By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

To help develop enterprises that will generate employment in the Ilocos region, Mariano Marcos State University is set to implement a technology business incubator project, having been granted with a Php 12.7 million fund from the Department of Science of Technology. 

The establishment of the DOST-MMSU Bannuar Technology Business Incubator at the university main campus received approval from the DOST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Resources and Development (PCIEERD). 

The project’s funding and implementation was made official with the signing of a memorandum of agreement between PCIEERD Executive Director Enrico C. Paringit, MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis, and DOST Regional Director Armando Q. Ganal on Wednesday, November 16, at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion in Taguig City. 

Joining President Agrupis in the ceremonial signing were Prof. Armie Sabugo, Bannuar TBI project leader; and Dr. Dionisio Bucao, director of the MMSU science and technology park. 

Prof. Sabugo said the two-year project aims to establish a functional TBI facility which will help startups. This will promote an entrepreneurial culture within and outside the university, and will connect students, faculty, researchers, alumni, entrepreneurs, business owners, non-government organizations and financial institutions.

She added that members of the project team are Engineers Artbellson Mamuri and Abegail Ruiz, Prof. Reena Gilaine Barot, and Ms. Tienna B. Valdez of MMSU, and Mr. Valiant Nestor Navarrete, resident entrepreneur. 

MMSU is one of the 27 higher education institutions which signed another memorandum of understanding for the implementation of the Handholding Starting Incubators from HEIs for Readiness towards Innovation and Technopreneurship Preparatory and Skills Acceleration for TBI Managers Optimizing Regional Startup Ecosystem (HIHEIRIT PA MORE). The two-year structured and immersive capacity-building program aims to provide a structured and immersive capacity-building training for future technology business incubator managers in universities and colleges. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)