Insider Spotlight
Why it matters
The Philippines is facing rising demand for leaders who can understand and apply technology, data, and artificial intelligence. By backing graduate education and applied research, Aboitiz is helping address a critical skills gap that affects businesses, government, and key sectors such as banking, energy, healthcare, and startups.
The big picture
The Aboitiz Group committed a US$10 million endowment to AIM to mark its centennial in 2020. The fund led to the creation of the Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, or ASITE, which focuses on developing leaders who understand how technology influences business, governance, and society.
What’s happening
A core part of the endowment is the Aboitiz Student Loan Fund. Since 2021, it has released $4.6 million in interest-free loans, enabling hundreds of students to pursue graduate degrees in Data Science, Data Analytics, and Innovation and Business.
Graduates of these programs have gone on to join Aboitiz companies, while others are contributing to institutions vital to national development, including banks, hospitals, energy firms, and technology startups.
According to a company release, the endowment was designed as a long-term investment in people, aimed at removing financial barriers that prevent talented Filipinos from accessing world-class education and leadership training at AIM.
Beyond financial support
The endowment also strengthened AIM’s learning environment through the Aboitiz Tech Space, a modern, technology-enabled classroom built for hybrid learning, executive education, and academic convenings. The space supports collaboration among students, faculty, and partners, linking classroom learning with real-world application.
ASITE’s broader role
Beyond teaching, ASITE faculty and students have produced research addressing practical challenges in healthcare, education, sustainability, and governance. These efforts translate data and artificial intelligence into solutions that can improve institutions and communities.
The bottom line
Over the years, Aboitiz’s endowment to AIM has expanded access to advanced education, strengthened applied research, and helped develop leaders prepared to drive innovation and change.
Through ASITE, Aboitiz is making a long-term commitment to Filipino talent, shaping tech leaders whose work can support inclusive growth in the Philippines and beyond. —Princess Daisy C. Ominga | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
