Davao de Oro's 2nd District Representative Ruwel Peter Gonzaga (seated, center) flanked by the TTBDO team and Board Member Rowena Gonzaga (standing, right-most)

A portion of the UPMin campus map showing the KIST Park site with the Oblation Plaza Circle and Administration Building seen above the site

Davao de Oro Congressman Ruwel Peter Gonzaga expressed his support for UPMin's Knowledge Innovation Science and Technology (KIST) Park and its related legislation in a visit by the UPMin Technology Transfer & Business Development Office (TTBDO) team on December 14, 2023. The TTBDO team presented the KIST Park plan to the 2nd District Representative in the presence of Provincial Board Member Rowena Gonzaga, and the two related bills pending in the House of Representatives. These are the "Establishment of the Guidelines and Incentives for the Development of S&T Park in the Philippines" and the "Establishment of Techno-Park Development Funds for S&T Park Infrastructure Development." Congressman Gonzaga stated his interest in the KIST Park project and offered to study the pending House bills for the possibility of co-authoring the first bill and co-sponsoring the second with a principal congressman. The legislator also stated his desire to tap the TTBDO's consultancy services to improve the provincial agricultural sector, particularly in post-harvest management and processing of high-value products.

The TTBDO also met Davao de Oro's Acting Assistant Provincial Administrator, Grace Almedilla, and the Local Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Office-Business Development Section Head, Mr. James de la Cruz. The TTBDO requested their assistance in obtaining a list of industries and companies for business matching and identification of potential business locators in the UP Mindanao KIST Park. The group also discussed the plan for co-organizing an Academe-Industry Knowledge Sharing Summit with the Davao de Oro Provincial Government.

TTBDO team leader Dr. Melvin Pasaporte was satisfied with the success of their visits and the forward step towards establishing a regional innovation hub in the Davao Region.