The DigiPlus Foundation has opened the first PLUS Center for Technology on Ticao Island in Masbate, bringing modern digital learning facilities to one of the country’s most remote and underserved island communities.

The new center was established at the Liceo de San Jacinto Foundation (LSJF), the only educational institution on Ticao Island offering programs up to the tertiary level. LSJF serves nearly 90 percent of the island’s student population, including around 400 junior and senior high school students and 2,200 college students.

Formerly known as the BingoPlus Foundation, DigiPlus Foundation upgraded LSJF’s old computer laboratory into a fully equipped digital facility designed to meet current industry and digital learning standards. The PLUS Center for Technology aims to provide students and educators with hands-on access to technology, strengthen digital literacy, and develop skills aligned with the evolving workforce.

"The aim of our PLUS Centers is to bridge the digital divide and skills gaps in technology education and livelihood by delivering capacity-building and infrastructure investments in communities," DigiPlus Foundation Executive Director Angela Camins-Wieneke said. “From empowering persons with disabilities in Cebu with training in computer skills and commercial arts to helping solo parents in General Santos gain NC II Certifications through technical training in dressmaking, our goal is community-specific impact. We are grateful for the opportunity to extend this mission and deliver the same impact to Masbate through Liceo de San Jacinto."

Academic leaders welcomed the upgrade, noting its impact on teaching quality and student engagement.

“Education must evolve with the times,” said Dr. Francisco P. Altarejos, chairman of LSJF and mayor of San Jacinto, Ticao Island. “These new computers allow our institution to deliver quality, future-ready learning, expanding access, enhancing instructions, and equipping our students with skills essential in an increasingly digital economy.”

Beyond LSJF, the PLUS Center for Technology is expected to support nearby schools, community-based programs, and livelihood workshops, extending its reach across the island.

Local officials also highlighted the project’s role in inclusive growth.

“Access to technology is no longer a privilege; it is a necessity for inclusive growth,” said Mayor Marco M. Cam of Batuan town. “By bringing modern learning tools to our students, we are strengthening our community’s capacity to compete, innovate, and thrive in a rapidly digitalizing world. This initiative ensures that no learner in the whole island of Ticao is left behind.”

For students, the facility represents opportunity beyond equipment.

“This is not just a donation of hardware, it is an investment in our dreams,” said Zoren Almodiel, a third-year B.S. Education student at LSJF. “These computers turn ‘sana all’ into real opportunity. In a time when digital literacy is as essential as reading and writing, this upgrade empowers us to actively participate in the digital age and prepare for a technology-driven future, regardless of where we come from.”

DigiPlus Foundation said the project forms part of its FutureSmart program, which focuses on education, digital inclusion, and community resilience in underserved areas nationwide.