Development of Smart Cities, Quantum Technology, Digital Transformation, Advanced Weather Forecasting, and the facilitation of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) initiatives are among the points of interest of the companies during the annual US-ASEAN Business Council 2023 Philippine Business Mission meeting held recently at the Manila Marriott Hotel.
The US-ASEAN Business Council represents over 175 U.S. companies, including many of the world’s largest global firms, with operations in Southeast Asia. In this Business Mission, senior representatives from member companies went to the Philippines to engage with priority stakeholders, reinforcing the importance of U.S.-Philippines business relations.
Led by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., the DOST welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with the private sector in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI). This strategic alignment is expected to bring many benefits, such as knowledge exchanges, technological breakthroughs, and finding innovative solutions that can improve the STI efforts of the country.
For DOST, research and development projects on OneLab Network, SETUP (Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program) and CEST (Community Empowerment through Science and Technology), alongside the areas of cooperation outlined in the MOU are envisioned to be continued. These are R&D programs focused on upgrading and supporting countryside development and empowering the marginalized communities in the country, through S&T interventions in five entry points: health and nutrition, water and sanitation, basic education and literacy, livelihood/economic enterprise development, and disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Notably, it is important to highlight that the DOST and the US-ASEAN Business Council formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2019. This MOU stands as a testament to the joint efforts in promoting the development and implementation of government-driven science, technology, and innovation initiatives within the private sector.