DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 5 July) — The Department of Trade and Industry – Region 11 (DTI-11) here will open its Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) at the University of the Philippines – Mindanao (UPMin) campus before this year ends.
The research center, which is also an artificial intelligence and Robotics Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab), aims to help researchers, students, faculty and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for “upskilling of their productivity” with AI skills.
A FabLab is a place where one can make almost anything through different types of machinery such as computers, 3D printers, and laser cutters.
The UP Mindanao campus in Mintal, Davao CIty. MindaNews file photo by BOBBY TIMONERA
“They will be given AI-related machineries… to help their research and study in developing AI systems, which they can use in their operations,” Mae Flor Caminade, project member and trade industry development specialist of DTI-11 told MindaNews at the sidelines of iSpeak media conference Thursday morning.
Caminade said the research center’s launch date is being finalized but it will be this year.
She said they received the funding from their national office on June 7 “and we hope to sustain this shared service facility (SSF) so that our researchers from UP can use it for a long time.”
She said before this, the DTI-11 had “no funds yet for SSFs” last year as it was under the DTI’s budget. This year, this will be the lone approved SSF for Davao Region.
“We are hoping that our other projects in the pipeline will have funds for next year to support more MSMEs,” she said.
Caminade shared some SSFs in the pipeline are for common cacao processing facilities which could help MSME owners to brand their local cacao, and a FabLab for local artisans.
In May 2023, the Senate approved a bill which seeks to establish common service facilities or production centers for MSMEs nationwide, with most of them attached to state or local universities and colleges, private schools, colleges and universities, and provincial government academic training institutions.”
Caminade said there are more than 80 SSFs distributed to MSMEs through groups and associations since 2013 and these have benefited around 20 cooperatives and associations throughout the city.
A report from ABS-CBN news said DTI was given an additional P350.5 million in its 2024 budget to fund CAIRs in different regions of the country this year. (Ian Carl Espinosa/MindaNews)