Marford Angeles, Dr Enrico Paringit and Dr Prospero Naval Jr. at the Philippine Embassy ‘Bangkota’ (Coral Reef Philippine Pavilion) Apex Speakers Programme on February 5.

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

A scientist from the government sector of the Philippines said a recent delegation visit to the Sharjah Research and Technology Industrial Park (SRTIP) has opened opportunities for the Southeast Asian state to have its own Science and Technology (S&T) parks.

Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) executive director Dr./Engr. Enrico Paringit, also in a remote interview, had expressed his wish that Filipinos in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) come forward to help improve the nascent AI in their home country.

Paringit said: “The Philippine government needs a critical mass of researchers and innovators developing AI capabilities, applications, and services as well as AI solutions that are better and faster.”

“With all the programmes that are being put in place to address the gaps in (AI), Filipinos can contribute by availing these programmes so they can create new innovations that can uplift the lives of (their countrymen). They can also contribute to the development of policies and guidelines by sharing their insights and inputs, especially those who are into the AI space,” he added.

DOST-PCIEERD latest data on the Philippines’ AI Programmes on Human Resource showed only 327,527 had graduated in AI-related fields with a mismatch in skills and job opportunities. Trained in Data Science were at 2,377 with 143 graduates from three sets of AI Pinas Training Programme and 24,204 supported for the Project Smarter Philippines Through Data Analytics Research and Development, Training and Adoption.

Gulf Today pursued Paringit on his thoughts of how his countrymen could assist the government in its AI journey as this was also among the questions raised by practising Filipino engineers in the UAE, among the guests at the Feb. 5 “The AI Programme of the Philippine Embassy Bangkota Apex Speakers Programme” held at the Plaza of the Bangkota (Coral Reef) Philippine Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai.

This reporter asked him on the embedding of AI in all aspects of life, crucial to the realisation of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: “This is significant. AI-based technologies may act as enablers and can improve global sustainability, resilience and inclusion, environmental outcomes, and several other areas, both in the short and long term. However, the fast development of AI needs to be supported by the necessary regulatory insight and oversight for AI-based technologies to enable sustainable development. Failure to do so could results in gaps in transparency, safety and ethical standards.”

The possibility of S&T parks being developed in the Philippines was known when Paringit was asked of any developments from the SRTIP visit wherein the delegation met with SRTIP chief executive officer (CEO) Hussain Al Mahmoudi, Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (Shurooq)-Invest in Sharjah CEO Mohamed Juma Al Musharrakh, and Shurooq-Invest in Sharjah managing director Marwan Saleh Alichla.

“The event (“AINNOVATE-The Philippine Experience in Artificial Intelligence” forum) opened a lot of doors for the DOST and the SRTIP to collaborate since we are planning to support the establishment of S&T parks in the Philippines. There are opportunities for partnerships in the conduct of knowledge exchange on S&T parks development and management; exchange of start-ups and incubator managers, experts and researchers for studies, observations, and trainings; and the co-development of programmes to support start-ups, incubator and S&T parks managers; co-incubation and co-mentoring of start-ups and spin-offs, and sharing of S&T park facilities. The partnership will be formalised by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding through the Philippine Embassy in the UAE.”

Paringit was in the UAE from Feb. 2 to 7 as head of the delegation that included Fish-I Analytics founder/Chief Technology officer and University of the Philippines (Diliman Campus)-College of Engineering-Department of Computer Science-Compyter Vision & Machine Intelligence Group Laboratory head Dr. Prospero Naval Jr. They visited the SRTIP within the University City in Sharjah on Feb. 3, a result of the September 2021 SRTIP-organised “Innovate Sharjah” for the Diplomatic Communities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and the Northern Emirates which Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Hjayceelyn M. Quintana attended. They also visited the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence on February 4.