News & Updates
Innovation ecosystem news from Baguio, Cordillera, and Northern Luzon.
The Cordillera Has Free ICT Training Centers Operating Across Its Provinces. DICT-CAR's Tech4ED Network Is Built to Reach Every Community the Market Cannot.
DICT-CAR operates Tech4ED and Digital Transformation Centers across the Cordillera Administrative Region, from the flagship Digital Transformation Center at Post Office Loop, Baguio City to centers in remote municipalities in Abra and Apayao, offering free ICT training, e-government services, MSME digitalization support, and AI-enabled programming to anyone who walks in.
Pangasinan Brought 11 MSMEs to the Biggest Food Exhibition in the Philippines. Two of Them Are Already Ready for Export.
The Province of Pangasinan, led by Governor Ramon Guico III and supported by DTI Pangasinan, participated for the third consecutive time in IFEX Philippines 2026 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from May 21 to 23, bringing 11 MSMEs to a global food audience, with some already exporting to Europe, Australia, and Canada, and two now positioned for additional international market entry.
A Rice Mill in Solsona, Ilocos Norte Cut Its Electricity Bill in Half Using Solar Power. DOST Helped Make It Happen. Now the Owner Is Expanding.
YILDUN Enterprises Inc. in Barangay Juan, Solsona, Ilocos Norte received ₱2.86 million in DOST SETUP assistance in 2024 to install 181 solar panels, dropping its monthly electricity bill from ₱200,000–₱250,000 to ₱100,000–₱150,000, enabling owner Angelito Dela Cruz to lower rice prices by ₱10–₱20 per bag and plan a second solar-powered rice mill facility.
Baguio's Water Problem Is No Longer Just About Supply. It Is About Whether the City Remains Livable.
The City Environment and Parks Management Office has flagged water security as one of Baguio City's most urgent long-term challenges, citing illegal wastewater discharge, degraded watersheds, aging sewage treatment infrastructure, and the compounding pressure of El Niño, while announcing feasibility studies completed for facility rehabilitation and a new partnership with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation under the BRIDGE project supported by Global Affairs Canada.
MMSU's Bannuar TBI Is Building the Ilocos Region's Technology Startup Pipeline. From a P12.7 Million Launch to Its First Graduates, Here Is What It Has Built So Far.
The MMSU Bannuar Technology Business Incubator, the first HEIRIT-TBI in Region I funded by DOST-PCIEERD at P12.7 million, has moved from its 2023 launch to its first batch of graduates, its first MOA with food startup incubatees, a second TBI in the pipeline for agri-fishery enterprises, and a vision to become the center for research-based technology commercialization in Northern Luzon.
DTI Ilocos Region Is Telling MSMEs to Adapt or Fall Behind. It Is Also Handing Them the Tools to Do It.
DTI Ilocos Region Director Merlie Membrere used a virtual government service forum to call on MSMEs across the region to adapt and innovate in the face of changing consumer behavior, rising costs, and global competition, while announcing the first batch of 57 mentees under this year's Kapatid Mentor ME program, supported by DOST, DOLE, BIR, and the Intellectual Property Office.
Lagayan, Abra Is Becoming a Tourism Capital. It Is Doing It With Filipino-Made Electric Vehicles and Smart Mobility Technology.
The Municipality of Lagayan, Abra, as the pilot LGU for DOST's Smart and Sustainable Community Program in the province, has begun preparing for the deployment of e-mobility technologies through a benchmarking visit to UP Diliman, CHRG Electric Vehicle Technologies, and Tojo Motors Corporation, with Mayor Edmarc Crisologo leading the initiative alongside DOST-Abra.
Baguio Just Held Its Biggest MSME Gathering of the Year. Here Is What the 2026 MSME Innovation Summit Delivered.
The 2026 MSME Innovation Summit, themed "NextGen MSMEs: Innovating for Impact," was held on May 29 and 30 at the University of the Cordilleras Theater, convening entrepreneurs, innovators, national government agencies, financing institutions, universities, and business solution partners from Alibaba to GCash in a two-day free summit designed to help Baguio and Benguet enterprises start, grow, and compete in the next economy.
The Philippines Does Not Have Enough Scientists, Engineers, and Researchers. DOST Says That Is One of the Most Urgent Problems the Country Faces.
DOST Western Visayas Regional Director Rowen Gelonga has sounded the alarm on the country's shortage of science and technology professionals, warning that the Philippines cannot sustain economic growth, global competitiveness, or innovation-led development without producing significantly more scientists, engineers, and researchers. The warning applies as directly to Northern Luzon as it does to any other region in the country.
Sugpon, Ilocos Sur Has an Abundance of Ube and a Plan to Turn It Into Purple Gold. DOST Just Gave Local Processors the Skills to Do It.
DOST Ilocos Sur concluded a three-day training on food safety, quality enhancement, and ube value-adding in Brgy. Balbalayang, Sugpon on May 22, 2026, equipping local farmers and processors with the techniques to produce ube noodles, ube sauce, and ube pocket pie at a standard that can compete in local and international markets.
MMSU Students Built an AI Joint Detection System, Studied Inabel's Survival, and Researched Bamboo as Diabetes Treatment. The University Just Recognized the Best of Them.
Mariano Marcos State University held its Undergraduate Research Excellence Awards 2026 on May 19, recognizing top student research across four categories: Education, Life and Health Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering and IT, and Social Sciences and Humanities and the Arts, with winning studies addressing community health, heritage preservation, agricultural science, and digital innovation.
Apayao Just Launched an Electric Mobility System Built by Filipino Scientists. MOVE Apayao Is the Cordillera's First Step Toward Smart, Clean Transport.
