The Philippines is one of the four countries  to have introduced the  modular multi-industry innovation hub, which is aimed at scaling up the research on food and nutraceutical products.

This after, the Department of Science and Technology – Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) inaugurated Thursday, Feb. 18,  the country’s first innovation hub, the Modular Multi-Industry Innovation Center (MMIC) or "InnoHub sa Pinas” at the DOST Complex in Taguig City. 

"I have read  in the report of the ITDI that we are the fourth  country that has introduced the modular multi-industry techno hub after Canada, Malaysia and Mexico,” DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña said during the hybrid launch of the "InnoHub sa Pinas.”

"This is going to be of big help to our industry, to our entrepreneurs even our start ups,” he noted.

As ITDI’s  core research and development facility, MMIC uses manufacturing by-products as raw materials, otherwise known as “backend innovation.”

It serves as the DOST's platform to innovate and meet growing industry demands. 

DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development  Rowena Cristina L. Guevara also thanked the ITDI "for remaining steadfast  in carrying out your mandate to contribute to the growth of our local industry, helping them  thrive by producing relevant and innovative technologies and providing technical  services.”

She described the MMIC as a industrial processing facility with multifunctional/multi-application modular unit operation equipment that can be retrofitted to different  manufacturing lines both manual and automated processing.”

"We are optimistic that the MMIC will serve as a gateway towards a more innovative and progressive climate for local entrepreneurs that will encourage the  development of new products and/or improvement of existing ones to refuel the country's  economic activity,” Guevara said in her speech during the inauguration of the  "InnoHub sa Pinas."

Guevara cited that the Innovation Center is suited to operate under the “new normal” and the changing environment. 

"It was established to provide solutions to the growing concerns of the different industry  sectors, such as the food and personal care industries, among others. It will be your  one-stop-shop for product ideation and conceptualization, development, marketing, and  even networking,” she said.

"With this, we are confident that problems such as lack or absence of specialized equipment to do Research and Development (R&D), and inefficient processing and manufacturing, will soon be things of the past,” she added.

The MMIC is one of several projects funded by the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD).

The DOST said "the facilities, complete with handling support machineries, can be used by the stakeholders as a convergence place for developing new products, product equivalents, product variances, and product reintroductions, as well as, pilot capacity production to reach the masses truly Science for the People.”