In this GCI Alumni Interview Series, we feature past participants of the Global Consumer Intelligence program and share their experiences, learning journeys, and career growth after joining GCI.
This article features Kent Joseph T. Palima, a Bachelor student at University of the Philippines Diliman from The Philippines. Through this interview, Kent shares what motivated him to join GCI, the skills and knowledge gained through the program, and how the experience has contributed to his academic and professional journey.
Q1: Please introduce yourself
(In English)
To all the readers, hello everyone! I’m Kent, from the Philippines. I recently graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering. My current areas of interest in AI are Small Language Models (SLMs) and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
(In Tagalog)
Pagbati sa inyong lahat! Ako si Kent, mula sa Pilipinas. Kakatapos ko lamang ng aking kursong Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman. Ang aking kasalukuyang interes sa larangan ng AI ay Small Language Models (SLMs) at Natural Language Processing (NLP).
Q2: What motivated you to join GCI?
(In English)
As someone who’s new to the field of AI, the main reason I joined GCI is that I saw this as an avenue to further expand my knowledge in AI and to be immersed in other applications of AI, since my knowledge was initially limited to NLP. I was also enticed by the idea of learning to use AI for business applications.
(In Tagalog)
Bilang isang baguhan pa sa larangan ng AI, ang pinakadahilan kung bakit ako sumali sa GCI ay dahil nakita ko itong isang paraan para lalo kong mapalawak ang aking kaalaman sa AI at malaman ang iba pang aplikasyon nito, dahil noong una ay limitado lamang ang aking nalalaman sa NLP. Naengganyo din ako sa ideya ng paggamit ng AI sa larangan ng negosyo.
Q3: What skills, knowledge, or experiences did you gain through GCI?
(In English)
This course is mainly about data science, and I am glad that I was able to learn the fundamentals of data science, the technicalities of data science such as data manipulation, preprocessing, and cleaning data, as well as the marketing and business aspect of data science. It personally felt like a simulation of what a data scientist does, and I’m grateful I was able to experience that firsthand.
(In Tagalog)
Ang kursong ito ay tungkol talaga sa data science, at masaya ako na natutunan ko ang mga pundasyon o basics nito, gaya ng data manipulation, preprocessing, at paglilinis ng datos, gayundin ang marketing at business na aspeto ng data science. Naranasan kong maging parang isang data scientist, at masaya ako na naranasan ko ito sa pagkuha ng kursong ito.
Q4: How has GCI helped you in your academic or professional journey?
(In English)
As I mentioned earlier, this course personally felt like a simulation of what a data scientist does. Given this, I believe I’ve gained substantial knowledge about data science, and these new learnings will surely be helpful if I pursue a career as a data scientist in the future.
(In Tagalog)
Gaya ng nabanggit ko kanina, naranasan ko na maging parang isang data scientist dahil sa kursong ito. Dahil dito, naniniwala akong nakakuha ako ng sapat na kaalaman tungkol sa data science, at ang mga bagong natutunan ko ay tiyak na makakatulong kung ako man ay magiging isang data scientist balang araw.
Q5: What was the most memorable part of your GCI experience?
(In English)
I have two answers for this question.
The first would be winning the face-to-face hackathon conducted by GCI World at our university, UP Diliman, last May 2026. If I remember correctly, the challenge was to build a model that could predict whether a customer would default on their loan. I got first place and was automatically recognized as an outstanding student, which gave me the chance to join a study tour in Japan.
The second, of course, is the Japan study tour itself. I met the other talented outstanding students through this tour, and we got to meet the Matsuo-Iwasawa Lab members, representatives from Japanese companies, from the Japanese government, and from JICA. Through this, I was able to build meaningful connections and explore both professional and academic opportunities in Japan.
(In Tagalog)
Dalawa ang sagot ko sa tanong na ito. Una ay ang pagkapanalo ko sa face-to-face na hackathon na isinagawa ng GCI World sa aming unibersidad, UP Diliman, noong Mayo. Kung tama ang aking pagkakaalala, pinagawa kami ng isang model na makapagsasabi kung ang isang kliyente ay titigil na sa pagbabayad ng utang. Nanalo ako ng unang gantimpala at kinilala ako bilang isang outstanding student, na nagbigay sa akin ng pagkakataon na lumahok sa isang study tour sa Japan.
Pangalawa, siyempre, ay ang study tour mismo sa Japan. Nakilala ko ang ibang mahuhusay na outstanding students sa tour na ito, at nagkaroon kami ng pagkakataong makilala ang mga miyembro ng Matsuo-Iwasawa Lab, mga kinatawan ng mga kumpanya sa Japan, mga kinatawan ng gobyerno ng Japan, at mga kinatawan ng JICA. Dahil dito, nakabuo ako ng mga makabuluhang koneksyon at nagkaroon ng kaalaman sa mga pampropesyonal at pang-akademikong oportunidad sa Japan.
Q6: What would you say to someone considering applying to GCI?
(In English)
To those still considering applying to GCI, maybe because they feel busy with their academic loads, I can say that GCI is worth joining. Since it’s online, you can learn from anywhere, and there are also recordings of lectures available if you miss the live sessions, which greatly cater to busy students. This program offers knowledge about AI, especially in the data science aspect, which I believe will be very helpful for those who want to pursue data science as their future career. Aside from the lectures, GCI also shares professional opportunities to its alumni. You can also have the chance to participate in a study tour to Japan should you be one of the top-performing students and be recognized as an outstanding student.
(In Tagalog)
Sa mga nag-aalinlangan pa ring mag-apply sa GCI, marahil dahil abala sila sa kanilang mga pang-akademikong obligasyon, masasabi kong sulit ang GCI. Dahil online ito, kaya mong mag-aral kahit saan, at may mga recording pa ng mga lecture kung hindi mo maabutan ang live, na malaking tulong para sa mga abalang estudyante. Ang programang ito ay nagbibigay ng kaalaman tungkol sa AI, lalo na sa aspeto ng data science, na naniniwala akong makakatulong nang malaki para sa mga gustong tahakin ang data science bilang kanilang karera. Bukod sa mga lecture, nagbibigay din ang GCI ng mga propesyonal na oportunidad sa mga alumni nito. May pagkakataon ka ring makasali sa study tour sa Japan kung ikaw ay makilala bilang isa sa mga outstanding student ng GCI.
Thank you, Kent, for sharing your GCI experience with us!
Through the GCI Alumni Interview Series, we hope to highlight the diverse stories of our alumni and show how GCI supports students and professionals in developing practical AI, data science, and business skills for the future.
If you are interested in GCI World Program, please check the details:
Please also read others articles featuring our outstanding students:
https://weblab.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/global_expansion/gciworld_alumni_interview/