The Philippines is steadily improving its global standing in artificial intelligence (AI) readiness, but the country’s long-term success will depend on developing technologies that solve real-world problems faced by Filipinos, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said Monday.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 AI Festival in Iloilo City, Solidum said the country’s strengths in human capital, data resources and understanding of local challenges position it well to harness AI for national development.
“Progress isn’t about creating technologies that are nice to have; it is about building technologies we need to have,” Solidum said in his keynote address.
He said the government’s National AI Strategy of the Philippines (NAIS-PH) serves as the country’s roadmap for developing, deploying and governing AI technologies through a whole-of-government approach.
Solidum identified talent development as one of the country’s most pressing priorities, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among academic institutions, government agencies and the private sector.
“To accelerate that, we need to upskill people,” he said during a press conference.
He said Western Visayas demonstrates how regional partnerships can strengthen AI capabilities through cooperation among DOST, local governments and educational institutions.
“Talent development is really an important thing aside from the compute power,” Solidum said, noting that computing infrastructure can be supported by investments from both government and the private sector.
Solidum described AI as a “general-purpose technology” that is expected to reshape industries, public services and the country’s competitiveness in the global economy.
He also recognized Western Visayas as the first region in the Philippines to adopt a Regional AI Action Plan for 2025-2030 and an AI Governance and Ethics Policy covering high-risk applications, including hiring, lending and public safety.
The AI Festival, themed “Building an AI-Ready Future, Together,” brings together government agencies, academic institutions, industry leaders and technology practitioners to promote the practical, ethical and collaborative use of AI across governance, research, education, business and the creative sector.
The event runs until Aug. 5 and features a technical conference, hackathon, AI Expo, SineAI, AI Game On, AI in Motion, AI Speaks, AI Connect and AI Policy Lab.
