Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) brought the island’s leading expertise in artificial intelligence and smart energy to Manila from November 13 to 15 through its “Economic and Trade Forum Tour,” held in partnership with the Taiwan Association Inc. Philippines (TAP). Headlining the program was Vivian Huang, International Cooperation Strategy Officer at Taiwan’s Institute for Information Industry (III), a key driver of Taiwan’s digital transformation and smart-city initiatives.
The Manila engagement blended a high-level seminar with on-site corporate visits, designed to support Filipino-based Taiwanese companies in strengthening ESG capabilities, accelerating digital and net-zero transitions, and forging closer links with Taiwan’s rapidly advancing technology ecosystem.
On November 15, Huang delivered a keynote address titled “Digital Transformation and Smart Energy,” drawing nearly 50 business leaders from across Metro Manila. She presented Taiwan’s latest AI-powered applications in manufacturing, workforce automation, customer service, food processing, power management, and urban governance. Among the highlights was Kaohsiung City’s use of AI to manage large-scale event traffic and optimize commercial activity—an example of how smart technology can boost both urban efficiency and economic performance.
TAP President Tom Lin expressed appreciation to OCAC and Huang for bringing Taiwan’s newest technological insights to local enterprises, noting that the seminar “provides timely and practical guidance for enterprises facing rapid industry changes.”
Taiwan’s Representative to the Philippines, Ambassador Wallace M.G. Chow, underscored that smart energy, digital transformation, and AI-enabled governance are now global imperatives. He said Taiwan’s achievements in renewable energy, digital innovation, and smart-city development position it as a strong partner for companies pursuing competitiveness and sustainable growth.
The program also included visits to two Taiwan-founded enterprises in the Philippines—Kou Fu Color Printing Corporation in Cavite and Ersao Taiwanese Restaurant in Quezon City—organized jointly by TAP and the Culture Center of T.E.C.O. in the Philippines. During the site assessments, Huang recommended digital process monitoring, energy-efficiency measures, automation for high-cost production tasks, and the adoption of AI-assisted tools for inventory, workforce management, and operations optimization. Both companies expressed strong interest in integrating these strategies to enhance productivity and long-term resilience.
Manila served as the final stop of Huang’s regional technology mission, following earlier engagements in Vietnam and Thailand. The initiative further strengthened Taiwan–Philippines industrial cooperation and opened new pathways for AI-driven partnerships—reinforcing Taiwan’s commitment to supporting overseas enterprises in their digital and smart-energy transformation journey.