Iloilo city: The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Tuesday unveiled the 2025-2030 Regional Action Plan for Startup Development during the opening ceremony for the Western Visayas Innovative Startup Festival and Tech Expo 2025 at the Iloilo Convention Center.
According to Philippines News Agency, the action plan was developed by the Regional Research, Development and Innovation Committee of the Western Visayas Regional Development Council. The plan’s components include innovation structure development, capability-building and talent development, startup support services and acceleration, policy support, ecosystem governance, and knowledge and technology transfer.
In a press conference, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Leah Buendia highlighted the unique support group pillar of the plan. She emphasized that the approach is not merely top-down but also incorporates bottom-up strategies, acknowledging the uniqueness of each region.
DOST Regional Director for Western Visayas Rowen Gelonga discussed the various stages of innovative startups at the local level, noting the focus on four phases, including pre-incubation. One initiative involves establishing hubs in all provincial offices to facilitate brainstorming and discussions leading to viable business ideas. Successful ideas are then forwarded to technical business incubators for further mentoring.
Western Visayas has been developing its startup ecosystem over the past four to five years. Gelonga expressed confidence that the region will see more success stories in the next two to three years.
The startup festival, led by the Unified Movement in Western Visayas to Accelerate Startup and Spinoff Development, offers a range of activities such as conferences, training workshops, expositions, forums, and pitching competitions to celebrate and strengthen the region’s innovation and startup ecosystem.