LOILO CITY – A five-year road map for the development and innovation of artificial intelligence (AI) has been created in Western Visayas.
The Regional Development Council-6 conducted a soft launching of the 2025-2030 AI Development Action Plan of Western Visayas on Friday, Feb. 14.
The road map is the RDC-6’s Regional Research, Development, and Innovation Committee (RRDIC) response to national-level AI initiatives.
“We needed to make it more coherent, more organized, and more responsive to the socio-economic challenges we face in Western Visayas,” said Regional Director Rowen Gelonga of the Department of Science and Technology-6.
Gelonga said that private and public stakeholders in the region comprised of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental provinces have to “optimize the use of AI and minimize the misuse of AI.”
The AI development plan focused on nine key areas:
– Governance and ethics
– Talent development
– Research and development (R&D) on AI
– Application in the industry
– Partnerships and linkages
– Data sharing and access
– AI infrastructure development
– AI startup development
– Awareness, acceptance, and use of AI
The plan was developed by regional representatives of the National Economic and Development Authority-6, Department of Trade and Industry-6, and DOST-6.
The academe also played a major role in the region’s AI development plan with the participation of Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U), West Visayas State University (WVSU), and the Northern Iloilo State University (NISU).
Gelonga said that the AI development plan is open to suggestions and changes prior to its official release.