Co-Develop and Ateneo de Manila University have announced the launch of the Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD) Centre, which will house the Philippine Technical Resource Lab (TRL). This initiative is aimed at bolstering the digital transformation efforts in the Philippines. The TRL will be a key player in the country’s digital evolution, supported by various Digital Public Goods (DPGs) including OpenSPP, OpenG2P, Mojaloop, MOSIP, and eGov.
The launch event was honoured by the presence of Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA). This marks a major advancement in fostering an inclusive digital ecosystem in the Philippines. Queen Máxima’s three-day visit was aimed at supporting the scale-up of safe and affordable financial services to improve financial health. The visit focused on advancing key foundational building blocks for financial inclusion—including connectivity, identification, and digital payments—and enhancing financial health and resilience against economic and climate-related challenges for Filipinos. She also visited the country for financial inclusion in 2015.
The TRL is a joint project between Co-Develop, a global nonprofit fund dedicated to accelerating the adoption of safe and inclusive shared digital public goods, and Ateneo de Manila University’s John Gokongwei School of Management. It aims to localise technical capacity and innovation. This initiative will empower Filipino organisations, particularly entrepreneurs, civil society, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), by providing them with the tools, infrastructure, and expertise needed to enhance their economic competitiveness through advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence, behavioural science, financial modelling, and IT applications.
“This initiative is less about technology; and more about people. It’s about recognising the entrepreneurial spirit of Filipino communities and facilitating their collaborative efforts to contribute to the digital transformation journey of the Philippines. By leveraging the transformative potential of shared digital infrastructure, we can unlock new opportunities and drive sustainable growth across the nation,” commented CV Madhukar, CEO of Co-Develop.
Father Roberto Yap SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University, also remarked, “Beyond finance and technology, this initiative will have a ripple effect that will show that financial inclusivity is key not only to economic and social mobility, but also in allowing people to fully participate in addressing issues that confront us – from sustainability to defending democratic spaces, to educational reform, to health, and a lot more.”
The collaboration between Co-Develop and Ateneo’s John Gokongwei School of Management’s Business Insights Laboratory for Development (BUILD) underscores the importance of shared digital infrastructure in driving digital transformation. BUILD’s emphasis on advanced and applied data analytics and financial modelling will be pivotal in achieving the TRL’s objectives.