Shifts in global migration trends open doors to rising global destinations for work and study abroad— British Council IELTS

Shifts in global migration trends open doors to rising global destinations for work and study abroad— British Council IELTS

Sunday, April 27, 2025

Recent shifts in the global economy are leading popular Filipino migration destinations—US, UK, Canada, and Australia—to update their visa and international student policies, opening opportunities in emerging destinations. The British Council, a globally trusted and recognised provider of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), provides personalised support to help Filipinos gain internationally recognised qualifications and explore fresh avenues for work, study, and living abroad in 2025.

Historically drawn to the "big four" destinations—the US, UK, Canada, and Australia—Filipino emigrants now face a shifting terrain. In the US, immigration restrictions have put residency papers on hold, while Australia moves to cap international student enrolments. Meanwhile, Canada is scaling back temporary foreign worker programs, and the UK is tightening student visa rules.

To help Filipinos navigate the changing migration landscape, the British Council, the organization that co-jointly runs the IELTS, provides internationally recognised credentials that open doors to a wide range of opportunities worldwide. Accepted by over 12,500 organisations across 140 countries, the British Council provides essential resources and personalised support needed to help Filipinos succeed in the IELTS exam, preparing them for success not only in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, but also in emerging destinations across Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Where Filipinos are Headed in 2025

Several countries are now eager to attract global talent, creating new opportunities for Filipino students and professionals. Here are some of the rising destinations for 2025:

New Zealand

New Zealand, known for its thriving agriculture, healthcare, construction, and engineering sectors, is also becoming an increasingly attractive destination for Filipino workers. The country recently overhauled its Accredited Employer Work Visa regulations to make it easier for skilled foreign workers to migrate. These changes include removing restrictions on middle-income jobs, reducing experience requirements from three to two years, and introducing new seasonal worker visas.

Germany

Germany, well-renowned for its expertise in engineering, healthcare, and technology, has become a top destination for Filipino students and professionals. To strengthen its workforce, the country introduced major immigration reforms through the Skilled Labor Immigration Act, a new points-based system which evaluates applicants based on salary, educational level, and German language proficiency, making it easier to enter the country even without a job offer. The country also supports foreign students with a one year opportunity visa, allowing them to gain work experience and improve their chances of securing long-term employment.

“Moving here was a big step, but its world-class education, strong job market, and vibrant culture made it all worth it,” recounts Jay Paul Ely Tena, the 2023 IELTS Prize Winner, who recently pursued his graduate studies in the University of Erfurt. “Adjusting to the language and lifestyle had its challenges, but my IELTS preparation with the British Council gave me the confidence to communicate effectively, both in my studies and daily life,” he adds.

Spain

Spain, a global hub for education and business, is strengthening its immigration policies to boost its workforce. Foreign students pursuing higher education can receive automatic work authorization and can remain in Spain for up to 24 months post-graduation to seek employment or start a business. The country has also removed the three-year residency requirement for switching from a student to a work visa, making it easier for graduates to enter the workforce. Additionally, Spain plans to legalize 300,000 undocumented immigrants annually, granting them work and residence permits.

"Living in Spain has been an incredible experience—the welcoming culture, the balance between work and personal life, and the accessibility of everything made it feel like home," shares Jessica Badua, the 2022 IELTS Prize winner, who earned her master's degree at the Universidad de Cádiz. "The British Council IELTS was instrumental in my journey, not only helping me gain admission to my master's program but also opening doors for scholarships and opportunities that made my transition as an international student smoother and much more rewarding."

Singapore

Singapore remains a top choice for Filipino professionals. The country’s Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass, part of the city-state’s broader strategy to attract top global talent, allows skilled professionals and entrepreneurs to live and work there for five years without employer restrictions. The country has also simplified pathways for international students to obtain permanent residency, allowing graduates to transition smoothly into the workforce.

"Many Filipinos may feel uncertain about their options due to the changing migration landscape," says Zoe Zhang, Regional Director for Exams at the British Council. "But the British Council ensures that our candidates have the tools and qualifications they need to prepare for the IELTS and help them succeed on the global stage, even outside the ‘Big 4.’"

While migration trends continue to evolve, the British Council IELTS remains committed to equipping Filipino students and professionals with the right resources and support to pursue their work, study, and living abroad dreams—empowering them to build a bright future anywhere in the world.

