Marcos okays roadmap to boost innovation governance

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD) 2023-2032, outlining the country's plan to improve innovation governance and establish a dynamic innovation ecosystem, Malacañang said Saturday.

Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the President, who heads the National Innovation Council (NIC), gave the approval during the 5th NIC meeting.

Garafil said that Rosemarie Edillon, National Economic and Development Authority's (NEDA) undersecretary for Policy and Planning, presented the rationale and features of the NIASD during the meeting.

President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong Marcos Jr. PHOTO BY PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

“Discussed during the meeting were the approval of the NIASD, the selection of the 7th NIC executive member, NIC official logo, authorizing the grant of per diem to the NIC executive members, ratification of the special power of attorney (SPA), update on the ways forward on the implementation of Section 23 of the Philippine Innovation Act (PIA), and the proposed additional plantilla positions in the NIC secretariat,” Garafil said.

Garafil said the NIASD characterizes a dynamic innovation ecosystem as one that fosters a pervasive culture of innovation driven by market demands.

“It facilitates collaboration through active, reliable, and useful platforms, and provides innovation actors with the necessary facilities and resources to transform their ideas into innovative products and services,” she said.

Further, it connects the innovator-entrepreneur to potential investors and funders, the Palace official added.

NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, vice chairman of the NIC, said that establishing a dynamic innovation ecosystem is one of the six cross-cutting strategies in the transformation agenda identified in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 to achieve a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient society.

“Chapter 8 of the PDP elaborates on this strategy by situating it within the continuum of research and development, innovation, technology adoption, then commercialization” stated Balisacan.

Meanwhile, an oath-taking ceremony for the executive members also took place shortly before the 5th NIC meeting.

The NIC is a 25-member policy advisory body that comprises 16 Department Secretaries and seven Executive Members from the private sector.

Aside from Balisacan, the NIC members present during the meeting were Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines Director General Rowel Barba, Scientific Community member Dr. Ria Liza Canlas, MSMEs member Mark Sultan Gersava, and Business Sector Members Monchito Ibrahim and Earl Martin Valencia.