ASEAN Foundation and SAP Partner to Create Positive Social Impact

Wazzup Pilipinas!
 

The ASEAN Foundation and SAP SE recently announced a strategic partnership to create positive social impact in South East Asia. This joint effort will focus on areas of Education, Volunteerism and Entrepreneurship. Through this partnership, the ASEAN Foundation and SAP aim to support the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in building a cohesive regional community and deliver inclusively-shared economic benefits by encouraging strategic and innovative participation of youths and social entrepreneurs.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations is a part of SAP’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy to equip youths with the skills they need to tackle society’s problems and thrive in the digital economy; build the capacity of innovative social enterprises that put young people on the path to successful careers and build a skilled workforce for the IT sector with training and workforce development programmes. Key initiatives that will be executed under this agreement will focus on driving digital literacy to support sustainable growth for the communities that the programmes aim to benefit.

“A sustainable ASEAN community lies in the hands of ASEAN’s youth. I believe that our joint initiatives with SAP will increase the involvement of ASEAN youths in national and regional activities to give them an opportunity to actively contribute to the ASEAN community,” says Elaine Tan, the Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation.

Youth empowerment has been a salient topic in ASEAN since the Declaration of Principles to Strengthen ASEAN Collaboration on Youth that was presented in Bangkok in 1983. “The three initiatives under the ASEAN Foundation and SAP partnership have touched upon five priority focus of the most recent ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2016-2020 which include youth entrepreneurship, youth employment, youth awareness, youth volunteerism and leadership, as well as youth resilience,” Elaine added.

Smart's School-in-a-Bag Brings Hope to Sarangani Children

Wazzup Pilipinas!
 

How much are you willing to sacrifice to go to school? What would be you be willing to go through?

If you are an elementary student of the B’laan tribe in Saranggani in Mindanao, there ain’t no mountain high enough nor river wide enough to get you to Niyas M. Mental IP School in C’Magguing Daan Suyam, Malapatan.

To go to school daily, these children must traverse muddy trails and slopes and cross several rivers and streams on foot, rain or shine. On a good day, a few of them are able to borrow a horse from the neighborhood and have a comfortable ride.

When they do reach school, they must share a one-classroom hut with schoolmates of all levels and ages. The earth serves as the school floor. In the absence of electricity, natural light streams through slats of bamboo.

Despite the challenges of getting to and staying in school, these children persevere.

Their ally

In this journey, the children, the school, and Department of Education now has a staunch supporter in bringing hope to school children in far-flung areas.

With the help of volunteers, Smart has found a way to bring education and technology not just to Niyas M. Mental IP School but to other secluded areas as well. The team of volunteers cross the same streams and rivers and walk the same muddy trails to bring School-in-a-Bag, a package that contains gadgets loaded with educational content, to remote schools. To allow access to the Internet, the package includes a pocket wi-fi and solar-powered set to provide the electricity.

The content includes material that enables children to read and write the alphabet, watch videos of children’s stories, sing nursery rhymes and songs, and learn to pray.

With School-in-a-Bag, the school children have more ways to learn and more ways to experience the world. More than just information and education, School-in-a-Bag brings empowers children in this distant and secluded to hope and work for a better life.

“Thank you for giving us tablets, a TV and a laptop. Because of these, we can now learn to read, recite the alphabet, watch stories, sing and pray,” they gratefully said.

With your or your organization’s help, children in remote, underserved communities can learn #LikeNeverBefore. Want to learn how you can be a School-in-a-Bag sponsor? Email technocart@smart.com.ph today.

One Championship Hosts Team Lakay Media Day

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship (ONE), recently held an exclusive media day for Baguio City’s famed Team Lakay. The event took place at Vikings Venue at the SM Mall of Asia Bayside, Tuesday, 9 May.

It was attended by ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang, former ONE Featherweight World Champion Honorio “The Rock” Banario, Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio, Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly, Joshua Pacio, Danny “The King” Kingad, Gina “Conviction” Iniong and April Osenio. The team was accompanied by none other than legendary Philippine MMA coach and head of Team Lakay, coach Mark Sangiao.

Eduard Folayang, ONE Lightweight World Champion, stated: “I am still overwhelmed by the support that the whole Team Lakay is getting from the entire nation. We are all grateful for every cheer, support and prayer. It keeps us inspired, motivated, and humble. Our goal every fight night is always the same, which is to bring honor to our country.”

Mark Sangiao, Head Coach of Team Lakay, stated: “We are happy to celebrate this feat with our friends in the media and our beloved followers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. We came from the mountains of Baguio City, but we represent the colors of the Philippines on the global stage. Last April, we accomplished a 5-0 sweep, including Eduard's successful title defense. We came and overcame the challenges. However, the journey doesn't end there. As martial artists, we are here to grow and learn.”

Eustaquio is the only athlete from Team Lakay with an upcoming fight. He is scheduled to face Thailand’s Anatpong Bunrad in a highly-anticipated rematch of their 2015 encounter. The three-round flyweight contest is set for ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES which will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 26 May.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

​Photos of the ONE Championship: Team Lakay Media Day may be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxHVlFU0lKiIbVl2X1B2aVJOcGs​