Wednesday, March 4, 2026

TESDA Taps Bossjob’s AI-Powered Platform Through ‘Skills Passport’ App to Accelerate Tech-Voc Employment

Manila, PhilippinesBossjob, the chat-first career platform for professional hiring in Southeast Asia (SEA), has partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to bridge the gap between industry-standard skills and actual employment, ensuring a more efficient transition from graduation to the workforce of technical vocational education and training (TVET) graduates.

By integrating Bossjob’s AI-powered recruitment engine into the newly launched TESDA Skills Passport Mobile Application, the partnership provides a digital infrastructure designed to modernize the Philippines’ TVET ecosystem.

The partnership was formally announced during the official launch of the TESDA Skills Passport Mobile Application on February 5, 2026, at the Makabagong San Juan Theater in San Juan City. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. graced the event and highlighted the administration's commitment to skills development as a national agenda during his speech.

"Para sa ating TESDA scholars, mayroon kayong sariling digital storage kung saan mapapatunayan ang inyong National Certificate at mga training," said President Marcos Jr.

Beyond job matching, Bossjob utilizes aggregated, anonymized platform data to provide TESDA with Labor Market Information (LMI). This framework offers insights into in-demand roles, geographic hiring patterns, and compensation trends, allowing TESDA to calibrate its training curricula to meet evolving market requirements.

According to TESDA’s current data, the sectors seeing the highest volume of postings for TESDA-certified talent include Social, Community Development, and Other Services; Wholesale, Retail, and Trading; Information and Communications Technology (ICT); Automotive and Land Transportation; Tourism, related to the Hotel and Restaurant industry; Healthcare Services; Creative; and Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery. The sectors indicate a consistent, high-growth demand for skills-based and nationally certified talent across the Philippine economy.

The partnership directly addresses the ‘middle-skills gap,' as identified by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). While TVET graduates demonstrate earning potential comparable to university undergraduates, research shows that current training systems often struggle to align with the evolving competencies required by priority sectors—such as digital services, renewable energy, and ICT.

By integrating Bossjob’s AI-matching engine into the Skills Passport, the platform bridges this gap, transforming verified TESDA certifications into a real-time, visible asset for employers.

“The integration of Bossjob's AI-powered capabilities into the Skills Passport app provides real-time access to available job opportunities for our graduates. This partnership strengthens job security for TVET graduates and contributes to broader economic development by ensuring industry-ready talent is matched with employers with minimal friction,” said Anthony Garcia, Co-Founder of Bossjob.

To ensure employer trust, the app mandates registration via the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys). By directly integrating data from TESDA-accredited training centers, the platform ensures all certifications are verified instantly, mitigating the risk of credential fraud.

Bossjob has been championing the TVET industry since 2024. The platform was a key partner of the TESDA-National Capital Region (TESDA-NCR) under its CollaboraTVET: Forging Partnerships for TVET Excellence program, where it offered specialized training programs tailored to the needs of TESDA graduates, along with exclusive job opportunities and career development resources.

Beyond the app integration, Bossjob continues to be committed to helping TESDA students and graduates through career coaching and job readiness workshops, resume and profile optimization guidance, and participating in career fairs led by partner government sectors.

For more information on Bossjob’s latest initiatives and to explore career opportunities, visit bossjob.ph or download the Bossjob app.

Connectbase Expands Connectivity Ecosystem in Southeast Asia Through Strategic Collaboration with Converge

Boston, MA — Connectbase, the Operating System for Connected Commerce, today announced a strategic collaboration with Converge ICT Solutions Inc. (Converge), the Philippines’ leading broadband and technology provider, further expanding the Connectbase ecosystem in Southeast Asia and strengthening global access to one of the region’s fastest-growing digital markets. Through the collaboration, Converge joins the Connectbase platform, making its fiber and subsea infrastructure digitally accessible to carriers and enterprises worldwide through automated, API-driven connectivity commerce.

The collaboration extends Connectbase’s global reach into the Philippines while opening Converge’s high-performance pure-fiber network to a broader international buyer community. Global carriers and enterprises can now instantly discover serviceability, pricing, and availability across millions of Philippine locations—replacing historically manual, email-driven sourcing processes with real-time automation.

“As AI workloads, cloud regionalization, and cross-border enterprise operations accelerate across Southeast Asia, access to automated, location-precise connectivity has become critical infrastructure, not a procurement convenience,” said Ben Edmond, CEO of Connectbase. “Converge has built a world-class fiber network, and Connectbase provides the digital transmission that makes it globally consumable, putting millions of Philippine locations instantly on the screens of the world’s largest network buyers.”

