Mindanao is moving to the forefront of people-centered artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in the Philippines, with locally developed tools already aiding farmers and new applications being prepared to bolster public health response systems.
The strategy, focused on ensuring digital progress is grounded in ethics, inclusion and tangible benefits for underserved communities, was the highlight of the 11th Mindanao Policy Research Forum (MPRF) held on Oct. 21, 2025.
The forum, themed “Harnessing AI in Mindanao: Pathways for People-Centered Governance,” was organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and Bukidnon State University (BukSU).
The region has already seen early practical applications of AI. BukSU associate professor Jovelin Lapates presented an AI-based tool utilizing the YOLO-V8 model for detecting corn crop diseases.
The tool, already adopted via a mobile application by the City of Malaybalay, allows farmers to identify diseases and receive real-time recommendations even offline. “When we give our farmers the knowledge and technology, we harvest not only crops but the future,” Lapates said.
