Philippine and International Leaders to Address Higher Education Lifelong Learning and AI Readiness at Instructure’s CanvasCon 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Instructure, the maker of Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), will host CanvasCon Philippines 2026 on October 7, 2026, at Conrad Manila in Pasay City. Anchored on the theme "Shaping Readiness, Together," the flagship, full-day education conference will bring together over 500 higher education leaders, educators, and institutional decision-makers across Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The conference lands at a pivotal juncture for Philippine higher education. Recent policy shifts, curriculum reforms, and growing demand for seamless multi-modal learning have made institutional readiness — the skills, tools, and support needed to adapt as learning and technology evolve — an urgent operational priority. New Philippines-specific research commissioned by Instructure also points to a gap between growing AI activity in education and the institutional strategy, training, and access needed to support its use.

CanvasCon Philippines 2026 offers a peer-led working space designed to help academic leaders transition from reactive strategies to sustainable, future-ready educational frameworks across three core pillars: AI with Intention, Ready to Learn and Ready to Engage, and Skills That Last.

“The Philippines is moving quickly to expand flexible learning, lifelong learning pathways, and digital delivery across higher education. That makes the conversations happening here especially relevant to where education in Asia Pacific is heading. CanvasCon Philippines is a chance to hear directly from local institutions about how they are responding to these shifts, and what it will take to ensure more learners have the skills, tools, and support to be ready for what comes next,” said Darren Read, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Instructure.

New Philippines research highlights the next stage of AI readiness.

At CanvasCon Philippines, Instructure will unveil findings from its new survey of 207 education practitioners from higher education and technical-vocational institutions across Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao. Conducted in partnership with The Fourth Wall in August 2026, the study explores how participating institutions are approaching lifelong learning, AI readiness, and equitable access to AI-enabled learning.

The findings suggest AI activity is already moving beyond exploration. Half (50%) of respondents report their institutions offer AI literacy or digital-skills programs for students. Respondents also say their institutions provide staff-facing AI tools supporting teaching and course design (41%), AI tools integrated into course content or delivery (40%), and AI-powered tutoring or learning assistants (38%). Only 18% say their institution is still exploring without any current approach.

At the same time, confidence in institutional readiness is more moderate. Respondents rate confidence that their institution has a clear strategy for AI within lifelong-learning pathways at 3.08 out of 5, while confidence that faculty and staff have the training needed to use AI effectively and support diverse learners falls to 2.87 out of 5.

Darren Read and John Brylle Bae, Partner and Research Director at The Fourth Wall, will unpack the findings at CanvasCon, providing local context and exploring what they reveal about the shift from AI use to more intentional, supported, and equitable AI-enabled learning.

The survey findings reflect the perceptions of education practitioners and provide an indicative view of institutional priorities, practices, and readiness; they should not be interpreted as nationally representative of all Philippine education institutions.

The event will put Philippine institutions at the center of the conversation, with educators and leaders from Our Lady of Fatima University, Holy Angel University, University of San Jose Recoletos, De La Salle University, PAREF Woodrose School, University of St. La Salle, Far Eastern University, University of Santo Tomas, and the University of Sydney.

The program will also feature global education leaders, including Zach Pendleton, Chief Architect at Instructure, who brings over a decade of experience guiding the development of Canvas LMS and will share the roadmap for the Instructure Learning Platform and his perspective on how institutions can build resilient digital ecosystems for the future; Professor Martin Bean CBE AM, CEO of The Bean Centre, co-author of Toolkit for Turbulence, and former Vice-Chancellor of RMIT University and The Open University, who will offer strategic frameworks to help institutional leaders navigate disruption and lead proactive change; and Danny Liu, Professor of Educational Technologies at the University of Sydney, co-chair of the university’s AI in Education working group and leader of the Cogniti.ai initiative, who will present a research-backed approach to human-centered, responsible AI adoption in academic environments.

"A decision we make in the platform this quarter shows up in a lecturer's Monday morning three years from now. That's the part of this job I take most seriously. Philippine institutions are moving on curriculum reform, flexible pathways, and AI policy at the same time, and they need technology that can absorb all three without breaking what already works. I'll share where the platform is headed and how we're building it so no institution has to choose between keeping up and staying steady," said Zach Pendleton.

