Cover Tootsy Angara and Karen Davila with the teachers and students of Pag-asa Integrated School, beneficiaries of their campaign ConnectEd: Tech for All (Photo: Instagram / @tootsyangara)
Tootsy Angara and Karen Davila with the teachers and students of Pag-asa Integrated School, beneficiaries of their campaign ConnectEd: Tech for All (Photo: Instagram / @tootsyangara)
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A bold initiative to bridge the digital divide, ConnectEd—this year’s Tatler Ball beneficiary—empowers the nation’s last mile schools with laptops, internet, and training
Tootsy Angara and Karen Davila recall their first visit to Pag-asa Island, a remote outpost in the West Philippine Sea. The journey took three hours by plane, with a stop to refuel before continuing to the farthest-flung school in the Philippines. When both women finally landed, they were greeted not just by the teachers and students but by a sobering reality: the school’s digital infrastructure was non-existent. Wi-Fi access in the military office served as the community’s only window to the internet. For the children of Pag-asa, digital literacy was a distant dream.
That experience laid the groundwork for ConnectEd: Tech for All by Her Legacy Project. Following an exchange of messages between Senator Sonny Angara, Secretary of Education, and Tatler Philippines managing director Irene Martel Francisco, Tatler selected the initiative as the beneficiary of its 23rd Anniversary Ball.
ConnectEd aims to equip last-mile schools—those in the country’s most remote and underserved areas—with laptops, connectivity, and digital training. “Imagine a world where every talented child, no matter their background, has the tools they need to shine,” Davila says. “By providing them with technology, we’re opening the door to endless possibilities. It’s not just about laptops; it’s about empowerment.”
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Each PhP 50,000 donation covers a laptop and the training required for students and teachers to use it effectively. The goal is to raise PhP 12.5 million at the Ball, funding 250 laptops for students in last mile schools.
All funds will be raised through the private donations of Tatler’s guests, a charity auction, and Tatler’s own contribution of PhP 500,000. “One hundred per cent of the donations will go directly to the cause,” Francisco says.
Above Senator Sonny Angara and Tootsy Angara at Pag-asa Integrated School (Photo: Instagram / @tootsyangara)
Senator Sonny Angara and Tootsy Angara at Pag-asa Integrated School (Photo: Instagram / @tootsyangara)
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The digital divide
What began as a conversation between two friends quickly evolved into a large-scale mission to transform education. “We were just hanging out, talking about our purpose in life,” Davila recalls. “Then Tootsy said, ‘Let’s raise money for laptops for last-mile schools.’” It was the start of a worthy cause.
The idea gained urgency when Senator Angara highlighted systemic gaps: delayed textbooks, teacher shortages, and learning disparities. “Digitalisation is the only way we can really bridge the learning gap,” Angara says. However, introducing technology posed its own challenges. Many students were using laptops for the first time, and connectivity was often unreliable.
To address these issues, ConnectEd plans to provide Starlink connectivity to remote schools. But sustaining this infrastructure is costly. “It’s roughly PhP 20,000 per month per school for internet,” Angara explains. The team is enlisting private sector support, encouraging companies and individuals to ‘adopt’ schools to ensure long-term connectivity. “We’re confident the Tatler Ball will fund the laptops,” Davila says. “The real challenge is keeping these schools connected year after year.”
The initiative also champions platforms like Khan Academy, which integrates into the K-12 curriculum, and iamtheCODE, a global coding initiative. “These tools can truly transform futures,” both Davila and Angara assert.
Above ConnectEd aims to raise funds for 50 last mile schools to help them develop digital learning and access (Photo: Instagram / @iamkarendavila)
ConnectEd aims to raise funds for 50 last mile schools to help them develop digital learning and access (Photo: Instagram / @iamkarendavila)
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A movement for change
ConnectEd aims to demonstrate that digital access can transform educational outcomes. By raising PhP 12.5 million at the Tatler Ball, they hope to impact thousands of students across last-mile schools. “This will be a game changer,” says Davila. “It’s not just philanthropy; it’s a movement. When you educate one person, you uplift an entire family—and sometimes a community.”
Above ootsy Angara joins educators in a seminar at Mahabang Dahilig in Batangas after donating laptops for students (Photo: ConnectEd, Tech for All by Her Legacy Project)
ootsy Angara joins educators in a seminar at Mahabang Dahilig in Batangas after donating laptops for students (Photo: ConnectEd, Tech for All by Her Legacy Project)
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Angara echoes this: “We’re planting seeds. The results may not be immediate, but they’ll grow into something transformative for the next generation.” Looking ahead, they aim to make ConnectEd a pilot programme that can influence government policy. “Once we show success, we can push for more investment in technology,” Angara says.
Davila emphasises the importance of community support. “The Tatler Ball is just the beginning,” she says. “The people in that room are more than donors—they’re catalysts for change.” As the event draws near, both women remain hopeful. “This isn’t just about laptops or connectivity,” Davila concludes. “It’s about giving these children a real chance at a brighter future—and that’s something everyone can rally behind.”
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is a digital editor at Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
