Asia Pacific College (APC), under the SM Group, has partnered with election watchdog NAMFREL as an analytics partner for the 2025 mid-term elections—an initiative that blends civic engagement with high-impact learning designed to prepare students for future careers in data science, AI, and IT infrastructure.
The collaboration saw 31 third-year students from APC’s School of Computing and Information Technologies (SoCIT) take on vital roles in real-time data analysis during the vote transmission period, a task typically reserved for professionals. Mentored by NAMFREL systems experts and APC faculty from both industry and academia, students were immersed in an authentic, high-stakes national project involving 1.2 million first-time and 1.8 million Gen Z voters.
“This partnership reflects our deep commitment to project-based learning. Our students don’t just study theories—they deploy real-time dashboards, manage cybersecurity, apply machine learning, and contribute to national transparency,” said Rhea-Luz Valbuena, executive director of SoCIT.
Students were divided into agile teams with specialized functions, including dashboard development, cybersecurity, QA, machine learning, and infrastructure management. The live operations center, housed at APC’s multi-purpose hall, served as the analytics hub throughout the election.
The initiative highlights APC’s future-facing educational model and the broader economic relevance of embedding students in live environments where technical acumen meets civic duty. Election data dashboards and insights are publicly accessible via elections.org.ph and namfrel-analytics-apc.org, offering a transparent view into the nation’s democratic processes.
APC’s collaboration with NAMFREL not only strengthened electoral integrity but also exemplified how academic institutions can actively shape workforce readiness in fields critical to both industry and national development.
