PAIBA Inducts Founding Leaders, Champions Ethical AI for MSMEs

Written By PAIBA Secretariat

First AI Business Association in Asia: Philippine AI Business Association inducts founding leaders, champions practical and ethical AI for MSMEs

From Left to Right (PAIBA Founding Directors & Inducting Officer): Eric Caeg – Director for Organizational Development and Training | Asian Institute of Management; Joshua Santiago – Execom and Board Secretary | JSTP Law; Amrei Dizon – Execom and Director of Marketing and PR | Introspeck & Vitalstrats; Vicky Betita – Execom and Director of Industry Development; Josie See – Execom and Director of Membership & SME Development | World of Nuts; Anne Francisco – Co-Founder and Vice President of Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA) Inc | Ferino’s Bibingka; Sergio Ortiz-Luis – Inducting Officer | Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc.; Jerry Ilao – Co-Founder and President of Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA) Inc | Olern, Inc.; Arnel Mateo – Director for Data Privacy and Cybersecurity | ADM & Partners Data Privacy and Consulting Inc.; Ricky De Vera – Director for Strategic Marketing and Digital Transformation | Strategic Business Consultant & Behavioral Psychologist; Allan Tan – Director for AI-Driven Software

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — January 2026 — The Philippine AI Business Association (PAIBA), recognized as the first AI business association in Asia, formally inducted its founding Board of Directors and founding members at Novotel Manila Araneta City, convening business leaders, government partners, and technology practitioners around a shared goal: making artificial intelligence (AI) adoption practical, responsible, and accessible for Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

As a business-led organization, PAIBA aims to bridge the gap between emerging AI technologies and real-world business applications, particularly for MSMEs that often face challenges in digital transformation due to limited resources, technical knowledge, and access to innovation networks.

The induction ceremony was led by Dr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., President of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) and Vice Chairman of the Export Development Council, who underscored the urgency of AI adoption in today’s competitive landscape.

“Artificial intelligence is no longer a future conversation. It is already shaping how business decisions are made, and how economies compete,” said Ortiz-Luis.

PAIBA’s founding leadership represents a diverse cross-section of industry experts from business, technology, education, law, data privacy, and digital transformation—reflecting the association’s commitment to inclusive, multi-sector collaboration.

Founding Director Dominic Ligot shared insights from the SWARM Philippine AI Report, revealing that 54 percent of surveyed organizations have already deployed AI in early production, with 20 percent scaling and 24 percent in initial use, and that adoption is largely being driven by business owners and top executives.

PAIBA Founding President Jerry Ilao highlighted the association’s rapid momentum in under a year, with eight major PAIBA events, six AI Connect sessions, a national hackathon, and multiple hands-on workshops designed to help MSMEs translate AI tools into measurable business outcomes.

“With the right tools, AI is the equalizer,” said Ilao. “We encourage MSMEs to stop playing small and start playing bigger—using AI to accelerate growth, improve efficiency, and compete on a global scale.”

PAIBA Co-Founder and Vice President Anne Marie B. Francisco, who also serves as President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Quezon City, emphasized the association’s culture of learning and openness.

“There are no stupid questions here. Our goal is to create a safe, practical environment where entrepreneurs can explore AI without fear or intimidation,” Francisco said.

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