the Digital Gender Gap discussion via livestream by Developh Community (March 5, 2021)
10. Resource speaker, one of the panelists on "Wikimedia: Burabod nin Kaaraman" at the 3rd Pagkarahay Art Festival held in Naga Ecology Park sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Kintab Artist Group Inc., Isarog Garden Society Foundation Inc. in partnership with the city government of Naga, Metropolitan Naga Water District, and PhilWiki Community - a PH-WC initiative (November 29, 2021)
11. Resource speaker, guesting as a volunteer in Bong Franco's radio program on Home Radio 95.1 Naga promoting the Wikimania 2022 local celebration in the Philippines (August 9, 2022)
12. Resource speaker, guesting as a volunteer in Boses nin Banwaan on Radio Natin 89.5 Naga promoting the Wikimania 2022 local celebration in the Philippines (August 10, 2022)
13. Co-host, hosting as a volunteer in Bikol Wiki Weekend on DWOK 97.5 Naga promoting Bikol Wikipedia Community and Bikol Wikipedia's 15th year year celebration (July 15 - September 30, 2023)

• Bridging Wikipedia and education:

1. Conference presentor, Bikol Wikipedia at the Regional Conference on Reinventing Library Management in the 21st Century organized by the Bicol Region Librarians Council (BRLC) held at Divine Word College in Legazpi City, Albay (April 17 - 19, 2012)
2. Logistics committee, Open Web Day at Ateneo de Naga University (June 30, 2012)
3. Conference presenter, Orthography Issues on Bikol Wikipedia at the Philippine WikiConference 2013, a WMPH project - Report (June 15, 2013)
4. Logistics committee, Open Web Day at University of Nueva Caceres (November 23, 2013)
5. Project lead, Offline Wikipedia DVD Distribution at Department of Education - Minalabac School District, an initiave project (December 5, 2015)
6. Conference presenter, Bikol Wikipedia as a local resource (pdf) at the Wikimedia+Education Conference 2019 (April 7, 2019)
7. Resource speaker, Bikol Wikipedia as a local resource at the Training Workshop on Pagmidbid sa Kultura, Pagmidbid sa Isla attended by around 50 elementary and high school teacher in Social Studies from Department of Education - Division of Catanduanes May 25, 2019
8. Conference presenter, Wiki Loves Earth and Wikimedia Commons Workshop at 2nd Pagkarahay Art Festival (March 7, 2021)
9. Project lead, Wiki Education Program Philippines - RWIC Modules and Booklets donation to Manapao Elementary School under Minalabac School District, and San Juan National High School - a PH-WC initiative held during its Wiki Loves Arts mural painting activity (June 1 and 18; October 20, 2021)
10. Resource speaker, discussed Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom at the school-based In-service Training (InSeT) of Minalabac School District in Schools Division of Camarines Sur attended by more the 30 primary school teachers, as a volunteer (February 2, 2022)
11. Project lead, Localization and Contextualization of RWIC Modules involving teacher-writers - a PH-WC initiative (June 2021 - May 2022)
12. Resource speaker, discussed Wikipedia Translation Tool during the 3-day Training in Translation and Creative Writing for Teachers and Young Writers 2022 sponsored by Parasurat Bikolnon, Bikol High School for the Arts and Culture, and PhilWiki Community held via Google Meet, as a volunteer (March 11 - 13, 2022)
13. Project lead, 2-hour virtual seminar Webinar on Wikimedia held at James O'Brien Library, organized by Bikol Wikipedia Community and Ateneo de Naga University (December 2, 2022)
14. Resource speaker, discussed Preservation of old publications through Bikol Wikisource attended by students taking History and BS Library & Infomation Science from Camarines Norte State College, Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, and University of Nueva Caceres. Held at the University of Nueva Caceres Museum. (March 4, 2023)
15. Resource speaker, Intro to Wikisource during the GLAM outreach activity at University of Nueva Caceres Museum. (July 1, 2023)
16. Conference director, Bikol WikiConference 2023 attended by educators and city youth officials held Raul S. Roco Library and New Crown Hotel at Naga City (November 5-6, 2023)
17. Resource speaker, discussed Building Wikimedia communities for accessible knowledge at Central Bicol State University of Agriculture-Sipocot during the SICCLAB Year 2 Webinar Lecture Series 1 (October 15, 2023)
18. Resource speaker, discussed Building Wikimedia communities for accessible knowledge at Central Bicol State University of Agriculture-Sipocot during the Launch of CBSUA Wiki Education Program (October 26, 2023)
19. Presentor, discussed PhilWiki Community: its advocacies in indigenous languages preservation and cultural heritage through Wikimedia platforms at SIRANG Perspectives and Prospect: International Conference on Understanding the Contemporary Landscape Through the Lens of History and Heritage held at Ateneo de Naga University (October 26, 2023)

• Building capacity of underrepresented communities:

