Angat Kabuhayan

07/08/2026

Now that we've defined Pax Silica, here's the concern side of the debate — and it's not coming from nowhere.

Reporters and economists tracking the deal have raised three recurring issues: most of the jobs on offer are temporary, concentrated in construction, and disappear once facilities are operational. Communities near the proposed Tarlac site are already reporting pressure to vacate land. And there's a structural worry that the Philippines ends up supplying raw minerals and low-cost labor, while the higher-value work — R&D, design, actually building AI systems — happens elsewhere.

These aren't fringe concerns. They're the same pattern that's played out in past industrial deals. Worth taking seriously, not waving away.

02/08/2026

You've probably seen "Pax Silica" in the news.

Here's what it actually is, in plain terms:
It's a coalition of 20+ countries — including the Philippines — led by the United States, built to secure global supply chains for AI, semiconductors, and critical minerals. Locally, it centers on a proposed 1,620-hectare tech hub in New Clark City, Tarlac.

That's it. That's the deal. Everything else you're hearing — "it'll create jobs," "it'll displace communities," "it's exploitation," "it's opportunity" — is a debate about the terms of that deal, not about AI itself.

Over the next few posts, we're going to unpack why that distinction matters — especially for the young Filipinos we train every day. Follow along.

27/07/2026

𝑷𝒂𝒙 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂 is being sold as the Philippines' entry into the global AI economy. Here's the question nobody's asking loudly enough: 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭?

A supplier of raw minerals and temporary construction labor — or a country with people who can actually work inside the AI economy, not just build the buildings for it?
That distinction is the whole ballgame. Deals like this don't automatically create shared prosperity — the jobs they create do, and only if Filipinos have the skills to fill the ones that pay.

This is exactly why we exist. Not to be anti-AI — AI is a tool, and tools don't have politics. But who gets trained to use it absolutely does.

16/07/2026

𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 | President Marcos Signs EO 119, Unlocking Digital Infrastructure Growth and Strengthening Philippine Data Security

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Order No. 119, titled “Updating the Government Data Classification, Establishing a Data Residency Framework, and for Other Purposes,” establishing a modern, risk-based framework that strengthens government data protection while creating a more predictable environment for digital infrastructure investments.

Read full press release here: https://dict.gov.ph/news-and-updates/27365

12/07/2026

06/07/2026

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

“𝐻𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖 𝑓𝑢𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑏𝑎ℎ𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑦. 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑛𝑎 𝑖𝑡𝑜.”

Hindi popular ang sagot, pero totoo.

Kailangan na nating tigilan ang pagtingin sa BPO, freelancing, remote work, at digital services bilang “alternative jobs.”

Ito na ang trabaho ng kasalukuyan. At mas lalo, ito ang trabaho ng hinaharap.

Habang marami pa rin ang nakatutok sa traditional employment pathways, tahimik nang binabago ng digital economy ang paraan kung paano tayo nagtatrabaho, kumikita, at umaangat. Hindi na requirement ang lokasyon. Hindi na rin laging diploma ang pinakamalaking currency. Ang mahalaga ngayon: skills, adaptability, at access.

Ang problema, hindi kulang ang sipag ng Pilipino. Kulang ang investment natin sa pag-develop ng workforce para sa ekonomiyang meron na tayo ngayon.

Kapag ang mga kabataan ay tinuturuan pa rin para sa trabahong unti-unti nang nawawala, hindi tao ang problema. Sistema.

Ito ang dahilan kung bakit itinayo namin ang LeapUp ng Angat Kabuhayan.

Hindi lang para magbigay ng training. Kundi para gumawa ng tulay — mula unemployment papunta sa opportunity; mula sa digital divide papunta sa digital economy.

Sa LeapUp, tinuturuan namin ang kabataan ng practical digital skills, workplace readiness, at binibigyan sila ng suporta hanggang sa employment. Dahil hindi sapat ang certificate kung walang pathway. Hindi sapat ang training kung walang trabaho sa dulo.

Kung seryoso tayo sa pag-angat ng kabuhayan, kailangan nating seryosohin ang digital workforce development.

Hindi ka papalitan ng technology.

Mapag-iiwan ka ng taong marunong gumamit nito.

At ang tanong para sa ating lahat ay hindi na kung darating ba ang digital economy.

Nandito na siya.

Ang tanong: handa ba tayo?

03/07/2026

🌟 Be a Mentor. Change a Life in Just 30 Minutes a Week. 🌟

Angat Kabuhayan is looking for 10 volunteer mentors for our LeapUp! graduates — young Filipinos who just completed free digital livelihood training and are now job-hunting in the BPO and digital economy.

💻 100% online
⏰ Just 30 minutes a week, for 10 weeks
🎯 Help one graduate practice interview skills, polish their job search, and land their first real digital job

We're looking for: working professionals in BPO, customer service, digital marketing, freelancing, or VA work who want to give back.

You don't need to be an expert trainer — you just need to show up, listen, and share what you know.

📩 Interested? Message us or comment "MENTOR" below and we'll send you the quick sign-up form.

22/06/2026

Today marks the end of Phase 1. Papunta na tayo sa exciting part ✨

We would like to thank Mayor John Rey Tiangco for fully supporting this initiative for the Navoteños. Di pa man tayo natatapos sa isa, nagtatanong na sya ng susunod na batch 😅

Para sa mga graduates, wag ninyo kakalimutang mangarap at ipaglaban ang inyong mga pangarap. Humagupit man ang daluyong ng buhay at bahain man ng problema, laban. Laban para sa kani-kaniya nyong mga kinabukasan.

Andito kame para tumulong i-Angat ang NavoTaas! 🫶🏽✨

19/06/2026

Day 5 ✅
Now we will see the real transformation happen.

We will see everyone on Monday to have their Capstone and Gradutation with Mayor John Rey Tiangco ✨