QUEZON CITY, Philippines — On July 25, 2026, 100 volunteers from IBM Philippines gathered at Million Trees in La Mesa, Quezon City, and successfully planted 1,000 native tree saplings—including Narra, Malabulak, and Bignay. Organized in partnership with ASSIST, this initiative directly aids in protecting the water quality of the La Mesa Dam reservoir, regulating water flow, and reducing local air pollution.

The La Mesa Watershed is more than just a patch of greenery on the map. It is the direct lifeline of clean water for millions of residents across Metro Manila. Over the years, soil erosion and forest denudation have threatened the natural strength of these vital catchment areas.

To combat this, ASSIST collaborated with IBM Philippines under the banner of the IBM Stronger Together: Tree Planting campaign, aligning directly with the Million Trees Foundation, Inc. and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) Annual Million Trees Challenge.

The driving philosophy of the project was simple: plant the right tree in the right place. While bamboos (Bambusa vulgaris) fortify nearby riverbanks against rapid erosion, indigenous and fruit-bearing species were selected specifically for inland soil stabilization.

Under the morning sun, 100 IBMers gathered with their trowels and gloves to plant native species chosen purposefully to strengthen and sustain the local ecosystem. With every sapling set into the earth, volunteers were laying down a natural defense system for the La Mesa reservoir. These 1,000 native trees will grow to hold soil in place, filter rain runoff, absorb carbon, and safeguard the water source for generations to come.

Real conservation happens when businesses, NGOs, and communities act together. By engaging employees in hands-on environmental restoration, companies like IBM build more than a responsible brand. They protect clean water supplies, build climate resilience, and establish a blueprint for scalable corporate environmental stewardship.

Discover your next impactful CSR campaign with ASSIST. Partner with us today. https://bit.ly/PartnerForProgress

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Forty-two fifth graders at Springhills Elementary School spent the day putting science and engineering to work, turning simple materials into standing skyscrapers and density experiments.

As the third leg of the STEM LEAP program, the hands-on workshop is part of an ongoing commitment by Texas Instruments and ASSIST to build early curiosity and practical skills in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math for young learners across the Philippines.

STEM LEAP (STEM Learning and Application through Play) introduces primary students to core technical concepts through interactive, play-based challenges. Built on a three-stage pathway—Excite, Explore, Experience—the initiative aims to spark early interest in STEM fields and help children carry those skills forward toward real-world applications.

Two hands-on challenges anchored the day’s activities: the Density Tower and the Spaghetti Skyscraper Challenge.

In the Density Tower exercise, pupils poured liquids of varying weights into clear containers, watching in real time as the fluids settled into distinct layers rather than blending together. Curiosity took over as several students experimented with different pouring techniques, testing whether they could create distinct layers without mixing the liquids.

The Spaghetti Skyscraper Challenge brought a wave of noisy, energetic collaboration to the room. Equipped with limited bundles of raw spaghetti and marshmallows, teams worked against the clock to design freestanding structures. While some towers stood tall, others buckled under their own weight—forcing teams to analyze what went wrong. It was a direct lesson in the scientific method: iteration, trial, and learning to view failure not as a setback, but as valuable data.

Throughout the session, volunteers from Texas Instruments moved between tables, guiding the teams through problems rather than solving them outright. Engr. Mc Zinsser Bagcal, one of the TI mentors, shared his personal journey into the engineering field with the students. Admitting he didn’t have his future mapped out at their age, Bagcal explained that he was simply a curious kid who enjoyed figuring out how things worked—a habit that eventually developed into a fulfilling career. He encouraged the pupils to protect that instinctual curiosity and seize every opportunity to learn.

Science isn’t meant to live on a whiteboard. By letting the Springhills Elementary pupils physically test out complex engineering concepts, the session turned intimidating subjects into accessible, confidence-boosting play.

More than a fun afternoon, the event highlights what effective CSR looks like in practice. The ongoing partnership between ASSIST and Texas Instruments shows the power of aligning corporate capabilities with grass-roots community needs to create lasting social value. By showing up with their time, expertise, and encouragement, private-sector partners do more than write a check. They build institutional capacity, open clear pathways for skills development, and create repeatable frameworks that non-profits can scale across underserved regions.

Elevate your organization’s CSR impact with programs like EXCITE STEAM LEAP. Explore partnerships with ASSIST https://bit.ly/PartnerForProgress

Huynh Ngoc Hoi is the eldest of two children. He left his family in Vietnam’s Binh Thuan province to pursue education at Ly Tu Trong College (LTTC) in Ho Chi Minh City. He hopes to help his family after he graduates. Like Hoi, Tran Quoc Nguyen, also dreams of helping out his widowed mother by pursuing an education at LTTC. Unknown to the two young students back then, a bigger opportunity would soon be presented to them.

Vietnam’s elevator and escalator industry is struggling with an immense shortage of skilled workers. As the country becomes more industrialized than ever, the demand for elevator and escalator technicians is growing at a rapid pace. Elevator companies in Vietnam, like KONE, have to outsource crucial installation and safety services. However, these service providers do not comply with quality and safety standards, which may result in malfunctions and hazards.

To address this problem, ASSIST Vietnam in association with LTTC and with co-financing from KONE and KFW DEG, implemented the project “Promote Technical Education and Reform of Mechanics and Electrification to Professionals or PROMPT. Through the project’s KONE Academy, a dedicated training center on elevator and escalator installation, students will be equipped with the proper knowledge and skills to help them become competent technicians, thereby addressing the increasing demand for skilled workers and creating job opportunities for less privileged students like Hoi and Nguyen.

Hoi and Nguyen were introduced to the PROMPT project by their teachers at LTTC. Hoi expressed enthusiasm for the project by saying “I think this program is really interesting and very advanced. Elevator and escalator installations were never taught as a profession in most of the colleges here in Vietnam.”

Aside from the core installation classes, the students were also taught safety and rescue procedures. Nguyen said, “My favorite class is about safety and rescue procedures. We were given hands on training. One of my classmates will play the victim who is trapped in an elevator and we will rescue him.”

Like Hoi and Nguyen, their classmate, Nguyen Thi Phi Yen also found the classes very challenging. Despite being the only girl in her class, Yen is determined to do well and pursue a career in the elevator and escalator industry. She said, “Nowadays, gender is not an obstacle anymore. Thanks to the PROMPT project, I gained new skills which can create more opportunities for me in the future.”

Before attending the technical trainings, Hoi dreamt of becoming an engineer or scientist. But the PROMPT project opened his mind to the vast opportunities available at his fingertips. He said, “My dream now is to design and install elevators and make it safer for more people.”

Through project PROMPT’s apprenticeship and employment program, students like Hoi, Nguyen and Yen won’t have difficulties finding employment after graduation.