Muntinlupa Broadens Financial Assistance Access for Scholars with GCash Visa Card

Officials from the City Government of Muntinlupa and GCash formally expanded their partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), reinforcing the joint commitment to making financial assistance more accessible and convenient for scholars and beneficiaries.

The City Government of Muntinlupa is expanding its existing partnership with GCash to provide scholars and other beneficiaries with more flexible ways to access financial assistance, including the option to use GCash Cards alongside digital disbursement services.

This growth extends the city's financial disbursement system (FDS) partnership from select, limited scholarship programs to a broader student population, ensuring more scholars across Muntinlupa benefit from streamlined digital payouts.

Building on the city’s ongoing use of digital disbursements, the expanded initiative has introduced physical GCash Cards to college beneficiaries. The first batch of cards was distributed to 180 Colegio de Muntinlupa scholars in August 2026.

The GCash Card serves as an additional access method alongside the primary GCash app, giving students the flexibility to withdraw cash or pay via card terminals, even if they choose not to use the mobile app directly.

The initiative forms part of Muntinlupa's broader commitment to modernizing public service delivery and enhancing the distribution of government assistance through digital solutions.

By expanding available disbursement options, the city seeks to make financial assistance programs more efficient while ensuring beneficiaries have greater flexibility in managing the support they receive.

“The City Government of Muntinlupa remains committed to making education and social assistance programs more accessible to our constituents. Through this collaboration, we are helping ensure that government support is delivered in a manner that is convenient, secure, and responsive to our constituents’ needs,” shares City mayor Ruffy Biazon.

For many scholars and beneficiaries, having multiple ways to access financial assistance, whether through the GCash mobile app or the physical GCash Card, helps improve convenience and makes government support more accessible based on individual needs and preferences.

Meanwhile, GCash head of B2B sales, Cleo Celeste Santos, expressed gratitude for the continued trust of the City Government of Muntinlupa, noting that the partnership reflects a shared commitment to making financial assistance more accessible for scholars and beneficiaries. She added, “At GCash, we are honored to support the city's efforts to empower scholars and beneficiaries through digital financial solutions that provide greater convenience, flexibility, and inclusion.”

As Muntinlupa continues to invest in education and community development, the expanded partnership highlights how digital financial tools and physical payment cards can help local governments deliver assistance in ways that are more accessible, convenient, and responsive to the city’s needs.

For more information, visit https://www.gcash.com.

Alsons Dev, Khan Academy Bring Personalized Digital Learning to Davao Public Schools

Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) is expanding access to technology-enabled learning through its partnership with Khan Academy Philippines under the Department of Education's (DepEd) Adopt-a-School Program, providing public elementary schools in Davao City with digital learning tools, internet connectivity, and teacher support to enhance classroom learning.

The initiative was officially launched through a series of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and Deed of Donation signings held at Tugbok Central Elementary School on July 14, 2026, followed by signings at T. Awad Echevarria Elementary School and Paradise Embac Elementary School on July 15, 2026. The ceremonies brought together representatives from Alsons Dev, the Conrado and Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc., Khan Academy Philippines, DepEd Region XI, local government units, as well as school administrators. A total of 128 tablets were formally turned over to the three beneficiary schools, followed by demonstrations of the Khan Academy platform.

More than providing devices, Alsons Dev is also funding three years of internet connectivity, teacher training, and implementation support, ensuring partner schools have the resources and guidance needed to effectively integrate the Khan Academy platform into classroom instruction.

Khan Academy Philippines President and CEO, Atty. Geraldine Acuña-Sunshine, emphasized the importance of partnerships in expanding access to quality education, "At Khan Academy Philippines, we believe every learner deserves access to quality education, regardless of circumstance. While we provide free learning resources, support from private organizations like Alsons Dev plays a vital role in helping schools overcome barriers to implementation and create more opportunities for students to reach their full potential."

Through Khan Academy's personalized online learning platform, students gain free access to instructional videos and practice exercises in Math, Science, and English, with lessons aligned to the DepEd curriculum. Teachers and school administrators can also monitor student progress through a built-in dashboard.