To book your IELTS exam, secure your slot here: https://bit.ly/4jJrHud. For more information about the British Council visit the IELTS British Council Facebook page or website.

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90,000 Bangsamoro Kids Learn Peace and Inclusion Through Animation

90,000 Bangsamoro Kids Learn Peace and Inclusion Through Animation

In a remote Bangsamoro village, children sit captivated as Isla Maganda, brings to life a world where resilience, collaboration, and problem-solving are learned alongside foundational skills. Now, 90,000 children are learning these essential skills through a world-class animation and audio series rooted in Bangsamoro’s cultural values. In classrooms equipped with devices, children have already watched the series an average of 2-3 times, and a total of 99,527 workbooks have been distributed, providing engaging hands-on activities to reinforce their learning.

The Bangsamoro Government, in partnership with the Australian Government, introduced Isla Maganda, the first program in Bangsamoro to integrate 21st-century skills and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into early education. Isla Maganda reaches children in remote and disadvantaged areas, helping them build the skills they need for lifelong learning. To date, 546 public elementary schools, learning centers, Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED) implementing schools, Special Education (SPED) Centers, and madaris (Islamic schools) across six provinces have benefited from this initiative.

To strengthen teachers’ capacities and address learning gaps, 2,622 teachers have been trained and provided with the animated series’ teacher’s guide and children’s workbooks.

Low literacy rates have persistently challenged the Bangsamoro region, driven by barriers in access, quality, and inclusion, leading to widespread disparities. The region has the lowest literacy rates among 17 regions in the Philippines, and according to the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education’s (MBHTE) 2021 Activity Baseline Results, most Grades 1 to 3 students perform below expected standards.

Isla Maganda aims to bridge this gap by delivering engaging, culturally relevant learning through animation and audio storytelling. This 20-episode series for Kindergarten to Grade 3 (K-3) learners strengthens literacy, numeracy, and peace education, while embedding core Bangsamoro values such as respect, honesty, and empathy. Developed over four years, it is a collaborative effort uniting government partners, international production teams, local talents, and education experts.

MBHTE Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal affirmed the importance of Isla Maganda’s rollout to schools across BARMM, including remote and conflict-affected areas.

“Many young learners grow up in conflict-affected or geographically remote areas, where access to quality and inclusive education is inconsistent, having a detrimental impact on their learning and future opportunities.”

“I commend the efforts of MBHTE, the Australian Government, DepEd, and education leaders across the country for their dedication to delivering quality, inclusive education to children in BARMM through Isla Maganda. Now, more young learners will gain the essential skills they need to excel in their learning, empowering children, strengthening communities, and building a future of peace and prosperity for our region.”

The Australian Embassy worked closely with MBHTE to provide technical assistance in developing Isla Maganda materials, ensuring they are tailored to the Bangsamoro context and designing teacher training programs to support their seamless integration into classrooms.

Each episode of Isla Maganda, part of the 21st Century Skills and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, is accompanied by lesson plans for teachers provided by MBHTE, ensuring its effective integration into the broader education curriculum across BARMM.

Ma. Socorro Tabuga, a teacher at Lapok Elementary School in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, was among the first to introduce Isla Maganda to her Kindergarten students in February. After completing a three-day master training course on using Isla Maganda classroom materials and facilitating discussions on key concepts, she was eager to see how her students would react.

“Isla Maganda is helping my students develop important skills like empathy, self-control, and cooperation. Since introducing the series, I've noticed a positive change in the way they interact, and there’s less fighting. They identify with the characters they like and adopt their traits, which has led to better interaction, teamwork, and problem solving,” she shared.

Isla Maganda is also accessible to everyone through its dedicated YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/@IslaMaganda), enabling more children, even those outside the region, to engage with the series, develop foundational skills, and build a pathway to academic success and contribute to lasting peace.

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Alsons Dev Receives Distinctions from BPI, Pag-IBIG, and the City Government of Davao

Alsons Dev Receives Distinctions from BPI, Pag-IBIG, and the City Government of Davao

Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) has been recognized by three major institutions for its significant contributions to housing development and tourism. The company received distinctions from the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the Pag-IBIG Fund Stakeholders’ Accomplishment Report (StAR) Awards, and the City Government of Davao’s PASIDUNGOG: Garbo sa Dabaw 2025 awards.

