By: Lemuel Ian B. Manuel
Photos by Cheska Serafico
Last October 26, 2019, a seminar–workshop titled “Code Filipina: Coding for every Filipina” was conducted by the Wedu Seed Funding Initiative in partnership with Asia Pacific College (APC), Asia Pacific College – Microsoft Community (APC- MSC), Microsoft Student Partners (MSP), Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), Girls Will Code, and The Coding School (TCS).
Code Filipina is a one-day event that aims to encourage 14- to 16-year-old female students from Pasay City South High School to engage and consider the career of technology and engineering. The program aimed to address the gender gap in the engineering field which is mostly dominated by males.
The event was hosted by members of the APC Speaks, namely Alexia Viktoria Ongpauco and Marah Josephine Bartolome. Code Filipina Program Director Cheryl Siy gave the opening remarks.
The seminar then commenced, featuring various women technology experts and professionals. Girls Will Code Founder and Executive Director Isabel Sieh spoke about Machine Learning. UP Diliman – Institute of Biology Researcher Alyzza Calayag discussed her topic titled “Coding meets Biology: Decoding the DNA.” Thinking Machines Data Scientist Isabelle Tiongzon talked about Data Science for Social Good. Analyst Catalina Montes discussed her topic titled “Science, Security, and Everything Nice.”
After the talks, Coding Coach and Web Developer Jeremiah M. Velmonte led the workshop. He taught students how to use Arduino in moving a do-it-yourself (DIY) flower toward the light’s direction.