DOST-CAR formally launched the MOVE Apayao Project and its CHaRM-enabled charging station facility at Apayao State College on May 18, 2026, deploying a locally developed smart mobility system featuring electric jeepneys, a mobile application, and 30-minute fast charging technology developed by UP Diliman scientists, with plans for expansion across the Cordillera region.
DTI Region 2 Is Convening Investors, Buyers, and Coconut Farmers for a Two-City Forum This June. Here Is What Is on the Table.
The DTI Region 2 Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan is hosting a Market Opportunity and Investment Forum for the Coconut Industry on June 1 and 2 in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya and June 3 and 4 in Sanchez Mira, Cagayan, bringing together investors, institutional buyers, processors, MSMEs, and coconut farmers for two days of investment pitching, technology showcasing, and supply chain deal-making. Virtual participation via Zoom is available.
DOST Has a Technology That Turns Agricultural Waste Into Charcoal. Enterprises in Northern Luzon Can Adopt It Now.
The DOST Forest Products Research and Development Institute has developed a Charcoal Briquetting Technology that converts agro-forest waste including coconut shells, coffee husks, and sawdust into high-quality charcoal briquettes, a nearly smokeless, longer-burning, and carbon-neutral alternative to LPG, gas, and conventional charcoal. DOST Ilocos Region is actively inviting enterprises to adopt the technology.
Baguio Used to Be on the Global Startup Map. It Is Not Anymore. That Should Bother Us More Than It Does.
In 2021, Baguio City entered the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index at 944th globally. By 2022, it had dropped off. The 2026 index just added two more Philippine cities, bringing the country's total to ten ranked cities. Baguio is still not one of them. That gap is not a data problem. It is a signal worth taking seriously.
Kalinga Is Getting a Rice Processing System and a Food Hub with Cold Storage. The DA Secretary Made the Commitment in Person.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. committed during a May 22, 2026 visit to Kalinga to build a Rice Processing System 3 and a food hub with cold storage facilities on a 50-hectare property in Rizal, Kalinga, with the rice processing system targeted to begin construction this year and the food hub aimed for completion by 2028.
Three Ifugao Enterprises Are Getting Technology Upgrades Through DOST. A Hollow Block Maker, a Food Processor, and a Cacao Producer Are Next in Line.
DOST Ifugao is extending SETUP assistance to three local enterprises in the province: JAXS Hollowblock Manufacturing, Processed Food Manufacturing, and Love Nature Farm Products Manufacturing, covering equipment acquisition, production capacity expansion, and technology upgrades designed to improve quality and grow market reach.
Over 20 Firms Want In on the Luzon Economic Corridor's AI Hub. The Philippines Just Became the First Country in Southeast Asia to Host a Pax Silica Site.
At least 20 firms, including over a dozen US companies and several Middle East-based investors, have expressed interest in the first AI-native industrial acceleration hub under Pax Silica, to be located within a 4,000-acre industrial zone in New Clark City as part of the Luzon Economic Corridor.
Philippine Startups Contribute 3% of GDP and 200,000 Jobs. Investors Are Now Asking a Different Question.
The Philippine startup ecosystem is in what investors are calling a "healthy reset," with capital deployment at a six-year low but discipline at an all-time high. Startups now contribute 3% of nominal GDP and over 200,000 jobs, and the investors backing the next wave are looking for sustainability over speed.
The 2026 MSME Innovation Summit Is Coming to Baguio City. Two Days, One Theater, and Every Resource an Enterprise Needs to Grow.
The 2026 MSME Innovation Summit and Expo is happening on May 29 and 30, 2026 at the University of the Cordilleras Theater in Baguio City, bringing together entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, government agencies, and development partners for two days of breakout sessions, business matching, and MSME support programming. The event is free and open to all MSMEs.
Ilocos Norte Is Taking Its Investment Pitch to Hawaii and Los Angeles. The Genuine Ilocano Program Wants the Diaspora to Build Back Home.
The provincial government of Ilocos Norte launched the Genuine Ilocano Program during its Hawaii-LA Mission, creating a structured pathway for overseas Ilocanos to participate in the province's economic development through investment, MSME engagement, professional networking, and cultural exchange, backed by a GI Card with partner benefits and government consultancy support.
Over 300 Participants Across the Region Joined a Free Webinar on UI/UX Design. Here Is What They Learned.
Product Designer and Startup Ecosystem Operator Leandro Rey Gepila led a three-hour free webinar on May 20, 2026, covering the fundamentals of UI/UX design, hands-on Figma use, career pathways in the design industry, and the effect of AI on UI/UX practice, drawing over 300 participants from across the region.
DTI Ilocos Norte Is Training the People Who Advise MSMEs. Their Latest Focus: Intellectual Property Registration.
The DTI Ilocos Norte Provincial Office conducted the "Navigating Counselors toward IP Registration and Unlocking Entrepreneurial Potential" training on May 18, 2026 in Laoag City, equipping Negosyo Center Business Counselors with the knowledge and practical guidance needed to help MSMEs protect and register their intellectual property.
Isabela Just Launched a Banana Fiber Innovation Hub. DOST Is Projecting P9 Million in Annual Income and a New Link in Northern Luzon's Textile Value Chain.
The Natural Textile Fiber Innovation Hub in Benito Soliven, Isabela was formally inaugurated on May 18, 2026, backed by P6 million worth of DOST equipment and managed by a local cooperative, with a daily fiber production target of 10 to 40 kilos of spinnable banana fiber valued at over P2,600 per kilo.
Ilocos Norte Now Has a Yarn Production Center. Local Weavers Are Already Calling It a Game Changer.
The Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center in Barangay Parut, Vintar, Ilocos Norte has begun operations, transforming locally sourced cotton, bamboo, abaca, banana, pineapple, and jute fibers into high-quality yarn for handloom weavers, designers, and textile-based MSMEs across the region, with a daily production capacity of up to 150 kg of cotton yarn.
Eight Startups Just Entered the DOST-PSU Aligwas TBI. Cohort 2.0 of the ASENSO Incubation Program Has Officially Begun
The DOST-PSU Aligwas Technology Business Incubator formally launched the ASENSO Incubation Program Cohort 2.0, welcoming eight startup incubatees into a structured programme covering innovation ecosystem orientation, incubation roadmap planning, and master classes on sustainable food systems and pitching for selection.
DICT Is Training the Next Generation of Startup Mentors. Registration for the 2026 SME Webinar Series Closes May 21.
The DICT ICT Industry Development Bureau is opening its 2026 Startup Mentors Enablement Webinar Series to academics and startup advocates, running across three sessions on May 28, June 2, and June 4, 2026, covering everything from startup validation and talent attraction to IP essentials and emerging technologies.
Sip & Scale Is Coming to Baguio. The City of Pines Is Getting Its Own Table for Founders, Builders, and Creatives.
Sip & Scale, a curated monthly dinner series built around meaningful startup conversations, is launching in Baguio City, creating a regular, low-pressure space for founders, students, operators, creatives, and community builders across Baguio and Benguet to meet and build together.
La Union MSMEs Got a Design Consultant, a Professional Photo Shoot, and Five Prototype Concepts Each. This Is What Product Development Support Actually Looks Like.
The DTI La Union Provincial Office and the Provincial Government of La Union conducted site visits, product photo shoots, and prototype design presentations for District 1 and District 2 MSMEs on May 11 and 12, 2026, as part of a structured Product and Brand Development Project designed to raise market readiness across the province.
Aritao Coffee Farmers Brewed Their Own Harvest for the First Time. What They Tasted Changed How They See What They Grow.
The first-ever Farmer's Brew in Cagayan Valley was held across two sessions in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya on May 4 and 5, 2026, giving coffee farmers from two farming associations their first hands-on experience with sensory evaluation, brewing technique, and the full value of what their harvests can become.
Santa Ana, Cagayan Is Building a Cold Chain Facility for Its Fisheries Sector. A Learning Visit to Navotas Just Gave Them the Blueprint.
The LGU of Santa Ana, Cagayan, with support from DTI Region 2 Cagayan and the DTI Supply Chain and Logistics Group, visited cold chain industry leaders in Navotas City on April 22, 2026, gathering the technical insights needed to develop a dedicated Cold Chain Shared Service Facility in Barangay San Vicente.
Baguio City Is One of 300 Cities Worldwide Chosen for Bloomberg Philanthropies' Youth Climate Action Fund. Here Is What That Means for the City's Young People.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced on May 14, 2026 that Baguio City has been selected to join the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund, a global program mobilizing young people ages 15 to 24 to design and implement locally grounded climate solutions backed by microgrants of $1,000 to $5,000.
Bacnotan, La Union Is Using a Honey Festival to Build a Local Economy. Thirty-One Exhibitors Showed Up to Prove It Is Working.
The local government of Bacnotan linked its annual Diro Festival to an Agri-Tourism Trade Fair and the town's first-ever Business Expo on May 2, 2026, bringing together MSMEs, young entrepreneurs, PWDs, senior citizens, and fisherfolk under one market-facing platform with a clear long-term goal: sustainable local enterprise, not just festival sales.
The Women of Barangay Bineng Already Knew the Problems. A Design Thinking Workshop Gave Them the Tools to Build the Solutions.
The women's organization of Barangay Bineng, La Trinidad, Benguet participated in a Design Thinking Workshop and pitching session on May 7, 2026 under DICT-CAR's Project ACCESS — and walked away with five community-rooted innovation concepts covering waste, water, nutrition, cacao, and plastic repurposing.
Twenty-Five Firms Across Region 1 Just Took the First Step Toward a DOST Technology Upgrade. Here Is What That Process Actually Looks Like.
DOST Ilocos Region conducted Technology Needs Assessments for 25 MSMEs across La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte as part of the SETUP programme — evaluating production capacity, technology gaps, and innovation opportunities that will determine which firms move forward to funded project proposals.
Cagayan Valley's Farmers and Fisherfolk Don't Just Harvest. They Innovate. CV RAISE Showed the Proof at Robinsons Tuguegarao.
The CV RAISE Program joined the DA-BFAR Region 2 Farmers and Fisherfolk Month kick-off on May 4, 2026 at Robinsons Place, Tuguegarao City — showcasing commercialized agri-aqua technologies from canned goods to seaweed-based products to a room of government officials and everyday mall visitors alike.
Abra's Students Spent a Day Presenting Research and Programming Robots. This Is What the Region's Next Generation Looks Like.
The School Science Research Congress and Robotics Olympics 2026 brought together young researchers, innovators, and aspiring engineers at Abra High School — with DOST-Abra lending expertise as judges in what is now a defining annual event for the province's youth innovation culture.
One Pangasinan Farm Cut Its Monthly Electricity Bill From ₱135,000 to ₱13,500. Eight Others Are Telling the Same Story.
DOST Ilocos Region's SETUP programme has helped nine Pangasinan MSMEs — from poultry farms to a printing press — slash energy costs by as much as 90% through solar technology adoption. The numbers are no longer a pilot result. They are a proven model.
