Keynote Speaker · Philippines & Southeast Asia
Jay Jaboneta is an AI Strategist and TEDx keynote speaker from the Philippines with 50+ talks delivered every year to corporations, government agencies, universities, and nonprofits across Southeast Asia.
Speaking Topics
Every talk is tailored to the audience — whether that's a room of school principals, corporate executives, or college students. These are the core topics Jay delivers with the most depth and impact.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concern — it is the present reality reshaping how schools teach and how businesses operate. In this talk, Jay draws on his hands-on experience consulting with Philippine K-12 schools and SMEs to demystify AI adoption. Audiences leave with a practical framework for integrating AI tools into lesson planning, administration, customer service, and decision-making — without needing a technical background. Jay addresses the real anxieties around AI — job displacement, academic integrity, digital equity — and reframes them as design challenges that every organization can solve. Ideal for school administrators, faculty, HR teams, and business leaders taking their first serious steps into the AI era.
In 2010, Jay wrote a single Facebook post about 200 children who had to swim half a mile to get to school. That post sparked a national movement — the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation — that has served over 200 communities across the Philippines. This is not a story about resources. It is a story about attention, courage, and the willingness to act before you are ready. Jay introduces the HOPE framework — Harness potential, Open your wallet, Perspire through action, Empower others — and shows how anyone can apply it to start something that matters. Best for social impact events, youth leadership summits, and corporate CSR programs.
Web3 is not just a technology trend — it is a fundamental shift in who controls data, identity, and value online. Jay has been active in the blockchain and developer ecosystem across Southeast Asia, working with AngelHack to onboard the next generation of Web3 builders. In this talk, he breaks down the core concepts of blockchain, decentralized finance, NFTs, and the metaverse in plain language — connecting the technology to real implications for businesses, governments, and individuals. Ideal for tech conferences, university audiences, and innovation-focused corporate events.
Jay believes that the greatest barrier young Filipinos face is not talent — it is access and belief. In this talk, he shares the stories of young people who built movements, launched enterprises, and served their communities with nothing more than conviction and a smartphone. Drawing from over a decade of working with student leaders, campus organizations, and youth programs, Jay challenges young audiences to redefine what leadership looks like — not as a position or a title, but as a daily practice of showing up for others. A perennial favorite at university events, student leadership camps, and government youth programs.
Before social media was a marketing tool, Jay was using it to build movements. As the first Director for New Media of the Office of the President of the Philippines, he pioneered the government's approach to digital communications at a time when most institutions were still figuring out what a tweet was. In this talk, Jay draws on that experience — and on the Yellow Boat story — to show how digital platforms can be used with intention, ethics, and impact. For nonprofit leaders, government communicators, campus journalists, and anyone trying to use their platform to do more than accumulate followers.
How do you build a culture of innovation inside a school, a company, or a city? Jay has designed and launched innovation hubs, incubation programs, and founder communities across the Philippines — including HIFI (Hub of Innovation For Inclusion) at De La Salle and NEXUS Innovation Labs. In this talk, he shares the architecture behind ecosystems that last — and addresses the common failure modes: innovation theater, initiative fatigue, and top-down mandates that kill ground-up energy. Best for institutional leaders, HR and L&D teams, and city or regional government officials.
Speaking Formats
Keynote Address
45–90 minutes. Full-audience narrative talk designed to open or close major events.
Workshop
Half-day or full-day. Interactive, hands-on sessions with frameworks participants can use immediately.
Commencement Address
15–30 minutes. Graduation talks that connect personal story to the graduates' moment in history.
Panel & Moderation
As speaker or moderator. Brings structure, energy, and direction to multi-speaker formats.
Leadership Retreat
Multi-session programs for teams, student leaders, or executives over one or more days.
Virtual / Hybrid
Fully equipped for online delivery. Same energy, structure, and impact — regardless of platform.
As seen and heard in
CNN
Yellow boats bring hope and education in the Philippines
Al Jazeera
Foundation covered for its national impact on education access
HuffPost
Featured contributor and profiled social innovator
TEDx
TEDxMontpellier 2012 · TEDxKinnairdCollege 2013 · TEDxBritishSchoolManila 2016 · TEDxYouth@MGCNLCA 2018
Yahoo! Southeast Asia
7 Modern Day Pinoy Heroes
Apple
Leadership Academy Ambassador 2026
Past Clients & Audiences
From multinational corporations to barangay-level community programs — Jay adapts his message to the room in front of him.
Book Jay to Speak
Whether it's a conference, a school program, a corporate event, or a community gathering — Jay tailors every talk to the audience and the moment. Availability is limited to a few select engagements per month.
Speaking rates available upon inquiry · Philippines, Singapore & international
What to include in your inquiry
Event name & date, audience size and type, preferred topic or theme, location or platform, and any budget range you can share.
Lead time
Ideally 4–6 weeks ahead for local events. International engagements benefit from 8–12 weeks notice for travel logistics.
Coverage areas
Based in Davao City and Manila. Regular travel to Singapore. Available for international events with appropriate arrangements.
Custom programs
Multi-session workshops, leadership retreats, and bespoke programs available for schools and organizations. Inquiry welcome.