The University of the Philippines (UP) has trained its first group of employees to develop artificial intelligence-based systems aimed at automating internal administrative workflows.
Nineteen staff members from across the UP system and its constituent universities completed a four-month preparatory training in programming and AI-native coding before joining the “Dx Labs AI for Institutional Transformation in UP: Automating UP System Workflows Using AI Agents Workshop”, where they built minimum viable products addressing real university operational needs.
The culminating two-day onsite workshop was held on March 5–6 at the National Engineering Center in UP Diliman.
Participants developed AI-powered tools designed to automate routine office functions such as database updates, email communications, certificate processing, and report generation. The projects were based on real problems encountered in university offices and aimed at improving efficiency in administrative processes.
Dr. Rowel Atienza, a UP scientist and professor who served as a resource person for the event, said learning to work alongside AI will be essential for organizations.
“An AI employee is very valuable. It is to your advantage to learn this now. Even if you do not have a background in Computer Science. You just need to understand the basics and lean in your expertise,” Atienza said.
During the workshop, participants learned how to code with AI tools, design AI agent systems, and orchestrate automated workflows for office operations.
Dr. Prospero C. Naval Jr., professor of artificial intelligence at UP Diliman and founder of the Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence Group (CVMIG), said the participants are expected to lead the rollout of similar systems in their respective offices.
“We learned not just theoretical aspects of AI. You were the first ones to automate UP processes using it. You created the templates. Let’s bring these to our offices and prepare for the future of AI,” Naval said.
Judith Aguanta, administrative assistant at the UP Cebu Budget Office, said AI tools could help offices handle repetitive tasks more efficiently.
“In the budget office, AI can help automate routine tasks like data analysis, report generation, and budget monitoring. Using these tools can reduce errors, streamline workflows, and free up time for more strategic decision-making,” Aguanta said.
The initiative forms part of UP President Angelo Jimenez’s digital transformation program and aims to build in-house expertise in AI so the university can develop its own solutions instead of relying on external vendors.
