Google’s philanthropic arm Google.org supports The Asia Foundation through the initiative Go Digital Asean, which aims to provide digital skills training to help 200,000 small and medium business owners in Southeast Asia (SEA)

Joining them in equipping small business owners with online tools and technological skills to participate in the digital economy are Pailig Development Foundation, Clevergrit Web Services, and Yoveo Digital. Go Digital Asean delivers employment opportunities and business growth through three-course offerings: Digital Tools for Jobseekers, Harnessing Social Media to Expand Your Business and Getting Your Business Online.

The free digital skills training is conducted through online classrooms in two half-day sessions with a certification issued upon course completion. The courses focus on creating online professional profiles to maximize employment opportunities, increasing the market reach of MSMEs through social media, and supporting the digitization of agri-tourism enterprises. As of April 30, 2021, Go Digital Asean in the Philippines has trained 3,385 job seekers and entrepreneurs. Results from baseline and post-training data show positive impacts. Training participants who are “very confident” in the use of digital tools rose from 18.62% prior to training to 52.55% post-training.

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Go Digital Asean in the Philippines is designed to support the government’s economic recovery efforts and priorities to manage the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, particularly on MSMEs and jobseekers. The passage of Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act directed the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other government agencies to expedite the digitalization of MSMEs including cooperatives through training subsidies, upskilling/reskilling of enterprises, and other similar activities.

Go Digital Asean in the Philippines is conducting free training sessions to support the economic recovery of Filipinos. Interested learners can register at Go Digital Asean. Interested partners keen to collaborate and bring free Go Digital Asean training opportunities to their communities can contact the program through the website or email hello@godigitalasean.ph.