Recognized for Excellence in Housing and Community Development

At the BPI Awards held on March 18, 2025, at the National Museum of Natural History, Alsons Dev received multiple distinctions for its housing loan performance—primarily driven by its mid-cost housing brand Nurtura. The company was named the Top 4 Local Developer in Title Delivery and Top 7 Local Developer in Production, as well as top recognitions for two new categories: Top Local Developer in Loan Portfolio Quality and Top Local Developer in Market Share.

Having been a consistent awardee at the BPI Awards since 2020, these new honors further highlight the company’s dedication to customer-centric service and commitment to compliance and operational excellence in housing delivery.

Complementing its private-sector distinction, Alsons Dev was also honored by a national government entity. On March 14, at the Pag-IBIG Fund Stakeholders’ Accomplishment Report (Pag-IBIG StAR) Awards held at SMX Convention Center Davao, the company received the Special Award for the Highest Number of Socialized Units Taken Out in the Mindanao region. This recognition was driven by Molave Homes, its socialized housing project in Alabel, Sarangani. The award affirms Alsons Dev’s support for accessible homeownership and its strong coordination with Pag-IBIG Fund in serving the housing needs of Filipinos.

“These recognitions from both private and government institutions reinforce our purpose: to make quality housing more accessible to Filipino families through well-planned communities, reliable service, and a deep commitment to our core values of excellence and customer-centricity. We are grateful for the trust of our partners and proud of the teams that consistently embody these values to deliver outstanding results,” said Miguel Rene A. Dominguez, President and CEO of Alsons Dev.

Rounding out the honors, Alsons Dev was recognized at the Pasidungog 2025: Garbo sa Dabaw awarding ceremony on March 13. Poblacion Market Central was awarded under the Tourism category for its role in promoting Mindanaoan heritage and supporting local enterprises.

“We take pride in creating spaces that celebrate Mindanaoan heritage while fostering vibrant communities. This recognition reaffirms our mission to support local enterprises and contribute to Davao City’s sustainable growth,” Miguel Dominguez added.

A Testament to Alsons Dev’s Commitment to Inclusive Growth

The recognitions from BPI, Pag-IBIG Fund, and the City Government of Davao collectively underscore Alsons Dev’s broad contributions—from expanding access to quality housing to driving local economic development. As a homegrown developer, Alsons Dev remains committed to creating lasting value through thoughtfully developed communities that support both families and the cities they live in.

For more information about Alsons Dev and its developments, visit https://alsonsdev.com.

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GCash honors women who lead, inspire, and conquer at the She Can Awards 2025

GCash honors women who lead, inspire, and conquer at the She Can Awards 2025

By highlighting the achievements of women in tech, GCash is helping inspire the next generation of women leaders to pursue careers in technology and drive innovation forward

GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance superapp and cashless ecosystem, hosted She Can 2025 to recognize the leadership, resilience, and influence of its female employees and their significant contributions beyond their job titles. In acknowledging the valuable contributions of women in tech, GCash is setting a powerful example of how to make a difference in the world of innovation through diversity and inclusion.

She Can 2025 went beyond a simple awards ceremony, honoring women for their workplace contributions, resilience, and community impact. The initiative began with an open call for nominations, gathering 78 inspiring stories of women colleagues who lead by example, uplift others, and overcome challenges. From these, 12 honorees were selected across She Can Lead, She Can Inspire, and She Can Conquer, each showcasing unique strengths and unwavering perseverance.

At the heart of the celebration was the She Can Empowerment Forum, where noted journalists Ces Drilon, Bernadette Sembrano, and Jacque Manabat shared their personal experiences and insights about taking charge and breaking barriers. Manabat, a former ABS-CBN reporter, delivered a powerful message: "Iba ang lakas ng babae (The strength of women is unique). We don't let our scars define us but rather nurture those scars to make a difference, make an impact, and use our skills for good.” She encouraged women to step outside their comfort zones as a path to growth and self-discovery.

Martha Sazon, President and CEO of Mynt, the holding company of GCash, further amplified this message, emphasizing the company’s commitment to women empowerment: “At GCash, we don’t just celebrate women—we invest in their success. Women are leaders, innovators, and change-makers, and their resilience drives not just our company but entire communities forward. Through our initiatives, we are creating an ecosystem where women have the tools to thrive in and beyond their careers. When women rise, we all rise.”

