Philippines: Published DICT draft memorandum on the principles and guidelines for the ethical and trustworthy use of AI in the government

On 18 April 2024, the Department of Information And Communications Technology of the Philippines published a draft memorandum on the principles and guidelines for the ethical and trustworthy use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the government. The principles apply to the executive branch, government-owned and controlled corporations, and local government units and encourage other branches to adopt the principles to foster ethical AI usage in the Philippines. The principles aim to ensure the responsible development and use of AI technologies across government institutions, focusing on safeguarding human rights and promoting transparency, data privacy, fairness, and accountability. The guidelines draw on international frameworks such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) AI Guide and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) AI Principles, highlighting the importance of human-centricity and sustainability in AI development.