Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno has filed the AI Governance Act (HB 10362) in Congress. The bill sets rules for how AI should be used in the Philippines, focusing on worker protection, digital rights, and environmental safety.
The proposal introduces an AI Bill of Rights. This includes the right to be forgotten, human review in job and bank applications, and transparency in AI systems. It also requires AI data centers to disclose energy and water use, consult with communities, and follow environmental standards.
Worker protection is a key part of the bill. Employers must give six months’ notice before using high-impact AI systems. They also need to provide reskilling, redeployment, and social protection programs. AI cannot be used to bypass labor laws or evaluate workers without human oversight. Employees and unions must be part of AI adoption decisions.
The law sets penalties for unlawful AI use, including jail time and disqualification for public officials. A Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Council will be formed, with members from government, academe, labor, civil society, youth, and tech sectors.
Diokno pointed to the Philippine AI Report 2025, which showed that 92 percent of organizations already use AI, and more than half have adopted generative AI for over a year. He said current laws like the Data Privacy Act and Cybercrime Prevention Act are not enough to handle AI risks.
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If passed, the AI Governance Act will be the country’s first national framework for responsible AI use, shaping how businesses, workers, and communities deal with the technology moving forward.
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