The Ilocos Region's Innovation Ecosystem Just Shifted Gears — From Planning to Full Implementation
The Ilocos Region's startup ecosystem consortium officially transitioned to its strategic implementation phase at a General Assembly on April 29, 2026 — with 52 participants from 25 offices, a restructured governance model, and a clear mandate to move from strategy to scaled impact.
Kalinga Is Turning Taro Into a Business. Here Is How 20 Residents in Lubuagan Learned to Do It.
DTI Kalinga's Negosyo Center Lubuagan held a hands-on livelihood training on April 30, 2026, showing participants how a locally grown root crop can become a packaged, market-ready product — with the costing and pricing knowledge to sustain it.
UP SikLab Convened Baguio's Innovators, Farmers, Technologists, and Government in One Room. They Left With More Than a Handshake.
The Innovation Cluster Caravan at Soto Grande Hotel on April 29, 2026 moved past dialogue and into commitments — with cacao, indigenous textiles, smart city technology, and youth innovation all on the table.
High School Students From Alaminos City Built a Low-Cost Alzheimer's Detection Method. The World Noticed First. Then the Nation Did.
Team EDAD of Alaminos City National High School brought home 2nd Place and the Sibol Award at NICE 2026 — capping a research journey that had already represented the Philippines at Regeneron ISEF 2025 in Ohio, USA.
Mountain Province Is Reviving Bamboo Craftsmanship — and Turning It Into a Livelihood
A three-day training in Tadian brought together artisans and community members from across Mountain Province on April 29–May 1, 2026, with DOST-CAR, DTI, and the Provincial Government aligned behind a single goal: make bamboo craftsmanship economically viable again.
Cordinnovation 2026 Wraps in Baguio City With a Clear Message: The Cordillera's Innovation Ecosystem Is Being Built Together
DOST-CAR's regional innovation celebration concluded on April 30, 2026, with senior officials from CHED, DEPDev, and DOST underscoring AI, collaboration, and inclusive development as the pillars of the region's next chapter.
Google Developers Baguio Is Bringing a Full Day of AI Building to the University of the Cordilleras on May 9
Build with AI 2026 opens registration for developers, students, and tech enthusiasts in Baguio City — hands-on Gemini codelabs, intelligent agent sessions, and a room full of people who want to build.
Drones Are Now Landing in Cagayan's Farms. Here Is What 237 Farmers, Students, and Local Officials Saw.
The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority brought agricultural drone technology directly to farmers in Iguig, Cagayan on April 23 — live demonstrations, open consultations, and a clear signal that precision farming is no longer a Metro Manila conversation.
Where Are the Baguio Startups?
I have been attending startup and innovation events in this region for years. And I keep seeing the same faces. That is not a criticism. But when the same fifty people show up to the same events, year after year, it tells you something about the reach of the ecosystem.
Cabagan, Isabela Just Got a FabLab. The Municipality That Ranks 43rd Nationally in Innovation Just Gave Its MSMEs Access to Digital Fabrication Technology.
DTI Isabela and the LGU of Cabagan launched the SSF Fabrication Laboratory on April 20, 2026, giving local MSMEs, students, and innovators access to modern digital fabrication equipment for product design, prototyping, and development — the second DTI-SSF investment in Cabagan in 14 months.
The 7th Mangan Taku Just Wrapped in Baguio City. Here Is Why Cordillera's Annual Heritage Food Fair Has Become Northern Luzon's Most Important Culinary Event.
The 7th Mangan Taku Cordillera Food Fair ran from April 23 to 27, 2026, at Burnham Park's Rose Garden, Baguio City, drawing 46 exhibitors from all six Cordilleran provinces and Regions I and II under the theme "Preserving traditions, sustaining flavors."
For 20 Years, Fe Valdez Resold Other People's Salt. Today, She Leads the Association That Makes It.
The story of how DTI and BFAR turned the salt-making community of Barangay Calongbuyan, Candon City, Ilocos Sur from informal resellers into a compliant, market-linked production enterprise, and what it means for the Philippine salt industry's national revival.
Ilocos Region Grew 4.5% in 2025 and Outpaced Every Other Economy in Northern Luzon. Here Is What the Numbers Say and What Comes Next.
PSA data released April 24, 2026 shows Ilocos Region's GRDP reached PHP 768.63 billion in 2025, driven by a 5.9% services sector expansion. The region outperformed CAR at 4.4%, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon, and ranked eighth nationally by per capita GRDP at PHP 143,476.
PLDT and Smart Brought AI-in-a-Box to Baguio City LGU. The City That Built a Smart Command Center Is Now Getting an AI Acceleration Programme.
The PLDT-Smart Foundation, Microsoft Philippines, and Lenovo Philippines delivered an AI access kit, connectivity, and an AI mentorship and acceleration programme to the Baguio City government, making Baguio one of the first LGUs in Northern Luzon to receive the full AI-in-a-Box package.
DOST-CAR Installed a VR-Equipped Disaster Preparedness Kiosk at the Mountain Province DRRMO. Here Is What It Does and Why Mountain Province Needs It.
The TARAKI Kiosk, a science-based Knowledge Management System with Virtual Reality, specialized DRR-CCA applications, and curated learning materials from DOST and partner agencies, was formally deployed to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Mountain Province on April 21, 2026.
DTI Ilocos Sur and the University of Northern Philippines Are Bringing Fine Arts and Design Expertise Into the Abel Weaving and Handicraft Supply Chain
A March 23, 2026 coordinative meeting in Vigan City between DTI Ilocos Sur and UNP's College of Fine Arts and Design formalized a collaboration to deliver design prototypes, product development concepts, and technical assistance to local MSMEs in handloom weaving, handicrafts, and processed products.
