The best gift we can give the next generation: A better future

BY ANNA MAE LAMENTILLO

Dec 20, 2024 00:54 AM 

NIGHT OWL

I’m writing this far away from home, sitting in Oxford, still carrying the awe of last night’s Advent carols at University College. It started in complete darkness—a deliberate reminder of the darkness in the world and the need for Christ. The first notes of “The Advent Prose,” drawn from traditional Advent liturgical texts and paired with Judith Weir’s hauntingly beautiful music, filled the space. Then came the familiar and stirring  “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and “This is the Truth” by R. Vaughan Williams. It was solemn, uplifting, and deeply moving.

Being at Univ, as University College is affectionately called, added another layer of reflection. This college has seen centuries of history, starting small with just four theology Fellows. Over time, through benefactors and determination, it grew into one of Oxford’s leading institutions. From its medieval roots to admitting women in 1979, Univ’s journey is one of perseverance and progress. It’s a powerful reminder of how legacies are built over time—a theme that resonates with what we can leave for future generations.
 

A world worth inheriting

What does it mean to leave a better future? For me, it’s imagining a world where clean air is a given, where the oceans aren’t choked with plastic, and where forests thrive alongside human progress. It’s about creating societies where education, healthcare, and opportunity are not privileges but rights—regardless of where you’re born. It’s a future where diversity is celebrated, justice is upheld, and collective well-being takes precedence over personal gain.

This might sound idealistic, but it’s not out of reach. The choices we make today—big and small—can shape the trajectory of the world we’ll pass on.
 

Investing in sustainability

If there’s one thing we owe the next generation, it’s a livable planet. Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it’s here. Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and the loss of biodiversity are realities impacting millions. Tackling this starts with prioritizing sustainability.

That might mean embracing renewable energy, reducing waste, or choosing businesses that prioritize green practices. It means rethinking the way we consume and advocate for policies that put the planet first. Even small actions—walking instead of driving, cutting down on single-use plastics—add up when multiplied across communities. Together, these choices can secure a future where nature and humanity coexist in harmony.
 

Nurturing education

Education is one of the most powerful tools we can offer the next generation. But it’s not just about traditional learning; it’s about equipping young people with critical thinking skills, digital literacy, and an understanding of how interconnected the world is.

Innovation, too, has a central role. Technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy systems, and biotechnology hold incredible promise. But they must be guided by ethics and inclusivity. When innovation serves the greater good and not just a privileged few, it can truly transform societies.
 

Championing equity and justice

A better future is one where everyone has the chance to thrive. That means addressing inequalities rooted in gender, race, and socioeconomic status. It means amplifying voices that have long been ignored and crafting policies that reflect the needs of all communities—not just the elite.

Equity and justice aren’t just moral imperatives; they’re the bedrock of stable, peaceful societies. By fostering empathy, understanding, and collaboration, we can build communities that stand strong in the face of division and conflict.

The role of hope and action

Hope is powerful. But hope without action is just wishful thinking. The greatest gift we can give future generations is not just the vision of a better world but the tangible steps to achieve it. This means taking responsibility—for our consumption, our votes, our voices. It means holding leaders accountable and inspiring others to join the cause.
The path forward isn’t without challenges. But it’s a journey worth taking. By planting the seeds of change today, we can nurture a future where the next generation looks back with gratitude, knowing we chose to act when it mattered most.
 

A gift beyond measure

As we exchange gifts this season, let’s remember the one that can’t be wrapped or placed under a tree. It’s a legacy of hope, progress, and possibility. A better future isn’t just a gift for the next generation; it’s a responsibility we all share.

So let’s give generously—not just to those we know, but to those who will inherit this world. Together, we can create a future that is brighter, kinder, and more just. And that, above all, is the ultimate gift.

