MAKATI CITY, Philippines — In an era marked by rapid technological transformation, the question is no longer whether artificial intelligence (AI) will shape the future—it’s how, and for whom. On June 9, 2025, this central theme took the spotlight as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Human Development Network (HDN), officially launched the 2025 Global Human Development Report (HDR) at the Securities and Exchange Commission Headquarters in Makati City.
Titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI,” this year’s report presents AI as a double-edged sword—full of potential to accelerate human development, but also capable of widening inequalities if left unchecked. The launch event gathered leaders from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector to reflect on this pivotal moment.
JCI Manila at the AI Frontier
JCI Manila, known for empowering young leaders, was well-represented by Special Projects Director Joshua Aragon and commissioners Dan Michael Gallego, Michael Mendoza, David Ong, and Alex Chua, along with JCI Senator Michael Bolaong. Their attendance underscored the organization’s commitment to ensuring that next-generation leaders are involved in shaping the digital future.
DOST Commits Over PHP2.6 Billion to National AI Strategy
In one of the day’s most important policy revelations, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. announced that the DOST is set to invest over PHP2.6 billion in AI projects. These initiatives span healthcare, education, mobility, environment, disaster risk reduction, and emerging tech platforms.
Solidum unveiled the government’s AI Roadmap, which focuses on facilities, services, talent development, research, and science policy. “Our commitment is clear,” he stated. “The DOST will continue to lead with foresight and collaboration to ensure that AI becomes a tool for empowerment.”
As part of this strategy, DOST is building an AI Think Tank, a national body of stakeholders from government, academe, and industry tasked with creating a unified AI framework. The roadmap is anchored on four pillars: national infrastructure, talent and skills, research and data, and inclusive policy engagement.
Since 2018, the Philippines has already invested ₱1.4 billion in AI R&D, including flagship programs such as:
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COARE (Computing and Archiving Research Environment) – enabling local researchers to process and store big data.
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SkAI-Pinas – applying AI and remote sensing for environmental monitoring.
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ACER (Accelerated Earthquake Multi-Hazards Mapping and Risk Assessment Program) – for disaster resilience.
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SPARTA and AI Pinas Summer School – which have upskilled over 49,000 Filipinos in data science and AI.
The upcoming AI Virtual Hub, Solidum revealed, will act as a national center for AI R&D, supporting startups and producing local AI experts.
Notably, the Philippines climbed to 56th place in the 2024 Global AI Readiness Index, up from 65th in 2023—a sign that its digital transformation efforts are beginning to bear fruit.
AI: Power, Progress, and Possibility
In his opening address, Selva Ramachandran, UNDP Philippines Resident Representative, emphasized that “AI changes the way we learn, work, and interact with each other.” He warned that AI is not merely a tool waiting for instruction—it can act independently, making it one of the most powerful platforms of our era. The global AI market is expanding rapidly, and if harnessed deliberately, AI can unlock freedom, opportunity, and progress in critical sectors such as education, health, and climate action.
Workforce Disruption and Education Reform
Dr. Philip Arnold Tuaño of the Department of Economy and Planning offered sobering insights: “It’s real that 40% of the workforce are at risk of losing their jobs.” He stressed that addressing this requires bold investments in human capital and immediate action on AI literacy, including integrating it into school curricula and producing more AI management professionals to guide the ethical deployment of these tools.
He outlined a vision where AI can enhance pandemic responses, improve healthcare, and streamline government services—from digital IDs to online payments. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is already exploring AI for forecasting, showing the country’s growing alignment with the global shift. But Tuaño warned that this transformation must be underpinned by robust digital infrastructure, governance systems, and a comprehensive national data framework.
A World at a Crossroads
In his presentation of the report, Mohamed Shahudh, UNDP Philippines Economist, noted that the world is falling behind on the promise of human development. Before the pandemic, we were on track for a “very high HDI world” by 2030. Now, slower recoveries and rising inequality threaten to delay that future by decades.
A global HDR survey reveals that nearly 1 in 5 people already use AI, and two-thirds expect to use it soon in education, health, and work—the three pillars of the Human Development Index. People anticipate both automation and augmentation, with greater optimism for the latter: AI assisting rather than replacing human work.
But a crucial question remains: Whose voice does AI reflect? Shahudh pointed out that AI systems like ChatGPT tend to reflect the views of very high HDI countries, raising concerns over representation, bias, and cultural exclusion.
The Philippine Context
The Philippines’ HDI in 2023 stands at 0.720, a 1.41% increase from 2022 but still below the regional and global average. Inequality remains a major drag—contributing to a 17.08% “loss” in HDI value, with income disparity as the biggest factor. Meanwhile, the Gender Inequality Index (GII) improved slightly, thanks to a decline in adolescent birth rates.
Encouragingly, about 60% of Filipino jobs are well-suited for AI complementarity, offering vast potential for productivity gains. However, one-third of the workforce is at high risk of disruption. To fully seize AI’s benefits and manage its risks, the Philippines must close regulatory gaps, modernize infrastructure, and reskill workers at scale.
With data centers now consuming as much power as large economies, the report also suggests that countries with green energy grids and forward-looking policies will be best positioned to attract future AI investments.
A Call to Action
The launch concluded with a collective appeal to move beyond passivity. “Making AI work for people is a matter of choices,” Shahudh emphasized. Rather than predicting a world where humans are replaced, the focus should be on building a “complementarity economy” where humans and AI work together to expand freedoms and capabilities.
In closing, Director Joshua Aragon reflected on the event’s significance: “JCI Manila stands with those who believe the future isn’t just about technology—it’s about equity, intent, and people. And we must be present where those values are being shaped.”
As the Philippines and the world navigate the uncertainties of the AI age, the 2025 Human Development Report reminds us: progress is not inevitable—it is a choice.
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