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.
In the health sector, BukSU department head Sales Aribe demonstrated how AI forecasting can support more predictive local health governance. By anticipating disease trends, local governments can allocate resources more efficiently, design preventive campaigns and shift from reactive to proactive policymaking.
Aribe said harnessing AI could transform governance from “reactive—always catching up—to being predictive and proactive, always staying ahead.”
While underscoring the potential for AI to enhance efficiency and problem-solving, PIDS research fellow Aubrey Tabuga cautioned policymakers about inherent ethical challenges. She warned that “AI is only as good as the data that we feed it,” stressing the need for vigilance against algorithmic bias, data privacy, and overreliance on automated systems.
Leaders at the forum agreed that innovation should remain rooted in human values. BukSU president Joy Mirasol said, “being smart means being people-centered, ethical and evidence-based.”
PIDS president Philip Arnold Tuaño said the “true measure of progress is not in the sophistication of our machines but in how much they help us serve our people better.”
Speaking on behalf of Undersecretary Janet Lopoz, MinDA policy formulation division chief Adrian Tamayo called for a “new culture of governance, one that embraces data, innovation and foresight.”
Tamayo, however, warned that fragmented governance, limited connectivity and uneven development remain barriers that should be collectively confronted to ensure equitable AI adoption across the region.
To ensure responsible adoption, speakers cited the need to strengthen institutional capacity and digital access.
Development Academy of the Philippines–Mindanao vice president Mark Lemuel Garcia called for a “clearer definition of AI competency expectations across the bureaucracy,” emphasizing the need for local critical evaluation skills.
Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority director-general Mohajirin Ali identified digital inclusion as a non-negotiable condition, saying that “connectivity is the gateway to participation.”
Closing the forum, MinDA chairperson and Secretary Leo Tereso Magno affirmed that technological transformation should elevate communities.”AI is not beyond the reach of Mindanaoans,” he said, reiterating that digital progress should promote equity and meaningful change. The event concluded with a shared commitment to advance AI systems that strengthen governance, amplify human capability and reinforce democratic trust.
 strategy, deploying new tools in agriculture for farmers and utilizing AI forecasting to improve public health governance, while focusing on ethical and inclusive adoption.){kind=link}