Wanted: Pinoy ‘technopreneurs’

Filipino technology innovators are urged to step beyond the walls of creativity and become “technopreneurs” to help improve the country’s economy.

Science Secretary Estrella Alabastro yesterday said the country’s modernizers must also have some “business orientation,” and believes that strong partnership between them and businessmen would create more economic benefits to the country in the next years.

Innovators, Alabastro explained, need the assistance of the private sector that has the financial capability to turn scientific outputs into commercially viable products.

Recognizing the role of innovation in economic growth, the Department of Science and Technology, together with other government agencies, academe and the private sector will hold the first National Innovation Summit on Nov. 26 in Manila.

Alabastro said the summit would gather all major players in innovation who will formulate policies to enhance the country’s global competitiveness.

Frederico Macaranas, executive director of the Asian Institute of Management Policy Center, said the Philippines is lagging behind other Southeast Asian countries in terms of competitiveness in the last 30 years. “Some scientists and engineers had no natural place to connect to so they sought greener pastures abroad,” he said.

Intellectual Property Office Director General Adrian Cristobal Jr. said one measurement of the country’s economic strength is its capacity to innovate, adding the Philippines is also far behind other countries in this category.

He said a majority of patent filings in the Philippines are from foreign firms and only a few Filipinos have filed for patents in the past decade.   – Helen Flores