In an off-grid school in Samal Island, access to digital learning can be limited by something many classrooms take for granted: reliable electricity and an internet connection.

That is set to change as Aboitiz Foundation, together with AboitizPower distribution utility Davao Light and Power Company, Inc. and Bilyonaryo News Channel (BNC) through its public service and talk show — Power Shift, brings solar power and internet connectivity to the school through AuroraPH, helping teachers and students gain access to digital learning tools and resources previously beyond their reach.

The Samal school will be the 101st school supported by AuroraPH, Aboitiz Foundation’s flagship education and connectivity initiative for off-grid and last-mile communities.

But beyond the milestone is a larger goal: helping close the digital divide for thousands of Filipino learners whose access to technology is constrained by geography and infrastructure.

Since its launch, AuroraPH has completed more than 85 schools and reached over 9,000 students across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The program aims to support 300 off-grid and last-mile schools nationwide with solar power, internet connectivity, digital learning tools, and capacity-building programs.

For teachers in remote communities, reliable electricity and connectivity can mean greater access to digital teaching materials, online resources, and new ways to engage students. For learners, it can mean greater exposure to information and educational opportunities beyond the boundaries of their classrooms.

AuroraPH is designed to make those opportunities possible by addressing several barriers at once—bringing together energy, connectivity, technology, and capacity building so schools can meaningfully integrate digital resources into teaching and learning.

“Every school we reach represents learners and teachers who can gain new ways to teach, learn, and connect with the world beyond their community. The progress of AuroraPH shows what can happen when organizations combine their strengths around a shared challenge,” said Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, President of Aboitiz Foundation.

“There are many more schools to reach, and partnerships like this allow us to translate shared resources and capabilities into meaningful and sustainable impact for teachers, learners, and their communities,” she added.

Partnerships that turn access into opportunity

Reaching schools in geographically isolated communities requires more than technology. It requires organizations that can bring together resources, local knowledge, implementation capabilities, and networks.

For the Samal school, Davao Light will provide funding support and lead coordination and project delivery with the Department of Education, the beneficiary school, and other stakeholders. Aboitiz Foundation will manage the project funds and monitor implementation.

BNC will serve as AuroraPH’s awareness and communications partner, helping bring the experiences of teachers, learners, and communities reached by the program to a wider audience through its media platforms.

The collaboration demonstrates Aboitiz Foundation’s partnership-driven approach to addressing development challenges. Within the Aboitiz Group, AboitizPower and business units such as Davao Light help connect the Group’s capabilities with communities where access to essential infrastructure can create opportunities for education and development.

The 101st AuroraPH school represents another step toward the program’s goal of reaching 300 off-grid and last-mile schools nationwide.

More importantly, each new connection brings AuroraPH closer to a future where a school’s location does not determine whether its students can participate in an increasingly digital world.

As AuroraPH expands, Aboitiz Foundation will continue building partnerships that bring power, connectivity, technology, and capacity building to communities that need them most—turning access into opportunities for more Filipino teachers and learners.

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