DOST unveils 3-pronged economic strategy

In a bid to prop up the country’s slowing economy, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has launched a three-pronged economic strategy for the next three years, anchored on scientific developments and technological innovations.

- By EJ MACABABBAD

Called Horizons, the strategy centers on modernizing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), commercializing research and development (R&D) outputs, and building advanced industries such as the agriculture and defense sectors.

“What we want to do in Horizons is really more engagement with the business side, while disaster resilience and R&D would continue,” DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. told The STAR.

“These three Horizons are all interrelated to what we're doing, so there’s nothing new, but there’s more effort and focus on certain programs, while other groups are doing their traditional programs and projects.”

Horizons offers a mix of fully operational programs and projects that are still under development, but Solidum said these are all funded already.

Under the first Horizon strategy, DOST aims to transform 10,000 MSMEs into tech-enabled businesses, which, if fully realized, will increase productivity by 30 percent and create 200,000 new jobs.

To achieve this, DOST will support more innovations under the Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program, with the agency leveraging its recent partnership with e-commerce platform Lazada to boost MSMEs’ reach.