Helmed through the partnership of Break the Fake Movement and ASEAN Foundation, over 2,000 underserved youth across the Philippines underwent data science training under the ASEAN Data Science Explorers Program.
Running from March to July 2024, the program was designed to equip the Filipino youth with data analytics and app development skills, expanding their opportunities for the future. Moreover, it aimed to cultivate crucial soft skills in the digital information age, such as problem-solving and critical thinking.
“This is our second time partnering with ASEAN Foundation, and it is an honor to continue working with them in driving programs that align with our vision as an organization,” shares Break the Fake Movement founder Gabriel Billones Jr. “Promoting these important skills, especially among the youth will hopefully help us cultivate a more fact and data-driven society in the future.”
11 Master Trainers conducted enablement sessions from Benguet in the North to Zamboanga in the south, targeting the following categories of underserved youth:
- Youth living in remote areas, tier 2/3 cities (cities outside the capital city of the country)
- Youth with different abilities
- Youth with forced displacement status/youth from certain ethnic minority
- Youth with a certain gender identity
- Youth with no or less access to technology
- Youth from a lower-middle economic background and family income (less than PHP237,852 per year)
Following the conclusion of the enablement sessions is the ASEAN Data Science Explorers Competition, a regional data analytics competition organized by the ASEAN Foundation and SAP. Some participants from the enablement program also qualified for the competition and made it to the National Finals of the ASEAN Data Science Explorers Competition in the Philippines. Sharina Sodario and Kaye Manilong from the University of San Carlos, Cebu City, won as First Runner-up and were mentored by Master Trainer Debie Bolhano.
