LEGAZPI CITY — Albay 3rd District Representative and House Special Committee on Food Security Chair Raymond “Adrian” Salceda announced that the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), under Secretary Francisco Benitez, will establish the country’s first local Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Institute in Albay.
The AI Readiness Institute will equip workers, students, and entrepreneurs with the skills needed to thrive in an economy increasingly shaped by AI. It will initially focus on the province’s large virtual assistant workforce, many of whom are based in the 3rd District, and will cover TESDA assessment fees for its free online programs to ensure certifications remain accessible.
“Gusto ko po mauna tayo dito sa Albay kasi marami po tayong virtual assistants na magbebenepisyo dito. Marami din pong mga estudyante ang interesado,” Salceda said.
Over time, the institute will branch out into AI applications in agriculture, the delivery of government services, public safety and disaster response, and basic health services. Salceda said these fields are vital to both economic growth and quality of life in the province.
In the same meeting, Salceda and Benitez discussed measures to boost rice productivity in Albay’s 3rd District, long regarded as the province’s rice granary. Plans include targeted farmer training, the introduction of AI assisted crop management tools, and expanded access to TESDA’s agri mechanization and precision agriculture courses. “May instructions po kasi si Presidente sa TESDA na tumulong sa pagpapalago ng ani. Tutulong po tayo kay Secretary,” Salceda, a Gawad Saka National Awardee, added.
These efforts aim to increase yields, improve farmgate incomes, and strengthen local food security.
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