EdTek Con 2025: A Resounding Success with Inaugural Excellence Awards Recognizing Innovation in Education and Technology

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES – April 14, 2025 – The inaugural National Education & Technology Conference (EdTek Con) 2025, themed “Unfolding the future of education,” concluded successfully last Friday, March 28, at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino in Lahug. The full-day event, organized by EdFolio, an Iligan City-based EdTech start-up, in cooperation with Serial Disruptors, Cerebro, and the ICT Industry Council of the Philippines, brought together principals, deans, school officials, owners, and professionals in the EdTech space to discuss the future of education and groundbreaking innovations.

The conference, which commenced with registration at 7 a.m. and ran from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., featured insightful discussions on crucial topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain in education, as well as data privacy within the educational landscape.

Riki Dacanay, president of the ICT Industry Council of the Philippines and a board director at EdFolio and SkoolTek, set the tone for the day during his opening remarks, emphasizing that “the future of education is in our hands.” He urged attendees to collectively shape and uphold the future of the education system, stating that it “knows no bounds.”

EdFolio and SkoolTek CEO Ursel Murillo-Laureno, the founder of EdTek Con, delivered a keynote speech during the morning session, reassuring educators that advancements in educational technology, particularly artificial intelligence, are not intended to replace them. Instead, she highlighted AI as a “powerful tool that can help further the advancement of education” and their field of expertise.

The conference featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including UST IE Assistant Professor Delfin Jacob, University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines Director Franch Lorilla, Serial Disruptors co-founder Karl Fajardo, Apple Distinguished Educator Joyce Zerda, Basecamp Training Manager Joseph Regla, Basecamp Technical Trainer Giulliano Suarez, Fortinet former country manager Alan Reyes, Doconchain CEO Olivier Bariou, JuanTax co-founder Marvin Galang, and Sprout Solutions Vice President Geoffrey Ogang.

The successful conference culminated in the inaugural EdTek Excellence Awards, an evening celebration of innovation in education and technology. The VIP dinner and recognition ceremony took place at the same venue from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The awards night provided a valuable networking opportunity for awardees to connect with principals, deans, school officials, owners, and fellow professionals in the EdTech sector.

Select awards were presented to representatives from both the public and private sectors, including government agencies, learning institutions, education technology developers, training centers, consultancy services, start-up ventures, enterprise incubation facilities, and business process outsourcing companies.

The awarding categories recognized groundbreaking achievements in areas ranging from data privacy and cyber education to innovative applications of artificial intelligence and blockchain in education. Notable recognitions included the Lifetime Achievement in Science and Technology Award, ICT Lifetime Achievement Award, Lawyer of the Year Award, and the Future Ready Curriculum Award.

The EdTek Excellence Awards trophies themselves were lauded as innovative pieces, seamlessly blending traditional and state-of-the-art materials to represent the integration of established values with new technological processes.

Ursel Murillo-Laureno and Riki Dacanay jointly presented the trophies and tokens of appreciation to the deserving awardees.

The success of EdTek Con 2025 and the EdTek Excellence Awards was made possible with the support of numerous co-presenters, partners, and sponsors, including Unisol, DOHE Philippines Inc., Hydro Flask, GRND, Res│Toe│Run, Basecamp by Power Mac Center, Syph, Lesson Planner PH, Rapoo, Philteq Enterprise Inc., Pag-IBIG Fund, School of Tomorrow Philippines, the American Institute for English Proficiency, the Australia New Zealand Institute, Nutriplus, Six Sigma, éslite, Cerebro, Juan, Quest Ventures, Doconchain, Regional Association for Private Elementary and Secondary Schools, Yam Agency, IdEYA, Pic-A-Talk, and CodeChum.