Initiative: Science for Change Program (S4CP)
Institution: Department of Science and Technology
Problem: In 2016, 80 percent of the government R&D budget was spent in Metro Manila and adjacent Regions, while the other 14 Regions of the country shared the remaining 20 percent.
Solution: In order to address the disparity in the distribution of R&D funding, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) initiated the Science for Change Program (S4CP) which aims to promote inclusive innovation. It supports R&D across the regions and encourages research collaboration between industry, academia and research institutions. It seeks to reduce R&D risks for micro-, small- and medium enterprises and improve productivity and global competitiveness. The S4CP provides an enabling platform where government, academia, and industry could collectively pursue relevant and impactful research for accelerated socio-economic development.
Impact: Through the prioritization of regional R&D proposals and the establishment of Niche Centers (NICER), the initiative addresses the concentration of financial resources. It works to increase the share of national R&D allocation to local governments and improve the local government's R&D capacity in line with the vision of the national government. Currently, the program has increased R&D funds in the regions by 54.6% with close to half going to National Capital Region, Regions III (Central Luzon) and IV-A (Calabarzon).
The Program also aims to strengthen higher education institutions to enhance the competitiveness of Filipino-owned companies. Through improved collaboration between industry and academia, the initiative raised the income and productivity of small-scale farmers, fishermen and micro, small & medium enterprises.