Cagayan Valley's Startup Coalition Just Set Its Five-Year Direction. Two New Provinces Signed In, Two TBIs Were Named Provincial Leads, and a New Project Leader Took the Helm.
The SINAG Cagayan Valley 2026–2030 Regional Startup Ecosystem Roadmapping Workshop and MOA Signing on April 14, 2026 in Tuguegarao City formalized the Provincial Government of Isabela and LGU Solana as new consortium members, designated ADEPT TBI and IVATAN TBI as Provincial Startup Focal Organizations, and introduced Engr. Audy R. Quebral as the new Project Leader.
Cordillera SMEs Just Got Access to a CAD$5 Million Canadian-Funded Export Programme. The Target Market Is Canada. The Focus Is Women-Led Businesses.
DTI-CAR and Catalyste+ met on April 16, 2026, to strategize for Project ELEVaTE, a Global Affairs Canada-funded initiative running from 2025 to 2031 that will support 400 Philippine SMEs in building export readiness for the Canadian market through fully funded trade missions, technical training, and agribusiness standards development.
DOST-Kalinga, DICT-Kalinga, and KSU Ran a One-Day AI and Digital Marketing Training for MSMEs and TBI Incubatees. Participants Left With AI-Built Marketing Materials.
The April 8, 2026 training at KSU Bulanao Campus combined AI prompt engineering in the morning and hands-on digital marketing application in the afternoon, with participants producing and presenting actual AI-assisted campaign concepts before the day ended.
Applications Are Open: Circle Works Is Offering Up to ₱1.6 Million in Seed Funding for Youth-Led Circular Economy Startups in Cordillera. Here Is Everything You Need to Know.
Vivita Philippines launched the Circle Works Youth Circular Economy Incubation Program on April 13, 2026, backed by the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership. The 18-month programme is open to youth aged 16–35 across Cordillera, with funding available for up to 26 teams.
DTI-CAR, DICT-CAR, and StartUp Village Launched "Certified Digital Negosyo," a Full-Stack Digital Training for Cordillera MSMEs That Goes From AI Tools to Tax Filing
The first batch of the Certified Digital Negosyo program, held at the DICT-CAR Digital Transformation Center in Baguio City, put the 2026 KMME mentee cohort through five expert-led modules covering AI prompting, e-commerce, backend digitalization, logistics, and bookkeeping in a single intensive session.
MMSU Used Satellite Imagery to Map Where Ilocos Region Should Be Making Salt. The Philippines Currently Imports 84% of What It Needs.
Two DOST-funded studies by Mariano Marcos State University, published in a Scopus-indexed conference in November 2025, used remote sensing and geospatial analysis to identify untapped saltern sites in Ilocos Region and quantify existing crystallization ponds in Pangasinan, building the data infrastructure for a national salt self-sufficiency push.
DTI Apayao Trained 16 Kabugao Coffee Farmers in Bean Grading to Close the Gap Between Farm Quality and Market Price
A two-day Coffee Grading Training on April 15–16, 2026, in Kabugao brought farmers from five barangays face-to-face with the quality standards that determine whether their beans reach specialty buyers or get sold at commodity rates.
Twenty Cagayan Valley MSMEs Sold ₱2.9 Million at the National Food Fair in Five Days. Here Is What That Number Actually Means.
DTI Region 2 brought 20 MSMEs to the 2026 Bagong Pilipinas National Food Fair at SM Megamall on April 8–12, generating ₱2,920,353 in combined cash and booked sales, confirming that Cagayan Valley products compete on a national floor.
Two UC Senior High School Students From Baguio Won the 2026 National Robotics Championship. Now They Represent the Philippines in China.
Zyrus Whayne Naganag and John Victor Advincula of UC SHS defeated teams from 15 regions at the TechQuest National Robotics Challenge for Academia on April 16–17, 2026 in Makati, taking the champion title, the Best Robot Design Award, and a slot at an international robotics competition in China.
The US and Philippines Are Building a 4,000-Acre AI Industrial Hub in Luzon. Here Is What It Could Mean for Northern Luzon.
Announced on April 16, 2026, the Luzon Economic Corridor's new economic security zone targets semiconductors, critical minerals, and AI-powered manufacturing. The hub is still conceptual, but its supply chain implications are already real for the region sitting on top of some of the Philippines' most critical mineral reserves.
San Vicente, Ilocos Sur Ran a Kakanin Innovation Competition. The Brief Was Simple: Preserve the Tradition, Win the Modern Market.
The Innovative Kakanin Competition at the Rambak ti Kankanen nga Ilocano on April 21, 2026, challenged participants to preserve traditional Ilocano rice delicacies while redesigning them for today's consumers, running alongside the Kayamanan Trade Fair and One Kadiwa inside the San Vicente Muebles Festival.
A €60M EU Programme Just Opened a Youth Startup Track for Cordillera Founders
Circle Works, backed by the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership's €60 million fund, opened its Baguio leg on April 13, 2026, at the University of Baguio, offering students a structured pathway from circular economy concept to funded green venture.
Eighteen Cagayan Agri and Planning Officers Visited the SARAI Provincial Hub to Learn How to Run Municipal Agriculture on Satellite Data
The field study at the Cagayan Innovation Hub and SARAI Provincial Hub is part of an ongoing SARAI localization workshop, aimed at embedding climate-smart, data-driven decision-making directly into municipal-level agricultural planning across the province.
DOST Ilocos Region Releases ₱6.4 Million in Tech Upgrades to Six MSMEs Across Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan
Dubbed "Batch SIBOL," the second SETUP cohort of 2026 includes a ricemill, a food products company, a printing shop, a woodworks firm, a chicken dealer, and a mushroom farm, covering three provinces in one release.
