AI, education pressing issues for employers – ECOP

MANILA, Philippines — Artificial intelligence or AI and the quality of education in the Philippines are pressing issues that the government must address, according to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP).

Using AI in the workplace, picking an experienced education secretary, and wage hikes must be discussed, ECOP president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. told reporters yesterday on the sidelines of the 45th National Conference of Employers.

Integration of AI across sectors and industries will transform business models and production processes and redefine skills required in the workforce, he noted.

Training and education programs must be shifted for a resilient, adaptable and skilled workforce, he added.

Within ECOP, there is a pilot program developing generative AI technology to enhance knowledge dissemination, Ortiz-Luis said.

“This will enable stakeholders to access critical and accurate information more efficiently through an AI-powered chatbot, thereby enhancing ECOP’s accessibility to members,” he said.

The initiative started last month and would be formally launched in January 2025, he added.

As for Philippine education, he said the government is not allocating enough budget to sustain quality education.

The next education secretary who will replace Vice President Sara Duterte must have business acumen, he maintained.

Wage increases are not much of an issue as long as these are being decided by wage boards, Ortiz-Luis said.

“It’s the most objective. We will follow the decision of that wage board,” he said.

Letting regional wage boards decide on wage hikes also helps encourage investments in the provinces, he added.