The Digital Silk Road: Converge and Connectbase Forge a New Era of Global Connectivity

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

In a move that fundamentally rewires the digital landscape of Southeast Asia, Connectbase and Converge ICT Solutions Inc. have announced a strategic powerhouse collaboration. This isn't just a business deal; it is the digital equivalent of opening a high-speed trade route between the Philippines and the rest of the world.

By integrating the Philippines’ most advanced pure-fiber and subsea infrastructure into the global Connectbase ecosystem, the two companies are effectively erasing the manual hurdles that have long slowed down international commerce.

Seconds, Not Days: The End of the Manual Era

For years, global carriers looking to source connectivity in the Philippines were trapped in a labyrinth of manual emails and weeks-long sourcing cycles. This collaboration shatters that bottleneck.

Through the Connectbase Seller Cloud, Converge is transitioning its massive network into a digitally consumable asset. What once took days or weeks—discovering serviceability, pricing, and availability—can now be accomplished in seconds.

"Converge has built a world-class fiber network, and Connectbase provides the digital transmission that makes it globally consumable," says Ben Edmond, CEO of Connectbase.

A Subsea and Fiber Juggernaut

The sheer scale of the infrastructure being unleashed is staggering. Converge operates a network that is both young and incredibly vast:

896,000+ Kilometers: An end-to-end pure-fiber network spanning the Philippine archipelago.

60% Coverage: Reaching nearly 60% of all Philippine households.

Global Arteries: Strategic investments in trans-Pacific subsea cables—including Bifrost and SEA-H2X—link the Philippines directly to the U.S., Singapore, and Hong Kong.

This infrastructure is the lifeblood for AI workloads, cloud regionalization, and the massive BPO traffic that defines the modern Philippine economy.

Why This Matters for the Global Market

As Southeast Asia’s digital economy explodes, the demand for "location-precise connectivity" has shifted from a convenience to a critical necessity.

For Global Buyers: Enterprises gain instant access to resilient, low-latency routes essential for modern cloud operations.

For Converge: The company gains immediate visibility among the world's largest network buyers without the need for massive incremental sales overhead.

For the Philippines: This partnership fortifies the nation’s position as a premier digital hub, providing businesses with faster, more resilient connections to the global stage.

Dennis Anthony H. Uy, CEO and Co-Founder of Converge, views this as a definitive milestone: "We are enabling carriers and enterprises worldwide to engage with our network in seconds rather than days".

About the Visionaries

Connectbase acts as the "Operating System for Connected Commerce," providing the location-based intelligence that allows the world to transact across billions of locations.

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. (PSE: CNVRG) stands as the fastest-growing broadband provider in the Philippines, dedicated to delivering world-class digital experiences through its extensive fiber optic assets.

DepEd expands global pathways for Filipino learners under renewed SPFL partnership with Republic of Korea

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

 

MANILA, 4 March 2026 - Filipino students are set to gain more global competitive advantage as the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Education renewed their cooperation agreement on the teaching of the Korean language in select public high schools.

The renewal was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Secretary Sonny Angara and ROK Minister of Education Choi Kyo-Jin.

The signed agreement was formally presented to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and ROK President Lee Jae Myung in a ceremony at the Malacañang Palace during the latter’s state visit on Tuesday.

The agreement falls under the DepEd’s Special Program in Foreign Language (SPFL), an initiative designed to prepare Filipino students for international careers by fostering cultural diversity and language proficiency.

“By renewing this partnership, we are not just teaching a new language; we are opening doors to global opportunities for our teachers and learners,” Secretary Angara said.

Originally piloted in 2009, the SPFL now offers Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Chinese and Korean languages in select secondary schools, in partnership with foreign institutions.

The SPFL-Korean was introduced through a memorandum of agreement signed in June 2017 between the DepEd and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

Under that agreement, the Korean Cultural Center of the Philippines (KCC) served as the official training provider, offering immersive cultural experiences to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Korean culture.

For SY 2024-2025, the SPFL-Korean program was implemented in 69 public secondary schools across 13 regions, benefitting 4,810 learners and facilitating the professional upskilling and language training of 168 teachers.

The new MOU ensures the sustainability of the program as the previous agreement has expired.

The renewed partnership focuses on curriculum development; teacher capacity building; provision of Korean language specialists and teaching resources; and continued institutionalization of Korean as a foreign language in select high schools.

The renewal of the agreement marks another milestone in Philippines-ROK bilateral relations, underscoring a shared commitment for educational innovation and cultural exchange.

DepEd reiterates support for Filipino teachers in the Middle East through SPIMS reintegration program

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

MAKATI CITY, 2 March 2026 - In light of the evolving security situation in parts of the Middle East, the Department of Education (DepEd) affirms its readiness to support Filipino teachers who may be affected and are considering returning to the Philippines.


Through the Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir (SPIMS) Program, DepEd, in coordination with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), provides a reintegration pathway for licensed Filipino teachers employed overseas to transition into the public school system.

 


Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the Department’s commitment to supporting returning educators: “Sa mga gurong Pilipino sa Gitnang Silangan at sa iba pang panig ng mundo, bukas ang pintuan ng ating mga pampublikong paaralan para sa inyo. Kung magpapasya kayong umuwi, kasama ninyo ang DepEd sa panibagong yugto ng inyong paglilingkod.”


Qualified applicants may be hired and appointed as Teacher I under permanent status, subject to compliance with established qualification standards and existing hiring guidelines.


The SPIMS Program is an employment reintegration convergence initiative led by the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (DMW-NRCO) and implemented in coordination and partner agencies, including DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and other relevant government offices.


The program ensures institutional coordination for a structured and orderly transition of returning Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) into the public education system.


Specifically, SPIMS aims to provide returning OFW Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) passers with gainful employment in public schools, help address teacher shortages in support of the K to 12 curriculum, and offer online refresher courses for those who may need to update their pedagogical competencies in line with current educational standards.


Eligible applicants must be Filipino citizens or Philippine passport holders who are LET passers with at least one year of accumulated teaching experience within the last five years and who have not resided in the Philippines for more than three consecutive years based on their latest arrival record.


For guidance on the application process and documentary requirements, applicants may coordinate with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) or the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) through their official channels. Required documents include a valid PRC ID, Certificate of Board Rating, and proof of employment abroad.


DepEd recognizes the valuable contributions of Filipino teachers abroad and remains steadfast in strengthening the country’s teacher workforce while upholding support mechanisms for educators, both at home and overseas.