The future won’t wait: Building the Filipino workforce for the AI Age

Our neighbor Singapore recently celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of its independence, nicknamed “SG60.” When Prime Minister Lawrence Wong addressed the nation at the “SG60 and Beyond” dialogue and the 2025 National Day Rally, many listened closely to his vision for Singapore’s future. His message was clear and urgent: “AI will be the defining technology of our time.” He underscored AI’s transformative power as the next great technological revolution, rivaling the personal computer and the Internet. It was both a warning and an opportunity — countries cannot afford to stand still on AI, and leaders must think carefully about how to apply it to uplift jobs and people.

Technology and AI took center stage, occupying nearly 30 minutes of his 90-minute address, alongside other critical topics, like the economy, regional security, territory, and healthcare for Singapore’s aging population. But what stood out was that his remarks were not just about technology — they were about people. His vision placed Singaporeans at the heart of the AI transition: a government coordinating employers, schools, and communities to prepare its workforce for the opportunities and disruptions ahead. As he emphasized, while many jobs will evolve or disappear, new ones will also emerge, and Singapore intends to equip every citizen with the tools to thrive.

I then thought, where is the Philippines in the race to AI? We stand at a pivotal moment where our demographic strengths, economic ambitions, and technological gaps converge. With one of the youngest and most resilient workforces in the region, we have a tremendous opportunity to lead. But to fully realize this potential, we need a more unified approach to AI education, reskilling, and workforce integration — so we can keep pace with neighbors rapidly advancing in this space.

To be fair, the Philippine government has begun laying the groundwork. The Department of Science and Technology launched the National AI Strategy (NAIS-PH), a framework through 2028 focused on research, innovation, and workforce development. In July 2024, the Department of Trade and Industry introduced the National AI Strategy Roadmap 2.0 (NAISR 2.0) to drive education reform, worker reskilling, and AI-powered industries. Meanwhile, the Philippine Skills Framework for Analytics and AI (PSF-AAI), led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Analytics and AI Association of the Philippines, provides structured guidelines on AI competencies for schools, professionals, and employers.

These are significant initiatives, but they remain fragmented. To maximize their impact, we need a fully integrated and nationally coordinated execution plan — one that brings together government agencies, private sector leaders, educators, and local communities to prepare the Filipino workforce for the future of work. Without stronger alignment and faster implementation, we risk missing opportunities while other nations move quickly to harness the benefits of AI and emerging technologies.

The need for urgency is highlighted by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025, which ranked the Philippines 51st among 69 economies, a modest improvement from the previous year. The bright spot, however, was in employment competitiveness, where we climbed from 10th place in 2024 to 7th globally in 2025. This shows that Filipino workers are among the world’s most resilient and adaptable. But resilience alone is not enough. Without an aggressive, unified strategy to upskill and reskill millions, we risk failing to convert potential into productivity.

A national AI strategy must go beyond slogans and administration timelines — it must become a mission to bring technology into every sector of the economy. AI integration cannot be confined to elite industries or large corporations; it must extend to agriculture, education, manufacturing, healthcare, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which make up 99% of Philippine businesses. Affordable AI tools, training subsidies, and shared digital infrastructure should be made widely accessible so that innovation scales broadly, rather than being concentrated in a privileged few.

Equally critical is reskilling the workforce. Singapore has shown that job redesign can empower workers, instead of displacing them, but this requires foresight and investment. The Philippines needs government-backed partnerships with the Education and Labor departments, with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (better known as TESDA), the Commission on Higher Education, and industry groups to deliver nationwide AI training programs — from micro-credentials for entry-level workers to advanced certifications for professionals. Barangay-level employment hubs and public-private traineeship programs could bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring that Filipinos gain not only theoretical knowledge but practical, market-ready skills.

At the same time, policies must support lifelong learning. AI evolves too quickly for one-time degrees or short courses to suffice. Continuous access to upskilling pathways, aligned with industry demands, must become a national priority, supported by collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, and the private sector.

Finally, a truly effective strategy must be anchored on trust and inclusion. Singapore is embracing a “we-first” approach, where society shares responsibility for ensuring no citizen is left behind. In the Philippines, we have our own bayanihan* spirit. Harnessing it means involving workers, educators, businesses, and communities in shaping the future, not simply imposing solutions from the top. AI is not just a technological shift — it is a social transition.

The Philippines has a remarkable opportunity, but time is running out. We have one of the youngest, most dynamic labor forces in the region and a proven ability to adapt. Yet without deliberate action, we risk watching other economies — Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore — outpace us in innovation and productivity.

AI is reshaping the global economy, whether we are ready or not. To compete, we need more than frameworks; we need execution. We need leadership that treats workforce development not as a policy footnote but as a national imperative.

The Filipino workforce is ready. Our people are ready.

* communal unity

This article re fl ects the personal opinion of the author and not the of f icial stand of the Management Association of the Philippines.

Ira Paulo Pozon is the chair of the MAP Ease of Doing Business Committee. He is the government relations director of Salmon. He was the chief of staff and OIC director for the Better Regulations Office of ARTA. He is a senior partner of Pozon Recto Peteache and Laiz.

map@map.org.ph

irapaulopozon@gmail.com