By Michael Visaya

Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), in partnership with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and the SocioEconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P), spearheaded a research forum on September 16 at the Center for Flexible Learning (CFL), in line with the 23rd Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) celebration.

With the theme “Leveraging Education Policies and Governance through Artificial Intelligence,” the forum gathered university researchers to raise public literacy on artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and governance, while addressing concerns such as algorithmic bias, labor displacement, decision-making, and inequality in AI adoption.

The morning session featured a lecture-forum with discussions on various topics. Mr. Ezekiel Nicomedes, Senior Research Specialist of PIDS, introduced SERP-P; Engr. Reymart Villena discussed AI for Advancing Academic Research; Prof. Lee Carlo Simon of the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CCIS) tackled Leveraging Productivity in Academic Institutions through AI; and Engr. Leonora Quarte, Education Supervisor II of CHED-RO1, presented Transforming Education Policy with AI: Toward Inclusive and Equitable Learning Systems.

In the afternoon, MMSU researchers presented educational policies in the age of AI, including their works on AI tools and programs, manuals, evidence-based studies, and practical guidance designed to enhance education governance and policy development.

Through a message delivered by Vice President for Academic Affairs Aris Reynold Cajigal, MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., emphasized the university’s commitment to embrace the digital and AI era with both optimism and responsibility, urging participants to ensure that technological advancements reflect societal values and serve the greater good.

“At MMSU, we believe that harnessing artificial intelligence for education and research is not only about improving our systems. It is about empowering our stakeholders to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Remember, AI is only a tool. It must remain as our partner, not our intelligence,” Dr. Cajigal read.

The forum was also attended by MMSU Vice President for Resource Generation and Management Bjorn Santos, College Deans, Research Center chiefs, College Research coordinators, and full-time faculty researchers, including Dr. Dionisio Bucao, Research Director, and Ms. Maria Cristina Pammit, OIC-chief of Social Development Research Center.

Through this activity, MMSU reaffirmed its role as a partner university of PIDS and as an institution at the forefront of research and innovation for societal development, strengthening its engagement with government agencies to cope with challenges and seize opportunities in the age of AI.

September has been declared as Policy Research Month through Presidential Proclamation No. 247, series of 2002. It highlights the critical role of policy research in the socioeconomic advancement of the Philippines, underscoring the need for promoting, enhancing, instilling, and drawing awareness and appreciation of the importance and necessity of policy research in development planning and policymaking.