Recent data from SEERMO, an AI-powered mobility program, shows a stark imbalance on our roads, which shows that only 23% of space is available for pedestrians, while about 47% of people who are traveling and using private vehicles take up a massive 77% of it. Recognizing that putting people first is key to improving public transportation, especially in busy cities, a Filipino researcher has enhanced the SEERMO mobility app to help address this uneven use of road space across the Philippines.

“We at DOST are proud to see how Balik Scientists like Dr. Gomari are using their global expertise to help the country, especially in emerging and interdisciplinary fields like smart mobility, urban systems, and artificial intelligence,” said DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. “What’s especially exciting is the potential for this work to grow even further, connecting city plans not just across Metro Manila, but throughout the entire country.”

Dr. Syrus Gomari, one of the 710 Filipino scientists who returned to the country through the Department of Science and Technology’s Balik Scientist Program (BSP), is working to strengthen science and innovation in the Philippines by sharing his global expertise and helping improve urban planning across the country.

“The question should not be ‘How do we move more cars?’ but ‘How do we move more people efficiently? ’When we shift from car-centric to people-centric thinking, solutions expand beyond road widening to integrated transport systems, active mobility, and smarter urban design with SEERMO,” said Dr. Gomari during his exit presentation held on February 20, 2026, in Quezon City.

DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development and the program lead of BSP, Dr. Leah J. Buendia, also expressed her support for the vision of Dr. Gomari: “The Balik Scientist Program continues to be a vital bridge in bringing homegrown talent and global expertise together for nation-building. By integrating AI into transport and urban planning, we are not only addressing traffic congestion but also building safer, more inclusive, and more sustainable communities.”

During his previous engagements, Dr. Gomari has worked with the Local Governments of Pasig City and Taguig City for the R&D pilot testing of SEERMO. In his third pursuit, he continued his R&D in Quezon City through the local government with more refined research methods, which focused on the deployment of SEERMO to a much larger city.

In his Exit Report Presentation as a Balik Scientist, he emphasized the importance of moving beyond traditional planning models by incorporating an understanding of people’s behavior and decision-making in mobility choices—such as their use of walk paths and public transportation.

His SEERMO targets up to 10 times faster planning using AI-driven data and analytics compared to traditional consultancy and manual data gathering.

By integrating behavior-aware datasets of pedestrians and commuters, the AI mobility technology makes it possible for a city as large as Quezon City to shift from vehicle-centric traffic counts to people-centric mobility planning.

After a series of updates and improvements, SEERMO now has enhanced accuracy in monitoring the mobility of both people and vehicles. It functions like a CCTV system, but instead of manual counting, the process is automated through computer algorithms. Reporting on-ground incidents and transport infrastructure problems can now be done via smartphones. SEERMO also combines field data reports and government records into a single database.

Currently, SEERMO has reached and helped other cities, towns, and provinces like Cauayan City, Porac, Pampanga, Naga City in Bicol, Isabela City in Basilan, and Roxas City in Capiz.

Additionally, the research team improved the system to provide detailed results for each district or road section, showing how movement in one area impacts another, instead of just providing city-wide totals.

“The future of Philippine science and innovation will not be shaped by technology alone, nor by policies in isolation. It will be shaped by people—people who choose to come home, to contribute, and to believe that our cities and communities are worth improving. Dr. Gomari is one of those people,” said DOST-PCIEERD Deputy Executive Director and Officer-in-Charge, Office of the Executive Director, Engr. Niñaliza H. Escorial.

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