The Taiwan Excellence Awards was established by the Taiwan government back in 1993. Every year, Taiwanese manufacturers submit innovative products in hopes of winning awards on R&D, design, quality or marketing efforts. Products that won awards are recognized as innovative and high quality, thus are popular among consumers.

The main reason why Taiwan has been promoting the awards is because brands are trying their best to get people's attention and the country‐of‐origin effect perceived by consumers builds a connection and recognition that "made in Taiwan" basically means high quality products.

To promote awareness of the awards and excellent Taiwan products last year, Taiwan Excellence launched the "Sharing is caring" campaign, inviting international organizations to propose innovative ideas related to sustainable growth and environmental preservation for their societies and the whole world.

Among the 781 proposals from 61 countries, 12 proposals entered the final stage of the competition, and three winners were from the Philippines, New Zealand and Taiwan. Their proposals are educating and empowering the community through mobile trucks by non-profit organization Seed4com, solar solutions for indigenous Maori communities, and mobile digital denture clinic and oral health service project, respectively.

Each of the winning proposers got US$10,000 for their ideas and US$150,000 to put their plans into practice.

One of the judges, Professor Jou-Juo Chu of the National Chung Cheng University said that she selected the winners based on the feasibility and practicality of their proposals and if they could deliver the value of Taiwan Excellence and make it more well-known to the world.

After the mobile classroom proposal won the "Sharing is caring" campaign, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council started building a mobile classroom which is equipped with Taiwan Excellence products including display monitors, laptops for learners and teachers, solar panels with a full inverter system, a speaker system and microphones, foldable chairs, tables and tents.

They even offer free masks using microparticle stopper filter material to learners and teachers who attend the classes to protect them from Covid-19.

The Taiwan Excellence Mobile Classroom was launched last 9 November in Manila and Sara Duterte, vice president of the Philippines, said in the event via video that in an archipelagic country, the mobile classroom ensures equitable access to education while promoting the use of renewable energy in remote areas.

She also mentioned that it would ensure education in the Philippines in emergencies, engaging children and youths who would otherwise be deprived of education and the normalcy of school life.

Merlina Cruz, schools division superintendent of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, told me that the beneficiaries of the mobile classroom are the learners of the Alternative Learning System who are working now but were not able to finish basic education.

Cruz said that because the mobile classroom is solar powered, it doesn't require electricity and internet connectivity, so it can reach remote areas, even unenergized areas and those areas without internet service. And this project is truly beneficial to the learners because they can learn the modules at their own time without sacrificing their work or family time.

I went to San Jose del Monte on 10 November and witnessed how the mobile classroom worked and talked to one of the teachers, Ms. Bing Apawan Bautista.

It was an eye-opener to me seeing the team unload and assemble the tents, set up foldable chairs, tables, intranet and everything, and Ms. Bautista energetically teaching the learners. From the learners, I saw how they enjoy learning and appreciate the opportunity to learn, and I did see hope that the mobile classroom can make a difference in their lives.