The Department of Education (DepEd) has engaged with its Southeast Asian counterparts to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence–driven digital infrastructure in basic education, positioning technology as a practical tool to raise learning outcomes and ease teachers’ day-to-day workload.

As part of this push, DepEd actively engaged education leaders, digital policymakers, and development partners during the 3rd Regional Policy Convening of the AI Ready ASEAN Programme on Monday in Pasig City.

The Philippines’ participation in the regional effort is anchored on Project AGAP.AI, DepEd’s flagship program on artificial intelligence in education. Through the AI Ready ASEAN Program, nearly 796,000 Filipinos, including educators and learners, have already completed training on the fundamentals of AI literacy.

“The Philippines does not see the digital race as a solitary journey. We stand ready to walk alongside our ASEAN neighbors—sharing our insights, our resources, and our steadfast commitment,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a message. “Together, we can build a digitally empowered region where growth is shared and progress is collective.”

“A future-ready ASEAN cannot be built on guesswork or lofty rhetoric alone. It must be grounded in the lived realities of our people,” the DepEd chief added.

The convening was held under the AI Ready ASEAN initiative of the ASEAN Foundation, supported by a grant from Google.org. The regional program seeks to expand AI literacy and promote the responsible use of emerging technologies across all ASEAN member states.

For Filipino learners, the regional collaboration is intended to deliver more accessible digital learning tools, better-designed online and blended learning platforms, and data-driven interventions that help schools identify and address learning gaps early. These efforts are aimed at making learning more responsive to individual needs while ensuring that the use of technology remains ethical, inclusive, and age-appropriate.

Teachers, meanwhile, are set to gain from shared ASEAN policy frameworks that prioritize practical classroom support. DepEd officials said AI-enabled systems are being positioned to streamline administrative work, strengthen lesson planning through smarter digital resources, and provide timely insights on student progress—allowing teachers to spend more time on teaching and direct learner engagement.

The ASEAN Foundation also expressed its intent to align the AI Ready ASEAN activities with the Philippines’ chairship of ASEAN in 2026, particularly in advancing digitalization in education and ensuring that the benefits of AI reach learners and teachers across diverse communities.

DepEd said it will continue to engage regional partners to ensure that the adoption of AI in basic education strengthens—not replaces—the role of teachers, while giving learners the digital skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.