The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), IBM Philippines, and Caritas Philippines join hands on Friday (July 18) to bring hope and opportunity to 14 young women under the agency’s care.
The joint undertaking marks the start of the young girls’ learning journey under the IBM Philippines’ SkillsBuild Program. Through the IBM online platform, the learners — mostly survivors of sexual abuse — will undergo upskilling in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other in-demand technical skills in tech-based field for 3 months.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the initiative reflects the shared commitment of the DSWD and IBM to equip vulnerable youth with digital skills and open doors to employment opportunities in the fast-developing digital industry.
Father Carmelo “Tito” Caluag of the Caritas Philippines, who also graced the event, expressed excitement on complementing the technical side of the initiative with character formation values.
The IBM team that led the event were Princess Ascalon of Government and Regulatory Affairs Executive; Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Abigail Lesaca; Associate Partner Master Sridhar Kannaiyan; People Managers Imey Longanilla and Joyson Barrago.
The DSWD chief was joined by Asst. Secretaries Irene Dumlao of Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) and Ada Colico of the Protective Programs. (LSJ)
