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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Bicol solons back PBBM's call for AI regulatory framework

Bicol solons back PBBM's call for AI regulatory framework

Published Oct 18, 2025 02:31 pm

At A Glance

  • Four Bicol-based congressmen are highlighting the importance of having a national regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI).
(Unsplash)
(Unsplash)


Four Bicol-based congressmen are highlighting the importance of having a national regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI).
Leading these legislators were Camarines Sur 5th district Rep. Migz Villafuerte, chairman of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology in the current 20th Congress.
The group is pushing a regulatory framework for AI in support of the National AI Strategy for the Philippines (NAIS Ph) recently approved by President Marcos on the “safe, responsible and ethical” integration of this disruptive innovation into public services across the pillars of government, technology, data and infrastructure.
“AI holds great promise for significant advancements in various aspects of human life, but it at the same presents an outspread of risks, including privacy and security violations, misinformation and disinformation, job displacement, potential bias and discrimination of algorithms, and intellectual property infringement,” Migz Villafuerte said.
“The 20th Congress needs to craft a set of rules and regulations on AI control as this disruptive technology has been linked to the proliferation of deepfakes or AI fakery aimed at manipulating and deceiving the public, which can have serious political and social implications,” he added.
The solons said the proposed Bill of Rights on AI, as proposed under House Bill (HB) No.2827, aims to prop up the NAIS Ph by providing the guiding principles to ensure that this fast-evolving technology was always “accessible, ethical and responsive” in serving the material needs of society.
The proposed framework under HB No.2827, or the “Artificial Intelligence (AI) Development and Regulation Act,” is contingent on establishing four (4) institutions to implement and oversee policies meant for the government to best adapt to the fast-paced evolution of AI and AI systems.  
The proposed offices under the measure are the Philippine Council on Artificial Intelligence (PCAI), which will serve as a policy-making and advisory body of experts under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT);
The Artificial Intelligence Board (AIB), composed of the DICT Secretary as chairperson and the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as co-chairperson, which will exercise regulatory and supervisory authority over the development of Al systems;
The National Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (NCAIR), which will be a DOST-attached agency primarily responsible for policy and program coordination; and
The Artificial Intelligence subgroup under the National Innovation Council (NIC), which will promote synergy among the government, private sector, and the academe on the development of AI.
Other authors of HB No.2827 are Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. Luigi Villafuerte, Camarines Sur 5th district Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.
Luigi Villafuerte said that, given the harm that the misuse of AI poses to public welfare, “The DOST (Department of Science and Technology) has drawn up a NAIS Ph (National AI Strategy for the Philippines)—and which the President subsequently approved—to guide the country on developing, deploying and governing in the country until 2028.”
“The effective and responsible integration of AI into public services across the three pillars of Government, technology, and data and infrastructure will further boost the AI-readiness and -preparedness of the Philippines, whose ranking in the Government AI Readiness Index of  the UK-based consultancy firm Oxford Insights went up from No. 65 out of 188 countries in 2023 to No. 56 last year," he said.
Considering that science and technology are essential to national development and progress, the solon-authors of HB No.2827 said that the measure's congressional approval will let the Marcos administration pursue the development of AI, including digitization and infrastructure, workforce development, R&D and AI regulation—“with the end view of harnessing Al's potentials to uplift the lives of Filipinos".
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