Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said the House of Representatives is crafting what could become the country’s first comprehensive artificial intelligence law following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that “AI is here to stay.”
Benitez, who heads the Technical Working Group on Artificial Intelligence under the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, said lawmakers are drafting the proposed Artificial Intelligence Development and Regulation Act, which seeks to promote AI innovation while putting safeguards in place to protect Filipinos.
“We are creating the AI Development and Regulation Act. The principle is we will not stifle innovation but regulate the risks of its applications,” Benitez said in an interview after the SONA on Monday, July 27.
In his address, Marcos emphasized that artificial intelligence has become a permanent part of modern society and should be harnessed to strengthen the country’s education system and industries.
The President also said the government has already trained at least 1.8 million students, teachers, parents and other individuals in AI readiness and vowed to further expand AI literacy programs to improve the country’s global competitiveness.
Benitez said the Philippines cannot afford to be left behind as countries such as the United States, China, members of the European Union and ASEAN continue investing heavily in AI technologies.
“It is here to stay. We have to make sure we prosper from adopting AI while ensuring that people remain at the center of decisions involving this technology,” he said.
He said AI is already widely used by students, businesses and professionals, making it important for government to establish policies that encourage responsible adoption instead of slowing innovation.
Unlike other technologies, Benitez noted that AI evolves rapidly, making it difficult to simply adopt regulations from other countries.
“We cannot just copy the policies of the US or Europe because our situation is different,” he said, adding “If we regulate too early without allowing adoption and diffusion, we might miss the benefits AI can bring.”
Instead, he said the proposed legislation will also include incentives, vouchers and support programs to encourage Filipino companies, startups and researchers to develop practical AI applications.
Benitez said the bill is designed to remain flexible as AI technology continues to evolve, allowing regulators to adapt without requiring Congress to rewrite the law every time the technology changes.
One of its key features is an AI Bill of Rights, which outlines protections for Filipinos using AI-powered systems.
Among the proposed rights are protection against unsafe AI systems that have not undergone adequate testing, safeguards against algorithmic discrimination based on age, gender or socioeconomic status, the right to know when a person is interacting with an AI system, access to remedies for those affected by AI-driven decisions, and stronger privacy protections to ensure AI systems collect only data necessary for their intended purpose.
Benitez said he has been working closely with Camarines Sur Rep. Miguel Luis “Migs” Villafuerte, chairperson of the House ICT committee, on the proposal.
He described the measure as one of the most significant technology bills being prepared by Congress.
“We have to focus not only on regulation but also on development because we want Filipinos to maximize AI and create more opportunities,” Benitez said.
He also encouraged Filipinos to begin learning AI tools, saying workers who are able to use the technology will have an advantage in an increasingly competitive job market.
Citing projections from the World Economic Forum, Benitez said AI is expected to create millions of new jobs globally while increasing productivity across industries, making upskilling and reskilling critical for the Filipino workforce.*
[sibwp_form id=1]