Apple will supply 170,000 MacBook Neo laptops to teaching and non-teaching personnel across more than 16,400 Philippine public schools in what Apple CEO John Ternus described as the company’s “biggest education deal.”
The deployment falls under the Department of Education’s computerization program and will cover K-12 public schools nationwide. The devices are intended to support lesson preparation, administrative work and classroom activities.
Ternus highlighted the rollout during Apple’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Nov. 2, citing opportunities to bring more users into the company’s ecosystem.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said equipping educators with technology supports the government’s efforts to improve learning outcomes.
“Investing in our teachers is investing in the future of our learners,” Angara said.
He cited global assessment data showing that providing educators with technology can support higher classroom engagement and better learning outcomes.
“DepEd is keeping President Marcos’s priority on education at the forefront by ensuring that our front-liners are equipped and future-ready,” he added.
The MacBook Neo runs on Apple silicon and includes productivity applications such as Pages, Keynote, Numbers and Freeform for documents, presentations, spreadsheets and collaborative work.
Apple describes the Neo as its most affordable MacBook, with built-in security, artificial intelligence capabilities, an aluminum body and a fanless design. The company says its battery can last through a full school day.
Recipients will also gain access to the Apple Education Community, a professional learning platform offering instructional resources, peer collaboration and recognition programs.
Its Community Forum already contains more than 70 lesson plans created by Filipino educators for the local elementary and high school curriculum.
Apple also offers learning programs that begin with foundational device skills and progress toward everyday classroom use and teaching techniques.
These resources are designed to help educators become more confident in using Apple devices and incorporating digital tools into their lessons and classroom activities.
