A newly formed inter-agency council will oversee artificial intelligence governance in the Philippines following an executive order signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The directive formally adopts a national framework and tasks the body with managing its implementation.
Executive Order No. 131, signed Nov. 12, adopts the AI Governance Framework as the Philippines’ national strategic guide for policy formulation, regulatory coordination, institutional development, and capacity-building.
The order also creates the National Artificial Intelligence Council (NAIC), an inter-agency body that will coordinate, facilitate, and monitor the rollout of the framework and related government initiatives.
The Executive Secretary will chair the council, with the secretary of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) as vice chairperson. Its members are the secretaries of the Departments of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Science and Technology, Trade and Industry, Finance, Education, Labor and Employment, and Budget and Management, along with the chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education and the director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
The President will also appoint a private-sector representative from nominees submitted by reputable business groups or associations. The representative will serve a three-year term that may be renewed. DEPDev will act as the council’s secretariat, providing technical, administrative, and operational support.
The framework rests on four interconnected components: ethics and principles, standards and assurance, a risk-based policy toolkit, and enabling resources. It requires that AI be developed, deployed, and used in keeping with transparency, explainability, security, safety, accountability, integrity, human-centricity, fairness, equity, and sustainable development.
It also calls for technical standards, testing, evaluation, and conformity assessments, as well as governance measures that match the nature, context, and risk level of each AI application. The government, for its part, will strengthen institutions, research and development, infrastructure, and capabilities to support the responsible development and use of AI.
To put the framework into practice, the NAIC will form technical working groups on institutions, data, research and development, capabilities, infrastructure, and demand generation. The groups will draw up and coordinate the action plans.
The DICT will build and maintain a digital platform to track implementation, including agency deliverables, milestones, key performance indicators, and overall progress. Concerned government agencies must submit and update their information on the platform every quarter. The NAIC will report to the President within 30 days after the end of each quarter.
The council will review the framework at least once every two years, or sooner if major technological, regulatory, or market developments warrant changes.
The order takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.