Tecnet Asia Inc, a regional provider of technical services and support to the gaming industry, says it has donated various information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to Bankal National High School in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, in the Philippines.
The donation included 25 computer sets and router, as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme aimed at improving access to digital education, the firm said in a recent press release.
Philippines-based Tecnet stated the equipment has transformed a “previously unused computer laboratory” into a functional learning facility, benefitting more than 5,000 students at one of Lapu-Lapu City’s largest public secondary schools.
The initiative forms part of Tecnet’s CSR programme, “Small Actions. Lasting Impact.”, launched three years ago to support community development through education, youth empowerment and environmental stewardship.
According to the company, education has become a priority for its CSR programme this year.
Tecnet said its earlier CSR activities had focused on supporting local football clubs in Cebu to encourage youth development through sport. The latest project marks a shift towards expanding access to technology-enabled learning, and helping students develop digital skills, it added.
Representatives of the company attended a turnover ceremony at the school, where a formal handover agreement was signed. Tecnet said it would continue supporting and monitoring the donated equipment to help ensure its long-term use.
Eren Kereci (pictured, second left), Tecnet’s vice president of sales and operations, said the company hoped the donation would encourage more students to pursue careers in technology-related fields.
“After spending more than 12 years in the Philippines, I’ve come to admire how resilient and hardworking Filipinos are. Young people here have tremendous potential, and sometimes what makes the biggest difference is simply having access to the right tools,” Mr Kereci stated.
If the ICT-equipment sets “help even a handful of students discover a passion for technology or pursue careers in engineering, software, or other technical fields, then this project has already achieved something meaningful,” he added.
According to Tecnet, the latest donation is intended to strengthen the school’s information and communications technology capabilities, improve access to digital learning tools and support teachers in delivering technology-based instruction, while laying the foundation for a longer-term partnership with the school.
The company also said it was already preparing a follow-up project to equip the school’s speech laboratory, which it said currently lacks the technology it needs.
Mr Kereci also expressed hope that more companies, particularly those in the gaming industry, would support educational initiatives in the country, citing the nation’s gaming regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp’s (Pagcor’s) long-standing investment in public education as an inspiration.
“When government agencies and private organisations align behind a common purpose, they can create meaningful and lasting impact that goes well beyond any single contribution,” he noted.
