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Government AI Research Labs

Government institutions in the Philippines are taking a leading role in advancing AI research and development, with initiatives from DOST, DTI, DepEd and other agencies.

Center for AI Research (CAIR)
Makati City, Metro Manila

Description

Part of the Philippines' National AI Roadmap, aiming to help the Philippines become a leading AI hub in ASEAN. Focuses on harnessing AI's transformative potential to boost entrepreneurship and competitiveness, with emphasis on public services, government AI technologies, and fostering AI investment and R&D collaboration.

Research Areas

Artificial intelligence research and development
Precision farming
Smart manufacturing
Healthcare services
AI-powered BPO
Smart cities

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

Not explicitly mentioned

Notable Collaborations

  • Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT)
  • Government agencies
  • Universities
  • Research institutes
  • Startups
  • Multinational companies
  • SEAMEO INNOTECH

Additional Information

  • Part of the Philippines' National AI Roadmap
  • Aims to help the Philippines become a leading AI hub in ASEAN
  • Connected to the DOST's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub initiative
  • One of the Eight Big Ticket R&D Programs launched in February 2025
  • Initially inaugurated in September 2022, officially established by DTI order in July 2024
  • Expanded with ECAIR under DepEd in February 2025
  • Employs research scientists and offers consultancy services to businesses implementing AI solutions
DOST Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub
Philippines

Description

One of the Eight Big Ticket R&D Programs of the DOST, launched on February 5, 2025.

Research Areas

Emerging R&D in AI
Supporting local startups and R&D collaborations

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr. (DOST Secretary)

Additional Information

  • Primary objective is to establish a national hub for emerging R&D in AI
  • Aims to make the Philippines one of the leading countries in AI innovation
  • Plans to expand support to AI projects for industries, health and education, mobility, environment and disaster risk reduction
DOST-PCHRD AI-Driven Health Innovations
Makati City, Philippines

Description

Supports several AI-driven health projects including automated food recognition, brain tumor detection, and medical supply chain management.

Research Areas

AI-driven healthcare innovations
Medical research
Health technology

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

Dr. Jaime C. Montoya (Executive Director)

Notable Collaborations

  • DOST – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI)
  • University of the Philippines Manila
  • Taipei Veterans General Hospital
  • Taiwan AI Labs
  • Philippine General Hospital
  • National University – Manila
  • MedHyve (startup)

Additional Information

  • Supports AI-driven health projects including:
  • Artificial Intelligence Nutrition Assistant (AINA)
  • UTAK AI - AI-assisted imaging for brain tumor detection
  • HealthPH - detects trends in social media posts on emerging respiratory infectious diseases
  • MedHyve - AI-powered platform for medical supply chain management
DOST-ASTI Quantum Innovation Laboratory (QIL)
Philippines

Description

Conducts national training programs to introduce Filipino researchers to key concepts and tools in quantum computing.

Research Areas

Quantum computing
Quantum circuit simulation
Quantum image processing

Startup Friendly

Not specified

Contact

Not explicitly mentioned

Additional Information

  • Led training titled 'Quantum 101: Foundational Training in Quantum Computing'
  • Focuses on early quantum algorithms, quantum circuit models, and software programming using Qiskit
  • Has Quantum Circuit Simulation and Quantum Image Processing research and development projects
Philippine AI Research Center
Philippines

Description

Announced in 2023, planned to launch in Q1 2024. Aims to contextualize AI in the Philippine setting with a 'country filter'.

Research Areas

Fintech
AI
Blockchain
Cyber
Metaverse technologies

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

Antonilo Mauricio (NDC General Manager), Jer Chen (Chief Innovation Officer for the Philippine Innovation Hub)

Notable Collaborations

  • La Salle University
  • University of the Philippines
  • Ateneo De Manila University
  • Partners in Singapore and Hong Kong

Additional Information

  • Operates under the Philippine Innovation Hub (iHub)
  • Focus on creating homegrown solutions to drive innovation in the country
Artificial Intelligence Virtual Hubs (ACABAI-PH)
Philippines (virtual hubs with nationwide access)

Description

Provides accessible AI tools and platforms for businesses, researchers, and communities, enabling AI solutions deployment without requiring extensive technical expertise.

Research Areas

AI tools and platforms
Business process optimization
Community-driven solutions

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

Notable Collaborations

  • Startups and SMEs

Additional Information

  • Designed to support startups and SMEs by offering AI resources for practical applications
  • Provides accessible AI tools that don't require extensive technical expertise
Education Center for AI Research (ECAIR)
Pasig City (DepEd headquarters)

Description

Focuses on AI tools for teaching, learning analytics, school administration automation, and disability detection systems.

Research Areas

AI in education
Learning analytics
School administration automation
Disability detection systems

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

Department of Education (DepEd)

Notable Collaborations

  • SEAMEO
  • Private tech firms

Additional Information

  • Launched in February 2025 under DepEd
  • Focus on AI-driven education reform and teacher upskilling
  • Works with SEAMEO to position the Philippines as an AI education hub in Southeast Asia
  • Partners with private tech firms for AI-powered voucher distribution and hazard mapping
National Center for AI Research (NCAIR)
Metro Manila

Description

Focuses on AI innovation in agriculture, healthcare, BPO, and governance. Aims to bridge gaps in AI adoption for SMEs and startups.

Research Areas

Agricultural technology
Aquaculture
Transportation
Urban science
Smart manufacturing
Healthcare
Disaster management

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

Not explicitly mentioned

Notable Collaborations

  • Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines
  • Analytics Association of the Philippines
  • Alliance for Technology Innovators for the Nation (ATIN)
  • DTI
  • DOST

Additional Information

  • Announced in 2021 as part of the national AI roadmap
  • Run by private companies and connected to regional hubs
  • Focuses on helping small businesses improve productivity through data science
  • Part of the National AI Strategy to foster AI-driven productivity
DOST-PCIEERD AI Research Initiatives
Nationwide (projects deployed in Laguna, Butuan, Metro Manila, etc.)

Description

Conducts research on health chatbots, autonomous vehicles, traffic management AI, marine litter monitoring, and structural health sensors.

Research Areas

Health chatbots (e.g., KIRA for COVID-19)
Autonomous vehicles (ASIMOV Program)
Traffic management AI
Marine litter monitoring
Structural health sensors
AI for disaster response
Remote sensing

Startup Friendly

Yes

Contact

DOST-PCIEERD

Notable Collaborations

  • DepEd
  • Local Government Units (LGUs)

Additional Information

  • Offers grants (up to PHP 5M per project) and high-performance computing resources
  • Partners with DepEd for AI-driven student health monitoring
  • Works with LGUs for pilot testing AI solutions in infrastructure and agriculture