PLDT and Smart Help Cagayan De Oro, Misamis Oriental LGUs Bring AI Into Everyday Public Service Work

Artificial intelligence is finding practical use in the day-to-day work of Cagayan de Oro City government employees through PLDT and Smart’s AI-in-a-Box program.

Building on its participation in an AI for LGUs training conducted by PLDT and Smart, the City Government of Cagayan de Oro conducted its own AI orientation for employees across its offices, helping them discover practical ways to use the technology in their everyday work—from drafting memoranda and preparing communications to creating other office documents using AI.

"The biggest lesson for our employees was realizing that getting better results from AI starts with asking better questions," said MJ Meca, Assistant Department Manager of the City Management Information Systems and Innovation Department (CMISID) of the Cagayan de Oro City Government. "As they learned how to write more effective prompts, they also became more confident using AI to support their day-to-day work."

Launched in 2025, AI-in-a-Box is the PLDT Group's initiative to help bring artificial intelligence closer to communities by combining digital tools, connectivity, and training to help them explore practical applications of emerging technologies in their work.

As part of the initiative, PLDT and Smart, with support from its social outreach arm, the PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF), recently turned over AI-in-a-Box kits to the local government units of Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental. Each kit includes a laptop, Smart 5G Max Turbo WiFi, a mobile phone, initial Smart Prepaid load cards, and premium access to AI tools, designed to help partner LGUs integrate AI into day-to-day operations and support more efficient public service delivery.

"The goal is to help LGUs use AI effectively and responsibly, while showing how it can empower government offices to serve their communities better," said Roby Alampay, Head of PLDT and Smart's Public Engagement Group. "We also hope to encourage local governments to adopt a more strategic approach to AI so they can maximize its benefits across different programs and services."

The AI-in-a-Box turnover followed PLDT and Smart’s AI training last April, where government employees learned the practical, safe, ethical, and responsible use of AI in the workplace. The session also guided participants on how to craft effective prompts, assess AI-generated outputs, and use the technology responsibly in a government setting.

The Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental also recognized the value of combining AI tools with practical training to help strengthen government operations and improve the quality of work outputs. "The training helped us maximize AI by teaching us how to write better prompts, resulting in outputs that are more accurate, relevant, and useful for our work," said Engr. Candido B. Balaba Jr., Head of the Project Monitoring and Inspection System of Misamis Oriental.

Through AI-in-a-Box, PLDT and Smart are bringing practical AI tools, connectivity, and capacity-building support closer to local governments as they explore how technology can help make public service more efficient, responsive, and accessible.

These efforts form part of PLDT and Smart's #KonektedforEducation advocacy and the Group’s broader commitment to advance digital inclusion, strengthen local digital capabilities, and encourage innovation in public service, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.