Written by: Neil Malgapo
My two-day attendance at the 20th Knowledge Exchange Conference held in Clark City, Pampanga has brought me a most compelling piece of realization: that all the strides in Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) in the Philippines no longer anguish over whether they can wire the archipelago or not, but whether those wires can sustain dignity, inclusion, and hope.
The academic lectures and various ICT4D initiatives featured in the market places of ideas proved that there is no scarcity in sincere, productivity-driven projects in the grass-roots level, only that the mercurial advances in technology and the rippling revolutions in Artificial Intelligence pose greater challenges along the path towards e-center sustainability.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Community e-centers are not just buildings; they are networks of light. More than rhetorical flourish, UPOU Chancellor Dr. Joane Serrano’s firefly (alitaptap) metaphor zeroed in on an important system logic: no single hub closes the divide, but a network does, especially when it reaches islands, mountains, and remote towns that remain under-connected.
She also grounded “sustainability” in environmental, social, and economic pillars and translated them into operations: resilient connectivity, relevant services, adaptive management, viable revenue, and inclusive programming. These effectively outlined the parameters that move us beyond “keep the lights on” funding.
People, not tools, are the true units of empowerment. UPOU Professor Melinda Bandalaria doubled down on KEC’s theme by emphasizing that communities are the real sites of transformation and that individuals are the units of empowerment. Technology, though critical, is a means to inclusion but not the focus. Framed this way, she projected e-centers as the platforms for collective action rather than device distribution programs.
People, not tools, are the true units of empowerment. UPOU Professor Melinda Bandalaria doubled down on KEC’s theme by emphasizing that communities are the real sites of transformation and that individuals are the units of empowerment. Technology, though critical, is a means to inclusion but not the focus. Framed this way, she projected e-centers as the platforms for collective action rather than device distribution programs.
PERSONAL INSIGHTS
Already a witness to 51 summers, I have committed myself to a formation-centered vocation: weaving stories that strengthen conscience, community, and compassion. The KEX20 conference has helped recalibrate my mindset and plans:
I was reminded that I must write for use and not just views. Dr. Serrano’s “meaningful use” critique challenged me to design content that solves real-life tasks geared towards real-life needs where barangays already gather such as e-centers, community parks, and town halls. Content should and must always be a local public good.
I have been inspired to help convert “tech for all” into rituals of access. Partnering with LGUs, I hope to someday help drive a “Sunday School for Digital Life” program at local after-church centers or local community hubs. Here, information on scam awareness, job-ready digital skills, and civic services will be offered in modules tailored around seniors’ needs and youth participation.
I will endeavor to embed ethics in the production pipelines. In my scripts and workshops, AI will be a tool with rules: disclose when AI assists, insist on explainability in any AI-mediated service we feature, and model privacy-by-design (no unnecessary personal data in props or demos). I will advocate LGU clauses that require bias audits and human appeal pathways for any AI procured for citizen services.
All in all, I highly appreciate the newfound learnings on how technology can be utilized to empower communities and achieve inclusive reach: patience in weaving networks of trust, channeling inspiration into targeted, data-wise programs, building ethics into everyday services, and mobilizing LGU stewardship to make “tech for all” more than a slogan. The conference was worth it – notwithstanding the long drive, registration fee sourced from a gaunt piggy bank, and one utterly violent downpour all the way back to Metro Manila.
A reflection paper submitted by UP Open University Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Student (KEC20 Participant) for Multimedia Studies 130 (ICT4D) course.