Converge operates one of the youngest and most advanced end-to-end pure-fiber networks in the Philippines, spanning more than 896,000 kilometers, covering nearly 60% of the Philippine households. The company has also invested in major trans-Pacific subsea cable systems, directly connecting the Philippines to the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong, strengthening regional and global connectivity resilience.

“This joint effort represents a major milestone in making the Philippines fully accessible to the global connectivity economy,” said Dennis Anthony H. Uy, CEO and Co-Founder of Converge. “By joining the Connectbase ecosystem, we are enabling carriers and enterprises worldwide to engage with our network in seconds rather than days, while supporting the continued growth of Southeast Asia’s digital economy.”

By onboarding to the Connectbase Seller Cloud, Converge transitions from manual quoting to automated responses, enabling rapid participation in global RFPs, greater visibility with international buyers, and reduced order fallout through precise, location-level serviceability data. Buyers gain access not only to high-quality fiber, but also to resilient, low-latency routes critical for cloud, enterprise, and BPO traffic.

“Buyers sourcing connectivity in the Philippines can now reduce sourcing cycles from weeks to minutes, while sellers gain immediate visibility into global demand without incremental sales overhead,” added Edmond. “This collaboration reinforces Connectbase’s role as the platform enabling global connectivity commerce, connecting buyers to trusted infrastructure in every major region.”

Buenas PH Partners With ‘Pinoy Pawnstars’ Boss Toyo to Champion Community Impact Through CSR Arm Buenas Cares

Manila, Philippines – Popular Filipino content creator Boss Toyo has been named the lead ambassador for Buenas Cares, the official charitable arm of PAGCOR-regulated gaming platform Buenas PH. This partnership reinforces the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and community development beyond digital entertainment.

Best known for his “Pinoy Pawnstars” persona, where he evaluates the value, integrity, and legacy of unique items, Boss Toyo brings the same philosophy to Buenas Cares. The initiative focuses on putting “real value” back into Filipino communities by channeling a portion of the platform’s profits into relief distribution, disaster response in far-flung areas, and sustainable livelihood programs among Buenas PH's charitable efforts.

“Pumasok ako sa Buenas Cares kasi they told me they will support me sa mga charity work na isi-spearhead ko,” said Boss Toyo. “Alam naman natin na this is business, pero in return, mayo’n kasing sinusuklian, hindi ‘yong puro kabig lang.”

(“I joined Buenas Cares because they committed to supporting the charity work I’ll be spearheading. We all know this is a business, but it has to be a two-way street—it shouldn’t just be about taking.”)

A cornerstone of this partnership is the “Balik Buhay” program, which provides rehabilitation support for individuals recovering from drug dependency and gambling addiction. This mission is deeply personal for the content creator.

“I was also drug dependent for nine years when I was young. Kaya ayoko rin makita ‘yong sinasayang na oras ng mga kabataan,” he shared. “If we can't do anything about prevention, then let's at least focus on the cure—to help them out, too,” the content creator said.

("I was also drug-dependent for nine years when I was younger. That’s why I hate seeing young people waste their time. If we can't do anything about prevention, then let's at least focus on the cure—to help them out, too.")

Other key projects of the charity arm include the “Lolo’t Lola Love Fund,” which aims to provide grocery and medicine kits to the elderly, and the “Ligtas Ka-Buenas Bag,” a complete survival kit distributed to households in high-risk areas to assist families during natural calamities.

The establishment of Buenas Cares formalizes Buenas PH’s dedication to transforming business growth into tangible public service. Looking ahead, the program aims to strengthen responsible gaming by combating the rise of illegal or scam gaming sites through education, providing educational support by establishing structured scholarship programs for underprivileged students, and forging strategic partnerships with accredited NGOs and Local Government Units (LGUs) for long-term efforts.

“At Buenas PH, we believe our success is only as meaningful as the lives we touch. Through Buenas Cares, we aim to show that a regulated, responsible platform can—and should—be a force for good in the Philippines. By partnering with Boss Toyo, we are moving beyond entertainment to ensure that genuine value is returned to the communities that need it most,” said Ellen Joy Almanza, managing consultant of Buenas PH.

As a Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) licensed platform, Buenas PH operates under strict regulatory standards to safeguard users. This includes identity verification protocols, data protection, deposit limits, and self-exclusion tools to ensure a safe environment for all players.

With Boss Toyo fronting the initiative, Buenas Cares emphasizes that regulated platforms can leverage their success to drive purpose-driven action, showing that entertainment and social responsibility can thrive hand in hand.

For more information, you may visit Buenas Cares’ official Facebook page.