How NightOwlGPT will protect endangered languages

BY ANNA MAE LAMENTILLO

Oct 25, 2024 05:03 AM 

NIGHT OWL

In the world today, a silent crisis is unfolding: the rapid extinction of languages. UNESCO estimates that approximately 40 percent of the world’s 7,000 languages are at risk of disappearing by the end of this century. This is more than just the loss of words and grammar; it is the loss of entire cultures, histories, and identities. As these languages fade, so too do the voices of the communities that speak them, along with the rich cultural knowledge they carry. 

In this critical moment, NightOwlGPT is stepping forward with a mission to preserve endangered languages and ensure that linguistic diversity continues to thrive in the digital age.

 

Language extinction

Language is much more than a means of communication. It is a repository of a community’s collective memory, encompassing its traditions, beliefs, and values. When a language dies, we lose not only a way of speaking but also a unique worldview, a piece of human knowledge that may never be recovered. 

This loss is particularly devastating for marginalized communities, who often find their languages pushed aside by dominant global tongues like English, Spanish, or Mandarin. 
Currently, nearly 3,000 languages are endangered, and every two weeks, one of these languages goes extinct. The factors contributing to this alarming rate of language loss include globalization, migration, and the adoption of dominant languages for economic or social mobility. 

In an increasingly connected world, speakers of minority languages may feel pressure to abandon their mother tongues in favor of more widely spoken languages. This is where NightOwlGPT comes in.

 

NightOwlGPT’s mission
 

NightOwlGPT is an AI-driven platform with a bold mission: to democratize AI technology and make it accessible to even the most marginalized communities. 

By focusing on language preservation, the platform seeks to protect the cultural diversity that is at risk of being lost forever. Through real-time translation, cultural competence features, and interactive learning tools, NightOwlGPT empowers users to not only communicate in their native languages but also pass these languages on to future generations.
At the heart of NightOwlGPT’s mission is the belief that AI can be a powerful tool for social good. The platform is designed to support endangered languages by offering real-time translations for languages like Tagalog, Cebuano, and Ilokano, with plans to expand to over 170 languages globally. 

By embedding cultural insights and language tips into its translations, NightOwlGPT goes beyond merely providing word-for-word conversions — it helps users gain a deeper understanding of the cultural context behind each language, fostering respect and appreciation for linguistic diversity.

 

The role of language 
 

Language is a critical component of cultural identity. It shapes the way people see the world, relate to one another, and maintain a sense of community. When a language disappears, the cultural fabric of a community begins to unravel, weakening the bonds of social cohesion and shared heritage. For indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups, language is often the last stronghold of their identity, a link to their ancestors and traditions. Losing that link can be disorienting, particularly for younger generations who may struggle to understand their heritage.

NightOwlGPT’s platform aims to reverse this trend by making endangered languages digitally accessible. Its interactive learning tools allow users to engage with their languages in meaningful ways, strengthening cultural continuity, and ensuring that these languages are not only preserved but actively used.

 

Solution for the future
 

NightOwlGPT recognizes that the preservation of endangered languages is not just about saving words — it’s about preserving identities, histories, and cultures. By democratizing AI and making its technology accessible to marginalized communities, NightOwlGPT offers a solution to the crisis of language extinction. The platform empowers individuals to protect their linguistic heritage while ensuring that the next generation can learn, use, and celebrate their native languages in an increasingly digital world.  

In a time of rapid change and growing digital connectivity, NightOwlGPT’s mission to preserve the world’s linguistic diversity is more important than ever.
 

Digital agenda of the Philippines

by Anna Mae Lamentillo

NIGHT OWL

Anna Mae Lamentillo

The Philippines gears up to be a digital nation. The government’s aim is to be a prosperous middle-class society by 2040 and we aspire to be a globally competitive knowledge economy.

In line with this, digital transformation is a national priority of the government. As information and communications technology (ICT) systems have become crucial in more aspects of people’s lives and the economy, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. has emphasized the need for universal connectivity to ensure that no citizen is left behind, a fully digital government that is sensitive to the people’s needs, and enabling a conducive environment for the digital economy. 

