Technology is moving forward – are we moving with it?

By Mhel Cedric D. Bendo

Technology is moving quickly across the Philippine economy. From farm machinery and digital payments to artificial intelligence and automated systems, new tools are changing how businesses operate and how work gets done. For a country that wants to grow and stay competitive, this progress is important.

But progress is not just about better machines or faster systems. It is also about people.

In many parts of the country, including the Visayas and Mindanao, change is already visible. In agriculture, machines can now plant and harvest crops in a fraction of the time that manual labor once required. In offices and stores, digital platforms make transactions quicker and record-keeping easier. These improvements help businesses save time and reduce costs. At the same time, they also change the kind of work people do.

When machines take over certain tasks, workers can feel uncertain about what comes next. This does not mean technology is the problem. In many cases, it reduces physical strain and improves efficiency. The real concern is whether workers are allowed to adapt.

A machine in the field still needs someone who knows how to operate it, maintain it, and manage the overall process. Digital systems still require people who can interpret information, make decisions, and solve problems. Technology works best when it supports human skills, not when it sidelines them.

Across different industries, the same pattern appears. Businesses adopt tools to stay competitive. That is understandable. But when new systems are introduced without proper training or transition support, some workers are left behind.

The Philippine economy remains largely driven by labor. Many families depend on jobs that are vulnerable to rapid technological change. If innovation moves faster than skills development, gaps may widen — not only between companies, but also between communities.

For the Visayas, where both agriculture and urban growth are expanding, this balance matters. Development will depend not only on investing in equipment and infrastructure, but also on investing in people.

Training programs, partnerships between schools and industries, and accessible reskilling opportunities can help workers move into new roles instead of being pushed out of old ones. Preparing people for change is not just a government responsibility. It is something businesses, schools, and communities can work on together.

Technology will continue to move forward. That is certain. The question is whether we move forward with it.

True progress is not measured only by faster systems or higher output. It is measured by whether ordinary workers, families, and communities can grow alongside innovation.

When technology advances, and people advance with it, the benefits are shared. And that is the kind of progress that truly lasts.

Mhel Cedric D. Bendo is a student researcher and opinion writer at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). His research interests include educational psychology, educational technology and psychometrics. As of 2026, he serves on the editorial board of an international academic journal. He is also an invited peer reviewer for multidisciplinary journals in the intersecting fields of education, psychology, technology and AI in education, indexed in databases such as ESCI, Scopus, ERIC and DOAJ. His research-informed commentaries and opinion pieces appear in respected national and regional newspaper outlets, including the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, BusinessMirror, SunStar Cebu, Mindanao Times and Punto! Central Luzon.