Intel Philippines, together with the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST), the Foundation for Information Technology Education and Development (FIT-ED), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), highlighted the importance of digital literacy efforts and device ownership in the country by providing a progress update on its DigiBayanihan initiative.
DigiBayanihan, first launched in September 2014 and led by Intel Philippines, the Department of Science and Technology, and non-government organizations, is an initiative which aims to establish a nationwide digital literacy initiative to touch, train, and transform individuals and positively impact communities around the country in the digital age.
“While we see an increased adoption of digital devices in Southeast Asia and in the Philippines, there is still a growing gap in digital skills that needs to be addressed in order to fully take advantage of the benefits of the digital age. We introduced DigiBayanihan to promote digital inclusiveness in the country and empower Filipinos with access to digital skills training and devices,” said Prakash Mallya, Intel Southeast Asia Managing Director.
The DigiBayanihan program aims to promote the use of digital devices and services through comprehensive digital skills training. More than 4,000 individuals and 20 partner organizations volunteered to be ‘DigiBayanis,’ to facilitate training and outreach initiatives that have touched 1,690,763 individuals on the impact of digital literacy in their everyday lives. Since 2015, DigiBayanihan partners have listed 336,722 completed training encounters this year, highlighting the interest and value of digital inclusiveness in the country.
Intel also introduced DigiBuy, a device acquisition platform built under the DigiBayanihan initiative to provide beneficiaries with access to affordable digital devices. This platform will help them maximize their productivity, boosting device ownership and promoting digital inclusiveness in the country.
“We know that digital literacy efforts would only go so far. This is why we looked for an opportunity to help beneficiaries take the next step in their digital literacy journey by providing them affordable options to own a device. The DigiBuy Device Ownership Platform will help ensure the sustainability of the DigiBayanihan program and help bring devices to the hands of every Filipino,” said Calum Chisholm, Intel Philippines Country Manager.
Three existing DigiBayanihan partners were tapped for the initial roll out of the DigiBuy Device Ownership Platform. This includes organizations such as the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), Philippine Society of IT Educators (PSITE), and Technical Vocational Schools and Associations of the Philippines (TEVSAPHIL). DigiBayanihan volunteers who belong to these organizations are entitled to own affordable Intel devices, whether for leisure or livelihood, by taking loans from their respective organizations. On the other hand, beneficiaries of the DigiBayanihan program can avail of the platform through the DigiBuy page in Lazada, available starting September 1, 2015. Retail outlets will also eventually roll out “DigiBuy corners” for DigiBayanihan beneficiaries.
“The DigiBayanihan movement allows us to tap individuals who have limited to no access to digital devices. By introducing DigiBuy, these individuals have more opportunities to learn and apply their digital skills in their daily lives,” said Sreenivas Narayanan, Founder and Managing Director of ASSIST.
“We at Intel acknowledge the role of education and connectivity in empowering developing countries throughout the world. With Southeast Asia being a relatively young but strong region in terms of digital adoption, introducing programs that help promote and sustain digital literacy will help increase productivity and lay the foundation for a stronger digital economy,” concluded Mallya.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
• DigiBayanihan is a digital literacy initiative that promotes the use of digital devices and services to touch, train, and transform individuals in the digital age.
• The initiative is done through strategic partnerships with government and private organizations such as DOST, ASSIST, FIT-ED, and many others. This initiative aims to provide training to 1 million users through a volunteer program using Intel Easy Steps Modules.
• A new platform under DigiBayanihan, called DigiBuy, will complete the circle by providing affordable devices to volunteers and beneficiaries to help throughout their DigiBayanihan journey.
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