01 / business
Demand for AI hardware is making laptops costlier for Filipino buyers
Newsbytes.PH reported that Michael Ngan, country general manager of Lenovo Philippines, said demand for AI hardware is raising computer prices. He said a laptop that once sold for around P50,000 now costs more than P80,000. This matters to parents, students and companies, because many buyers are delaying purchases, and Ngan does not expect prices to fall before December.
“You're right, there's a digital divide because of the affordability”
Michael Ngan, Lenovo Philippines country general manager
Newsbytes.PH, 11 October 2026. Read the original on Newsbytes.PH ↗
02 / safety · business
Fortinet warns firms in the Philippines about unauthorized AI use at work
At a summit in the Philippines, Fortinet said employees are using unauthorized AI applications for work, Newsbytes.PH reported. The practice can leak confidential or personal data when staff upload files to public AI services. The company also said criminals use AI for deepfake audio and phishing. For workers and business owners in the Philippines, the risk is sharing work data with AI apps that the employer has not allowed.
Newsbytes.PH, 10 October 2026. Read the original on Newsbytes.PH ↗
03 / education · government
DOST brings an offline AI teaching system to a Catbalogan City school
Back End News reported that Guinsorongan Elementary School in Catbalogan City, Samar received 30 Chromebooks and a television set from DOST Eastern Visayas. The devices come with e-TURO, a system with AI tools that help teachers plan lessons, write tests and follow each student's progress. The outlet said e-TURO also works offline, which matters for teachers and students in places where the internet connection is weak.
“This partnership demonstrates what we can achieve when government agencies work together”
Dr. Carmela Tamayo, schools division superintendent
Back End News, 10 October 2026. Read the original on Back End News ↗
04 / business · jobs
AI use at work should be judged by value, says Chan
Inquirer.net reported that Joey Chan, founder of Cloud Jedi Solutions, warned companies against treating heavy AI usage as proof of success. Chan said firms should start with the problem they want to solve and then measure business value. For workers in the Philippines, his advice is practical: learn to give AI enough context and always check the output before trusting it.
“Knowing what to ask is actually one of the best skills right now”
Joey Chan, founder of Cloud Jedi Solutions
Inquirer.net, 9 October 2026. Read the original on Inquirer.net ↗
05 / jobs · business
Voice actor warns companies after AI takes her mother's project
Voice actor Inka Magnaye said her mother was dropped from a voice project because the client chose AI instead, GMA News Online reported. Magnaye did not name the client but described it as a major brand. Her post shows that AI is already affecting paid creative work. She asked the public to consider how their spending affects human artists.
“AI is a tool, but ethically should never be used to replace human talent”
Inka Magnaye, voice actor and content creator
GMA News Online, 8 October 2026. Read the original on GMA News Online ↗
06 / policy · business
Rappler opinion piece says AI should explain its decisions to people
People deserve to know when AI is used and how it reaches a decision, according to a Rappler opinion piece by Liza Manalo-Mapagu, CEO of ASEAMETRICS. She wrote that this matters most when AI affects jobs, loans, healthcare or education. The piece gives Filipino readers a test from the AAP ethics code: ask if an AI tool can be trusted before relying on it.
“Accountability cannot be delegated to a machine.”
Liza Manalo-Mapagu, CEO of ASEAMETRICS
Rappler, 8 October 2026. Read the original on Rappler ↗
07 / safety
AI-made Facebook persona posing as a Duterte grandson draws a large following
Rappler reported that 'Lance Duterte', a Facebook persona posing as the grandson of Rodrigo Duterte, is not a real person. The account was made with AI and has over 382,000 followers, according to Rappler. The outlet said fakes are now easier and cheaper to make. This matters for Filipino readers because many fans treated the persona as real, and some called him a future politician.
Rappler, 7 October 2026. Read the original on Rappler ↗
08 / education · research
Survey finds schools use AI but teacher training and planning lag
BusinessWorld reported that a study by Instructure and The Fourth Wall surveyed 207 educators in Metro Manila, Metro Davao and Metro Cebu. Many schools already use AI, but educators rated their own AI training at 2.87 out of 5. This matters for students and teachers because 48% of respondents said devices and paid tools are hard to get. The survey does not represent all Philippine schools, according to BusinessWorld.
“We cannot close a gap that we cannot measure”
John Brylle L. Bae, The Fourth Wall Partner and Research Director
BusinessWorld, 7 October 2026. Read the original on BusinessWorld ↗