Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual explored potential collaboration opportunities with Singapore’s Smart Nation Group focusing on artificial intelligence and its application across various sectors.
The trade chief raised this potential collaboration during the Philippine delegation visit on June 7 as part of the country’s Industry 4.0 Mission to Singapore. The Smart Nation Group is part of Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and is administered by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI). It guides Singapore’s digital transformation and leads the development of its Smart Nation strategies.
Pascual engaged with Senior Director Andrea Phua of the Ministry of Communications and Information’s National AI Group to discuss valuable insights on emerging AI trends and strategies to foster a robust AI ecosystem in both nations.
During the meeting with Smart Nation executives, Pascual said their discussion focused on technology and innovation, focusing on AI and its application across various sectors.
"The Philippines is committed to closely partnering with regional and global leaders in AI to ensure that our nation remains at the forefront of technological innovation. By collaborating with international experts and institutions, like Singapore’s Smart Nation Group, we aim to harness the transformative power of AI to drive economic growth, enhance public services, and position the Philippines as a globally competitive leader in the AI space,” said Pascual.
The visit is part of the Department's agile approach in building the AI ecosystem in the Philippines. It positions the country as a regional center of excellence in AI innovation, under the National AI Strategy Roadmap launched in 2021.
Moreover, the visit presented a relevant opportunity for the DTI to meet with international collaborators, aligning with the Department’s goal to launch the official start of operations of the country’s Center for AI Research (CAIR) next month.
CAIR is a hub that will perform collaborative AI R&D and technology applications among government agencies, researchers, universities, research institutes, startups, small and medium enterprises, and multinational companies. It will also offer consultancy services and AI tech products to support the digital transformation of local industries, generate investments, and create employment.