AppsForAsia is a new initiative created by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Microsoft, and is supported by regional information technology (IT) associations, private sector technology partners and universities. The programme aims to harness the creative power of hundreds of software developers to create sustainable solutions for the economic, commercial and social benefit of governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), citizens and enterprises throughout Asia.
In this post we are pleased to present the winning AppsForAsia entries from the Philippines.
Three Filipino software developer teams stood out from a competitive field in the AppsForAsia national developer event. The three winning applications from the Philippines — Codetoki, Blood Donors Network and Leanasset — will be showcased at the 46th Annual Meeting of the ADB on 2-5 May in New Delhi, India.
High unemployment remains a prominent issue in the Philippines, and many local IT students are faced with a lack of job opportunities that match their professional skills. The Codetoki app aims to make it easier for Filipino youth to secure employment by matching employers with job applicants.
The Codetoki app provides a platform for employers to publicise the key requirements of available job positions, as well as enable students to master the professional skills needed for their desired jobs.
The app can be easily customised to allow each student to build an individual profile based on their relevant skills. Utilising a game concept, students can showcase their professional capabilities through the app and earn ‘badges’ by completing specific skill challenges. The students are then ranked on a leaderboard, which prospective employers can easily access to determine the best fit for their organisation. To view a video demonstration of Codetoki, please click here.
The Blood Donors Network app is designed as a crowd-sourced web and mobile platform to help the Philippine Red Cross, hospitals and medical practitioners in the country maintain a sustainable community of voluntary blood donors.
Created by Joel Barquez, CEO and Co-Founder of Blood Donors Network, the app enables communities to meet their blood donation needs by increasing the acquisition of new blood donors, improving the retention rate of existing donors and establishing a comprehensive data of donors.
In addition, web and mobile apps such as the Blood Donors Network app add a social dimension to encourage blood donation by awarding donors ‘hero badges’ and providing them incentives such as free physical examinations and discounted rates in fitness and health centres.
Developed by independent software vendor Accelerate Desk, Leanasset serves as an app for improving both public transportation access and fleet management to alleviate the limitation of land transport systems across the Philippines.
The first version of the Leanasset app, built on Windows AzureTM cloud technology, can be downloaded by commuters and transport operators to access transportation information. A key feature of this app, which is still presently being developed, is for commuters to electronically ‘flag down’ a nearby vacant taxi, as seen in his or her smartphone app, and the taxi driver can electronically ‘accept’ the service booking. A similar app is being developed for bus commuters.
A second variant of the app enables fleet managers to track vehicle activity through an easily accessible dashboard, plan trips ahead of time and share logistics and fleet activities with customers, enabling fleet managers to focus on more strategic priorities.
Congratulations to these young developer teams from the Philippines!
For more information, please visit the AppsForAsia website.