News & Updates
Innovation ecosystem news from Baguio, Cordillera, and Northern Luzon.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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