A digital future where strategy goes beyond scrolling

At a time when fast-food orders are placed via touchscreen, autonomous vehicles are navigating our streets, virtual doctors diagnose symptoms, and algorithms dictate the rise and fall of businesses, it often feels surreal to see technological disruptions sweep across every facet of modern life. The question is no longer whether we should embrace sophisticated technology but how prepared we are to harness them for our collective advantage.

On the surface, the Philippines looks digitally promising. With a median age of 25.7 years and over 85 million smartphone users, Filipinos are among the most hyper-connected people in Southeast Asia. The country consistently ranks among the top globally in time spent on social media, clocking over three hours per day on platforms like Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, according to We Are Social's 2024 Digital Report.

Yet beneath this hyperconnectivity lies deeper fissures. Embracing the tech revolution is not merely about being a passive user, scrolling, streaming, or shopping online. It demands structural changes in education, infrastructure, governance, and social equity. What’s needed now are systemic changes in mindsets, policy frameworks, and the foundations of public life to address persistent challenges in access, affordability, and digital literacy.

While mobile penetration in the Philippines exceeded 90 percent in recent years, making it a leader in ASEAN when it comes to mobile engagement and stable internet connectivity remains out of reach for many. The 2019 National ICT Household Survey found that only 18 percent of households had fixed internet access. As of 2025, the Philippines ranked 83rd globally in fixed broadband speeds, according to the Speedtest Global Index, far behind its ASEAN neighbors.

The risks of digital exclusion are vast. In rural communities, access to essential digital services, such as online schooling, government registration, and telemedicine, remains limited. While innovations like Elon Musk’s Starlink have begun reaching underserved areas, the cost of entry is still prohibitive for most families.

Meanwhile, digital skills training, especially for older workers and marginalized groups, is still limited. Without these foundational tools, digitalization risks widening the gap between rich and poor, urban and rural, young and old.

Perhaps no institution is more central to digital readiness than education. However, digital literacy in schools remains uneven. While coding and ICT are now integrated into the basic education curriculum, implementation is hampered by a lack of trained teachers, inadequate hardware, and low internet penetration. More critically, few schools teach how to think digitally — skills like computational thinking, data interpretation, media literacy, or AI ethics.

As futurist Alvin Toffler once warned, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” Preparing Filipinos for the AI-driven future will require more than coding boot camps and demand a full reorientation of what education is for.

Technical and vocational education must align with the needs of the digital economy, such as AI, cybersecurity, cloud services, and automation. Moreover, retraining programs for displaced workers, particularly those in manual and repetitive jobs at risk of automation, must be expanded.

To move forward, we must support local startups, invest in R&D, and develop stronger systems for intellectual property protection that reward innovation and risk taking. I had always pushed for original content and innovations when I joined the government in 2018 until I ended my term as Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) in December 2024. This means supporting local innovators and changing mindsets to help Filipinos see themselves as makers rather than just markets.

The government’s push toward e-governance, digital IDs, online business registration, and cashless transactions is also a step in the right direction. E-learning platforms, telemedicine, and online public services have made headway, especially in urban areas.

The private sector also has a role to play. Many tech companies and startups are already investing in digital skilling and innovation hubs. Public-private partnerships can accelerate access to new technologies while providing safe, inclusive, and scalable solutions for all.

Technology is as much about culture as it is about code. Filipino creativity, collaboration, and resilience shine in the digital age whether it’s through content creation, freelance work, or small businesses selling through the selling platforms, including social media.

There is no question that Filipinos can adapt. Our overseas workers have long adapted to different cultures and technologies. Our MSMEs quickly shifted to online platforms during the pandemic. From micro entrepreneurs and sari-sari store owners learning mobile payments to farmers accessing weather updates, many Filipinos have found ways to harness technology to survive and even thrive. This adaptability is a strength that can be harnessed further.

But to thrive in this era, we must do more than adapt. We must shape the systems that shape us. That means having a digital culture that is not just big on consumption, but also deeply rooted in pure innovation, adaptation and meaningful participation.