CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)—The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-X presented some of the key strategies laid down in the Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023-2028 to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Northern Mindanao.
During the three-day Regional Innovation Day Program and Expo held recently in SM City CDO, NEDA-X director Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño said these cross-cutting strategies on innovation serves as catalysts for economic, social, institutional and environment transformation.
Cariño said one of the strategies is to transform the production sector to generate more quality jobs and competitive products. This, she said, can be attained by strengthening basic and applied research and development (R&D); advancing market-driven and customer-centered R&D; scaling up of technology adoption utilization and commercialization; accelerating innovation and entrepreneurship.
“The production sector, the agriculture and agri-business will be modernized. The region will drive more innovations in agriculture through a cohesive and proactive collaboration with all stakeholders, national and local governments, agribusiness sectors, civil society organizations and the farming and fishing communities, including the IP communities,” she said.
The NEDA-X director further said that industry will also be revitalized with focus on manufacturing while services including tourism, creative and business processing sectors will be reinvigorated.
Moreover, inter-industry linkages will be enhanced and the government will be aggressive in promoting trade and attracting investments.
“Northern Mindanao will position itself as the regional innovation and business start-up hub and the preferred investment area in Southern Philippines. Locational assets such as the Phividec Industrial Authority and various economic zones will be extensively promoted and sustainably expanded while the development of emerging industrial areas, particularly the Metro Iligan Regional Agri Industrial Center, the University of Science and Technology S&T Parks, and other zones will be fast-tracked,” she further said.
Meanwhile, the three-day Regional Innovation Day Program and Expo was conducted in line with the National Innovation Day celebration. NEDA-X served as the main convenor of the activity with the Regional Research Development and Innovation Committee, the Regional Inclusive Innovation, and the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation as co-convenors.
The activity aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem of the region. The ecosystem consists of various players, stakeholders, and community members that are crucial for innovation to thrive. It includes the government, private sector, universities, private investors, entrepreneurs, start-up accelerators, and the media. (APB/PIA-10)
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