The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) is putting a substantial portion of its increased 2026 funding into artificial intelligence (AI), as it strengthens its capacity to detect and track suspicious financial activity amid heightened scrutiny of large cash transactions.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor and AMLC Chairman Eli Remolona Jr. said Thursday that ₱125 million of the council’s additional ₱162.9 million funding for 2026 was allocated to AI capabilities, capacity-building and the hiring of specialists who can maximize the technology.
“Ang ₱125 million, napunta yan sa AI. Tapos ang capacity building. Kailangan din ang mga experts sa paggamit ng AI. So gamit na gamit po ang budget na yan (The ₱125 million went to AI, as well as capacity building. We also need experts in using AI. So, the budget was put to very good use),” Remolona said.
He made the statement during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the proposed 2027 national budget, in response to a question from Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on how the AMLC used the additional resources secured for the council.
The funding boost came after Senate scrutiny of weaknesses in the country’s anti-money laundering defenses, particularly during hearings into the flood control scandal where large cash transactions involving contractors drew attention.
The Senate Finance Committee, then chaired by now-Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, restored the AMLC’s proposed 2026 budget to ₱333 million in the Senate version of the budget bill. This was significantly higher than the ₱170.161 million allocation initially included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP), following Lacson’s recommendation.
Lacson had earlier pledged in September 2025 to help the AMLC secure the resources it needed to intensify its fight against money laundering and corruption.
At the time, he criticized the AMLC’s proposed funding in the NEP as merely “crumbs” compared with what the council said it needed to perform its mandate effectively.
The AMLC had sought ₱333.1 million for 2026 from the Department of Budget and Management but initially received only ₱170.16 million in the NEP.
The additional funding has now enabled the council to invest heavily in AI, while also building the human expertise needed to operate and develop the technology.
The move marks a significant shift in the AMLC’s enforcement capabilities as authorities increasingly confront complex financial transactions that can be difficult to identify through conventional monitoring alone. By combining AI tools with trained specialists, the council aims to strengthen its ability to analyze financial data and uncover potential money-laundering patterns.