First online SHS e-commerce graduates make history

Seventy-five students became the first graduates of the Philippines’ pioneering online Senior High School (SHS) E-Commerce Track during commencement exercises on July 18, 2026.

The program is a collaboration among the Department of Trade and Industry’s E-Commerce Bureau (DTI-ECB), the Department of Education (DepEd), and Thames International School.

Designed to prepare students for higher education, employment, freelancing, and digital entrepreneurship, the program integrates specialized e-commerce instruction, digital skills training, industry projects, and hands-on work immersion into the standard DepEd SHS curriculum.

“This partnership equips young Filipinos with practical digital and entrepreneurial skills while strengthening their readiness for further education, work and business,” DTI-ECB Director Eryl Royce Nagtalon said.

The initiative responds to the continued growth of the country’s digital economy and the increasing demand for workers with e-commerce and digital business skills.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country’s e-commerce gross value added reached PHP 880.46 billion in 2025, underscoring the sector’s expanding contribution to the Philippine economy.

First envisioned in 2021 and officially launched in 2024 after several years of interagency collaboration, the curriculum has demonstrated the viability of an industry-integrated, fully online senior high school program, according to Thames International School President and co-founder Jaime Noel Santos.

“This pioneer batch shows that a different kind of senior high school is possible—one that is online, industry-integrated and designed to produce work-ready graduates,” Santos said.

“It is a model that can be expanded nationwide through strong partnerships among government, education and industry.”

Bataan 1st District Rep. Antonino “Tony” Roman III congratulated the graduates for helping shape the future of Philippine education.

He encouraged the students to embrace lifelong learning and use emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, with integrity and purpose.

Throughout the program, DTI-ECB led curriculum development initiatives and connected students with work immersion opportunities through its network of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and corporate e-commerce partners.

Because the program is delivered entirely online, students from across the Philippines can access specialized coursework regardless of their location.

Building on the success of its inaugural batch, DTI-ECB and Thames International School are preparing to expand scholarship opportunities for School Year 2027–2028.

The two organizations are inviting local government units, nonprofit organizations, corporate foundations, and industry partners to help fund scholarships and broaden access to career-focused secondary education for deserving Filipino learners nationwide.

The pioneering SHS E-Commerce Track supports the government’s broader push to strengthen digital transformation, develop future-ready talent, and improve the competitiveness of the Philippine digital economy.