The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) on Monday kicked off this year's Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) with a push for artificial intelligence (AI) rules that reflect the country's realities.
"Policy research provides the guardrails that help governments adopt technology responsibly," PIDS president Dr. Philip Arnold Tuaño said in his opening remarks, noting how AI has begun to alter how decisions are made, resources are allocated, and services are delivered.
Tuaño said AI-related developments "bring tremendous potential to make government services faster and more competitive," as they could help agencies "do more with their resources."
Noting that AI-driven governance is a shared responsibility, Tuaño said the task does not rely solely on policymakers or technologists.
"Researchers must provide solid evidence," he said. "Government must act with fairness and foresight."
He called on citizens to stay engaged and critical, and to the media to "continue to shine a light so that these conversations reach everyone."
Meanwhile, PIDS Senior Research Fellow Adoracion Navarro shared that AI data analytics and digital platforms are becoming integrated in government systems, providing a dual opportunity for better services and solutions to crucial issues.
"In our use of AI in government systems, we aim to generate public value in terms of efficiency, transparency, and sustainability," she said.
"So efficiency gains can be harnessed through streamlined processes. For example, transparency through less corruption and enhanced accountability. And this requires effective and timely government strategies."
For his part, University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies Professorial Fellow Emmanuel Lallana said simply integrating AI into existing governance structures and processes is not enough.
He said AI must be used "to deepen democracy."
"That is the ultimate goal, or that should be the ultimate goal," Lallana said.
He suggested that digital infrastructure deficit be addressed, AI literacy be promoted, and participatory AI be done to solve the democracy concern in AI use.
The PIDS acknowledged that technology will continue to evolve at a rapid pace, which just means governmental policies and public dialogue must be based on it.
