DOST PROPEL Program Sets the Stage for Global Filipino Innovations

THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) officially launched the Program PROPEL (Propelling Innovations from the Philippines), a transformative initiative designed to bridge science, technology, and innovation to empower Filipino innovators and entrepreneurs. The event, held today, marked a significant milestone in advancing the Philippines as a global hub for innovation.

DOST Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr. led the launch with pride and optimism, emphasizing the program’s mission of elevating Filipino ingenuity to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. “PROPEL embodies a strategic shift, focusing not just on the development of science-based technology solutions but on ensuring that these solutions reach their end users, discover and transform markets, and create tangible impacts both locally and globally,” he stated. “In a world defined by technological disruptions and economic complexities, nations that harness science, technology, and innovation not only survive—they thrive. This is the path we envision for the Philippines through PROPEL: a future where Filipino ingenuity and scientific rigor drive competitiveness, productivity, and growth in the global knowledge economy.”

Echoing this vision, DOST Assistant Secretary Dr. Napoleon K. Juanillo Jr. highlighted the program’s bold commitment to developing transformative and scalable science-based technology solutions. “PROPEL aims to address local challenges while propelling these innovations onto the global stage,” he said. “This initiative also has the potential to harness the scientific talents and entrepreneurial drive of the Filipino diaspora, bringing a global perspective to local solutions.”

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian extended his congratulations to DOST for launching PROPEL, recognizing its potential to create impactful change in the Philippine innovation landscape. Likewise, British Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Laure Nicole Beaufils lauded the program, emphasizing the importance of science and technology in driving economic development and growth.

The event also featured messages of support from various organizations, including TESDA, IPOPHL, PASUC, PCCI, USAID-UPSKILL, ADB, and CISTEM, as well as key institutions such as the University of the Philippines and the Office of the Ambassador of Israel to the Philippines. DOST Undersecretaries Dr. Leah J. Buendia and Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang joined the event, underscoring the program’s collaborative and multi-sectoral approach.

Through PROPEL, DOST sets its sights on a brighter future, where Filipino science, technology, and innovation serve as engines for transformative growth, both in the Philippines and on the global stage. (NELSON SANTOS)