Lenovo Powers Asian Hospital’s Digital Transformation Toward Smart Healthcare Excellence

Lenovo has partnered with Asian Hospital and Medical Center to enhance clinical efficiency and accelerate the hospital’s digital transformation journey through the deployment of standardized endpoint devices. The collaboration reflects a strategic move to modernize healthcare delivery by strengthening the technological backbone that supports everyday clinical operations.

Asian Hospital selected Lenovo based on its reputation for reliability, enterprise-grade support, and consistent performance—critical factors in healthcare environments where downtime is not an option. In medical settings, even minor technical disruptions can affect workflows, delay access to patient information, and impact care delivery. By standardizing endpoint devices across departments, the hospital established a more stable and predictable IT environment.

A key component of the initiative was aligning device types with specific clinical workflows. Lenovo and Asian Hospital worked closely to ensure that each device configuration matched the functional requirements of its users, whether in administrative offices, nursing stations, or high-pressure clinical areas. This workflow-driven approach ensured that the technology deployed delivered measurable, practical value rather than simply replacing legacy hardware.

The results were immediate and significant. Prior to the transition, Lenovo-supported areas experienced more than 200 technical issues per month. After full deployment, reported device-related issues dropped to nearly zero. Clinicians reported smoother, faster, and more reliable access to hospital information systems and electronic medical records, enabling them to focus more on patient care and less on troubleshooting technology.

The impact extended beyond frontline healthcare professionals. With device-related disruptions minimized, the hospital’s IT team was able to redirect resources toward higher-value initiatives, including cybersecurity strengthening, network optimization, data analytics, and artificial intelligence integration. This shift from reactive troubleshooting to proactive innovation marked an important milestone in the hospital’s digital maturity.

Additional Lenovo devices were deployed in high-demand units such as the Emergency Room, where performance and reliability are mission-critical. The improved user experience also led clinicians to request upgrades for older units, reinforcing confidence in the new standardized infrastructure.

As Asian Hospital continues its transformation, it has set its sights on becoming a flagship smart hospital in the Philippines. With Lenovo’s continued support, the institution is well-positioned to pilot advanced healthcare technologies that will further enhance operational efficiency, data-driven decision-making, and patient outcomes.

Vivo Unveils X300 Ultra at MWC 2026, Redefining Cinematic Smartphone Videography

Barcelona, Spain – At MWC 2026, Vivo officially introduced the X300 Ultra, a flagship device designed to elevate mobile videography into the realm of professional filmmaking. With advanced multi-focal video capabilities, cinematic color science, enhanced Log recording, and upgraded audio technology, the X300 Ultra signals a bold expansion beyond still photography into full-scale cinematic video production.

According to Yu Meng, Vice President of Imaging at Vivo, the company is strategically evolving from strong individual imaging features toward a complete cinematic video creation system. The X300 Ultra represents a shift from standalone camera excellence to a fully integrated filmmaking platform, making professional-grade video production more intuitive and accessible for creators worldwide.

At the core of the X300 Ultra’s innovation is its ability to deliver high-spec video recording across all rear cameras. The device supports multi-focal 4K 120fps capture in both 10-bit Log and Dolby Vision, ensuring consistent quality whether shooting ultra-wide landscapes or telephoto close-ups. Its full-range Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), including an impressive 3° OIS at the 85mm focal length, provides exceptional stability for handheld cinematic footage.

Color performance is another defining strength. The X300 Ultra introduces multi-focal 4K Master Color Video, combining high-resolution recording with Vivo’s advanced color science. Through end-to-end tone enhancement and a versatile Video Color Palette, creators gain precise control over tone, saturation, and contrast. This allows film-like results straight out of the camera while maintaining flexibility for post-production refinement.

Professional workflows are further supported through pro-grade 4K 120fps 10-bit Log recording across all rear cameras. The new Pro Video Mode mirrors the interface and parameter controls of cinema cameras, while real-time monitoring supports custom 3D LUT previews. Compatibility with the ACES workflow ensures seamless integration with professional cinema pipelines, enabling consistent color grading alongside high-end camera systems.

Audio has also been refined with the Quad-Mic Audio Recording Master. Featuring six intelligent preset scenarios, the system enhances primary sound sources while reducing background noise, ensuring high-quality audio capture to complement cinematic visuals.

Complementing its internal capabilities, the X300 Ultra supports modular cinema-grade accessories such as a Professional Photography Grip, Camera Cage, Cooling Fan, and External Lens Expansion Frame. Together with optimized shooting-to-post-production workflows, Vivo positions the X300 Ultra not just as a smartphone, but as a comprehensive creative ecosystem for professional storytellers.