At Novotel Manila Araneta City, the Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA), recognized as the first AI business association in Asia, formally inducted its founding Board of Directors and founding members—bringing together business leaders, government partners, and technology practitioners around a message designed to cut through hype: Filipino MSMEs do not need perfect AI. They need usable AI, responsibly deployed, and tied to real business outcomes.
From Left to Right (PAIBA Founding Directors & Inducting Officer): Eric Caeg - Director for Organizational Development and Training | Asian Institute of Management; Joshua Santiago - Execom and Board Secretary | JSTP Law; Amrei Dizon - Execom and Director of Marketing and PR | Introspeck & Vitalstrats; Vicky Betita - Execom and Director of Industry Development; Josie See - Execom and Director of Membership & SME Development | World of Nuts; Anne Francisco - Co-Founder and Vice President of Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA) Inc | Ferino's Bibingka; Sergio Ortiz-Luis - Inducting Officer | Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.; Jerry Ilao - Co-Founder and President of Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA) Inc | Olern, Inc.; Arnel Mateo - Director for Data Privacy and Cybersecurity | ADM & Partners Data Privacy and Consulting Inc.; Ricky De Vera - Director for Strategic Marketing and Digital Transformation | Strategic Business Consultant & Behavioral Psychologist; Allan Tan - Director for AI-Driven Software
Positioned as a practical bridge between artificial intelligence capabilities and enterprise value, PAIBA emphasized a business-first approach to adoption—focused on real use cases, ethical guardrails, and measurable impact, rather than experimental or purely technical implementations.
The induction was led by Dr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., President of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) and Vice Chairman of the Export Development Council, who framed AI as a competitiveness issue that must expand opportunity rather than deepen inequality.
“Artificial intelligence is no longer a future conversation. It is already shaping how business decisions are made, and how economies compete,” Ortiz-Luis said.
During the program, Founding Director Dominic Ligot shared highlights from the SWARM Philippine AI Report, noting that 54 percent of surveyed organizations have already deployed AI in early production, with 20 percent scaling and 24 percent in early use. He pointed out that adoption is increasingly being driven by business owners and executives, rather than IT teams—making governance, strategy, and business alignment critical.
PAIBA Founding President Jerry Ilao underscored the need to make AI economically accessible for MSMEs, citing how enterprise-grade deployments can cost hundreds of thousands of pesos monthly.
“With the right tools, AI is the equalizer,” Ilao said. “It allows MSMEs to analyze sales and finance, improve customer response, and create high-quality marketing outputs without large teams or expensive infrastructure.”
PAIBA Co-Founder and Vice President Anne Marie B. Francisco, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Quezon City, emphasized the importance of psychological safety in adoption.
“There are no stupid questions here. Real transformation starts when entrepreneurs feel safe to learn, experiment, and grow together,” Francisco said.
Government agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology – NCR (DOST-NCR), expressed support for PAIBA’s initiatives, highlighting the importance of inclusive and responsible innovation.