The initiative's honorees were presented with unique plaques, symbolizing their light and strength, as they shared their journeys and reflections. The efforts of GCash to empower women extend well beyond the “She Can” initiative. Women comprise 47% of GCash’s workforce and hold 49% of leadership positions, far surpassing the industry average. The company also partnered with Connected Women in 2023 to provide STEM skills training, enabling Filipino women to thrive in the evolving digital economy.

“She Can 2025” affirms the commitment of GCash to celebrate and empower women in tech. By honoring their innovation, leadership, and resilience, GCash inspires future generations of women to break barriers, drive advancements, and create transformative impacts in the tech industry and beyond.

For more information, visit www.gcash.com.

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YouTube Shopping launches in the Philippines, expanding partnership with Shopee in Southeast Asia

YouTube Shopping launches in the Philippines, expanding partnership with Shopee in Southeast Asia

Thursday, April 24, 2025

YouTube, in partnership with Shopee, launches YouTube Shopping in the Philippines. With this launch, the YouTube Shopping affiliate program is now available in six countries across Southeast Asia, further fueling the burgeoning video commerce in the region. YouTube Shopping seeks to elevate the purchase experience and create more opportunities for viewers, content creators, and even advertisers.

Viewers can now seamlessly find and buy the things they love while watching content from their favorite creators. The YouTube Shopping affiliate program transforms video e-commerce from links in the description box to actual and direct product tagging – no more extra clicking, endless searching, or switching between websites. All they have to do is check out!

The launch of the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program in the Philippines offers exciting opportunities for both Shopee sellers and content creators. Shopee sellers can now expand their reach by collaborating with an even broader network of content creators through this partnership, giving them the opportunity to tap into a highly engaged, incremental audience and drive sales like never before. This seamless connection between creators and sellers accelerates product discovery, amplifies brand reach, and ultimately enhances conversion rates.

For eligible local creators, this partnership unlocks new business opportunities, enabling them to monetize their influence by promoting products to an audience they have already built connections with. As consumers in the Philippines increasingly seek engaging, content-driven shopping experiences, this collaboration meets their evolving expectations.

Tapping on the rise of video commerce and creator economy in the Philippines

Southeast Asia is one of the world's fastest-growing e-commerce markets, with video commerce having surged to 20% of the region’s e-commerce gross merchandise value in 2024–a fourfold increase since 2022. At the same time the Philippine creator economy is thriving, with over 450 channels with more than one million subscribers, and over 6,000 channels with more than 100,000 subscribers.

Driving this growth is a shift from traditional discovery to a video-first shopping experience, with consumers looking to online content with creators they trust for information and entertainment. On YouTube, creators are more than just entrepreneurs and cultural influencers – they are trusted advisors on behalf of brands. A global study reveals that online users are 98% more likely to trust recommendations from YouTube creators compared to other social platforms. This trust translates directly into purchase confidence. In fact, YouTube drives 3.8 times greater purchase intent than other social platforms on averages.

This underscores viewers’ trust in creators' recommendations and their desire for authentic product reviews and demonstrations ultimately leading to conversion. Consumers are looking to search- and video-led entertainment to enrich their shopping experience, and this deep engagement with trusted creators on YouTube underscores the platform’s unique position to power this.

According to a Kantar study on shopping behaviors among Southeast Asian Gen Zs, eight in ten Gen Z respondents desire entertaining shopping experiences reinforcing the importance of content in their shopping journey. Furthermore, despite exploring alternative channels for product discovery, 63% of Filipino Gen Z respondents still prefer to complete their purchases on e-commerce platforms, making this partnership between YouTube and Shopee highly synergistic in creating an integrated, seamless shopping experience.

Sapna Chadha, Vice President for Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier said, “Southeast Asia is shaping the future of shopping with its powerful combination of a deeply engaged video-first audience, a profitable digital economy, and a vibrant creator community. We’re thrilled to bring YouTube Shopping to the Philippines—making Southeast Asia home to six out of nine countries globally that have it. Just seven months since our regional debut, we’re seeing strong traction across creators, sellers, and advertisers already. Building on this early momentum, YouTube Shopping will continue to grow, unlocking new opportunities for viewers, creators, brands, and partners across this dynamic region.”

