DAVAO CITY — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will hold the 2026 National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) in General Santos City from Nov. 25 to 29, featuring technology exhibits, robotics competitions, and forums on food security, renewable energy, and disaster resilience.
The five-day event, announced during the Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week 2026 in Davao, will carry the theme “Science, Technology, and Digital Innovation: Driving Food Security, Sustainable Energy, and National Resilience.”
Activities will bring together DOST agencies, industry partners, academic institutions, local government units, and other stakeholders to showcase technologies and research addressing challenges in agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, energy, and disaster preparedness.
The program will include robot-building and e-games development competitions, a robotics expo, and technology showcases covering smart agriculture, renewable energy, digital technologies, and locally developed innovations. Visitors will also be able to visit DOST-assisted projects and meet their developers.
One of the major activities is the “Pagtanaw 2050: The Philippine Foresight on Science, Technology, and Innovation” forum, scheduled for Nov. 28 at the Greenleaf Hotel.
Led by the National Academy of Science and Technology Philippines, the forum will review the country’s science and technology foresight plan covering 2019 to 2050.
Pagtanaw 2050 identifies priority areas including artificial intelligence, digital technologies, smart farming, genomics, marine technologies, clean energy, biomedical technologies, space applications, smart mobility, and public governance.
Technologies aligned with these priorities include satellite and remote-sensing systems for disaster monitoring and weather forecasting, geospatial risk-assessment tools, advanced manufacturing, 3D printing, and locally developed electric mobility platforms such as e-trikes, e-tranvia, and e-ferries.
The event will also recognize micro, small, and medium enterprises supported by DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP).
The 2026 SETUP Awards will recognize enterprises in four categories: Championing Innovation and Resource Circularity for Local Enterprises (CIRCLE), Most Industry 4.0-Ready Award (I-READY), Most Industry 4.0 Champion of Innovation Award (ICON), and SETUP Praise.
As of June 2026, SETUP had reached more than 80,000 beneficiaries, generated over 41,000 job opportunities, and provided P2.9 billion in funding support to small and medium enterprises.
The program provides technology assistance, training, consultancy, and funding to help businesses address production gaps and improve productivity.
DOST secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. is also expected to participate in a media dialogue on the opening day.
“Let us show that science is not hidden in laboratories. It is alive, practical, and for every Filipino,” Solidum said during the NSTW media kickoff.
The General Santos City event will also highlight the role of science and technology in economic development, disaster preparedness, and recovery, particularly in communities exposed to earthquakes and extreme weather.
Last year’s NSTW in Laoag City featured more than 300 technologies and over 40 events, drawing 8,700 attendees and reaching more than 700,000 people through social media platforms.
