Efforts to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) in public schools in the Philippines will help reduce teachers’ workload, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Thursday.

In a statement, DepEd – Education Center for AI Research (ECAIR) Governance and Delivery Lead Elmo Domino Jose said even small gains in AI integration can help ease the workload of public school teachers.

“In a system serving over 24 million learners, even a 1 percent gain in efficiency has a massive impact on our country’s education system,” he said.

“By integrating AI into DepEd’s operations, we are saving millions of hours of our teachers’ time so they can focus on teaching.”

On Feb. 16-21, ECAIR presented its AI scaling framework at the AI Impact Summit held at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Center in India.

During the summit, the ECAIR highlighted systems used in the Philippines, including SIGLA and SABAY, which serve as administrative and academic support to public school teachers.

The SIGLA, an automated system used for health monitoring and reporting, helped about 34,000 educators, with an estimated 60,000 hours saved per year.

SABAY, meanwhile, functions as an AI-backed online triage system that provides support to 48,000 teachers for early-grade learners.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara cited the importance of a responsible approach in AI integration to ensure its benefit for the members of the sector.

“At DepEd, we are deliberate about building AI that strengthens public institutions, protects our learners, and delivers measurable results at scale,” he said. “ECAIR reflects our commitment to move beyond experimentation and toward responsible transformation across our entire education system.”

Angara, meanwhile, welcomed the launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Center for Research and Innovation (NAICRI), which serves as the country’s institutional platform for advancing AI research, shared computing infrastructure, and innovation translation across priority sectors.

He said the platform complements ongoing reforms in workforce development, digital infrastructure, and responsible governance.

“Education must be both protected and future-ready. We will harness AI to close learning gaps, strengthen governance, and empower teachers, but always with safeguards, transparency, and human oversight,” Angara said in a separate statement.

Even before the launch of NAICRI, the DepEd has ongoing efforts related to AI integration, including Project TALINO, Project DUNONG, and Project SALIKSEEK.

Project TALINO is a digital mapping system providing real-time insights into school needs, strengthening data-informed planning and private sector engagement.

Meanwhile, Project DUNONG refers to automating the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads to improve efficiency and accuracy in leadership selection.

Project SALIKSEEK, on the other hand, is a generative AI-powered quick-response tool that enables DepEd personnel to access structured education data within seconds. (PNA)