Vincent Lee, Head of Shopee Philippines shared, ”At Shopee, we are committed to delivering engaging shopping experiences that integrate content, community, and commerce. Our partnership with YouTube Shopping is a significant milestone for our brands and sellers, allowing them to connect with creators and harness their influence to drive sales effectively. This collaboration also opens up exciting opportunities for the growing number of Filipino content creators to monetize their creativity while promoting products that resonate with their audiences. As the digital economy continues to expand, our commitment is to support sellers and creators alike, helping them thrive in this evolving landscape."

Earn more with YouTube Shopping affiliate program for creators

With the YouTube Shopping affiliate program, creators can tag products in existing and new videos, as well as pin them during live streams. The full list of tagged products and information about each product is made available at a glance in the description section and ‘Product’ section of the video. Clicking on a product will lead viewers directly to an external sales page on Shopee, for a seamless purchase.

The YouTube Shopping affiliate program complements existing monetization options that empower Filipino creators to engage their audience and build deeper connections beyond immediate sales. These include tools such as Ads Revenue, YouTube Premium Revenue, Channel Memberships, Super Thanks, Super Chat and Super Stickers.

In just seven months since YouTube launched the YouTube Shopping affiliate program in Southeast Asia, the program has delivered impressive results and fantastic momentum.

For example, Mai Trinh Hồ, a beauty and fashion creator known for her honest reviews, joined the YouTube Shopping affiliate program in the last quarter of 2024 and has already seen her revenue increase by almost five times. Another case is that of Jagat Review, a tech creator from Indonesia, shared that his earnings from the YouTube Shopping affiliate program made up a whopping 50% of his channel's total earnings between July and October of last year.

Now that YouTube Shopping is launched in the Philippines, creators like Camille Co are excited – she is already sharing her favorite makeup products by tagging them on her videos.

“I always get asked where I got this and that makeup or clothing or home stuff on my vlogs and for a long time, it’s been challenging to share them all.” Co said. “Now with YouTube Shopping, it’s so much easier to share these products that I love and truly believe in. A huge plus also for me because I get to earn on the side while doing so!”

Mond Salem of Hardware Voyage, a Filipino tech channel, is also optimistic about the feature. “I’m so excited about YouTube Shopping finally being in the Philippines! I’m looking forward to me and my fellow creators earning more with featured product sale commissions,” he said.

Reach and engagement opportunities for brands and advertisers

For advertisers, YouTube Shopping opens new doors to reach and engage more consumers, driving better business outcomes.

By enabling advertisers to directly connect partnership ads with relevant creator content, it will shorten the customer journey from discovery to sale. Brands can also use creator videos both long and short with product feeds in campaigns to expand reach to new customers across YouTube. For example, L’Oréal Thailand combined its campaign with the YouTube Shopping affiliate programme and achieved 10X more high-intent views, with a cost-per-visit twice as efficient as previous campaigns.

Since launching the YouTube Shopping affiliate program across the region, YouTube and Shopee have witnessed active usage and purchase across different categories such as Beauty, Mobile & Gadgets, and Home & Living. This shows the diverse product range and significant potential for creators to influence consumer purchasing decisions. As YouTube Shopping continues to gain momentum in Southeast Asia, it strengthens its position as a transformative force in the video commerce and creator economies.

To learn more about enabling YouTube Shopping on your channel, click here.

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How AI’s growing influence is driving gender-inclusive financial innovations in the Philippines

How AI’s growing influence is driving gender-inclusive financial innovations in the Philippines

The Philippines is at a critical juncture in its expansion into a thriving digital economy. With an increasing demand for connectivity, the country confronts a lack of digital infrastructure for essential financial services. Filipinos continue to face barriers to financial inclusion, where gender parity issues exist, and a significant segment of the population remains unbanked or underserved by traditional financial institutions.

The 2020 pandemic was a turning point in the country’s digital transformation. According to available data, an estimated 29% of the population was considered unbanked or underbanked in early 2020. Moreover, 23% had access to insurance, only 2% had access to formal credit during this period, and only 1% had access to investments.

GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance super app and largest cashless ecosystem, has been instrumental in breaking these barriers to inclusion. It began by enabling access to the marginalized who do not have traditional documentation or credit history.

“At GCash, we addressed inclusion barriers using tech-enabled and data-driven solutions guided by customer-centricity,” said Martha Sazon, president & CEO of Mynt, the holding company of GCash, during the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos. “Our approach is centered on making products accessible, relevant, and simple, so we can work toward ensuring that no one is left behind.”

