Negros lawmaker pushes AI regulation to protect workers

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez called for a Philippine artificial intelligence policy that promotes innovation while protecting workers, particularly those in the creative economy.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said during his fifth State of the Nation Address on July 27 that the country must adopt the technology and harness its benefits.

“AI is here to stay and so we adopt it to harness its potential to enhance critical sectors, from our educational system to our industries.”

Marcos said the government’s AI-readiness training programs have reached at least 1.8 million people, including students, parents, and teachers.

He said the results provided a basis for expanding AI literacy initiatives across sectors to help the country remain globally competitive.

Marcos also emphasized the need to protect children from fake news, pornography, depictions of casual violence, and the culture of toxicity and hate prevalent on social media.

“I believe AI is here to stay,” Benitez said, noting that the United States, China, European nations, and many Asian countries are investing heavily in the technology because of its potential benefits.

Benitez said the government must ensure that AI is adopted responsibly and safely.

He said people — not technology — should remain in control of decisions.

Benitez said Filipinos are already benefiting from generative AI and natural language processing technologies.

He cited chatbots, which are widely used by students and private companies, as an example.

Benitez acknowledged that the Philippines has limited authority over global technology companies operating under other jurisdictions.

He warned that slowing AI development in the country could allow bad actors to advance the technology for harmful purposes.

“What we can do is make sure AI is safe for Filipinos,” Benitez said.

Benitez encouraged Filipinos to maximize AI tools, saying proficiency in the technology would provide a competitive advantage in the workplace.

Citing the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, Benitez pointed to a projected net increase of 78 million jobs worldwide by 2030 amid changes driven by technology, demographic shifts, economic pressures, and the green transition.

The report projects that 170 million jobs will be created and 92 million will be displaced by 2030, resulting in the net gain of 78 million jobs.

Benitez said large-scale job displacement from AI had not yet materialized, with many companies using the technology to improve productivity rather than immediately lay off workers.

He said AI could automate lower-skilled tasks while allowing employees to be upskilled or reskilled for higher-value work.

Benitez urged people in his district and across the country to learn AI tools as soon as possible to improve their employment prospects.

He said people who become proficient in AI could have better chances of being referred to companies seeking workers with those skills.

The government is also studying programs to support AI upskilling and reskilling in Negros Occidental, he said.

Benitez said lawmakers are drafting the proposed AI Development and Regulation Act, which seeks to promote innovation while addressing risks associated with AI applications.

“The principle is not to stop innovation, but to regulate the risks of its applications,” he said.

The proposed measure would include an AI Bill of Rights containing five key protections.

• The right against unsafe AI systems would prohibit the deployment of systems that have not been adequately tested or proven safe.
• The right against algorithmic discrimination would require AI systems to avoid bias based on gender, socioeconomic status, age, or other protected characteristics.
• The right to know would require people to be informed whenever they are interacting with an AI system.
• The right to remedy would allow people harmed or adversely affected by AI-driven decisions to seek redress through a government body.
• The right to privacy would require AI systems to collect only the data necessary for their functions and prohibit the collection of personal information without proper consent.

Benitez said the Philippines could not simply copy the European Union’s AI regulations because the country has different circumstances and needs.

He acknowledged that passing an AI law would take time because of the legislative process.

He said AI is evolving rapidly, making it essential for regulations to remain flexible and adaptable while prioritizing Filipinos’ interests.

House records show that the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology’s technical working group met July 13 to discuss a substitute bill consolidating several proposed AI measures.

Benitez said he discussed the proposal with Camarines Sur 5th District Rep. Miguel Luis Villafuerte, chair of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology.

Villafuerte described it as one of the most crucial measures Congress could pass, according to Benitez.

If enacted, the measure could become the Philippines’ first comprehensive AI law, with Benitez helping draft it through the technical working group.