ILOILO City — Alarmed by studies showing that more than 30 percent of existing jobs could be highly exposed to artificial intelligence (AI), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 6 has launched an aggressive push to retrain and future-proof the Western Visayas workforce against possible displacement caused by rapidly evolving AI technologies.
Regional Director Rowen Gelonga warned that failure to equip workers with AI-related competencies could place thousands of jobs at risk as automation and AI systems increasingly reshape industries across the region.
“We have to take consideration of AI’s impact on employment. So many studies show that perhaps more than 30% of our current workforce or the type of jobs that we have right now are highly exposed to AI. If we don’t do something, may danger ni siya nga madula ini nga mga jobs and will be replaced by AI technologies,” Gelonga told Panay News.
“But this does not mean also nga absolutely ma-replace siya ka AI, that is why we are trying to capacitate people in terms of using AI to level-up the functions they perform. ‘Yung ilang jobs cannot be replaced by AI,” Gelonga stressed.
Gelonga said the agency is now prioritizing strategic capacity-building programs focused on the ethical and productive use of AI to ensure that workers remain competitive rather than becoming casualties of technological disruption.
Beyond employment concerns, DOST-6 also sees AI becoming a transformative force in healthcare, agriculture, and disaster resilience in Western Visayas.
“There are many dimensions where AI development is very crucial, for example, healthcare. If you are able to really harness AI, there could be a lot of positive developments in the healthcare system, particularly in research and development. We can actually increase ‘yung effectiveness sang aton disease diagnosis, among others,” he stressed.
Gelonga said AI could also significantly improve weather forecasting and disaster preparedness efforts in the region.
“We can come up with better forecast para ma-pinpoint gid naton kon ano location sang aton nga typhoon so we can prepare. In fact, PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) is trying to use AI in forecast capability,” he added.
He also highlighted AI’s growing role in modernizing agriculture through improved crop management systems and data-driven farming practices.
“AI can significantly increase crop yield and improve crop management. Ang scenario nga gusto naton makita in the next five years is that we are really productively using AI not just in health but in economic development, agriculture and disaster resilience,” Gelonga said.
As part of its regional AI roadmap, DOST-6 will stage the AI Festival 2026 in Iloilo City from Aug. 3 to 5, featuring expanded technical conferences, research presentations, and discussions on emerging AI applications and ethical governance.
“That’s where we see the region, that the reason why we have our action plan because we would like to see different stakeholders in the region to use AI to achieve our socio-economic core objectives for Western Visayas,” Gelonga stressed./PN
