The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Google Cloud have entered into a multi-year collaboration aimed at expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and strengthening cybersecurity across government agencies.
Announced on June 22, the partnership supports the government’s digital transformation efforts under the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 and includes initiatives on AI-assisted public services, cybersecurity operations, and digital connectivity infrastructure.
A key component of the collaboration is an “AI Agents for Public Sector” program that will make Google’s Gemini Enterprise and Google Workspace tools available to government employees through the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management’s eMarketplace platform.
DICT said it plans to develop AI agents that can be integrated into government digital services, allowing citizens to obtain information on government procedures through conversational interfaces using local languages.
Examples cited by the agency include providing guidance on business registration, health center schedules, and disaster assistance programs.
More than 50,000 government workers are expected to initially receive access to Gemini Enterprise tools, with DICT targeting deployment to over 200,000 public servants within the next 18 months.
“Transformation is not defined by the adoption of sophisticated software tools alone, but by facilitating sustained systemic efficiency across public institutions and widespread access to e-government services,” said DICT secretary Henry Aguda.
The partnership also includes cybersecurity initiatives through a cross-agency cyber defense alliance led by the DICT Cybersecurity Bureau and supported by Google Cloud.
At the National Security Operations Center (NSOC), the alliance has deployed Google Cloud Cybershield, a platform that combines threat intelligence, AI-assisted security operations, and incident response capabilities.
The DICT said cybersecurity teams from 56 government agencies have already been onboarded to the platform, with the number expected to reach 90 agencies by the end of June.
The cybersecurity infrastructure is also being used to help secure the Philippine hosting of the Asean Summits from April to November 2026.
Google Cloud Philippines country manager Jennifer Ligones said the collaboration seeks to make AI services more accessible while improving public sector operations.
“Our collaboration with DICT is designed to democratize the benefits of AI, converting global innovations into localized, conversational public services that reach and serve everyone, and where public servants are empowered to solve complex challenges in minutes rather than months,” Ligones said.
Beyond AI and cybersecurity, the collaboration aligns with ongoing efforts to expand the country’s connectivity infrastructure.
Google and its partners are extending the Taiwan-Philippines-US (TPU) subsea cable system, which will use multicore fiber technology designed to support the high-bandwidth requirements of AI applications.
The TPU system will complement the Apricot subsea cable and connect with local terrestrial networks and the DICT-managed Luzon Bypass Infrastructure.
The DICT said the additional network capacity could help support government connectivity projects, including the Free Wi-Fi for All program, while improving the reliability of digital government services.
