Aboitiz Foundation helps Siargao build its digital workforce
Aboitiz Foundation aims to equip 300,000 Filipinos with skills for technology-enabled careers, expanding access to employment opportunities across the country.
NIEDES Clerigo used the knowledge she gained from Elevate AIDA to earn additional income through AI data annotation projects while juggling her work and graduate studies.
Siargao is making waves beyond surfing, this time through a push into the digital economy as the island seeks to develop new industries and create employment opportunities beyond tourism.
Aboitiz Foundation is supporting this transition by expanding digital skills training in Del Carmen, equipping residents for technology-enabled careers and opening pathways to the growing market for digital services.
In partnership with Connected Women and the local government of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte, Aboitiz Foundation recently welcomed 30 women into the second batch of Elevate AIDA, following the graduation of its first 20 participants earlier this year. The launch coincided with the graduation of 28 AIDA Plus participants coming from different municipalities on Siargao Island.
Both programs fall under Aboitiz Foundation’s Jobs Pillar, helping participants build practical digital skills and prepare for employment opportunities, from basic digital training to more specialized skills that meet changing industry needs.
Elevate AIDA equips women with digital literacy and artificial intelligence (AI) data annotation skills, which support the development and improvement of AI systems, while preparing them for online work.
AIDA Plus builds on this foundation with training in virtual assistance, cloud accounting, data analytics, and other in-demand digital skills for remote employment.
THROUGH Elevate AIDA, women gain digital literacy and AI data annotation skills, equipping them to pursue flexible work opportunities.
Supporting Siargao’s economic diversification
The expansion comes as Siargao seeks to develop technology and creative industries that complement tourism, fishing and agriculture, creating new sources of livelihood while preserving the island’s natural resources.
For Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo Coro II, investing in digital skills is an important step toward developing these complementary industries and connecting island residents to employment opportunities beyond their communities.
“As a protected landscape and seascape, we need industries that can generate jobs without putting more pressure on the environment. Technology and creative industries complement our strengths in tourism, fishing and agriculture while connecting our people to opportunities beyond the island,” he said.
Aboitiz Foundation’s investment in digital skills development has yielded significant gains nationwide, with over 5,000 trainees graduating from its AIDA programs and over 1,300 graduates securing decent employment.
Building on these outcomes, Aboitiz Foundation aims to equip 300,000 Filipinos with skills for technology-enabled careers, expanding access to employment opportunities across the country.
“Our goal is to work with local governments and industry partners to develop talent that responds to evolving market needs while supporting the economic aspirations of the communities we serve,” Aboitiz Foundation president Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar said.
“By connecting Filipino talent with opportunities beyond traditional industries and geographic boundaries, we are helping communities build more resilient and sustainable sources of livelihood,” she added.
Turning digital skills into career opportunities
In Del Carmen, the impact of these efforts is already taking shape, with Elevate AIDA graduates putting their skills to work on paid projects and pursuing new professional opportunities.
Among them is Niedes Clerigo, an employee of Surigao del Norte State University’s Del Carmen Campus who enrolled in Elevate AIDA after several unsuccessful attempts at landing online jobs.
Clerigo’s completion of the training paved the way for her participation in a LiDAR data annotation project. This allowed her to earn additional income while continuing her work and graduate studies.
“Elevate AIDA equipped me with practical digital skills and gave me the opportunity to apply what I learned through actual project work,” Clerigo said. “It showed me that with the right training and determination, opportunities in the digital economy are within reach.”
For Aboitiz Foundation, these outcomes demonstrate the value of connecting skills development with real employment opportunities, helping Siargao nurture a competitive digital workforce that can support economic diversification.
As the island looks beyond its traditional industries, investments in local talent are creating pathways for residents to participate in the global digital economy without having to leave the communities they call home.