BACOLOD CITY — Sharing another innovative platform that continues her mission to advance countryside digital transformation, Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue announces the launch of DigiLinkPH: Digital Collaboration Meetings with LGUs and HEIs, a new initiative following the success of her DigiWork Expo series.

The first DigiLinkPH will take place in Bacolod City on November 6, 2025, at Teodoro Hall, STI West Negros University, bringing together academic leaders, industry innovators, local government officials, and digital advocates to strengthen local innovation ecosystems through collaboration.

“DigiLinkPH connects industry to academe, LGUs, and organizations helping build local ecosystems through collaboration,” Batapa-Sigue shared. “We can do DigiLinkPH in any city — and the goal is to bring industry and technology closer to the countryside through high-level dialogues that lead to concrete steps.”

The event is organized by the Philippine ICT Innovation Network (PIIN), with STI West Negros University serving as academic host. Dr. Mae B. Lodana, Dean of the College of Information and Communications Technology (CICT), will deliver the Opening Message on behalf of University President Dr. Ryan Mark S. Molina.

Atty. Batapa-Sigue, a TOWNS Awardee for ICT (2016) and former DICT Undersecretary for ICT Industry Development, has long championed digital inclusion and regional innovation. Through initiatives such as DIWA (Digital Innovation for Women Advancement), her EUREKA framework for ethical AI governance, and the DigiWork Expo, she has built nationwide partnerships that connect local governments, universities, and industry leaders. DigiLinkPH builds on this legacy — serving as a continuing platform for dialogue and collaboration, where local and national stakeholders co-create digital solutions that empower communities.

“As someone who has spent more than two decades advocating for digital innovation in the countryside, launching the first DigiLinkPH here in Bacolod feels deeply personal to me,” said Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue. “This is where my journey began — connecting people, institutions, and ideas — and now, through DigiLinkPH, I want to keep building those bridges between industry, academe, and local governments. My dream has always been to see technology become a tool for inclusion, not division — and this platform is one more step toward making that vision real for every community in the Philippines.”

The inaugural Bacolod session will feature two distinguished technology leaders: Bobby Corpuz, President of the Quantum Computing Society of the Philippines (QCSP), and Jiro Reyes, CEO and Co-Founder of Bitskwela.

Corpuz, who leads OneQuantum PH — the Philippine chapter of the global OneQuantum community — works closely with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to raise awareness about quantum computing and to make the Philippines a quantum-ready nation. QCSP’s mission is to make quantum computing accessible to anyone, introduce quantum concepts early in education, and equip Filipino educators and students with foundational quantum literacy. His talk, “Teaching Quantum Computing,” will highlight how quantum literacy can be embedded in the country’s STEM and innovation programs.

Reyes, through Bitskwela, continues to democratize blockchain and cryptocurrency education by teaching it in Filipino languages such as Tagalog, Cebuano, and Ilocano. His presentation, “Blockchain Education,” will focus on how decentralized technologies can empower local entrepreneurs, MSMEs, and youth through financial and digital inclusion.

Jiro is the Co-founder and CEO of Bitskwela, one of the leading Web3 education platforms in the Philippines, onboarding the next 100 million Filipinos. Over the past years, Bitskwela has collaborated extensively with both public and private sector players, utilizing the private sector for Web3 onboarding and gaining public sector support for next-generation education. The team’s work has been featured by CNN, Nasdaq, Esquire, and The Philippine Star.

Atty. Batapa-Sigue will facilitate the session, emphasizing the role of HEIs and LGUs as innovation engines that can bridge local policy, research, and industry needs.

“DigiLinkPH is about connection and continuity,” she said. “After DigiWork Expo, this platform keeps the collaboration alive — linking the visions of government, academe, and industry so that innovation doesn’t stop at conferences but moves toward real transformation.”

The DigiWork Expo is a flagship initiative founded by Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and co-designed with host cities to localize digital transformation and workforce development strategies. It supports the vision of Republic Act No. 11927, or the Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act, by promoting collaboration between government, academe, and industry to strengthen regional talent ecosystems.

Grounded in the insights of the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, the Expo emphasizes upskilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning as key drivers of economic resilience in the age of AI and automation. The first editions in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, and Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, highlighted how cities can harness their unique strengths to generate digital jobs, prepare youth for emerging industries, and fully leverage the country’s demographic dividend—transforming local potential into national progress.

“The growth of the Philippines is only as strong as the growth of its regions,” said Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue. “When we empower local governments, universities, and industries to innovate together, we create a ripple effect that uplifts communities and strengthens the entire nation. DigiLinkPH is my way of making sure that progress is not centralized — it is shared, inclusive, and rooted in every corner of the country.”

For partnership or media inquiries, contact Atty. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Convenor, Philippine ICT Innovation Network (PIIN) at ceo@jocellebatapasigue.com.