DOST’s Innovation Hub to Turn Philippines’ Emerald City into Bedrock of Innovation
Muntinlupa, dubbed as the country’s Emerald City for its successful balancing of rapid urbanization and environmental sustainability, will soon be known by another monicker, that of a Bedrock of Innovation, thanks to the latest technologies transferred by the Department of Science and Technology-NCR (DOST-NCR) to the City Government.
DOST-NCR launched its first Innovation Hub (iHub) in Metro Manila at the Colegio de Muntinlupa on April 17, 2026, affirming the critical role of institutions of higher learning, in partnership with government and the private sectors, in boosting innovation that could spin into startups addressing the needs of the local government.
DOST’s iHub is an open access co-working space where students, researchers, aspiring startups, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and innovators can network, collaborate, and receive mentoring from business, industry, and technical experts free of charge. Equipped with advanced equipment and prototyping tools, the i-Hub is where future thinkers can take their light bulb concepts, hone them through mentoring and peer review, and turn these ideas into prototypes and commercially viable start-ups that address local and national problems.
The facility at the CDM campus also houses the Project SARAI CeNTRO Hub, which focuses on Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines. This program deploys science-based agricultural technologies and protocols to help farming communities adapt to the effects of climate change, increase yield and productivity, and build resilience against unforeseen natural disasters.
The establishment of the i-Hub is the latest initiative of DOST-NCR, not only to boost innovation and technopreneurship in the city, but to fasttrack Muntinlupa’s transition into a Smart and Sustainable Community, in alignment with the city’s own Science, Technology, and Innovation-based development plans.
Prior to the establishment of the iHub, Muntinlupa has undertaken several initiatives to encourage an innovation mindset among its constituents, especially among the youth and MSMEs. In collaboration with DOST-NCR’s MUNTAPARLAS Clustered Area Science and Technology Office (CASTO) and other partners, these initiatives include the conduct of the STARTUP Muntinlupa Business Pitching Competition – Student Edition, as well as training on new business technologies, such as the recent workshop on “Enhancing MSME Productivity through AI for Smart Marketing Solutions. Winning groups of these initiatives are now housed in the iHUB to further hone their ventures.
By Pinky Foz Marcelo of TSS-Strategic Communication and Creatives Unit
