Rappler, AMA Education System ink deal for #PHvote2016

MANILA, Philippines – In an effort to boost youth participation in the upcoming presidential elections, Rappler and the AMA Education System (AMA ES) on Thursday, January 28, signed a partnership to mobilize students during the polls. 

Rappler CEO and executive editor Maria Ressa and AMA CEO Dr Amable Aguiluz IX led the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU), which allows both organizations to scale up their voter education efforts.

“Our goal for the past months has been to get more youth to exercise their vote in the upcoming polls. This partnership with AMA ES is very strategic for both our organizations since we are moving in the same direction and advocacy,” said MovePH executive director Rupert Ambil, who was also present at the signing.

AMA ES is the biggest and one of the first information technology (IT) education network in Asia with around 200 schools and colleges worldwide and a student population of more than 20,000 students. 

The school system, with its vision “Education for All,” is committed to bringing universal education to everyone, everywhere. It currently runs international schools in as far as Oman and Bahrain. One of its flagship projects, AMA Online Education is a fully online program ideal for working people who want to continue their studies and earn a degree online.

“To us, the AMA partnership with Rappler is more than just strategic, it is a perfect fit: AMA is the pioneer in IT education while Rappler is the pioneer in IT news,” Aguiluz said.

He added: “AMA and Rappler share the same objective – a Philippines made up of people who are educated in every sense of the word: intelligent, aware, up-to-date, discerning, achieving. Involved with their community, involved with their country, involved with life.”

Increasing student involvement

The deal opens up AMA’s facilities to Rappler and its nationwide network of movers during the election coverage.

“This partnership with AMA will bring our campaigns to a wider audience. Hopefully, we can train more young people to use social media to do social good. We are looking forward to working with them,” Ambil added.  

For its part, MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, will also conduct journalism, civic engagement, and technology workshops and trainings for AMA ES students. It will bring its #TheLeaderIWant forums to different AMA schools in the country. 

“The students’ involvement alone with the coming elections is a wonderful exercise, and with Rappler as our partner, the AMA students are sure to learn a lot,” Aguiluz added.

In May 2015, Rappler launched #PHVote: The Leader I Want, the social news network’s 2016 presidential elections coverage, in a forum with students and youth involved in different sectors, to raise awareness on various issues facing the country and to help the youth decide on who to vote for. – Rappler.com