Chancellor Lyre Murao

Asst. Prof. Miguel Carlo Guillermo

Dr. Melvin Pasaporte

Assoc. Prof. Dann Marie del Mundo

Ms. Ediflor Yanong

The visiting ADB team (at center) with UP System representatives Diane Aubrey Francisco and Jose Emmanuel Reverente and the forum participants

UP Mindanao presented its leading R&D projects before a visiting Asian Development Bank (ADB) team on January 20, 2024, in response to the ADB's call for proposals for "Promoting Research and Innovation to Strengthen Transformation of Industries and Enterprises (PRISTINE)."

"Innovation is one of our key pillars in UP Mindanao...we need to build an innovation ecosystem, and we in UP Mindanao have started to build that ecosystem," said UPMin Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao in her welcome message.

Key projects presented included the UPMin Technology Business Incubator, focusing on impact-driven startups in the Davao Region, presented by Asst. Prof. Miguel Guillermo. Dr. Melvin Pasaporte presented the "Knowledge, Innovation, Science, and Technology (KIST) Park" and the "UP Mindanao Lactic Acid Technology Commercialization Roadmap." Assoc. Prof. Dann Marie del Mundo introduced the "Food Processing Pilot Plant" for value-added food products, and Ms. Ediflor Yanong outlined the therapeutic and diagnostic kit plans of the Phil. Genome Center Mindanao.

The ADB team of Fook Yen Chong, Vishal Aditya Potluri, Jose Tiusongco II, Samuel Ang King Wee, Shaun Welbourne-Wood, Arndt Husar, and Yashpal Malik, gave incisive questions and feedback. Ms. AJ Gabriel represented the DTI in the forum.

Among the UPMin partners who engaged in networking and shared insights were private sector partners from Marsman Drysdale Agribusiness Group, Belvis Farms, Rosario's Delicacies, Phil. Agri-Ventures Corp., ICT Davao, and the public sector partners Southern Philippines Medical Center, DOST, DICT, DTI, and the UP System team of Aubrey Diane Francisco and Jose Emmanuel Reverente.

The UPMin efforts address the Sustainable Development Goals of poverty alleviation, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, economic growth, industry, and innovation, among others.

#UPMinToday #UPMin

Feature Story: UPMin pitches KIST Park and Pilot Plants to DTI and ADB 

Innovators from the University of the Philippines Mindanao presented their ongoing projects to a visiting Asian Development Bank (ADB) team in UPMin on January 20, 2024. They presented the UPMin KIST Park and startup environment, pilot plants for lactic acid and food processing, and medicinal and diagnostic kit goods.

These ongoing projects of the university are contributions to the Department of Trade and Industry’s "Promoting Research and Innovation to Strengthen Transformation of Industries and Enterprises (PRISTINE)” program to be funded by the ADB. The PRISTINE program aims to improve the innovation ecosystem and establish applied research & development (R&D) and innovation infrastructure in line with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

“Innovation is one of our key pillars in UP Mindanao...we need to build an innovation ecosystem, and we in UP Mindanao have started to build that ecosystem,” said UPMin Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao in her welcome message to the forum.

Towards the innovation ecosystem, Asst. Prof. Miguel Carlo Guillermo, head of UPMin Technology Transfer and Business Development  Office, introduced the UPMin Technology Business Incubator (TBI), which is dedicated to creating a Davao Region startup ecosystem for technology entrepreneurs who offer innovative technological solutions to consumer, business, and societal problems. The TBI has incubated 30 startups, launched nine business ventures, partnered with almost 100 support organizations, and raised more than 12 Million Pesos in equity-free funding for impactful startups since 2018. The UPMin TBI also created the IDEAS Davao Consortium, organizer of the Davao Startup Week in 2022 and 2023 

For the applied R&D and innovation infrastructure, Dr. Melvin Pasaporte presented the "Knowledge, Innovation, Science, and Technology (KIST) Park,” a Silicon Valley-inspired science & technology park on campus, which will house a government-industry-academe ecosystem in a 12-hectare area. The Park will serve as a regional innovation hub, being near government research centers. 

The KIST Park will be the center for the applied R&D for lactic acid fermentation, food processing, and biomass processing. Research and development facilities for biopolymer, enzyme technology, translation omics, and fiber materials. The support facilities will include a technology innovation hub, a technology resource center, locator sites, commercial spaces, a hotel, a power station, and sewage treatment. The cost of conceptualizing and design is estimated at P32.5 Million, to be sourced from the UP System, and construction at P1.06 Billion, proposed for ADB funding.   

