AI and data science emerge as key humanitarian aid for PH

ASITE frames innovation as a national necessity, integrating tech-driven solutions for climate resilience, from disaster mapping to agricultural modernization

For these tech leaders, true resilience means going beyond endurance.

Eight years after its founding, the Asian Institute of Management’s Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ASITE) marked its anniversary with the hopes of framing the country’s innovation drive as a national necessity.

The school’s head, Professor Christopher Monterola, PhD, linked ASITE’s mission to the 2013 devastation wrought by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in a forum. With the Philippines ranked as the most disaster-prone nation globally, ASITE’s push to integrate tech-driven innovations into climate vulnerability and disaster resilience continues to gain urgency.

Data science and AI as a lifeline

As the country pushes for digital transformation, the specialized talent gap in fields like data science becomes a critical concern, especially in disaster vulnerability. Such expertise enables more accurate forecasts and quicker decision-making when processing large volumes of information.

The breakthroughs in AI, Monterola said, which allow models to “ingest data very efficiently and interpret that information in a very brilliant way,” are the precise capabilities required to manage crises.

The push for innovation is evident in the Philippines’ climb  in the Global Innovation Index (GII), where it was ranked 50th out of 139 economies this year. However, the country still struggles with tech infrastructure, human capital development, and research—as seen during Yolanda’s onslaught.

“Our hope is that by creating a school like [ASITE], we will be able to redefine history and realize that there are routines we can do through human ingenuity, entrepreneurship, innovation, [and] technology that can change that,” Monterola said.

Tech’s dance with nature

Featuring its alumni, the ASITE forum welcomed its tech innovators and entrepreneurs who used their expertise during calamities.

Matthew Cua, a Master of Innovation and Business alumnus, underlined technology’s role in connectivity during disasters. Cua’s use of drones for disaster mapping, and later his role in introducing Starlink to the country, highlights the growing need for reliable communication systems when coordinating aid and speeding up recovery.

Banana and coffee grower Dom Subang, a Master in Entrepreneurship alumnus, spoke to the urgent need for agricultural modernization.

With Philippine agriculture facing significant challenges—including an aging farmer population and the escalating impact of climate change, which continues to cause devastating crop losses and persistent labor shortages—modern tools are becoming essential.

Subang said that agricultural drones and data-driven AI tools boost efficiency, making farming more attractive and profitable for the younger generation and securing national food production and security.

Meanwhile, Jefferson Tan, Master of Science in Data Science alumnus, said that organizational structures would benefit from adopting data and AI, even if “frustrations and roadblocks” often encounter users.

Investing in the future

ASITE’s resources, such as its Analytics, Computing, and Complex Systems Lab and the country’s fastest AI supercomputer, are focused on creating a pipeline of technically proficient leaders.

The institution has expanded its academic portfolio, including the Master in AI and Data Analytics and the country’s first transnational Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Business Administration.

In the end, ASITE’s push for innovation is rooted in a practical purpose, which is to protect lives. With each advancement in data, AI, and tech-driven solutions, the country moves closer to building systems that can anticipate danger and respond faster, giving Filipinos more security in an increasingly unpredictable world.

 

 

ASITE’s bid to integrate tech-driven innovations into climate vulnerability and disaster resilience takes center stage.

 

 

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