Manila, Philippines – The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and Google Cloud have announced an expanded multi-year collaboration aimed at integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity capabilities into government operations and public service delivery in the Philippines.
The initiative aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 and DICT’s digital transformation roadmap. According to the organisations, the collaboration includes an “AI Agents for Public Sector” program, a cross-agency cyber defense alliance, and support for national connectivity initiatives designed to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure.
Henry Rhoel Aguda, Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, said: “Transformation is not defined by the adoption of sophisticated software tools alone, but by facilitating sustained systemic efficiency across public institutions and widespread access to e-government services. DICT is accelerating ‘Digital Bayanihan’ with partners like Google Cloud, where AI-driven systems, proactive cyber defense, and network infrastructure operate in tandem to provide every citizen with access to public services and high-speed connectivity within a secure online environment.”
He added, “We’re empowering our public servants with world-class AI tools and upskilling programs to help them remove bureaucratic friction, optimise public sector productivity, and deliver seamless, next-generation services that better serve and uplift our people in every community.”
As part of the AI initiative, DICT and Google Cloud have made Gemini Enterprise and Google Workspace available to government employees through the Procurement Service–Department of Budget and Management’s eMarketplace platform. The platform, launched in the first quarter of 2026, serves as the government’s procurement marketplace for cloud and AI services.
DICT said it plans to use the Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform to develop and manage AI agents that can support citizens through e-government platforms. The envisioned services would allow Filipinos to access information on administrative procedures through conversational interactions in local languages, including inquiries related to business registration, healthcare schedules, and disaster assistance.
The department also plans to equip more than 50,000 public servants with the Gemini Enterprise application, which enables users to create and deploy AI agents for tasks such as information retrieval, data analysis, report generation, and workflow automation.
According to the announcement, government workers could use the platform to access information from multiple data sources through natural language prompts. The system can also support research and analysis tasks by reviewing web sources and internal records, generating reports and recommendations for human review.
The AI tools will integrate with Google Workspace applications as well as third-party enterprise software such as Microsoft 365. DICT said it aims to facilitate the use of Gemini Enterprise and Google Workspace among more than 200,000 public servants over the next 18 months while tracking metrics including usage frequency, productivity gains, cost savings, and user satisfaction.
In cybersecurity, the DICT Cybersecurity Bureau has established a cross-agency cyber defense alliance with support from Google Cloud. The alliance has deployed Google Cloud Cybershield at the National Security Operations Center (NSOC), providing threat intelligence, AI-assisted security operations, and cybersecurity expertise from Mandiant.
Security teams from 56 government agencies have already been onboarded and trained on the platform, with a target of 90 agencies by the end of June 2026. DICT said the initiative enables centralised monitoring of security events across government entities and supports coordinated responses to cyber threats affecting public sector systems and critical infrastructure.
The cybersecurity framework is also being used to help secure digital operations related to the ASEAN Summits being hosted by the Philippines from April to November 2026.
Jennifer Ligones, Country Manager, Philippines, Google Cloud, said: “Our collaboration with DICT is designed to democratise the benefits of AI, converting global innovations into localised, conversational public services that reach and serve everyone, and where public servants are empowered to solve complex challenges in minutes rather than months. We’re building a future where best-in-class enterprise AI capabilities and high-speed data pipelines act as public utilities that unlock new job opportunities, protect critical national infrastructure, and help establish the Philippines as a leading digital economy in the Asia Pacific region.”
The partnership also includes support for DICT’s connectivity objectives. Google and partners involved in the Pacific Connect initiative are extending the Taiwan-Philippines-U.S. (TPU) subsea cable system, which is designed to support high-capacity data transmission for AI services and cloud applications.
In addition, the Apricot subsea cable system is intended to provide network redundancy and alternative routing paths for internet traffic. DICT said the combination of the TPU and Apricot cable systems, together with domestic terrestrial networks and the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure corridor, is expected to strengthen network reliability and capacity.
According to the announcement, these developments could help expand access to cloud-based services, support the growth of AI applications, and improve digital connectivity for public services, including the government’s Free Wi-Fi for All program in schools, hospitals, and community centers.