"We believe education creates opportunities that shape a young person's future. Through this partnership, we hope to strengthen learning in our public schools by giving students access to the tools and resources they need to learn, grow, and pursue their aspirations. By investing in young learners today, we are helping build stronger communities for generations to come," said Alsons Dev President and CEO Miguel Rene A. Dominguez.

The three-year initiative marks the beginning of a long-term effort to make digital learning more accessible and engaging in public schools. It reflects Alsons Dev's commitment to enriching lives by creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive. 

For more information on Alsons Dev’s community initiatives, visit www.alsonsdev.com.

How PLDT and Smart’s KonektedforLearning is Helping Shape Education in the Philippines

From pen and paper to artificial intelligence (AI) and interactive applications, PLDT and Smart’s #KonektedforLearning initiative champions learning for all by integrating technology into Philippine classrooms and boosting education resiliency through crisis-tested teaching strategies.

"Technology has the power to expand opportunities for learning, but its true value lies in how it helps students, teachers, and communities overcome barriers," said Stephanie V. Orlino, Assistant Vice President and Head of Stakeholder Engagement at PLDT and Smart. "Through KonektedforLearning, we work with partners to ensure that more Filipino learners can access quality education, develop future-ready skills, and continue learning even in challenging circumstances."

For decades, PLDT and Smart have worked alongside the Department of Education (DepEd) to help bring inclusive and quality learning opportunities to underserved communities, including geographically isolated schools and areas affected by conflict and natural disasters.

Connecting last-mile schools

Among the flagship initiatives under #KonektedforLearning is the School-in-a-Bag, a portable digital classroom designed to bring quality education in remote and underserved communities. Each package comes with a laptop for the teacher, 10 tablets pre-loaded with DepEd curriculum-based learning materials and interactive educational applications, a Smart Bro LTE Pocket Wi-Fi device, and expandable storage.

To date, PLDT and Smart, together with their partners and donors, have deployed 784 SIAB packages nationwide reaching nearly 120,000 students. UNICEF alone has committed more than 300 SIAB units for schools in hard-to-reach areas and economically disadvantaged communities.

Building Resilience Through Innovative Teaching

In recent years, extreme weather, earthquakes, and armed conflicts have disrupted classes across the country. To mitigate the impact caused by these events, the DepEd has adopted the PLDT and Smart-backed Central Visayan Institute Dynamic Learning Program (CVIF-DLP).

Pioneered by Ramon Magsaysay Awardees Dr. Christopher Bernido and his late wife, Dr. Marivic Carpio-Bernido, CVIF-DLP champions ‘learning by doing’ which places students at the center of the learning process. Using Learning Activity Sheets or single-page guides that break down complex concepts into manageable lessons, students work through the activity on their own with minimal teacher intervention. CVIF-DLP also addresses teacher shortage through a parallel class system that allows one expert teacher to simultaneously handle three classes.

With PLDT and Smart’s help in scaling the innovative teaching strategy, the program has trained around 33,000 teachers.

Preparing students for tomorrow’s technologies

Beyond improving access to education, #KonektedforLearning also prepares the Filipino youth to thrive in an increasing digital landscape. The Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program (SWEEP) works closely with schools to produce industry-ready engineering and information and communications technology graduates who are equipped with the skills to master existing technologies and adapt to emerging innovations.

Launched in 2003, SWEEP is the longest-running industry-academe linkage program in the Philippines. Now on its fifth phase, partner schools dive deeper into AI, automation, and intelligent systems. So far, the program has trained more than 53,000 teachers and students on the latest communication solutions powering the country’s connectivity.

Upskilling teachers for tech-powered learning

As technology continues to evolve, PLDT and Smart are also helping teachers harness digital tools to improve classroom experience. Through the PLDT Group’s AI-in-a-Box program, teachers are discovering how AI can help create more dynamic lesson plans, create custom learning activities, analyze data for insights, and automate routine administrative tasks. Since its pilot bootcamp last year, the initiative has trained over 800 teachers on the responsible and productive use of AI in education.

These efforts highlight PLDT and Smart’s use of technology for good, ensuring that no learner and teacher are left behind. The #KonektedforLearning initiatives form part of the PLDT Group’s commitment to help the country achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 4 on Quality Education, with a strong focus on digital literacy.