BATAAN — In their bid to push for digital governance, the Pamahalaang Panlalawigan (Provincial Government) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) launched on Monday a three-day Global Emerging Tech Summit in Balanga City.

This was announced by Governor Joet S. Garcia, who said the tech summit, now in its third consecutive year, brings together local and international experts to promote advancements in blockchain, artificial intelligence, and information technology. The three-day event is being held at the Bataan People’s Center, led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

Gov. Garcia pointed out that the initiative is part of the province’s program to promote digital governance that will make public service faster, more transparent, and equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

The Bataan governor also extended his gratitude to Assistant Majority Floor Leader Cong. Brian Poe Llamanzares, who, aside from being a keynote speaker at the summit, assured congressional support to boost digital infrastructure and the innovation ecosystem across the country through blockchain.

According to experts, “blockchain is a decentralized, distributed, digital ledger that securely records transactions across a network of computers. Information is stored in blocks that are cryptographically linked together in a continuous, chronological ‘chain.’ This structure makes the records transparent, immutable, and resistant to tampering.”

Meanwhile, “artificial intelligence (AI) is the development of computer systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. It is a broad field that includes technologies like machine learning and natural language processing, and its applications range from everyday tools like virtual assistants and recommendation engines to advanced uses in healthcare, research, and autonomous systems like self-driving cars. Recent advancements are driven by increases in computing power and data, but AI also presents ethical challenges like bias, misuse, and data privacy.”