Microsoft executives pay a visit to GK Taguig
By: Kara Medina and Aleandre Kwan, Microsoft Philippines Philanthropies Lead

It has been almost seven years since Microsoft and Gawad Kalinga first teamed up. Similarly driven by their shared core belief of walang iwanan, Microsoft’s mission of “empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more” fortuitously led to a strategic partnership with GK, creating impact by leveraging the company’s resources and technology with the foundation’s opportunities, scale, and reach.

Microsoft’s software grants since 2009 have allowed GK to upscale operations for its transformation into a global organization, stabilize and secure infrastructure, and update technological solutions that allow it to accurately monitor and measure its growing impact nationwide. The online platforms and various systems significantly improved internal functions and general organizational management, whilst boosting global connections between GK’s full-time workers and extensive volunteer network.

Starting in 2013, programmatic support through joint projects such as Innovate for Good, Youth and Technology: Raising Social Innovators, Technology for Good, and We Speak Code have been run to inspire and empower youth to use technology for education, entrepreneurship, and employment; to develop computational thinking, productivity, and leadership skills in the youth; and to build capacity to create technology and computer science opportunities for all youth. The campaigns have brought technology awareness and training to rural communities as remote as Tublay, Benguet and Camp Abubakar, Mindanao.

Last August 19, 2016, Microsoft’s Daiana Beitler (Regional Director for Philanthropies, Asia), Astrid Tuminez, (Sr. Director for Corporate Affairs, South East Asia), and Aleandre Kwan (Philanthropies Lead, Philippines) traveled to Barangay Pinagsama Phase II in Taguig to meet with GK’s leadership and revisit the partnership’s fruitful past, improving present, and promising future. The gathering was attended by GK’s Luis Oquiñena (Executive Director), Issa Cuevas-Santos (Corporate Shared Services Head), Dan Bercasio (Building Communities Head), Bodoy Oquiñena (Movement Building Head), Jersey Miranda (IT & Systems Head), Armi Consunji-Genato (Partnerships & Marketing Head), and Matt Vergara (NCR South Area Coordinator).

The meeting began with a discussion of the impact of the GK – Microsoft partnership to date before proceeding to an extensive exploration of opportunities for collaboration. Plans in the pipeline include the creation of a solution for more efficient large-scale data gathering and analysis for the overarching goal of scaling impact and ultimately alleviating poverty in the country.

After the sit-down discussion, Daiana and Astrid toured the GKonomics showroom. The gallery showcases local products created by GK community residents–samples of sustainable social enterprises that are marketed and successfully sold internationally. Astrid and Daiana also spent some time in GK Poveda Village and GK Philam Village in Brgy. Pinagsama, conversing with the long-term residents and seeing GK’s on-ground impact in two of Taguig’s earliest GK communities.

The visit reaffirmed the long-standing and strong partnership between GK and Microsoft. Both parties positively recounted past and existing areas of cooperation and welcomed new initiatives which will broaden and deepen the commitment to ending poverty and building the Philippine nation. Indeed, more can be done when no one is left behind.

Microsoft executives Daiana and Astrid hold a boardroom meeting with GK leadership to discuss the partnership.

Daiana examines the locally-manufactured and internationally-marketed products of GKonomics at the show room.

Daiana and Kuya Luis bring up the rear as Microsoft and GK walk along Brgy. Pinagsama to visit a few GK villages.

Astrid and Daiana, with Kuya Luis, speak with a resident of GK Poveda Village. GK Poveda was one of the first GK villages in Taguig.

Kuya Luis and Daiana talk about GK's nation-building movement and Microsoft's possible roles in that endeavor.

L-R: Dan Bercasio, Aleandre Kwan, Bodoy Oquiñena, Armi Consunji-Genato, Luis Oquiñena, Daiana Beitler, Astrid Tuminez, GK Poveda residents (3), Issa Cuevas-Santos, Jersey Miranda.

Matt Vergara (Area Coordinator for NCR South) talks about the history of GK Philam Village as Astrid listens intently.

Leaving no one behind: Daiana shares a light moment with a toddler in GK Philam Village.