USABC Convenes AI Workshop to Advance Government Adoption Under DIGIT Series
(Pasig City, Philippines) The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), in partnership with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippines (ASEAN-BAC Philippines) and leading technology companies convened the fourth Digital Transformation in Government Series (DIGIT) workshop on April 13, 2026, in Pasig City, bringing together government IT professionals and decision-makers for hands-on training on artificial intelligence (AI) implementation, governance, and security.
Held at Marco Polo Ortigas, the full-day workshop gathered over 180 participants from 64 Philippine government agencies, reflecting a whole-of-government effort to strengthen technical capacity for responsible AI adoption across sectors.
The program focused on bridging a key gap facing governments across ASEAN—moving from AI strategies and roadmaps to practical, real-world implementation. Sessions addressed core challenges including data governance, cybersecurity, infrastructure readiness, and workforce capability.
Participating agencies included the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and other institutions responsible for digital policy, infrastructure, and innovation.
Technical Training on AI Implementation and Governance
The workshop featured expert-led sessions from global technology leaders:
- SAP on AI-driven business process transformation
- Palo Alto Networks on cybersecurity and AI risk management, including tabletop exercises
- Qualcomm on hybrid AI and edge computing applications, and
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) on cloud governance and secure AI deployment
The sessions also covered autonomous systems, AI-enabled financial processes, and organizational models for scaling AI across government.
“Across ASEAN, governments increasingly recognize the transformative potential of AI. However, there remains a need to move from strategy to execution—from frameworks and roadmaps to practical, real-world implementation,” said Atty. Herminio “Third” Bagro III, USABC's Philippines Chief Representative. “Workshops like DIGIT are designed to help bridge that gap—by equipping government institutions with the technical knowledge and partnerships needed to implement AI securely, responsibly, and effectively.”
"Government IT professionals need hands-on exposure to how leading companies are implementing AI” said Mr. Patrick Chua, Executive Director of the ASEAN-BAC Philippines. Through USABC and ASEAN-BAC Philippines' partnership, this workshop provides that direct link—equipping government agencies to adopt and scale AI responsibly."
Supporting ASEAN 2026 and Regional AI Readiness
Now in its fourth installment since its launch in 2022, the DIGIT Series has evolved into a working model of public-private collaboration, supporting knowledge exchange and technical capacity-building in the Philippines.
The workshop comes at a critical time, as governments across the region confront increasingly complex challenges—from rapid technological change to external shocks affecting economic and public sector resilience. Strengthening AI readiness is emerging as a key pillar of effective governance and service delivery.
The workshop precedes the April 14 AI Roundtable Discussion, where USABC and ASEAN-BAC Philippines will present private sector proposals to government—including scaling the DIGIT series across the region—on responsible AI governance, security, and workforce development in support of the Philippines' 2026 ASEAN Chairship.
