The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) marked a serious milestone within the nation’s innovation agenda with the launch of 19 regional Advanced Manufacturing Centers (AMCen) and the revealing of a national additive manufacturing (AM) curriculum in the course of the Asian Conference on Advanced Manufacturing (ACAM) 2025 held this week at Solaire Resort and Casino in Paranaque City.
The occasion, led by DOST secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr., gathered scientists, trade leaders, and international companions to advance the Philippines’ capabilities in additive and superior manufacturing — a key pillar within the nation’s science, expertise, and innovation (STI) roadmap.
In his keynote, Solidum underscored the function of superior manufacturing in reworking all the STI cycle — from data era to innovation.
“Science generates knowledge, technology transforms that knowledge into application, and innovation brings those applications into the real world where they create value,” he stated.
He emphasised that the Philippines stands at a “critical juncture” amid international disruptions in provide chains, local weather, and public well being — but additionally with distinctive alternatives pushed by its younger workforce and pure assets.
“Advanced manufacturing strengthens every part of that cycle,” Solidum stated, citing real-world purposes in healthcare, agriculture, aerospace, and catastrophe resilience.
He famous that via AMCen’s community of laboratories, “when disasters strike, we can immediately produce spare parts, fabricate relief components, and even develop modular shelters close to where they are needed.”
The newly launched 19 AMCen Regional Laboratories will function innovation hubs throughout Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — linking researchers, MSMEs, universities, and industries.
DOST undersecretary for regional operations Sancho Mabborang stated the initiative goals to “propel connected innovation ecosystems in the regions,” making certain that science and expertise attain communities quicker and extra inclusively.
“An idea may begin in one of our iHubs, be prototyped in an AMCen regional lab, tested through the Metals and Engineering Innovation Center, and automated with AMERIAL,” Mabborang defined. “No region should be left behind — connectivity is the key to inclusivity.”
The convention additionally noticed the introduction of a National Additive Manufacturing Curriculum for junior and senior excessive faculties, together with specialised undergraduate and graduate programs and 16 technical applications for trade reskilling and upskilling.
DOST officers highlighted the collaboration amongst its key companies — the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC), and the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) — in constructing a full-spectrum innovation ecosystem.
Dr. Annabelle Briones of ITDI launched AMCen’s Materials Development Laboratory, which is growing sustainable 3D-printable supplies from rice husks, coconut shells, and different native byproducts.
Robert Dizon of MIRDC introduced the (*19*) and Prototyping Laboratory, the place Filipino engineers are already producing precision elements for aerospace, automotive, and medical industries.
Dr. Enrico Paringit of PCIEERD outlined the strategic help being supplied via funding, requirements alignment, and startup applications corresponding to CRADLE and SETUP.
“Together, these facilities form the backbone of a national advanced manufacturing ecosystem — one that turns research into real-world impact,” Paringit stated.
In closing, Mabborang led the ceremonial launch of AMCen’s regional labs and digital platforms, joined by DOST officers, calling it “a bold step forward” towards a really related innovation ecosystem.
“These are not just facilities or programs — they are bridges that connect our regions to the national ecosystem of science, technology, and innovation,” Mabborang stated. “Let us make these laboratories living spaces of innovation.”