MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, July 27, highlighted the government’s artificial intelligence (AI) training initiatives while calling on lawmakers to strengthen protections for children against online harms, including pornography, “fake news,” and toxic social media content.
During his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said the government would continue expanding AI literacy and workforce development programs, arguing that the Philippines must prepare for a future where AI becomes embedded across industries.
“AI is here to stay; and so we adopt it to harness its potential to enhance critical sectors, from our educational system to our industries,” Marcos said.
According to the President, government-led AI readiness programs have already reached at least 1.8 million individuals, including students, parents, and teachers. He said the administration would further scale up AI literacy efforts “across all sectors” to keep the Philippines globally competitive.
The President also stressed the importance of developing critical thinking, creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills among young Filipinos, saying scholarships, grants, and innovation competitions would continue supporting these goals.
