The Philippine tech industry just made a bold statement: innovation isn’t confined to Metro Manila—it’s thriving across the archipelago. That belief powered the launch of Can You HackIT, a groundbreaking initiative by the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), which debuted recently in Cebu City.
The event brought together 28 student teams from 14 schools for a week of mentorship and a high-impact, one-day hackathon designed to spotlight regional tech talent.
A Platform for Purpose-Driven Innovation
Can You HackIT is the brainchild of IBPAP president & CEO Jack Madrid, alongside trustees Ambe Tierro of Accenture and Sanjiv Gupta of IBM, under the guidance of IBPAP’s Tech and AI Council. Their shared vision: to build a national platform that connects students with real-world tech leaders and transforms ideas into impact.
“The Cebu hackathon is a powerful reminder that innovation thrives where talent meets purpose,” said Tierro, Accenture’s country managing director. “Can You HackIT proves that innovation isn’t tied to geography—it’s tied to belief,” added Gupta, IBM Philippines president. “When the industry comes together as a united ecosystem, we unlock talent that’s been ready all along.”
Merge Conflict’s Bant AI: A Digital Guardian for Filipino Families
The standout team at the hackathon was Merge Conflict from Silliman University in Dumaguete City. They claimed both the Top 1 Award and Best Use of AI for their project, Bant AI, an application that detects harmful online content in real time, alerts parents, and provides emotional analysis to guide family responses.
Built to understand Filipino, Cebuano, and English, Bant AI is designed for the realities of Filipino households navigating digital spaces.
“We wanted to build something that protects kids before the damage is done and helps parents understand what their children are really experiencing online,” the team shared during their final pitch.
Collaboration Over Competition
Can You HackIT exemplifies what’s possible when the tech industry collaborates across brands and sectors. The initiative was made possible through the support of Accenture, IBM, EY GDS, Lexmark, Carelon, and Philtech, with local partnerships from Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U), Cebu IT-BPM Organization (CIB.O), and DITO.
“This was a full-force community effort,” said Madrid. “It worked because the industry didn’t just fund it, they helped shape the future alongside our students.”
Scaling Across Philippine Tech Hubs
The Cebu hackathon came together in just a few weeks, thanks to the sharp execution and full support of CIB.O and CIT-U, which served as the cradle of the initiative. With Cebu as a successful proof of concept, IBPAP is now preparing to scale Can You HackIT to other regional tech hubs across the country.
“We’re not just opening doors,” Madrid emphasized. “We’re building new ones—and making sure no student with talent, heart, and hustle gets left standing outside.”