By Tony Lopez
To mark his 80th birthday this September 2025, Dr. Amable R. “King” Aguiluz V did something unusual. He gave an 80% discount on tuition fees for new enrollees to his schools—the largest conglomerate of schools in the Philippines and in Asia.
The discount was offered by AMA University and Colleges, ABE International Business College, ACLC College, St. Augustine School of Nursing, AMA School of Medicine, and AMA Southern Luzon College.
Considering how hefty college tuitions are and that many schools are not exactly liquid financially, an 80% reduction in tuition is not an empty gesture. In effect, all new students of the AMA Education System are his scholars.
Father of IT education
King Aguiluz is considered the Father of IT Education in the Philippines. “IT makes traditional learning or education irrelevant,” he smiles. IT education is Aguiluz’s enduring legacy. It’s a footprint few, if any, in the Philippines can possibly match.
A visionary serial entrepreneur, King Aguiluz has always been a passionate advocate for accessible and inclusive quality education. “Education empowers the Filipino youth,” says the King of Uber Education, “it transforms lives. It prepares you for the challenges of the 21st century.” He adds, “it brings you to the frontlines of the technological battlefield.”
Education for the 21st century
King does not offer just any kind of education. He offers IT (information technology) learning, the kind of knowledge power that prepares one for today’s rigors, problems and challenges— SMS, Wifi, data, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
A London poll has found that AI is already embedded in the daily routines of Filipinos. Half of the 115-million-strong population uses AI-powered tools at least once a week. Public sentiment toward the technology is optimistic; 46% of Pinoys believe AI will benefit the country, while 50% expect it to have a positive impact on their own lives.
AI could add P1.8 trillion to GDP
The Google-commissioned study by London-based public policy research agency Public First, “Turbocharging Growth: The Philippines’ AI Opportunity,” said AI could inject as much as P1.8 trillion ($31 billion) or 7% of Philippine GDP.
Thru dogged ambition, hard work, focus, passion for integrity, and first-mover advantage, King has made a lasting impact and legacy by building the largest school system in Asia and the biggest private school system in the Middle East.
Asia’s largest school system
The AMA school system in the Philippines and Asia has 200 schools, more than 150,000 students, and a combined turnover of over $50 million and profits of over $22 million.
International operations span across South East Asia and China and the Middle East (where AMA is the biggest private university), and the African region, with a large university operation in Bahrain.
AMA alumni today, number 350,000; the largest pool of technically-skilled and technology-oriented manpower in the Philippines, trained under a single roof or the AMA brand.
A 45-year saga
In 45 years, or since 1980, Aguiluz has assembled an awesome conglomerate focused initially on education and later diversifying into property, finance, agriculture, and utilities.
Aguiluz’s brands include: AMA University, AMA computer colleges, AMA basic education, ABE Business College, St. Augustine School of Nursing, St. Augustine International School, South Luzon Maritime Academy, Delta Air Academy, AMA School of Medicine, AMA Computer Learning Center (ACLC), and the ACLC Colleges.
Products cover the whole range of learning stages: basic education, senior high school, undergraduate, graduate, diploma program, and distance education of all kinds—such as online, blended, regular, or express.
Partnerships
For these courses, AMA has partnerships: Microsoft, its premier education partner; the largest CISCO Academy in the world, the largest Amazon cloud partnership in Asia and the Philippines; and Pearson VUE (for certification exams).
AMA University is a CHED-conferred “autonomous institution” and is also certified as the pioneer in IT Education, the pioneer in BS Artificial Intelligence, the pioneer in BS Cybersecurity, the largest network of universities and colleges in Asia (200 and counting), and for celebrating 45 years of pioneering and delivering quality education in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, according to King, online or open course education helps solve the government’s chronic shortages of classrooms and teachers while preparing workers to acquire skills and knowledge needed by the workplace of the 21st century.
Aguiluz disrupted education
AMA has disrupted education with its vision to extend universal education by offering online courses (combined with brick-and-mortar experiences) to nearly everyone willing to learn, without them having to commute to a school or campus, and serving consumers outside of the mainstream and the elite sector, thru the use of technology such as satellite, internet, and handheld devices.
The students master courses, programs, subjects and IT skills unhampered by traditional time-based metrics, thus making higher education affordable, accessible, simpler, more relevant and focused, competency-based, and a journey of life-long learning.
AMA is considered to be the educational institution with the biggest IT infrastructure.
Pioneer
In 2002, AMA pioneered online learning using IntraLearn / HP where students from remote sites can access content curated from AMA headquarters.
In 2003, AMA was the first to deliver remote education using Frame Relay Internet Technology.
A faculty member conducts the course from AMA headquarters simultaneously for students in 200 campuses. Previously, Frame Relay was used mainly by unibanks for real-time banking and ATM.
In 2006, the frame-relay remote education platform migrated to Mabuhay satellite, with all 200 campuses having satellite dishes.
This greatly improved instruction by highly qualified faculty members from the AMA headquarters command center. The teacher can interactively answer questions.
In 2014, AMA pioneered the Internet for courses for anytime, anywhere courses.
In 2003, President Arroyo named Aguiluz special envoy to the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries. President Aquino III reappointed him in 2010 and President Duterte in 2016. In 2022, he became special envoy to Japan for trade and investments.