The Philippines is pushing for stronger regional cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) as part of its role as Asean chair, with top officials highlighting both the opportunities and gaps in the region’s digital transformation efforts.
At the opening of the 2026 National Innovation Day, Socioeconomic Planning secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said cross-border collaboration is critical to harness AI for economic growth and resilience.
Balisacan noted that while Asean economies continue to outperform global growth, disparities in digital infrastructure and computing capacity remain a challenge.
He said these gaps must be addressed to ensure that all member states can benefit from emerging technologies.
“Agos, or flow, speaks to movement and shared progress,” Balisacan said. “Innovation — especially AI — must move across sectors and borders to create meaningful impact. As Asean Chair, the Philippines is committed to steering a direction where technology flows freely across member states to unlock new opportunities.”
He pointed to regional frameworks such as the Asean Guide on AI Governance and Ethics as key to promoting transparent and human-centric AI development.
The Philippines, he added, is pursuing its own initiatives, including the National AI Strategy and investments in data centers and digital infrastructure, as it positions itself as a hub for digital services.
Education secretary Sonny Angara, speaking at the same event, outlined how AI is being deployed in the education sector to address operational inefficiencies and improve service delivery.
“AI does not always have to be complex — it is in simple, meaningful integrations where it truly changes lives,” Angara said.
He said the Department of Education is using AI tools to reduce administrative workloads, improve planning, and support underserved schools.
Among the initiatives are systems that automate reporting, map infrastructure gaps, and detect student learning and health issues earlier.
Projects such as Dunong and Talino are designed to streamline school operations and guide resource allocation, while tools like Sigla and Sabay focus on student health and learning interventions.
A generative AI platform, SalikSeek, is also being rolled out to improve access to verified data for decision-making.
Angara emphasized that the goal is not just technological adoption but expanding access to opportunities across the education system.
“The task before us now is to build and sustain the flow that we envision together, in the true spirit of the Asean Way so that across our region, opportunity does not remain in pockets — but reaches every learner and every teacher,” he said.
