Senator Joel Villanueva on Friday urged state universities and colleges (SUCs) to prioritize funding for artificial intelligence (AI) training for faculty members, saying the rapid rise of generative AI has allowed many students to outpace their teachers in using the technology.
Speaking at the 2026 Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) Annual Convention at the SMX Convention Center, Villanueva said continuous faculty upskilling should become a priority as AI transforms higher education and the future workforce.
“Sometimes, students are already ahead of their teachers, especially in generative AI,” he noted.
Villanueva clarified that the widening gap is driven by the speed of technological change rather than the competence of educators.
“Hindi po dahil kulang sa skill ang ating mga guro, kundi dahil napakabilis talagang umusad ng teknolohiya (It is not because our teachers lack skills but because technology is advancing so rapidly),” he said. “I hope we can work together to find ways to fund AI training for our SUC faculty.”
The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education said universities must prepare students for careers and technologies that have yet to emerge, noting that higher education institutions should remain relevant amid constant disruption.
Drawing from Simon Sinek’s “infinite mindset,” Villanueva cited Nokia and Kodak as examples of companies that failed to adapt despite once dominating their industries.
He also recalled management thinker Peter Drucker’s 1997 prediction that university campuses could become “relics,” saying the real challenge is whether institutions continue to evolve with changing times.
Villanueva said this was among the reasons behind the inclusion of a PHP2 million Futures Thinking Research Program for selected SUCs in the 2026 national budget, an initiative he and Senator Pia Cayetano supported as part of the record PHP1.3 trillion allocation for education.
“In such a world, the future will not wait for us. Our state universities and colleges must anticipate change, shape it, and lead it,” he said. (PNA)