Pasay City – In accelerating the country’s shift to the new knowledge economy, The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) tied partnerships with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) to establish areas of cooperation in promoting Ecozones in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) Thursday (August 10).
DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. emphasized in his presentation the direction DOST plans and prioritizes to support the increasing role of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) within the general plan of the current administration.
Moreover, Secretary Solidum outlined priority focus areas on the promotion of human well-being, wealth creation and generation through improvement of the competitiveness and productivity of various businesses in industry, and wealth protection through the development and transfer of climate and disaster resilience technologies. He also highlighted the sustainability of R&D for environmental preservation and conservation as ways to contribute to the socioeconomic growth and development of the country.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho A. Mabborang delivered a Rationale for the DOST, PEZA, and PASUC Partnership for the Program Establishment of Knowledge, Innovation, Science, and Technology (KIST) Parks/Ecozones in the country.
“The establishment of KIST Parks located within the campuses of State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) will be integral to the creation and growth of startups, spinoffs, and S&T-based firms, complementing the efforts on technology business incubation and acceleration,” Usec. Mabborang said.
“Considering the mandates of each organization and the benefits of forging a stronger partnership, this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) stipulates engagement and implementation plans to push forward the program’s nationwide implementation,” he added.
DOST, as the lead agency for STI, will provide the scientific, technological, and innovative solutions that will lead to higher productivity and better quality of life, the promotion of human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability.
PEZA, with its mandate, will help generate investments, exports, jobs, and other economic opportunities by putting up economic zones in the country, While PASUC, through its platform, will lead in providing opportunity and innovating SUCs for Industry 4.0 and making the Academe an innovation driver under the KIST framework of PEZA.
With the signed Memorandum of Understanding, this partnership will combine their initiatives to innovate in delivering services and to level up the support mechanisms toward smart and sustainable development. These agencies will take the lead in promoting the creation of a wide range of unique products and services that make use of local resources and expertise.
The collaboration, cooperation, and complementation among these agencies will increase the country’s knowledge and technology inputs and outputs in order to improve its position on the global innovation index ranking. (PR)