Levelling the playing field and unlocking opportunities

With millions of users, GCash pursues its vision of “Finance For All” by providing Filipinos, regardless of gender, background, or socioeconomic standing, with access to an e-wallet, loans, investments, and insurance coverage, as well as financial support for micro, small, and medium enterprises.

For the predominantly women-led fintech company, pursuing this mission involves dedicated efforts to equip women with the digital tools to make informed financial decisions, invest in their future, and ultimately achieve financial independence. Sazon shared, “Our goal of Finance For All is inextricably linked to nation-building in the Philippines. We know this cannot be achieved without women’s inclusion, as we have seen that women's empowerment leads to uplifting communities.”

Today, five out of ten GCash users are women. Addressing the nuanced nature of personal finances, GCash also goes beyond basic services to support Filipinos through a comprehensive digital ecosystem that caters to their diverse needs.

AI as a bridge to gender-inclusive finance

GCash attributes a significant part of its progress as an enabler of financial inclusion to artificial intelligence (AI). A user’s integration into the GCash ecosystem starts with an AI-powered onboarding process. GCash was the first to use the eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) process in the Philippines, scaling market penetration while using alternative data.

“Fifty percent of our population doesn’t have documents,” said Sazon. “How do we address that? We use AI to score them instead. Those who use the GCash app to make payments and transactions [can be scored]. Now, millions [can] get a credit score without relying on documents or showing collateral.”

AI has also enabled GCash to personalize its services to already onboarded users, helping analyze each user’s needs, custom-tailoring outreach, and providing individualized financial solutions ranging from microloans for small businesses to flexible investment opportunities and affordable insurance coverage.

Creating opportunities for women to pursue their financial goals is another way AI boosts gender-inclusive financial empowerment in the Philippines. Today, five out of 10 GSave and GLoan users are women, while seven out of 10 GInsure users are women. Notably, GCash is also able to accelerate inclusion through its groundbreaking features like GScore, GCash’s proprietary credit scoring system that determines a user’s creditworthiness using AI and a person’s in-app activity.

“[Users] might not have the traditional requirements, but they have a digital footprint,” cited Rowie Zamora, Chief Strategy Officer of GCash, at a WEF 2025 panel hosted by Deloitte.

“This has enabled us to unlock over USD 2 billion for microloans to 7 million Filipinos in the past several years,” she added. “That’s quite huge in a country where credit penetration has been in the low digits. Before the pandemic, only one percent of Filipinos had access to credit.”

Using AI to scale positive impact

For organizations like GCash, taking a people-centric approach to AI is key. It uses AI to enhance customer experience, streamline operations for greater efficiency, and preserve consumer trust in the digital finances space, as it offers alternatives that mitigate systemic barriers to financial inclusion, particularly for unbanked and traditionally underserved communities. Ultimately, these innovations aim to create a more inclusive and equitable financial system for all individuals.

GCash has also leveraged AI to create customer affinities that offer a deeper understanding of the market, paving the way for hyper-personalization that addresses a user’s needs with better precision. Through customer affinities, each user isn’t considered just a part of a demographic but is treated as their very own market segment. This approach has allowed GCash to scale its initiatives, from promoting financial literacy to supporting women-owned and women-led MSMEs.

The individualization of GCash’s suite of innovative in-app enablement platforms has allowed it to address financial concerns specific to Filipino women, who make up more than half of today’s social sellers who use cashless payment solutions.

“Each step toward financial inclusion is a step toward accelerating Filipino women’s economic empowerment,” concluded Sazon. “This month especially, we bear in mind what was reported by the World Economic Forum: that we stand to achieve full gender equality only in the year 2158 if we maintain our current pace. We at GCash feel the urgency now more than ever and aim to further utilize AI as tech for good.”

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Our Seat at the Table: UN Women, GCash, and Connected Women to forge action plan for women tech inclusion

Our Seat at the Table: UN Women, GCash, and Connected Women to forge action plan for women tech inclusion

Monday, April 21, 2025

Actionable insights for the Gender Action Lab: Innovation for Impact, UN Women’s new platform for gender equality, innovation, and private sector collaboration

UN Women, the global champion for gender equality and women empowerment, and GCash, the Philippines’ leading financial super app, in collaboration with Connected Women, the premier Filipino community for women’s empowerment in the digital economy, recently hosted its 2025 Women in Tech Summit, “Our Seat at the Table,” to help accelerate tech inclusion for women and girls.

