An Innove-tive link to globalization

It is said that education enhances growth and social development. But what if education – the solution to many of our country’s problems, the key to a better life, becomes too expensive and inevitably inaccessible? After all, our country holds the record of having an educational system which gets worse every year. We see the signs of strain on our educational system as it continues to be overburdened by increasing enrolment, lack of government funds needed for the improvement of schools and the quality of instruction gradually deteriorating.

For Innove Communications, improving the quality of education has become an imperative – providing hope for the youth to prepare them to become globally competitive and help uplift the quality of the lives of the communities by not only giving "a man a fish" or teaching him "how to fish" but making sure he has a "market for his catch."

Innove CEO Gil B. Genio emphasizes the role of information technology in education by calling for a broadband revolution which will transform the Filipino educational system and allow it to catch up with global competition. "It is a revolution we support and hope to see happening soon," he said. "I believe that the Internet is a great equalizer. It will give access to knowledge for all," he added.

As its name connotes, Innove (a Mexican-Spanish term which means to innovate) took the pivotal role in paving the rough road between the haves and the have-nots. It continues to innovate by breaking barriers and reaching out to all. Barely two years old, Innove has already accomplished remarkable strides in corporate responsibility programs emphasizing three major areas:

1) Educational technology – This will ensure that the youth get the proper skills for employment;

2) Sustainable programs for community empowerment;

3) Employee volunteerism – Innove employees are encouraged to participate in social building by sharing their knowledge through training programs.

Innove continues to persevere in its mission in order to complete its vision of transforming the Philippines into an information and communication technology (ICT) hub of Asean. Innove has embraced this Herculean task, a crucial role indeed. But because the company has the best people and puts into work the best work practices, Innove is certain it will realize this vision.

Under the program GILAS (Gearing-up Internet Literacy & Access to Students), Innove has partnered with various organizations to connect and install 10 PCs (which included free IP addresses/ web sites) to 5,543 schools within a span of five years. By yearend, Innove will fully "digitize" about 388 schools in strategic areas giving students limitless access to information and knowledge as well as provide solutions for tuition-strapped students to complete college degrees via the On-line Schooling. Among Innove’s other noteworthy contributions in youth and education are the promotion of computer literacy in public high schools nationwide; contribution to the Innove-Globe-DepEd Coalition for Better Education by hosting the ICT development in youth tech schools in Cebu and Negros Oriental provinces; supporting the First National Congress on Information Communications Technology in basic education held at the Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City; synergized government-academe and industry linkages by establishing links with them through provincial telecom centers nationwide; construction of e-Centers in Cebu Normal University, Makaturing Community, and other schools giving them a taste of the "Generation Y" learning experience. These are but tip of the iceberg for Innove as it fuses its resources, commitments and dedication to become a greater force for productive change.

Unlocking its local resources, the company participated in the call to help alleviate poverty and uplift the living conditions of the less privileged by providing not only high-technology solutions and services but by immersing itself in programs and projects meant to improve people’s lives. An off-shoot of the Internet connectivity is the training of teachers where crash courses are offered to professionals or would-be teachers of public elementary and high schools. This is part of Innove’s philosophy of sustaining growth by investing in its people. These livelihood and entrepreneurship trainings bring needed technical and managerial skills to the community, providing alternatives to agriculture, and thus discourage urban migration.

Looking forward, Innove Communications aggressively pursues deployment for Internet access to meet every public high schools’ need for connectivity. Other than GILAS, Innove will continue partnering with organizations and the local government by giving technology an edge in the educational system in the country.