IN an increasingly digital world, accurate information makes systems trustworthy, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said Tuesday at The Manila Times Digital Innovation forum.
“When proof is reliable, systems work. When it is compromised, everything else follows. We are living in a time where digital transformation is our present reality,” Solidum said.
“For an ordinary citizen, this transformation could mean receiving family alerts before a flood, accessing government services online without long lines, or having better connectivity that allows them to work remotely or run a small online business. These are everyday improvements that help people move from simply getting by to actually building better, more secure lives — essentially information at your fingertips and not at tip of someone’s tongue,” Solidum added.
Pursuant to the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., government services are to be fully digitalized as a way to reduce opportunities for corruption and improve efficiency. Central to this is the truth, that is not understood in the abstract sense, but the truth embedded in the systems that people rely on everyday such as data, transactions and information.
Solidum said the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) embeds this framework in its everyday programs that service the community such as its Smart and Sustainable Communities Initiative. This program brings together technologies like early warning systems, advanced applications, smart agriculture, environmental monitoring, digital connectivity, and e-transportation to improve local governance and quality of life.
In each of these facets, truth must be at the center of it all.
For example, he said its smart farming technologies and smarter approaches to reinvigorate agriculture require monitoring of soil conditions, automated irrigation systems and data-driven advisories. Through this information, farmers and local government units can make better decisions.
Truth in agricultural data affects the entire industry.
“Imagine if the data guiding these decisions would be wrong. If a farmer were to base [his actions] on inaccurate readings of plants and faulty forecasts, the consequences are real. It will affect income, food supply and entire communities,” Solidum said.
DOST also offers initiatives through the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development and its support for digital agriculture.
“We are seeing farms become more productive and resilient,” Solidum said. “I’ve always emphasized in many of my engagements that agriculture must be treated as a business — a dynamic, technology driven enterprise that creates value, generates income and sustains livelihoods.” Integrating science data and innovation in the practice will not only drastically improve the agricultural landscape; It will also enliven and entice the youth to make a career in agriculture.
Truth is also important in E-commerce — a platform that almost all Filipinos use right now. To aid micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), DOST offers the program Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program or Setup, which allows enterprises to adopt digital tools so they can reach wider markets and remain competitive.
Solidum reported that the agency is planning to sign an agreement with well-known e-commerce platforms such as Lazada to allow MSMEs to use the platform’s digital tools.
However, this system will only work and bring actual benefit if people trust it.
“[The people] must trust that what they see online is accurate, reconstructions are secure, and their personal information is protected.
Without that trust, participation declines and opportunities are lost,” Solidum said.
He said they have observed this trend as services become more automated. The continuous use of artificial intelligence (AI) has made this easier as chatbots are mobilized to efficiently answer queries.
The DOST continues to invest in AI, data science, and innovation hubs to support these developments. Despite this, Solidum emphasized that human intervention and accountability become more crucial as technology advances.
“Technology should enhance human decision making, not obscure responsibility in our communities,” Solidum said.
As a disaster-prone country, the Philippines needs to incorporate technology with accurate environmental information and factors that could predict the possibility of a calamity. DOST has launched the “Handa” (Ready) platform — an integrated platform for disaster preparedness and response that provides the latest warning on possible weather disturbances, volcanoes that are alert, recent earthquake events, or tsunami warnings. It allows the user to assess hazards in any area in the Philippines related to the specific warning using an AI Chatbot.
“This is the most advanced platform, and I’m very proud to say that the Philippines is one of the countries most advanced in developing disaster hazards and risk information through applications like the Fault Finder [and Rehazard Hunter],” Solidum said.
The nature of the Handa emphasizes the importance of truth and accuracy even more.
Filipinos are known for their resilience amid hardships. This resilience, Solidum said, depends heavily on trust that the information received is correct, systems are reliable, and institutions are accountable.
As digital spaces grow, so does the risk of misuse such as scamming, hacking, and spreading misinformation and disinformation. These actions erode trust and weaken confidence in institutions.
“That is why our approach at [DOST] goes beyond developing technologies. We also focus on strengthening cybersecurity, promoting responsible data governance and building the capacity of our people to navigate the digital world safely and wisely through our research and development programs and in partnerships with the media, the industry, academia, other government agencies and other stakeholders,” Solidum said.
“The digital economy holds so much promise for our country. It can open doors, create opportunities and uplift communities but to fully realize this, we must protect what makes it work in the first place. Truth is not just a principle, but it is something that we actively uphold in our work, in our systems, and in our everyday interactions. Because when truth is protected, trust grows. When truth grows, so does our ability to build an economy that is not only innovative but inclusive, resilient and capable of helping other Filipinos move forward,” he said.
