DepEd partners with iamtheCODE to empower Filipino women with coding skills

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



The Department of Education (DepEd) has partnered with iamtheCODE to provide free coding and digital skills courses to Filipino young women and girls and strengthen its Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Design (STEAMED) initiative.

The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, following a courtesy visit and presentation by iamtheCODE founder Lady Mariéme Jamme on Thursday. The said signing was witnessed by several notable figures, including First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Karen Davila, Her Legacy Foundation Co-Founder Darlene Ty-Nilo , and Philippine Ambassador to Spain Philippe J. Lhuillier, alongside members of the DepEd executive committee.

iamtheCODE is the first African-led global movement that aims to empower a million young women and girls to become coders and creative problem-solvers by 2030.

“We are helping people around the world. Not just it’s African-led, but I think that our knowledge and our expertise can also serve the Filipino community here,” Lady Mariéme highlighted.

Through the partnership, iamtheCODE will provide access to DepEd schools to its 12-week blended curriculum (comprised of STEAMED workshops, apprenticeship programmes, and a repository of open-source online courses). Likewise, the iamtheCODE platform is set to offer over 60,000 free courses to young Filipino women and girls. The courses cover technical and soft skills lessons, with a focus on STEAMED.

As part of the implementation strategy, a skills benchmarking exercise will be conducted by iamtheCODE, in collaboration with DepEd, to identify the specific needs of Filipino students. This will ensure that the program is effectively tailored to suit the local context.

DepEd will also disseminate information about the availability of the courses, while iamtheCODE will assist with the pilot implementation in selected schools. The program is planned to be piloted from Grade 7 to Junior High School in voluntary schools across various regions.

Secretary Sonny Angara thanked Lady Mariéme for iamtheCODE’s dedication to empowering Filipino learners through the platform.

“The presence of Lady M here only underscores our shared interest to sign up even more Filipino young women and girls to iamtheCODE’s programs, and give more of them a fighting chance at a better life for themselves and their loved ones,” Secretary Angara said.



The initiative, which also aims to enhance knowledge in STEM, artificial intelligence (AI), and coding skills among high school students, has been a priority for Secretary Angara since his first week in office. The groundwork for this expansive initiative was diligently managed behind the scenes by Tootsy Angara, Secretary Angara’s wife.

Angara observes digital classroom session in visit to Khan Academy pilot school

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Education Secretary Sonny Angara, together with Khan Academy Philippines led by Chief Operating Officer Myrish Antonio, visited Fernando Ma. Guerrero Elementary School in Paco, Manila, on Thursday to observe the Khan Academy Session with its learners.

During the visit, Secretary Sonny Angara watched how the Grade 5 learners integrated the Khan Academy application into their Mathematics lesson.

In the Philippines, Khan Academy provides free education through courses that are available to learners and teachers that are continuously updating for alignment to the current local curriculum. It also integrates the Khanmigo, an AI-powered tutor in English and Filipino language that guides learners and assists teachers.

Secretary Angara thanked the Khan Academy for the partnership and for providing free tools and personalized learning resources for Filipino learners.

“Thank you for giving us a glimpse of the future. It is something to inspire and aspire for, and we will work hard toward it. You know, sometimes the most difficult part is how to get there, kaya pagtulungan natin ‘yan,” Sec. Angara said.

Khan Academy Philippines, on its part, vowed to provide more learners access to digital learning content and empower them to study at their own pace, both in and out of the classroom, as well as help teachers create lesson plans for fun and engaging activities.

“You will see the possibilities when the parents, the school administration, and the teachers come together to ensure that our learners will have fun learning Math more and more,” Khan Academy Philippines COO Myrish Antonio said.

“This is a good first step, and an insight for you to see how the students use Khan Academy integrated into their class, as well as Khanmigo. We hope you will observe with an open mind and heart, and also see the possibilities of what we can do together,” she added.

From 34 pilot schools, Khan Academy now has 373 partner schools with 130,503 learners and 1,515 teacher beneficiaries.

DepEd and Khan Academy Philippines sealed its partnership last August 5, strengthening the foundational skills of Filipino learners in numeracy and literacy through the Khan Academy online course content.

Intramuros to celebrate its first-ever fiesta

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Intramuros, the historic Walled City of Manila, is set to celebrate the first-ever Fiesta de Intramuros on 8 September 2024.

This celebration honors the feast day of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación y Correa, whom the Manila City Council, through its Resolution No. 496, series of 2024, has declared as the official patroness of Intramuros and bestowed the title Queen and Protectress of the Distinguished and Ever Loyal City.

San Agustin Church in Intramuros houses the original canonically crowned image of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación y Correa, who has been a silent witness to the Walled City’s rich history for almost 400 years and is the only Marian image continuously venerated within Intramuros.

The inaugural Fiesta de Intramuros will feature a series of religious and cultural activities, kicking off with novena masses at San Agustin Church from 30 August to 7 September 2024.

The Fiesta Mayor Mass and the official proclamation of Our Lady of Consolation as the patroness of Intramuros will be held at 10:00 A.M. on September 8 at San Agustin Church. The day will be capped by the Procesión Solemne starting at 5:30 PM, which will wind its way along the streets of Intramuros. The procession will be highlighted by the singing of the Tres Ave Marias at the newly built Esplanade by the banks of the Pasig River, followed by a grand fireworks display.

To add to the vibrancy of the occasion, the Fiesta Hispano-Filipino cultural night on 6 September 2024 will feature performances that highlight the fusion of Spanish and Filipino cultures.

Aside from the religious and cultural activities, the Dulce Septiembre (Sweet September) Bazaar will also offer visitors a delightful showcase of sweet treats from local food vendors. The bazaar will run along General Luna St. in Intramuros on all weekends of September starting 1 September 2024.

The five barangays nestled within the historic walls of Intramuros will also have their unique salu-salo feasts and lively traditional Filipino games, adding to the festive air.

Fr. Edwin Hari, OSA, rector of the San Agustin – Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación y Correa, invites the public to join in the sacred celebration, saying, “The Fiesta de Intramuros is an opportunity to reflect on our history, celebrate our faith, and look forward to a brighter future.”

Intramuros Administrator Joan Padilla said, “Fiesta de Intramuros is a testament to the enduring spirit of Intramuros. It is a time to honor our patroness, showcase our culture, and strengthen our community. We invite everyone to join us on this joyous occasion.”

This year’s fiesta celebration will be a prelude to the Silver Anniversary of the Canonical Coronation of the venerable image of Our Lady of Consolation in September 2025.