Pasay City – With Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s (PEZA) objective to train and transform the Filipino workers into multi-knowledge, multi-skilled, world-class workers, the Authority underlines the crucial role of Knowledge, Innovation, Science, and Technology (KIST) Parks and Special Economic Zone Institute specializing on production and manufacturing capabilities in making the Philippines a digitalized and export-driven economy under Marcos Jr.’s administration.
PEZA Director General Charito B. Plaza highlighted, “Our KIST Parks is a type of an ecozone located within the campuses of State Colleges and Universities (SUCs). The goal of KIST parks is to leverage engineering and other much-needed courses required by various industries. It means we facilitate or ensure that the skills and jobs needed by industries are matched to those offered by these academes.”
Plaza said, “Nearly two years ago, President Duterte officially designated Batangas State University (BatStateU) as a PEZA-registered special economic zone through Proclamation No. 947, signed on 22 May 2020.”
“With this, PEZA welcomed BatStateU as the Philippines’ first-ever Knowledge, Innovation, Science and Technology (KIST) Park and we hope for their success as a benchmark for the whole country,” the PEZA Director General added.
Further, the De La Salle University, Don Mariano Marcos State University, and the University of Perpetual Help are also among the private universities proclaimed and will soon start their operations as KIST Parks. Meanwhile, the Catanduanes State University is now approved by the PEZA Board as a KIST Park last October 2021 and is currently waiting for its Presidential Proclamation.
She also stated that “PEZA has signed MOUs with various universities and institutions namely the Technological University of the Philippines Visayas (TUPV), the University of the Cordilleras (UC), Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) – Maragondon, STI-Rosario, and prominent universities in Baguio City namely the Benguet State University (BSU) and St. Louis University (SLU).”
With these signed MOUs, these universities will provide progressive leadership in applied research, developmental studies in technical, industrial, and technological fields, and production using indigenous materials and effective technology transfer in the countryside.
PEZA Director General Plaza said, “KIST Parks will enable universities to partner with foreign universities to bringing their degree programs, skills training, and technology to their local KIST partners, hoping to attract foreign students and make the Philippines not just an investment destination but also as an education hub of Asia.”