The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) have launched a national initiative geared toward serving to Filipino-developed technologies transfer past laboratories and into business markets.
Called the Philippine Technology Evaluation and Standards for Testing (PHITEST), this system seeks to deal with a long-standing concern within the native analysis sector the place improvements developed by State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) typically fail to safe adoption as a result of they lack proof of market readiness.
The initiative will set up a national system for evaluating whether or not technologies meet trade requirements for efficiency, security, high quality, and regulatory compliance earlier than they’re launched to the market.
“Filipino ingenuity is not a problem to solve. The challenge lies in how we move our innovation from the laboratory to the marketplace, from prototypes to industries, meaning scaled up with mass production and from isolated success stories to sustain national impact,” DOST secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. mentioned throughout a press convention.
Under PHITEST, technologies will bear a three-layer analysis system composed of a know-how validation layer, a requirements, testing and certification layer, and a commercialization layer.
The DOST and CHED will oversee the primary two elements, whereas commercialization efforts will contain different stakeholders.
The program will initially deal with six sectors recognized as having robust potential for international competitiveness: semiconductors and electronics, biopharma and well being technologies, agri-aqua technologies, renewable vitality and round economic system, electrical autos and aviation, and local weather change and resilience technologies.
DOST mentioned the initiative goals to extend the variety of validated and market-ready Filipino technologies, enhance investor and trade confidence in native improvements, speed up know-how adoption in each authorities and personal sectors, and align analysis outputs with trade necessities.
DOST assistant secretary Napoleon Ok. Juanillo Jr. mentioned the system isn’t meant to operate as a regulatory physique with a strict “pass-or-fail” mechanism.
Instead, he mentioned the initiative will generate knowledge that may information shoppers, industries, and policymakers in assessing whether or not a know-how is prepared for deployment or commercialization.
“To begin with, in terms of human capital and institutional recurrence, we should be able to train 60 master trainers for both university presidents, vice presidents for research and extension, as well as other scientists and specialists coming from universities and exposing them to global test kits,” Juanillo mentioned.
These grasp trainers will later prepare round 500 PHITEST assessors from SUCs and chosen HEIs.
The DOST and CHED are additionally planning to determine 10 validation facilities nationwide composed primarily of universities and personal larger training establishments. The companies mentioned the ultimate record of facilities has but to be decided pending evaluation of infrastructure readiness amongst taking part faculties.
Solidum mentioned the initiative is anticipated to provide sensible advantages for abnormal Filipinos via safer well being technologies, extra productive agricultural methods, improved product high quality, and higher-value jobs in technology-driven industries.
“So, for ordinary Filipinos, for everyone who wants to do PHITEST, PHITEST means something very concrete. Safer medical technologies in health centers. More productive farms in rural communities. Better quality products in the market. And more stable, higher-value jobs in industry and technology sectors. Because innovation is not only about ideas, but trust. What we sell are the solutions that are proven to be effective. Solutions that are trusted,” Solidum mentioned.
Juanillo added that whereas DOST has a number of ongoing applications supporting innovation, the company sees PHITEST as a key mechanism for enhancing product growth and commercialization of Philippine technologies each domestically and overseas.