The Marcos administration will leverage innovation to achieve rapid, sustained, and inclusive economic growth, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said innovation plays the vital role in the Philippine development plan, as it fuels the country’s production sectors to generate more quality jobs and competitive products. “Our experiences during the pandemic have magnified the importance of innovation in our everyday lives. We saw Filipinos modify their behaviors, and businesses recalibrate their practices to adapt and even thrive during the crisis,” Balisacan said. For this reason, Balisacan said technological change and innovation is needed to drive long-term improvements in overall welfare of Filipinos. Creating a dynamic innovation system is one of the cross-cutting strategies identified by the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, the country’s development roadmap for the next six years. Under the PDP, the government identified strategies, programs, and legislative priorities needed to pursue in harnessing research and development, as wells technology, and innovation. “A flourishing innovation ecosystem results in significant improvements in the quality of life enjoyed by members of society – an outcome consistent with this long-term vision,” Balisacan said. President Marcos has prioritized innovation and actively directed the National Innovation Council’s policies and priorities as its Chairperson. Balisacan said the public sector is also committed to prioritize programs, activities, and projects that allow for the full implementation of the Philippine Innovation Act. Moreover, the government will soon release the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document, which will provide a comprehensive roadmap for establishing and sustaining a dynamic innovation ecosystem. “We will remove the barriers to innovation by putting the necessary enablers in our ecosystem. These enablers include the right policies, innovation-friendly regulations, good governance, accessible financing, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and a supportive culture,” Balisacan said. “As a critical enabler in the innovation ecosystem, the government will nurture new innovators and entrepreneurs, especially during the early stages of their innovation journey,” he added. Balisacan also vowed to help create the necessary environment wherein Filipino innovators can easily link with businesses and private investors to introduce new and innovative solutions to the market.