PENRO Isabela Used a Rainwater-Fed Misting Innovation to Stop Dry Season Seedling Loss Before It Starts
The automatic misting system connected to a rainwater harvesting tank at PENRO Isabela's nursery is a low-cost infrastructure fix with direct consequences for how many seedlings survive to become forest cover.
DICT Isabela and AMA Computer College Brought Senior High School Students Into Their First Hands-On IoT and Microcontroller Training
The "Smart Tech Starts Here" session, run through DICT Isabela's Tech4ED Digital Transformation Center in Santiago City, gave students direct exposure to embedded systems and connected devices at the level where careers in hardware and IoT actually begin.
Baguio City Held a Two-Day Summit on March 30 to Rethink How Tourism Grows Without Breaking What Makes the City Worth Visiting
The Baguio Circular Tourism Summit, backed by UNDP, the EU, and the Government of Japan, brought together government, businesses, and communities to build a circular tourism economy, with action plans, policy reform, and a new sustainability framework at the center.
BFAR-CAR Brought Cordillera Fisherfolk Leaders to a Working Hatchery and a Crayfish Farm to Show What Aquaculture Innovation Looks Like in Practice
A two-day benchmarking and consultation workshop on April 7–8, 2026, put fisherfolk leaders from across Cordillera directly inside the MITH-i hatchery system and a regulated crayfish facility, pairing hands-on learning with policy clarity and a leadership election.
UC InTTO Brought in a Benilde Startup Expert to Run a One-on-One Innovation Clinic for Its Incubatees — and the Framework Matters
The April 8 Startup Product Strategy and Innovation Clinic at the University of the Cordilleras InTTO gave prototype-stage founders structured coaching on Bill Aulet's disciplined entrepreneurship methodology — and individual consultations tailored to each team's specific challenges.
Six Agencies Trained Over 40 Young Entrepreneurs in Digital and AI Skills Across Cordillera
The Youth Digital Champions Workshop ran from April 7 to 9 at the Baguio Digital Transformation Center, Abra, Benguet, and Kalinga at the same time — part of a six-week Digital PINAS program teaching young entrepreneurs AI tools, digital marketing, and business digitalization skills.
A Baguio Couple Built a Free Carpooling App in One Night — Because the Community Needed It and No One Else Was Going to Do It
SakayTayo Baguio-Benguet launched on April 1, 2026, offering students, workers, and farmers a free, no-middleman ride-sharing platform built specifically for Baguio City and all 13 municipalities of Benguet — including a feature designed for farmers hauling vegetables to the Trading Post.
DICT-CAR Is Planning a ₱60 Million Upgrade of the Baguio Post Office Into a Digital Hub — Without Touching Its 1918 Heritage Character
The Department of Information and Communications Technology Cordillera has submitted a Conservation Management Plan for the rehabilitation of the Digital Transformation Center and the Baguio Post Office building — a project that has to balance a modern ICT hub with the preservation of one of Session Road's most historically significant structures.
All Government Agencies Are Required to Support National Innovation Day on April 28 to 29 — And the Theme Puts AI at the Center of the Philippines' ASEAN Chairmanship
Memorandum Circular No. 115 directs all government agencies and instrumentalities to support the 2026 National Innovation Day celebration, with LGUs and the private sector encouraged to join a two-day event themed around artificial intelligence for growth, opportunity, and sustainability in ASEAN.
The 2026 Innovation Grants Are Open — Government Agencies, LGUs, and State Universities in Northern Luzon Have Until May 5 to Apply
The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development has opened applications for the 2026 Innovation Grants, offering up to ₱7.5 million per proposal for pre-commercialization, innovation facilities, capacity building, and policy innovation — with a submission deadline of May 5, 2026.
DOST-Kalinga and KSU Trained Farmers and Processors to Turn Calamansi and Peanuts Into Market-Ready Cookies and Bars
A hands-on product development training at the Kalinga State University Food Processing and Innovation Research Center on March 30 gave MSMEs, farmers, and processors practical skills to move local agricultural produce up the value chain — using ingredients sourced from their own backyards.
DTI-CARP and NIA Trained Farmers in Bugallon on Content Marketing and Copywriting — Because Growing Good Rice Is No Longer Enough
Members of the Bugallon Cabigaan and Porumba Irrigators Association in Pangasinan completed a seminar-workshop on effective content marketing and copywriting on March 24 — part of a growing push to give agrarian reform beneficiaries the digital skills to reach buyers on their own terms.
DOST-Kalinga Brought Locally Developed Products to Balawag's Kape Festival — and the Makers Include High School Students and Community Cooperatives
The DOST Smart and Sustainable Communities Program showcased processed coffee, bugnay wine, sugarcane wine, and camote bread from Balawag, Tabuk City on March 27 — products developed through DOST training and packaging support, now ready for wider markets.
Pitch Perfect Brought Two Days of Entrepreneurship Training to the Strawberry Festival Trade Fair in La Trinidad
Students from Benguet State University and Cordillera Career Development College joined local residents at the March 23 to 24 training — a practical business planning session held inside one of Benguet's most attended annual events.
Cagayan State University Is Building Electric Vehicles for the Philippines — and the Roads of Northern Luzon Could Be First to Show What That Looks Like
The Electromobility Research and Development Center at CSU's Carig Campus has been developing electric tricycles, buses, and utility vehicles since 2021 — and through technology licensing agreements, it is now turning research into locally manufactured, community-ready transportation.