CanvasCon PH 2026 is open to the education community across the country. Participants may now register at instructure.com/en-au/events/canvascon/philippines.

Globe Network Posts Strongest 2026 Performance in August, DICT Report Shows

Globe posted its strongest network performance so far this year in August, recording its highest overall score and fastest average download speed in the latest Telco Report Card of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The results build on Globe’s continued network investments and ongoing collaboration with the government, including the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), to improve the quality and reliability of telecommunications services across the country.

Globe received an overall score of 81.5, up 4.4 points from January, while average download speed reached a 2026 high of 45.9 Mbps. This was 5.1% faster than July and 26% higher than the 36.5 Mbps recorded at the start of the year, with network quality also improving to 71.2 from 69.2 and latency holding at 20 milliseconds.

The gains come as the NTC continues to work with telecommunications providers to promote service quality and strengthen connectivity for Filipinos. Globe supports this shared push through sustained network investments, technology upgrades, and targeted interventions aimed at improving customer experience, particularly in areas where connectivity remains challenging.

“Customers need a network they can depend on every day, and that goes beyond speed. It means being able to stay connected consistently, including during periods of high demand, disruptions, and emergencies,” said Atty. Froilan Castelo, Globe General Counsel. “The progress we are seeing shows that our investments are making a difference, but there are still communities where the experience needs to be better. That is where we need to keep pushing.”

Globe invested ₱26.3 billion in capital expenditures in the first half of 2026, with 91% directed to data-related initiatives. Its focus on network consistency has earned Globe recognition as the Most Consistent Mobile Provider four consecutive times, based on Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data covering 2H 2024 to 1H 2026.

Globe is also strengthening network resilience through automation. Its Automated Outage Response technology can retain up to 50% of data connectivity during outages, compared with less than 10% without it, by automatically optimizing nearby cell sites to help keep customers connected during disruptions.

Extending reliable connectivity to harder-to-reach communities remains part of the same effort. Last July, Globe brought mobile connectivity to 52 previously unserved Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), completing its commitment to activate services across all 180 project locations under the DICT connectivity initiative.

Timeout Card Review: A Physical Reminder to Take Back Your Time

We live in a world where our phones are designed to keep us engaged. A quick check of social media can easily turn into 30 minutes of scrolling, and before you know it, an entire evening is gone. That is why I found the concept behind the Timeout Card interesting, it takes a very different approach to managing screen time.

Timeout combines a physical card with a companion app to block distracting apps on your phone. Instead of relying entirely on willpower or another notification reminding you to put your phone down, Timeout creates an actual physical barrier. You set your phone rules through the app, and once the restrictions are activated, the Timeout Card is required to unlock access.

What I particularly like about the concept is its simplicity. We often try to solve excessive phone use with more apps, settings, or productivity tools. Timeout goes in the opposite direction. It makes distractions inconvenient. That extra step gives you a moment to think: Do I really need to open this app right now?

For someone who frequently gets distracted by social media, short-form videos, or other apps, this approach could be useful. It can also be helpful when you're trying to establish specific boundaries, such as avoiding your phone before bed, staying focused while working, or simply spending more time away from the screen.

Timeout claims that the average person can waste 20 years of their life on their phone, which puts our relationship with screen time into perspective. While the exact amount will obviously vary from person to person, the broader point is difficult to ignore: small periods of scrolling can add up significantly over the years.

Another important point is that Timeout is currently available only on iOS, so Android users will need to wait for availability on their platform.

Overall, I think Timeout is an interesting take on digital wellbeing because it recognizes that simply telling ourselves to use our phones less doesn't always work. By combining software restrictions with a physical card, it introduces friction between us and our most distracting apps.

If you're looking for a more deliberate way to reduce screen time, improve focus, or create healthier phone habits, Timeout is worth checking out.

Learn more: www.timeoutcard.com 

LG Electronics Advances Cooling Solutions for the Philippines’ Growing AI Data-Center Market

The Philippines is emerging as an increasingly important market for data-center infrastructure as demand for cloud computing, digital services, and data sovereignty continues to grow. According to the U.S. International Trade Administration, the country’s expanding digital economy is contributing to greater demand for data-center capacity and supporting infrastructure.

