THE idea was to do something more than just gather to celebrate with food and drinks at a hotel.

In observance of the recent 78th Independence Day of the State of Israel, its Embassy in the Philippines marked the occasion not with a traditional diplomatic reception, but through a meaningful investment in the future: the inauguration of a new Digital Literacy Center at Jacinto Zamora Elementary School in Pandacan, Manila.

The Jacinto Zamora Elementary School, founded 105 years ago, was named after one of three Filipino priests collectively known as the Gomburza who were executed over false charges of mutiny by Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century.

In attendance at the launch were Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh and Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega, school administrators, teachers, students, members of the media, and Israeli Embassy staff.

The new Digital Learning Center — developed in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) — transforms the school’s former information and communications technology room into a modern, child-friendly learning hub equipped with computers, digital learning resources, modern furniture, and a dedicated reading corner. The center is designed to provide students and teachers with greater access to technology, research tools, and educational materials.

In addition, all computers in the center have been installed with CodeMonkey, an innovative, educational platform developed in Israel that introduces students to coding and computational thinking through interactive and engaging lessons. Through this program, students will have the opportunity to develop foundational coding skills and gain early exposure to technology and innovation.

Kids learn programming languages like Python and CoffeeScript by playing game-based puzzles.

CodeMonkey is for ages 5 to 14+, used in classrooms and homes to teach basic computer science and logic.

“What you see here is a digital learning center that is not just a place to learn. It’s a place to be inspired. It’s a place to dream. And I see the children here, and it is their place. Our commitment to this place is not just today,” said Kursh.

“One [member] of our team will come and interact with the children and see and identify what other things they would like to accomplish.

“CodeMonkey teaches children how to solve problems and how to [write] code, not in something that you may be afraid of, [but] in something very simple.

“The second component is to fall in love with books. So, at the back you will see books.

“The third thing is a place to convene. A place to, after school, to meet together, to [read] books. And to have a cool place to continue investigating, to continue being curious, to continue interacting.

“For that, we are going to [have] a person we are going to pay, who will stay every afternoon and be with the kids and inspire them and guide them and lead them.”

For his part, Angara said, “I’m thankful that I have wonderful partners in trying to address problems which have become systemic in nature. And one of them is bridging the digital divide, which President [Marcos] has mentioned at least twice in his State of the Nation Addresses, and I won’t be surprised if he mentions it [again] in the coming State of the Nation Address, because in the age of AI, these digital skills are becoming even more crucial.”