The democratization of technology is evidently upon us. However, you’ll know that economic inequality is still profound in the country just by looking at the widening gap between the computer-literate and those who can barely make out the basics of computer-use. This public issue is what DigiBayanihan aims to resolve.
What is DigiBayanihan?
DigiBayanihan, as you can tell by its name, is a movement that seeks to champion digital literacy amongst Filipinos from all walks of life. Which in turn will help them harness the benefits of technology, improve their quality of life, and later on volunteer to educate others.
The campaign is initiated by a multi-stakeholder partnership. Organizations such as Intel Philippines; the Information Communications Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology (ICTO-DOST);FIT-ED, Children International-Philippines, National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), the Philippine Community e-Center Network (PhilCeCNet), the Philippine Society of IT Educators (PSITE), Technical Vocational Schools and Associations of the Philippines (TEVSAPHIL), ASSIST and AsianNGO have come together to empower the underserved.
Transforming lives
Recently, the key partners of DigiBayanihan announced its goal to touch up to five million Filipinos through its digital literacy and volunteering initiatives by the end of 2015. How will they achieve this feat?
Being a critical partner, the eFilipino program of Department of Science and Technology-Information and Communication Technology Office (DOST-ICTO) aims to harness the use of ICT to achieve growth and development of communities in the Philippines thru Tech4Ed Innovation hubs.
“We believe that DigiBayanihan will further fuel and propel the eFilipino program,” said Bettina Quimson, DOST-ICTO deputy executive director.“DigiBayanihan, is a Movement of Volunteerism focusing on digital literacy; very much aligned to ourTech4Edand free Public WiFi projects;it provides additional support to theICT trainings of our people.”
On the other hand, this initiative will be monitored and managed by the NGO, Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST). Ashley Venerable of ASSIST said, “ASSIST and AsianNGO are proud to act as a catalyst in this whole process and looking forward to making this into a truly national movement.”
“Apart from ICT skills literacy, DigiBayanihan will also promote digital empowerment and citizenship,” said Sreeni Narayanan of ASSIST. “A digitally enabled and empowered Filipino will be a responsible citizen no matter where.”
Its tech partner, Intel “believes that DigiBayanihan has already achieved one of the goals we first set in mid-2014, and that is to put digital literacy at the forefront of the national agenda for human and economic development,” said Calum Chisholm, Intel Philippines country manager. “With DOST-ICTO supporting DigiBayanihan as a component of its national strategy, we hope to see the full impact of a digitally-literate Filipinos in just a few years. Intel is proud to be a driving force in this initiative and we will continue to lend our expertise in IT education among the youth and technology leadership to ensure that we reach the digitally excluded members of the population.”
DigiBayanihan partners, from its launch in 2014, are working hand in hand to reach more Filipinos by imparting basic digital skills as a first step. Intel’s digital literacy program, Easy Steps, currently being used in DigiBayanihan. But, they are set further develop the program by creating more Philippine-focused topics.
You can also be a hero, join the movement today here!