By Geefe Alba, contributor

“WITH the presence of artificial intelligence (AI), the life of a teacher, in a sense, can be lighter — in formulating a lesson, making a program, searching for a template, and creating slides and presentations,” said Catleya Pichay, an elementary school teacher at Tagpangi National High School.

Pichay was among thousands of teachers in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Northern Mindanao division who celebrated World Teachers’ Day on Friday, Oct. 3.Concerns about AI replacing teachers and lessons have grown in developed countries as several AI tools have made significant impacts on companies and industries worldwide, potentially cutting large portions of the workforce.

In the Philippines, however, lessons in most schools are still taught with chalk on a blackboard. Teachers remain hopeful for meaningful progress with the help of these tools.

“For us teachers, it serves as a tool that simplifies our complex and herculean tasks,” said Marizel Obsioma, academic coordinator of Tagpangi National High School.

“For students, it broadens their perspective when used with critical thinking,” Obsioma added.

DepEd data show there are more than 875,000 public school teachers employed across the country — a visible shortage compared with the number of students enrolled.

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers has staged walkout rallies demanding pay increases.

DepEd also fell short of its target enrollment for the current school year. The department aimed for about 27.6 million enrollees in basic education, but only a little more than 24 million have registered for School Year 2025–2026.

With declining enrollment and ongoing pay hike protests, worries about AI replacing educators seem far-fetched in the Philippines — at least for now. Teachers view AI tools as resources, not replacements.

“It (AI) can be both an advantage and a disadvantage,” said Pichay. “It is a good learning resource, but it’s a disadvantage in the sense that, due to its accessibility and convenience, students tend to rely on it purely, making them dependent on AI.”

On World Teachers’ Day, Pichay joined thousands of educators in celebrating the hard work and dedication of teachers nationwide.

Bannering the theme “My Teacher, My Hero,” activities included cheering, folk dancing, and talent competitions among districts.

Raffle prizes and rewards featured a brand-new Toyota Wigo, a Samsung flat-screen television, gift vouchers, and various home appliances.