Foxmont Capital Partners Plans to Invest ₱4 Billion in Philippine Startups — and the Timing Could Not Be Better for Northern Luzon Founders
Finance Secretary Frederick Go welcomed Foxmont's expansion plans as the Philippine startup ecosystem recorded USD 1.5 billion in private capital last year — a 34% increase from its previous record — signaling a national investment environment that regional founders should be positioning for now.
A ₱38 Million TESDA Training Center Just Opened in Banna, Ilocos Norte — Built to Produce Skilled Workers, Not Just Graduates
The new Provincial Training Center in Barangay Crispina gives residents of one of Ilocos Norte's more remote eastern municipalities direct access to technical and vocational education for the first time — with four training batches already allocated at launch.
PNRI and DOST-CAR Brought a Nuclear Technology Forum to Baguio — and the Cordillera's Mining Communities Are the Main Audience
The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, in partnership with DOST-CAR, held a knowledge transfer forum in Baguio City on March 26 covering nuclear applications in mining, agriculture, healthcare, and environmental remediation — a timely conversation for a region still navigating the legacy of extractive industry.
DOST Is Evaluating MMSU as Northern Luzon's First KIST Park — and the University's Research Infrastructure Made a Strong Case
A two-day onsite assessment at Mariano Marcos State University in Batac City on March 22 and 23 brought a national DOST evaluation committee to Ilocos Norte to determine whether MMSU is ready to become the first KIST Park outside Region IV — and potentially the most significant science and technology infrastructure investment in Northern Luzon's history.
DTI La Union Brought AI Training to Six Municipalities at Once — Teaching MSMEs to Use Artificial Intelligence for Marketing, Operations, and Growth
The AI4MSMEs Cluster 3 session in Bauang on March 27 gathered small business owners from Aringay, Bagulin, Bauang, Burgos, Caba, and Naguilian for a practical, beginner-friendly introduction to AI tools — part of a coordinated push to build digital capability across La Union's MSME base.
Magsingal, Ilocos Sur Launches Paleng-QR PH Plus at Its Public Market — Bringing Cashless Payments to Vendors and Transport Operators
The Local Government Unit of Magsingal, in partnership with BSP, DILG, DTI, and DICT, rolled out the Paleng-QR PH Plus Program on March 27, making the municipality's public market one of the latest in Northern Luzon to formally shift toward digital payments at the community level.
Isabela State University Is Looking for Student Startups — With Global Certification, Seed Funding, and a Live Demo Day on the Line
EntrepEd, ISU's venture accelerator pipeline built with the Wadhwani Entrepreneurship Network, is now open for applications — offering student innovators in Cagayan Valley a structured path from idea to investor-ready startup at zero cost.
OTOP Hub Ilocos Norte on Wheels Brought 24 MSME Exhibitors to Three Region I Venues — and Generated Nearly ₱200,000 in Two Days
The DTI Ilocos Norte mobile marketplace rolled through Vigan, Tagudin, and San Fernando City on March 18 and 19, exceeding its institutional buyer target by 200% and showing what a traveling trade hub can do for homegrown brands that rarely get shelf space outside their home province
Over 300 Cordillera Agriculturists Gathered in Baguio to Update Their Knowledge on AI, Digital Farming, and New Production Technologies
The Philippine Association of Agriculturists Cordillera chapter held its regional convention in Baguio City on March 18, bringing together professional agriculturists from across CAR for continuous professional development — and a frank conversation about what modern food production actually requires.
The 7th Mangan Taku Cordillera Food Fair Is Coming to Burnham Park — and DOT-Accredited Enterprises Can Still Join
The Mangan Taku Inclusion Program is open for applications, offering DOT-accredited tourism enterprises a chance to participate in Cordillera's premier food fair at the Rose Garden, Burnham Park from April 23 to 27, 2026 — and earn a recognition sticker that signals their commitment to local culinary heritage.
Philippine Science High School Brought Student Research to the National Stage at the Higher Education Summit 2026 in Clark
PSHS campuses from Ilocos Sur, Baguio City, Davao, and Cebu showcased student research projects at HES 2026 on March 10 to 12 — giving young scientists from the country's premier science high school direct access to industry leaders and a platform to connect their work to real-world applications.
DTI-CAR Opens a ₱1.08 Million Green Banana Flour Facility in Paracelis — The Cooperative Already Has a South Korean Buyer
The Paracelis Abat Farmers Agriculture Cooperative in Mountain Province launched a Shared Service Facility for green banana flour processing on March 6, with a large-capacity drying machine and an existing international client already waiting for higher volumes.
DMW Region 2 Brings Agri-Business and Financial Training to Quirino OFWs — With a Former Dubai Worker as the Main Speaker
The second batch of the Byaheng Entrepreneur seminar ran on February 19 in Aglipay, Quirino, where 14-year Dubai OFW-turned-farmer Mark Anthony Faraon showed returning workers what reintegration can look like when savings become a six-hectare sustainable farm.
DTI-Apayao Brings Social Media and Content Creation Training to Conner — and Entrepreneurs Practiced With Real Products on the Same Day
A March 19 training in Malama, Conner brought together cooperatives, indigenous peoples associations, and small enterprise owners for a hands-on session on digital marketing — one of the most practical skill gaps facing rural entrepreneurs in the Cordillera today.
Pineapple Leaves as Packaging: DOST Is Testing a Local Solution for Isabela's Honeydew Melon Industry
The DOST Industrial Technology and Development Institute is running live transport tests on pineapple leaf fiber cushion pads at a farm in Echague, Isabela — a practical attempt to reduce post-harvest losses using an agricultural waste material the region already produces in abundance.