1. Attendee, 1st visit by the WMPH President to Bikol Community at New Crown Hotel, Naga City. (April 15, 2012)
2. Conference presenter, Building Regional Wikimedia Communities at the Philippine WikiConference 2012, a WMPH project (May 26, 2012)
3. Project lead, 5th Bikol Wikipedia Anniversary and Wikipedia Takes Naga thru WMPH Micro Grants (November 24, 2012)
4. Attendee, 2nd visit by the WMPH President to Bikol Community at Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, and in Naga City. (December 22 - 24, 2014)
5. Project lead, Wikipedia 15 celebration at Iriga City Public Library, Iriga City, Philippines (January 16, 2016)
6. Affiliate representative, Wikimedia Conference 2017 held in Berlin, Germany on a full scholarship grant (March 31 - April 2, 2017)
7. Project lead, 10th Bikol Wikipedia Anniversary thru WMF Rapid Grants - Report (November - December 2017)
8. Affiliate representative, Wikimedia Conference 2018 held in Berlin, Germany on a full scholarship grant (April 20 - 22, 2018)
9. Communications committee & conference presenter, ESEAP Conference 2018 held in Bali, Indonesia on a full scholarship grant (May 5 - 6, 2018)
10. Affiliate representative, Wikimedia Summit 2019 held in Berlin, Germany on a full scholarship grant (March 29 - 31, 2019)
11. Affiliate representative, Training of Trainers 2019 held in Berlin, Germany on a full scholarship grant (April 1 - 2, 2019)
12. Facilitator, Movement Strategy prioritization for PhilWiki Community User Group (November 3 - 16, 2020)
13. Participant, 2020 Movement Strategy Global Conversations as a representative of PhilWiki Community (December 5 - 6, 2020)
14. Facilitator, PhilWiki Community Engagement Survey, 2021 (September 26 - November 30, 2021)
15. Project lead, Commons Photographers User Group's Wikimania 2022 celebration in the Philippines (August 13, 2022)

• Improving high-impact content:

1. Project lead, Bikol Edithon as an event part of the 428th Foundation Anniversary Celebrations of the local government of Canaman held at Canaman Municipal Library (August 15, 2012)
2. Project lead, Rinconada Bikol Wikipedia (incubator) Editathon (August 5, 2014)
3. Project lead, Wikipedia Takes Rinconada thru WMF Rapid Grants - Report (October 2015 - January 2016)
4. Events manager and jury member, Wiki Loves Earth 2018 in the Philippines thru WMF Rapid Grants - Report (May 2018)
5. Project lead, Wiki Loves Monuments 2018 in the Philippines thru WMF Rapid Grants - Report (September 2018)
6. Events manager and jury member, Wiki Loves Earth 2019 in the Philippines thru WMF Rapid Grants - Report (May 2019)
7. Project lead, Wiki Loves Monuments 2019 in the Philippines thru WMID Rapid Grants (September 2019)
8. Jury member, Wiki Loves Earth 2020 in the Philippines thru WMF Rapid Grants - Report (May 2020)
9. Project lead, Wiki Loves Monuments 2020 in the Philippines, an initiative supported by PH-WC (October 2020)
10. Jury member, Wiki Loves Monuments 2020 in Armenia (January 15, 2021)
11. Jury member, Wikipedia Asian Month 2020 (March 2021)
12. Jury member, Wiki Loves Earth 2020 in Armenia (August 15, 2021)
13. Jury member, Wiki Loves Monuments 2022 in the Philippines (October 2022)
14. Project lead, Wikipedia Asian Month on Bikol Wikipedia (2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022), a PH-WC initiative - Outreach dashboard (November 2022)
15. Project lead, Wiki Loves Folklore 2023 in the Philippines (February 1 - March 15, 2023)
16. Project lead, Wiki Loves Art on Bikol Wikipedia (February; April, June 2023)
17. Project lead, Wikipedia Asian Month on Bikol Wikipedia (2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022), a joint Bikol Wikipedia Community and PH-WC initiatives - Outreach dashboard (November 2022)

• Closing the gender gap:

1. Co-project lead, WikiGap Philippines 2019, a PH-WC initiative - Outreach dashboard (March 2019)
2. Project lead, WikiGap Philippines 2020 thru WMF Rapid Grants - Report - Outreach dashboard (March 2020)
3. 6th Place, Wikimedia Sverige's WikiGap Challenge 2020 (March 8 to April 8, 2020)
4. Resource speaker, guesting as a volunteer on WikiGAP: Closing the Digital Gender Gap discussion via livestream by Developh Community (March 5, 2021)
5. Project lead, WikiGap Philippines 2021 on Tagalog Wikipedia and Bikol Wikipedia, a PH-WC initiative - Outreach dashboard (March 8 - April 8, 2021)
6. Project lead, WikiGap Philippines 2022, a PH-WC initiative - Outreach dashboard (March 2022)

Contact me

• on my talk page

User language
bcl-N Ining paragamit igwa nin banyas na pagkasabot sa Ingles. tl-4 Mala-katutubo na ang kaalaman ng tagagamit na ito sa Tagalog. en-3 This user has advanced knowledge of English. bto-2 This user has intermediate knowledge of Iriga Bicolano.
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