This growth is also being influenced by the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI). AI applications require significant computing power, which in turn creates substantial cooling requirements for data centers. Maintaining optimal temperatures is essential for protecting servers, ensuring reliable operations, and managing energy consumption.

As the Philippines strengthens its digital and AI infrastructure, access to secure and sustainable energy resources is becoming an important consideration. Data centers operate continuously and can consume considerable amounts of electricity, making energy efficiency and effective thermal management increasingly relevant to operators and infrastructure developers.

Against this backdrop, LG Electronics has introduced its new Air-Cooled Centrifugal Chiller, designed to address the demanding cooling requirements of modern AI data centers. The system incorporates an oil-free magnetic bearing compressor, a technology designed to support efficient and reliable chiller operation.

Another key feature is refrigerant free-cooling technology, which can take advantage of suitable outdoor conditions to support cooling while reducing the mechanical cooling load. This approach can contribute to improved operational efficiency in data-center environments where cooling represents a significant portion of infrastructure requirements.

Reliability is another critical consideration for data centers. LG’s chiller is designed to restore full cooling capacity within three minutes following power restoration. Rapid recovery can help data-center operators maintain stable thermal conditions after a power interruption and reduce the potential impact on critical computing infrastructure.

Beyond the physical cooling equipment, LG is also integrating digital technologies into data-center cooling management. Its Data Center Cooling Management software enables integrated monitoring and data-driven control across complex cooling infrastructure. This can provide operators with greater visibility into system performance and support more informed decisions about cooling operations.

As the Philippine data-center market continues to develop, technologies that combine cooling efficiency, operational resilience, and intelligent management could become increasingly important. With AI and cloud computing driving new infrastructure requirements, advanced cooling systems will play a key role in supporting the country’s next phase of digital growth.

HUAWEI Unveils WATCH GT 7 Series and WATCH D3, Advancing Smarter Sports and Health

MANILA, Philippines — HUAWEI is strengthening its position in the global wearable technology market with the upcoming launch of the HUAWEI WATCH GT 7 Series and HUAWEI WATCH D3 this October. The new smartwatches highlight HUAWEI’s continued focus on smarter sports tracking, advanced health monitoring, and AI-powered experiences.

According to IDC’s wrist-worn device market report for the first half of 2026, HUAWEI retained its position as the world’s No. 1 wrist-worn device company by shipment volume, capturing more than 20% market share. The company also ranked No. 1 in the Philippines during the same period.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 7 Series is designed for users seeking a combination of premium design, fitness capabilities, and long-lasting performance. Featuring an aerospace-grade titanium alloy construction, signature octagonal case, and HUAWEI’s EasyCross strap, the smartwatch is designed to transition from workouts to everyday activities.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the watch introduces the Accurate Sunflower Positioning System with AI-XDR Positioning for enhanced tracking. It also provides AI-powered coaching across more than 100 workout modes. Beyond fitness, HUAWEI TruSense delivers broader health insights, including Physical Readiness tracking and features supporting health research.

Meanwhile, the HUAWEI WATCH D3 focuses heavily on cardiovascular health. With an 11.3 mm slim profile and lightweight design, it is built for comfortable all-day wear. Its key feature is HUAWEI’s wrist-based Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) technology.

The WATCH D3 uses an ultra-narrow airbag strap and an upgraded measurement schedule designed to reduce interruptions during 24-hour monitoring. Compared with the previous generation, daily blood pressure measurement inflations are reduced from 27 to just seven. The smartwatch also features Health Glance, CE-certified ECG and PPG, and AI-powered health insights.

Filipino consumers can also take advantage of launch promotions. From September 25 to October 1, customers who place a PHP 500 deposit through the HUAWEI Online Store can reserve their preferred device and unlock PHP 6,000 off upon completing their purchase. Additional early-bird offers will run throughout October, including discounts through Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

With the WATCH GT 7 Series and WATCH D3, HUAWEI continues to expand its wearable ecosystem, giving consumers more tools to track fitness, understand health data, and integrate intelligent technology into everyday life.