‘Our Seat at the Table’ doubled as a think tank, where actionable insights were formulated to supplement the policy recommendations to support the implementation of the UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL): Innovation for Impact, an initiative powered by the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and supported by the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

70 influential women leaders from different industries and sectors gathered to workshop solutions and share best practices for enabling women’s economic empowerment through tech.

Her Excellency HK Yu PSM, FCPA (Aust), Australian ambassador to the Philippines, delivered the keynote address as guest of honor, highlighting three tenets that could inspire the strategies developed by the participants.

“The first thing is to give women and girls a voice [and then] create platforms like this for [those] voices to come through,” began Ambassador Yu. “The second thing is to invest in women and girls, [which] can be done at the highest level—through your companies and your government—and the individual level.”

Ambassador Yu also cited ways Australia puts gender equality at the center of diplomacy. “In everything we do, we ask the question: ‘[This should be] 50-50, and if it’s not, why not?’” The principle is used in Australian policies; for example, Australia has a target that more than 80% of development programs should effectively address gender equality.

Innovating to promote gender inclusion

To touch on the third and final tenet, Ambassador Yu shared some statistics of note: Today, women and girls are 20% less likely to have smartphones, and 28% are less likely to have access to the internet. She shared: “Another challenge for this particular set of sector leaders is [to ensure that] whatever innovation or product you come up with in your area [is] woman- and girl-friendly.”

“What are we doing to rebalance this so that we women and girls get the advantage?” asked Ambassador Yu. “I call [the solution] ‘positive bias.’ As leaders, you have the power to make a huge difference, so apply positive bias. Let’s [ensure] we achieve a world where there is true equality and where women and girls always have a seat at the table.”

Rowie Zamora, the chief strategy Officer of GCash, further set the tone for the event, reminding attendees about the innate responsibility to apply that positive bias. “Gone are the days when people are surprised that we have women tech leaders, CEOs, and public sector leaders, but we need to acknowledge that there’s still a long way [to go],” she shared. “Now the real work ahead of us is to think of the rest of the women inside and outside NCR who still need help to be part of the digital economy.”

Banding together for more significant breakthroughs

“Our Seat at the Table” centered on action-oriented solutions. The attendees participated in five thought-provoking roundtable discussions tackling today’s critical issues, facilitated by women leaders specializing in the respective topics.

These included Rosemarie Rafael, WomenBizPH chairperson and president & CEO of Airspeed, who moderated the “Digital Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation” session, and Gina Romero, the CEO & Co-Founder of Mettamatch and founder of Connected Women, who moderated the “Corporate Transformation and Professional Development” session alongside her co-facilitator Ambe Tierro, the country lead of Accenture.

Mylene Abiva, president & CEO of Felta MultiMedia, Inc., steered the discussion on “Technology and Innovation,” while Linartes Viloria, the National Project coordinator of Women in STEM Workforce Readiness and Development Programme of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for the Philippines, guided the “Education and Skills Development” session. Meanwhile, Mel Migrino, the chair, president & CEO of Women in Security Alliance Philippines, facilitated the “Online Safety and Cybersecurity” roundtable discussion.

This multi-sectoral representation allowed for every voice to be heard and for the development of holistic opportunities that address the multifaceted barriers many women face in accessing and utilizing digital technologies.

“The integration of technology in the lives of women and girls is a tool for empowerment [and simultaneously] a vehicle for societal transformation,” said Antoinette Santos, the Programme Analyst for the UN Women Gender Action Lab.

“Let us advocate for policies and programs that uplift women and bridge the gender gap,” added Santos. “Let us mentor and nurture the next generation of women leaders in technology and beyond. Let us work tirelessly toward creating a world where every woman and girl can flourish, regardless of the obstacles in her path.”

“Our Seat at the Table” culminates the global celebration of International Women’s Month in March but only marks the beginning of GCash’s mission to “Accelerate Action, Accelerate Inclusion”—a campaign that has prioritized results-oriented advocacies and tangible change in digital fintech spaces for Filipino women.

This is followed by the celebration of Women in Tech month in April of GCash, a global movement to drive awareness, recognition, and action toward greater inclusion in STEM education and the tech industry. GCash, a predominantly women-led company, is set to serve as a testament to how women can serve as catalysts for change and reiterate its commitment to an accessible, diverse, equitable, and responsive digital landscape that leaves no one behind.

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