President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led on Tuesday the fourth meeting of the National Innovation Council (NIC) since its creation in 2019, manifesting the administration’s commitment to promote and advance the culture of innovation in the country through increased collaborations with the private sector.
Tuesday’s Palace gathering marks the council’s first meeting under the administration of President Marcos.
“To be very clear, innovation plays a critical role in our pursuit for sustained and accelerated economic growth and development, as it serves as a catalyst for raising overall productivity and elevating the quality of our goods and services,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
“Only through a collective national effort can we truly pursue and attain these goals for our future. The Marcos administration reaffirms its commitment and determination to turn these visions and plans into a reality, and build a strong economic foundation for the future generations of Filipinos,” Balisacan pointed out.
Balisacan, who heads the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) announced that the Council, which serves as the government’s main coordinating body for innovation policies and is chaired by the President, has approved six Executive Members for 2023 to 2026, with the 7th slot to be filled by a climate change expert.
According to the NEDA chief, also presented to the President were the salient features of Republic Act No. 11293 or the Philippine Innovation Act, as well as updates on the formulation of the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document, which outlines the country’s 10-year vision and long-term goals for innovation and serves as a detailed roadmap towards improving innovation governance.
On the drafting and formulation of the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document, Balisacan said they continue to build upon the Framework of the National Innovation Agenda for 2032, to enable a flourishing innovation ecosystem through the aspects of governance, policy, infrastructure, innovation finance and culture.
The council also established 10 National Innovation Priority Areas that include Learning and Education, Health, Food and Agriculture, Finance, Trade, Transportation and Logistics, as well as Public Administration, Security and Defense, Energy, and Blue Economy and Water, which will be the government priority for development, funding, and innovation in the next 10 years.
The National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document also ties closely with the outcomes and strategies laid out in Chapter 8 of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 on Advancing Research and Development, Technology and Innovation, Balisacan pointed out.
An Innovation Fund was also put up to strengthen entrepreneurship and enterprises engaged in developing innovative solutions, with the NIC approving so far 19 project proposals amounting to P115 million under the Innovation Grants.
Chaired by the President and with the NEDA secretary acting as vice-chairperson, the NIC is a 25-member body tasked to develop the country’s innovation goals, priorities and long-term national strategy.
It has 16 ex-officio members, along with seven executive members from the private sector, with the NEDA Innovation Staff serving as the council’s secretariat. (PND)