A New Agricultural Information Kiosk Just Opened at ISPSC Sta. Maria — Bringing Farm Technology and Extension Services Directly to Ilocos Sur Communities
The Farmers' Information and Technology Services Kiosk launched at Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College on March 16, giving farmers, fisherfolk, students, and community members in Sta. Maria a dedicated access point for research-based agricultural knowledge and technology.
A Repair Café Is Coming to Tabuk City — and It's Connected to a Cordillera Program Funding Solutions Beyond Plastic
Vivita Philippines is bringing a free community repair event to Kalinga on March 21, paired with an introduction to Circle Works — a European Union-funded program supporting circular economy ventures across the Cordillera.
Ilocos Norte Signs a Five-Way Partnership to Bring Solar Rooftops to Households — With Installment Plans Up to 15 Years
The provincial government, ACEN, GCash, Solaric, and INEC signed an MOA on March 16 to make solar energy accessible to Ilocos Norte homeowners through flexible financing — starting in Laoag, Pagudpud, and Dingras.
Zimbabwe Sent a Delegation to Study Ilocos Tobacco Farming — and the Philippines' Farmer Support Model Is What They Came For
An eight-member Zimbabwean delegation spent eight days benchmarking the Philippine tobacco value chain in Ilocos from March 7 to 15, focusing on production systems, government support structures, and germplasm research that could strengthen their own industry.
NAST PHL and DOST Open the 2026 Luzon Regional Scientific Meeting to Researchers Across Northern Luzon
The National Academy of Science and Technology is accepting papers for the 2026 Luzon RSM Scientific Posters Session in April, giving student researchers and innovators from across Northern Luzon a rare pathway to national scientific visibility.
DOST Launches Two Innovation Facilities and a New Awards Program in Cagayan — All in One Day
he Cagayan Innovation Hub, SARAI Provincial Hub, and SciTech Philippines Awards launched together on March 16, positioning Cagayan as Northern Luzon's most ambitious test case for data-driven, climate-resilient agriculture and MSME development.
Baguio City Council Takes Up a Tax Holiday Proposal for Circular Economy Startups — With Real Incentives Tied to Real Impact
Councilor Paolo Raynor Salvosa's proposed ordinance offers graduated tax exemptions and rental discounts to Baguio-based startups built around waste reduction, reuse, and resource recovery — and the structure rewards founders who prevent waste at the source, not just those who recycle it.
DMMMSU and Benguet State University Open Their Doors to Each Other — and Show What Regional Collaboration Actually Looks Like
Students and faculty from La Union traveled to La Trinidad to tour BSU's food science and agri-tech facilities on March 12, in a cross-institutional visit that puts two of Northern Luzon's state universities in productive conversation.
Ilocos Norte Opens a ₱30 Million Agricultural Trading Center in Batac City — Connecting Farmers Directly to Buyers
The Department of Agriculture-funded facility in Barangay Bil-loca is the province's largest agri-trading center, designed to cut transport costs and give accredited farmers' cooperatives a dedicated space to reach institutional buyers.
DICT-CAR and DTI-Ifugao Bring Entrepreneurship Training to 151 Participants in Ifugao, With Women at the Center
A free online session on March 10 drew over 150 aspiring and existing entrepreneurs from Ifugao, part of a deliberate push to bring practical business mindset training to communities that rarely get it first.
Eight Isabela MSMEs Take the "ISAbela BEst LAku" Brand to Tokyo — and They're Not First-Timers Anymore
On March 10, a delegation from Isabela opened at FOODEX Japan 2026 with eight food enterprises showcasing cornicks, cacao products, fruit wines, and more at Tokyo Big Sight — the province's second consecutive year on one of Asia's biggest food trade stages.
UC InTTO Launches Cohort 9, Bringing a New Class of Startup Founders into Baguio's University Incubation Pipeline
The University of the Cordilleras' Innovation and Technology Transfer Office kicked off its ninth incubation cohort on March 6, with a session built around one idea: founders need the right mindset before they need anything else.
DOST Ilocos Region Brings Science and Technology Innovations to San Fernando City's Agri-Tourism Fair
From incubatee products to disaster preparedness tools, the DOST Ilocos Region booth at San Fernando City's 28th Foundation Day Fair puts Northern Luzon's technology-assisted enterprises in front of a public audience through March 10.
Cagayan Is Being Explored as the Philippines' First Rocket Launch Site — and Northern Luzon Should Pay Attention
A cooperation agreement between PhilSA, DICT, CEZA, and South Korea's Perigee Aerospace puts Cagayan province on the map as a potential spaceport site, with Filipino engineers already in training.
DOST-CAR and CHED-CAR Sign MOU to Launch Cordi INSPIRE, a New Startup Platform for Cordillera's Universities
The February 27 agreement at Saint Louis University formalizes a push to turn Cordillera's higher education institutions into active launchpads for technology-based startups.
Kalinga TBI Beneficiaries Win Regional Young Farmers Challenge — Validated by a Market, Not Just a Panel
Four ventures from Kalinga State University's Technology Business Incubator took home regional awards at the Young Farmers Challenge, the first real proof that a 2024 National Innovation Council grant is producing founders, not just graduates.
PSU and DOST Inaugurate the ASIN Center in Pangasinan — A ₱93 Million Bet on Reviving the Philippine Salt Industry
The Accelerating Salt Research and Innovation Center, inaugurated on February 17 at PSU's Binmaley Campus, is the most significant institutional investment in the country's salt sector in recent memory — and Northern Luzon universities are at the center of it.
Dagupan Hosts Region I's 2026 Science and Technology Week — and Launches Pangasinan's First Innovation Hub in the Process
The three-day Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week at CSI Stadia brought national DOST leadership to Dagupan City on February 16–18, capped by the inauguration of an iHUB at Universidad de Dagupan