For years, monitoring infrastructure projects across the province of Lanao del Sur meant manually consolidating data from different offices into spreadsheets—a time-consuming process that delayed reporting and decision-making.

Now, the Provincial Government is taking a smarter approach. 

Four months into the AI Innovation Mentorship and Acceleration Program for Local Government Units (LGUs) led by PLDT and Smart, the provincial government of Lanao del Sur has begun testing and refining its proposed solution called Ranaw InfraTrack AI, an AI-powered infrastructure monitoring and analytics platform designed to help government offices track infrastructure projects in real time, promote transparency, and make faster, data-driven decisions. 

By automating data organization and providing real-time project insights, the platform enables more efficient planning, reporting, and decision-making. 

With Ranaw InfraTrack AI, government offices can access project information faster, helping engineers focus on project implementation while giving leaders real-time visibility into project progress.

"The dashboard gives us a clear view of ongoing projects and where they are located, making it easier to monitor developments across the province," said Engr. Dimasira "Ote" Macabando Jr., Head of the Provincial Engineer's Office. 

"Complying with various reporting requirements has always been one of our challenges. With this system, we can prepare reports much faster while improving transparency by keeping our constituents informed. We also hope it will accelerate project implementation by allowing us to track progress more efficiently," he added. 

Driven by the PLDT and Smart-initiated AI Innovation Mentorship, Lanao del Sur formed its AI Innovation Team with representatives from the Provincial Engineer's Office, Provincial Information Office, Information and Communications Technology Office, and other departments. 

Facilitated by innovation consultancy Limitless Lab, the mentorship program guided participants at every level, from identifying local challenges to developing, testing, and refining their AI-powered solutions, resulting in a prototype that the provincial government can continue to build on. 

To jump-start prototype development, PLDT and Smart earlier provided the LGU with an AI-in-a-Box package containing a laptop, mobile phone, Smart 5G Max Turbo WiFi, prepaid load cards, and a ChatGPT subscription, equipping the team with the digital tools needed to further enhance and successfully deploy the solution. 

"The AI-in-a-Box is more than a toolkit for innovation. It's about empowering local governments with the confidence, skills, and partnerships they need to harness AI in ways that make public service responsive, efficient, and impactful," said Roby Alampay, Head of Public Engagement at PLDT and Smart. 

Supported by PLDT-Smart Foundation, the PLDT Group's AI-in-a-Box digital empowerment program equips communities and institutions with AI tools and practical skills that address real-world challenges. 

Jennie Tamano, Head of the Provincial Information Office, said the program showed participants how AI can be used as a practical tool for improving government services.

"Thank you for always being our partner and for giving us new opportunities to learn. Just as we all had to learn and adapt to the internet, we now have to embrace AI. It may seem intimidating at first, but because of PLDT and Smart, we realized that AI is simply a tool to help people to work better, not replace them," Tamano said.

The mentorship program builds on the long-standing partnership between PLDT, Smart and the provincial government of Lanao del Sur. From supporting emergency communications through Smart Infocast during the pandemic, to technology-driven livelihood support for Meranaw cooperatives as part of Marawi's rehabilitation, the collaboration now extends to maximizing the use of AI to strengthen public service delivery.

PLDT and Smart continue to advance digital inclusion by equipping local governments with the skills, tools, and partnerships needed to harness emerging technologies for public good. These efforts support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure by empowering local institutions through technology and enabling data-driven and inclusive public services.