Focusing on the applied S&T, Dr. Pasaporte detailed the "Lactic Acid Technology Commercialization Production and Roadmap" and its prospects in the food, packaging materials, pharmaceuticals, and other industries, with a global revenue forecast of $7.94 Billion in 2030. 

Assoc. Prof. Dann Marie del Mundo, the chair of the Department of Food Science and Chemistry, presented the proposed "Food Processing Pilot Plant" project, intended for creating value-added products from high-value crops that are abundant in Mindanao but underutilized. The plant proposes facilities for food chemistry, food micro, food analysis, sensory evaluation, and processing stations for meat and fish, fruits and vegetables, and cacao, in reference to Davao Region as the cacao capital of the Philippines. 

Philippine Genome Center (PGC) Mindanao Junior Project Officer Ediflor Yanong presented the PGC’s "Translational Omics Research Facility and Pilot Plant" plan. This is dedicated to R&D for animal and human health and public health through therapeutic and diagnostic kit product development.  

The ADB team, composed of innovation consultant Samuel Ang King Wee, social sector specialists Vishal Aditya Potluri and Fook Yen Chong, local government specialist Jose Tiusongco II, Australian Technology Network director Shaun Welbourne-Wood, public management specialist Arndt Husar, and Dr. Yashpal Malik subjected the UPMin proposals to a series of inquiries and feedback.

Among the UPMin partners who attended and engaged in networking were private sector partners Marsman Drysdale Agribusiness Group, Belvis Farms, Rosario’s Delicacies, Phil. Agri-Ventures Corp., ICT Davao, and the public sector partners Southern Philippines Medical Center, DOST, DICT, and the UP System team of Diane Aubrey Francisco and Jose Reverente. Ms. Angelica Joy Gabriel represented the DTI. 

The UPMin R&D efforts address the Sustainable Development Goals of poverty alleviation, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, economic growth, industry, and innovation, among others.   

—

Written by Rene Estremera, Public Relations Officer, UP Mindanao

Edited by Angela Sucaldito, Junior Media Production Assistant, UP Mindanao

Digital copy of the file:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aeCiGbRnoJTY-HUc6q6GZD-7acmr1hwV/edit

Suggested Photos:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1icqPoo0zfWNAGh0pJHvnkCYMbXEBdhIH/view?usp=sharing

Caption: The participants in the Asian Development Bank (ADB) visit and campus tour in UP Mindanao for the PRISTINE project on January 20, 2024. The Asian Development Bank team was composed of Shaun Welbourne-Wood, Samuel Ang King Wee, Vishal Aditya Potluri, Yashpal Malik, Arndt Husar, Fook Yen Chong, and Jose Tiusongco II. The ADB team was accompanied by DTI’s Angelica Joy Gabriel and the UP System’s Aubrey Diane Francisco and Jose Reverente. Represented at the forum were UP Mindanao units and their public and private sector partners. 

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JTwQC5I25ybFv8KOC27Rxis62L5P6Dr4/view?usp=drive_link

Caption: UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao welcomes the Asian Development Bank and Department of Trade and Industry teams and UPMin’s partners to the PRISTINE forum on January 20, 2024. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TeZ_oNFJvapmFNyOXeMmEoZhdRfqz4b2/view?usp=sharing

Caption: UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao welcomes the Asian Development Bank’s Senior Social Sector Specialist for Skill Development Fook Yen Chong at the PRISTINE forum on January 20, 2024, while ADB Social Sector Specialist Vishal Aditya Potluri, UP Technology Transfer Officer Diane Aubrey Francisco, and DTI representative Angelica Joy Gabriel look on.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BMMaI8Tl3gLVR4fPLRIj5Xxc9KgYATTo/view?usp=sharing

UPMin TTBDO’s Chief Researcher Dr. Melvin Pasaporte presents the proposed UPMin "Knowledge, Innovation, Science, and Technology (KIST) Park” before the Asian Development Bank team during their visit and campus tour in UP Mindanao for the PRISTINE project on January 20, 2024. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VGi2372Wq-Svdx6MD3obBnBFD0FT60oU/view?usp=sharing

Caption: ADB innovation consultant Samuel Ang King Wee gives a comment at the PRISTINE forum on January 20, 2024 in UP Mindanao.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h1acInDpssZpKLraZYgkxPBzGbgeUmRt/view?usp=sharing

Caption: Mary Grace Belvis of Rosario’s Delicacies shares her industry experience at the PRISTINE forum in UP Mindanao on January 20, 2024. Listening in are (left-right) DTI’s Angelica Joy Gabriel, UP’s Aubrey Diane Francisco, Asia Development Bank’s Vishal Aditya Potluri, UPMin’s Jackie Lou Tagubase and Marbie Alpos, and DOST’s Mayan Jane Inni.