SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano lauded Taguig City’s new DigiTech program, which has equipped classrooms in all 54 of its public schools with state-of-the-art smart TVs, tablets, interactive screens, and high-speed internet.

Cayetano, who chairs the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, expressed gratitude for the city’s investment in technology.

“Thank you, Lord God, for science and technology, for gifting the City of Taguig with people blessed in these areas, and for the improvement that this will bring to all Taguigeños,” he said.

Taguig recently launched Taguig DigiTech, a groundbreaking program that provides 54 public schools with high-speed internet, 2,451 smart TVs, and 3,000 tablets, as well as 406 interactive screens in six pilot schools.

As part of the program, a robotics lab, a computer lab for coding and digital literacy, and a digital classroom for interactive and immersive lessons were also inaugurated at the Senator Renato “Compañero” Cayetano Memorial Science and Technology High School.

According to Mayor Lani Cayetano, this historic move to digitalize the city’s public schools is a response to the persistent learning crisis among Filipino students.

Based on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Philippines ranks 77th out of 81 countries in science, mathematics, and reading proficiency.

“Our city is proactive in combating the learning poverty faced by the education sector in our country. We have recognized the problem, and we are now implementing solutions,” Mayor Cayetano said.

The City Government said the program is designed to ensure that students and educators have essential digital tools to prepare them for the demands of an increasingly digital world.

This initiative puts Taguig ahead in digitalizing education. Currently, the country ranks 59th out of 64 in digital competitiveness, according to the IMD Global Competitive Index.

Beyond providing gadgets, students will undergo digital literacy training covering responsible internet use, artificial intelligence, and multimedia design.

Teachers will also receive specialized training to maximize these tools in the classroom.