DOST calls for more investments in Filipino innovations

BATANGAS CITY — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) called for more investments to further develop and commercialize Filipino innovations.

On Thursday, the DOST officially opened the inaugural Inno.Venta, a three-day innovation fair aimed at connecting science-based innovations ready for commercial use to potential investors.

In his opening address, DOST Assistant Secretary for Technology Transfer, Communications, and Commercialization Napoleon Juanillo Jr. said that the agency has been working toward the goal of establishing the Philippines as a credible innovation hub.

Through DOST's Program PROPEL, the department seeks to empower Filipino innovators and help them compete globally in these fields:

• Semiconductors and Electronics
• IT–BPM, Artificial Intelligence, and Quantum Computing
• Electric Vehicles and Aviation Technologies
• Biopharma and Healthcare Technologies
• Renewable Energy and the Circular Economy
• Climate Change and Disaster Resilience Technologies

“This groundwork was essential. Every great launch begins with understanding the conditions that shape its flight. Having mapped our innovation terrain—its barriers, bridges, and blind spots—we are ready for lift-off,” Juanillo said.

DOST Secretary Renato Solidum said more funding is required for research and development (R&D) initiatives in order to promote "innovation economics" across the country.

He noted that while the Philippines ranked 50 out of 139 economies in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII) and landed third among lower middle-income economies, the local R&D sector still has room for improvement.

To sustain the momentum, the DOST said that it plans to continue boosting efforts in R&D productivity, technology transfer, and industry collaboration.

“Innovation cannot be centralized—it must reach every corner of the country, from the cities to the countryside… A higher GII ranking is not just about prestige. It is about our nation’s capacity to create wealth through knowledge and to translate innovation into inclusive prosperity. Every innovation begins with a question, and every discovery begins with research,” Solidum said.

“When we invest in science, we invest in our people. When we empower innovation, we empower the economy. And when we make innovation the backbone of our national agenda, we build a Philippines that competes, creates, and thrives—a Philippines that proudly stands on the strength of its genius,” he added.

The DOST Inno.Venta 2025 is being held at the Batangas State University from October 23 to 25, and around 500 people are expected to participate. —VBL, GMA Integrated News