PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday launched the 10-year National Innovation Agenda Strategy Document (NIASD) 2023-2032, or a “blueprint” outlining the country’s long-term goals for innovation, providing the roadmap and strategies for enhancing innovation governance and fostering greater public-private partnerships.
During the presentation of the NIASD at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila, Marcos said the “blueprint” is also a commitment of his administration to make “innovation an indispensable component of our nation’s development agenda, and a key driver in our vision to achieve a truly smart and innovative Philippines.”
He said it also promotes a culture of innovation among scientists, researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and the public in general.
Marcos said the Philippines has earned recognition as an innovation achiever and, with the NIASD, he is hoping the Philippines would be able to position itself as a stalwart of innovation along with its neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.
“We are hopeful in the journey that we have taken, as it positions us to become a stalwart of innovation in this dynamic and promising region. This initiative promises a long-awaited transformation for our nation. It also represents the collective efforts of a society that is coming together in synergy,” he added.
The NIASD, implemented within the ambit of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, identified 10 innovation priority areas based on the Philippine Innovation Act, namely, learning and education; health; food and agribusiness; finance; manufacturing and trade; transportation and logistics; public administration; security and defense; energy; and blue economy and water.
The President said that under education, for instance, the government seeks to reform the education curriculum design and learning platforms to develop the creativity, curiosity, problem-solving skills, and entrepreneurial abilities of Filipinos for the 21st century.
“Likewise, we shall bolster spending for research and development (R&D); support local enterprises; ensure food security through smart agricultural inputs to empower local producers; facilitate efficient and secure financial services; accelerate digitalization efforts to boost manufacturing processes and commercialization of products and services; improve mobility through better urban-rural linkages, and reduce carbon footprints of our transport systems,” he added.
Marcos, recognizing the crucial role of the academic sector as an “incubator of talent and skills” among the youth, also called on them to support the country’s goal to create a “culture of innovation.
“Continue to develop the minds and the sensibilities of our youth so that we can set them up for success and harness their talents for national development,” he said.
Among those present during the launch were Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, United States Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, and National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.
