IT was one of those Mondays when the air inside the Iloilo Convention Center felt both charged and careful—charged because about 500 people from tech, business, schools, and government came together to talk about what’s next; careful because that “next” is already here and it’s something both exciting and a bit intimidating: Agentic AI.
I was there as a moderator and rapporteur, lucky to have a front-row seat as experts broke it down. Michelle Alarcon, President of the Analytics and AI Association of the Philippines, explained that Agentic AI goes beyond the chatbots and image generators we’ve been playing with for the past two years. It’s not just about creating or simulating—it’s about thinking through a task and acting on it. It’s a jump from an AI that waits for you to tell it what to do, to one that can figure things out and get things done on its own.
Alarcon made it clear: AI is no longer just one trend. It’s now a “convergence driver,” connecting other technologies so they work together better. She gave real-life examples: Cursor, which can turn plain instructions into working code, and OpenAI’s Operator, which can book flights or fill out forms without someone watching over it every step. This is the Agentic AI we’re talking about—AI agents that can plan, decide, and carry out multi-step tasks. But she also gave a warning: our rules and safeguards for this level of autonomy are still thin. Without stronger ethics, clear accountability, and transparency, the same tech that can save us time could also make important decisions without anyone taking responsibility.
The succeeding panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Bobby Gerardo, Chair of RASUC VI, echoed that point. From the business side, Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida, Governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Western Visayas, said companies are eager to use AI, including Agentic AI, but its benefits will only be real if schools and businesses work together. He said employers now want graduates who can lead AI projects, not just follow them. This connected well with Alarcon’s point—Agentic AI is powerful, but it still needs people with both tech know-how and sound judgment to guide it.
From the education side, Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, National President of PASUC, said bluntly that Agentic AI will be useless if our teachers and students are undertrained. He called for targeted training, quick upskilling programs for faculty, and curriculum changes to include basics like coding and math. Without that foundation, even the best AI tool is like a guitar in the hands of someone afraid to play—full of potential but silent. I have seen it myself: capable people avoiding digital tools, not because they can’t, but because they don’t feel ready or confident.
From the government’s side, DOST Undersecretary for R&D Dr. Leah Buendia shared that P2 billion has been invested in AI research from 2022 to 2025. But she reminded everyone that money and plans aren’t enough. For Agentic AI to work in the real world, government, schools, and businesses must work hand in hand. I thought about rural classrooms I’ve visited, where internet is slow and computers are old. In those settings, AI—especially Agentic AI—can feel like a far-off dream. But if resources are allocated well, it could be the very bridge that brings better learning opportunities to these areas.
What makes Agentic AI so powerful is also what makes it tricky: it can act by itself. Imagine a digital tutor that notices a student’s struggle, changes its approach, and keeps their attention alive. Or an AI that grades all papers so teachers can focus more on mentoring. In a school without a science lab, it could run simulations so students can still learn by doing. In business, it could handle a customer’s needs from start to finish without a manager stepping in. But without human checks, it could also make decisions that ignore human context—like denying a refund just because “the system” says so.
Alarcon’s reminder stuck with me: “The goal is not to win the AI race, but to implement it responsibly.” It echoed something I’ve always believed—skills without conscience are incomplete. In schools, communities, and offices, we need to prepare people not just to use AI well, but to use it wisely.
What gave me hope was that 2025 AI Fest Conference, the first of its kind in the country courtesy of DOST Region VI and partners, didn’t stop at theory. There were concrete ideas: linking schools with businesses to design AI-focused programs, testing AI in community settings, and funding AI tools for farming and fisheries. Atty. Peñaflorida even mentioned local businesses willing to partner with universities on projects that solve supply chain problems. These are real, doable steps where Agentic AI can prove its value now.
But the road ahead is uneven. Reliable internet, modern devices, and updated software are still not accessible to all. And even with the right tools, people can resist change. Alarcon warned that without managing this change, the gap between those who master AI and those who do not will grow wider—especially in business and education. In business, that could mean well-adapted companies leaving slower adopters struggling to catch up. Some schools might graduate students fluent in managing AI agents, while others might produce graduates who have never even worked with one.
One line from Ms. Mira Dy of AWS Singapore summed it up for me: “Predict and optimize (Traditional AI), create and simulate (Generative AI), reason and act (Agentic AI).” That last part—reason and act—means AI is no longer just the future; it’s already here, shaping our present. But it can still be improved, and that improvement depends on us—on whose judgment and values it reflects.
As I walked out of the ICC hall after AI Fest Day 1 sessions, I thought of what we often tell students: leadership is about creating more leaders, not collecting followers. In the same way, Agentic AI’s real worth will be measured not by how much it can do alone, but by how wisely and humanely it works with us. Its abilities are impressive, but the real power lies in the choices we make with it—and for now, those choices are still ours.
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Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.
