Google has pledged to support the expansion of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the Philippines, Malacañang said.
Reiterating its commitment to aiding in the development of the country’s digital expansion, Google, represented by Sapna Chadha, Vice President for Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier, shared important updates regarding its ongoing initiatives around digital infrastructure and talent development.
“I would flag the work we do with small and medium-sized businesses. So this is with the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry). It’s to enable small businesses to get a presence online and figure out how do they connect with the rest of the world," Bhatia was quoted by a Presidential Communications Office (PCO)
Partnering with DTI
Google stressed that it is expanding the availability of Google Career Certificates (GCC) in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) virtual campuses, which encompass more than 1,300 DTI Negosyo Centers across 16 regions of the country,
Building on its previous distribution of 40,000 GCC scholarships, Google can now provide in-demand skills in project management, cyber security, IT support, data analytics, UX design, and digital marketing to young Filipinos, job seekers, MSMEs, entrepreneurs, and even government employees.
According to the Palace, Google will also teach about 100,000 parents and kids how to use technology responsibly.
"Because kids are often online for a long period of time, we need to make sure that they know how to use the technology. So, we thus far engage in training for 100,000 Filipino kids and will continue to grow that as well,” Bhatia said.
Boost for the country
According to a 2020 study, Google's network investments in the Philippines produced 93,000 more jobs and generated an additional $14 billion in GDP overall.
"Our commitment has yielded significant economic benefits for the Philippines with our network investments alone that boosted the GDP by U.S. $14 billion and created 93,000 jobs. These outcomes motivate us to further deepen our collaboration with the Philippines and our efforts as a partner in building a robust digital economy,” said Sapna Chadh, Vice President for Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier.
Google also emphasized that it is on pace to finish building the TPU (Taiwan-Philippines-United States) undersea cable system by the end of 2025.
