The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Davao, Inc. is set to stage a groundbreaking two-part event this November aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) adoption among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and strengthening Davao City’s position as a growing digital hub in Mindanao.
The AI Frontiers 2025, composed of the AI Hackathon MSME Edition on November 22–23 and the AI Frontier Conference on November 25, will bring together developers, startups, industry experts, government leaders, and the academe to explore practical applications of AI for business growth and innovation.
ICT Davao Chairperson lawyer Sam Matunog said this year’s focus underscores the organization’s commitment to fostering AI awareness and collaboration across sectors.
“This year, we are doing two events relating to AI,” he shared during Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday.
According to Ryanlee Mesias, ICT Davao’s Executive Director, the AI Hackathon MSME Edition will gather teams from the academe, young professionals, and local developers to create innovative AI-based solutions tailored for MSMEs.
“It’s a two-day hackathon, and there will be teams from the academe, young professionals, and developers joining to provide AI solutions to MSMEs, helping them address real business problems or simply become smarter enterprises for growth,” Mesias explained.
Following the hackathon, the AI Frontier Conference on November 25 will convene key stakeholders for a full-day discussion focusing on AI’s role in the academe, government, and business sectors.
Mesias said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will take part in a panel discussion, alongside regional representatives from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)—agencies that play crucial roles in advancing the country’s AI roadmap.
“The conference will be a good platform for these key line agencies to talk about AI, not just in terms of regulation and policy but also on how the business sector can adopt and transform their operations using AI,” Mesias noted.
For Chris Francisco of ManPro, one of the participating tech companies, awareness remains the first step toward AI adoption among local businesses.
“The first thing we have to do is make MSMEs aware of the technology we have here in Davao City and the advantages of using AI to scale up, save money, and time. In our case, with human resource management systems, AI helps businesses streamline operations and focus on growth,” Francisco said.
ICT Davao stated that through these events, it aims to cultivate a collaborative ecosystem where innovation thrives, empowering MSMEs, nurturing local tech talent, and aligning with the city’s broader digital transformation agenda.