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) under Secretary Ivan John Uy, is creating and implementing both mid-term and long-term plans for digital transformation across government sectors through improved interoperability and collaboration across the government and ecosystems.

The DICT is doubling efforts to provide mobile and internet services to the most remote parts of the country, aggressively implementing key programs such as the BroadBand ng Masa Program, which provides Free Wi-Fi sites in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs); the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure, which will increase total government capacity from 40,000 Mbps to 2,000,000 Mbps in the next six years; and the establishment of the National Government Data Center. Moreover, through the Common Tower Policy, we can fast-track the deployment of common towers across all regions of the country, especially in the unserved and underserved areas.

For this year, the DICT targets the completion of the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure (LBI) Phase 1; while 15,834 Free Wi-Fi sites are targeted to be launched for 2023 in public places, and 100,000 sites are expected to be made operational by 2025.

On e-governance, we are pushing for the consolidation of the E-Government and E-Governance bills that were filed before the two Houses of Congress. These measures will be crucial in transforming governance to one that is digital, anti-red tape, and efficient.

ADVERTISEMENT

The DICT’s efforts also gave way for the initiation of the eGov Super App, which aims to become the single application that any Filipino citizen would ever need to avail of virtually all local and national government services.

We were also able to pilot launch the Integrated Local Government System (iLGU) in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement an end-to-end business registration with LGUs for business permits, clearances, real property tax, business tax, civil registry, and other permits. This will remove long lines in the city and municipal halls and streamline citizens’ transactions with LGUs. Currently, there are around 906 LGUs that will implement the Integrated Business Permit and Licensing System or iBPLS.

Meanwhile, the Philippines is consolidating its global leadership in IT-enabled services through the provision of analytical and AI skills development, a competitive enabling environment, cost efficiencies and the close cultural proximity to an international audience thereby ensuring that investors can profitably serve international and fast-growing regional markets.

The Philippines is a top-tier destination for IT-BPM services such as contact center and business process, global shared services, IT and software, healthcare, animation and game development.

To further support the growth of this industry and nurture investments in the ICT sector, aside from our efforts to provide robust and strong digital infrastructure, the Philippine Government is creating a favorable regulatory environment, including through the enactment of laws such as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act; the Amended Public Service Act (PSA), which allows full foreign ownership in key sectors, such as telecommunications, data center operations and logistics that will support IT- BPM activities; the Amended Foreign Investments Act (FIA), which allows investments from foreign startup firms involved in advanced technology; and the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) Act, which led to a series of improvements in the delivery of government services that catapulted the country’s competitiveness ranking from 124th to 95th in 2020, making it to the top 100 economies cited by the World Bank in 2019.

The DICT has also laid out programs to help cities and municipalities in the countryside become better suited to host IT-BPM companies, side by side with programs that will help promote digital inclusion and narrow the digital skills gap in the country. 

The Digital Cities 2025 program highlights the value of countryside development and the capability of key locations outside Metro Manila to become thriving business districts and viable investment hubs for IT-BPM services; while the Digital Startup Development and Acceleration Program (DSDAP) aims to raise awareness and offer programs that will guide start-ups to improve their respective communities.

The DICT is also implementing learning and capacity-building programs that will help our people adapt to new modes of learning and working, such as the Tech4Ed Program, a national digital inclusion initiative that establishes physical centers or hubs that provide critical e-government and ICT-enabled services in communities with minimal to no access to information and government services. At present, we have more than 1,000 centers nationwide.

In addition, the DigitalJobsPH Program is creating meaningful ICT- enabled jobs in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in the country, while providing technical training to develop the digital skills of Filipinos, especially those living in the countryside.

Finally, on cybersecurity, we hope to strengthen cybercrime education by promoting cyber hygiene education especially in the primary level, and prevent cybercrime by putting in more resources in cyber investigation and computer forensics. The SIM Registration Law is seen to help deter cybercrime in the form of scams, harassment, libel, and smishing, among others.

As the primary agency tasked to develop and promote the use of ICT in the country, the DICT is fully committed to do it