AI Training Project to provide job opportunities, women empowerment — city council
by Krizial Apog | May 12, 2024
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — City councilors said on Monday, May 6, that the artificial intelligence (AI) training project for women in the city will provide job opportunities while promoting gender equality.
During the city council session, Councilor Elmer Datuin stated, “Training our women for a skill empowers them and gives them opportunity for their better future.”
“I’m very happy with a project like this because women’s empowerment has always been [our] advocacy,” Councilor Betty Lourdes Flores Tabanda also expressed.
Geronimo Torres from Aboitiz Foundation explained during the session that the Elevate Artificial Intelligence Data Annotation (AIDA) will also provide grassroot communities with more job opportunities in the digital landscape through valuable skills training.
“The Elevate AIDA graduates go through a 15-day, four-hours-a-day boot camp, and when they graduate, they are imparted with skills like data annotation,” Agnes Gervacio, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mettamatch Inc., said.
Data annotation is where they help AI systems identify and categorize various types of information.
Gervacio further explained the relevance and demand for skills in the digital landscape, stating, “As you know, Artificial Intelligence, as well as the machine learning is a very hot topic right now. They buy these services in order for them to be able to embark on digitalization as well as digital transformation projects.”
The project’s training also offers participants allowances during their training, providing them with a financial incentive to complete the program.
The Elevate AIDA is the proposed collaboration program of the Aboitiz Foundation and Mettamatch Inc. (operating business under the name Connected Women) with the city government.
The funding of the project will still be reviewed by the finance committee.
