Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

MANILA – As artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies continue to reshape the world, the Rotary Club of Makati has opened the doors of its AI Academy, which aims to empower, educate and employ underprivileged youth. 72 students will take part in the pioneer batch of RCMAIA 62 – from the Sisters of Mary of Banneux Boys and Girls Town and 10 from Rotaract. The club launched the RC Makati AI Academy (RCMAIA) on Saturday led by its officials and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Henry Aguda. RC Makati President Eduardo Galvez shared to ABS-CBN News why they chose to focus on equipping underprivileged youth with AI knowledge. &quot;We felt that a lot of the high school students, especially yung sa public schools, baka yung mga ibang pinag-aaralan nila obsolete na by the time they graduate because of the advancements in AI sa technology. Gusto naman namin may laban sila, gusto namin may fighting chance sila. So may skills sila na dala,&quot; he said. Galvez said talks of the academy began over a year ago, when RCMAIA Director Roger Collantes approached him with the idea.<div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/8/27/un-creates-artificial-intelligence-advisory-panel-0922">UN creates artificial intelligence advisory panel </a></div> &quot;We thought what if we put AI the most important technology of the generation in the hand of those who need it most? Meron kami nakita na isang grupo na if we don&#x27;t take care of them, the great divide will be bigger. Sino yun? Yung marginalized and underprivileged youth,&quot; Collantes shared. He said their promise is to make sure no student gets left behind in the age of AI and the &#x27;great divide&#x27; does not grow bigger. The four-month training program will take place for five hours every Saturday. The students will be taught what is AI, how to responsibly and ethically use it,  and then proceed to real-life applications. RC Makati tapped community-based platform KadaKareer to help formulate the curriculum. &quot;We aim to number one educate them, ano ba yung AI? Theories about AI and then the basics of AI. Through the empowerment, we hope they will apply what they learned tapos they learn how to use AI responsibly. By the end of the program we want to employ them,&quot; Sean Karl Calzada of KadaKareer said. The goal of the four month training program is to help students get employed or increase their employability amid the age of AI. Calzada said they will tap partner companies, organizations who would either get the students as apprentice or interns or employ them. &quot;Near the end of the program, magkakaroon sila ng internship program. Since our club is composed of maraming negosyante rito, business owners at marami naman kami kilala, after they graduate those that are keen and have done well, we can now try and have business owners integrate them,&quot; Galvez said. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/17/filipinos-turning-to-ai-videos-for-news-1204">Filipinos turning to AI, videos for news</a></div> Galvez said they are forming a partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for accreditation to enable them to give certificates to the students. &quot;AI is obviously it&#x27;s here. Hindi lang naman sa Pilipinas but around the world na it&#x27;s taking over a lot of business functions. It&#x27;s making it mas mabilis, mas efficient, mas accurate diba? So kailangan matutunan itong mga bata and at the same time mga negosyo,&quot; he shared. Rotary District 3830 District Governor Reginald Nolido, who is also an educator, expressed support for the club&#x27;s initiative. &quot;We shouldn’t be afraid of AI. In fact, we must realize its potential and use it for good. If we train our students well, they can use it as a force for doing good in society,&quot; he said. &quot;What we can do as a district is to promote this to the other clubs. There are 121 clubs in our district. So any one of them can also pick this up and find a way to adopt this in our communities. It is something we will definitely push,&quot; Nolido added. The initial batch of students is funded by their club and generous donors. But Galvez is confident they can secure funding for the sustainability of the program. Some of the Grade 11 students part of the AI Academy first batch are grateful for the opportunity to learn more about AI apart from their current use. &quot;I find AI a very essential thing as of now since we&#x27;re nearing our OJT. A lot of things around us are being digitalized so we have to step up our game,&quot; Monique Berdon said. <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/2/4/ai-regulation-around-the-world-1335">AI regulation around the world </a></div> &quot;Being given this opportunity is something we are truly grateful of kasi hindi lahat ng estudyante makakaranas ng ganito and iimpart yung training na nakuha namin. Aside from ourself, we can help the people around us,&quot; she added. &quot;I applied not only for myself but also for others too. It [artificial intelligence] could really help for a better job especially right now it is demand, workers are in demand in artificial intelligence,&quot; Riolyn Simba said. As for Johnlie Pedro, who is from Occidental Mindoro, he wants to maximize the chance to learn and use the knowledge for his future.&quot;Ang benefits po ng AI program sa future ko is for me to properly use the AI apps po, the AI tools po, hindi lang po para sa akin kungdi para sa work ko. How will we be the future of our country if we are not equipped with the skills?,&quot; he said. Nash Barasona, the breadwinner of his family, he said it&#x27;s an opportune time to learn how to responsibly use AI. &quot;Ito pong opportunity po na ito, hindi lang po sa akin. Gusto ko rin po matulungan po pamilya ko. Sa tulong ng AI at pag-aaral nito, mas matutulungan pamilya ko. Maibabalik ko rin yung opportunity sa ibang tao,&quot; he said. RC Makati said it is working on a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). &quot;Maybe this can be like a pilot project for them that they can replicate hindi lang dito but all over the Philippines. Kasi kailangan mo lang naman curriculum to properly disseminate it and you can bring it anywhere,&quot; Galvez said. DICT chief Aguda said they back the plan of RC Makati to expand the program, adding the Boys’ and Girls’ Town will the first model for “Digital Villages for Youth.” &quot;It aligns with DICT&#x27;s thrust to teach AI nationwide. And mag-papartner kami with our effort tawag namin Digital Bayanihan for the Youth. Makakaasa po kayo hindi lang dito, pati sa probinsya po dadalhin namin yung programa na yan,&quot; Aguda said. &quot;I will make sure the full resources of DICT will come to bear, so that when you graduate you will find jobs in the digital space,&quot; he committed. The DICT chief said they will ask telecommunication firms to donate free connectivity for the students who stand to learn future ready-skills. He also assured students of employment opportunities in the future. &quot;I&#x27;m working closely with IBPAP, yan po ang pinakamalaking organisasyon ng BPO companies. Dalawang milyon ang naka-employ diyan. Ang isa sa mga gusto namin, ang unang matuto ng AI, mabigyan nila ng trabaho,&quot; he said. “Together with the Rotary Club of Makati, Boys’ Town and Girls’ Town will serve as living proof that technology can change lives, restore dignity and create opportunity,” the DICT official added. Aguda encouraged the students to maximize the opportunity to learn and be equipped with skills to use AI in the growing digital space.<div> </div><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LcNFO9S80NA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

As artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies continue to reshape the world, the Rotary Club of Makati has opened the doors of its AI Academy, which aims to empower, educate and employ underprivileged youth.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies continue to reshape the world, the Rotary Club of Makati has opened the doors of its AI Academy, which aims to empower, educate and employ underprivileged youth.

Empowering underprivileged students through artificial intelligence

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Empowering underprivileged students through artificial intelligence

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 30, 2025 08:57 PM PHT

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Updated August 31, 2025 07:39 PM PHT

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Rotary Club of Makati

Artificial Intelligence

AI Academy

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