GOVPH

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) hands over science, technology, and innovation (STI) roadmaps to the cities of Pasig and Caloocan to help fulfill their vision of building their smart and sustainable communities.

The turnover was done during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Regional Science, Innovation and Technology Week of the DOST-National Capital Region (DOST-NCR) on November 24, 2025 at the Technological Institute of the Philippines - Quezon City.

In his keynote, DOST Secretary said that the plight of millions of Filipinos experiencing systemic barriers of development inspires the Department to push for the Smart and Sustainable Program (SSCP), a people-centric and technology-driven strategy to facilitate the transformation of communities toward becoming smart and sustainable since 2023.

“Smart and sustainable communities are for them, for the students to improve their learning capacities, workers to ease their daily operations, urban farmers and fisherfolks, senior citizens, persons with disabilities. When driven by inclusive science and technology-based solutions, we can create a better picture of a Filipino’s daily lived realities,” he said.

Through the SSCP and Innovation, Science, and Technology for Accelerating Regional Technology-based Development (iSTART) Program, DOST-NCR and its partner local government units, such as Pasig City and Caloocan City, work together to formulate roadmaps containing evidence-based policymaking and strategic S&T investments for sustainable urban development.

Both programs also aim to deploy science and technology-based solutions to build smart and sustainable communities.

Titled “AGOS Pasig: Accelerating Growth and Opportunities through Science for Progressive, Adaptive, and Sustainable Innovation in Governance Pasig Smart City Roadmap 2025-2030,” the Smart City Roadmap for Pasig City was co-drafted with the Pasig Science and Technology Innovation (SATI) Technical Working Group, and contains the initiatives of Pasig City outlined until 2030 towards building a city anchored on principles of inclusive, smart and sustainable governance.

Further, Caloocan City received its roadmap titled “KILOS: Kalookan Initiative for Leadership, Outcome, Science, and Sustained Development (2026-2028),” containing the science, technology, and innovation-based initiatives to be done until 2028 to build a smart and sustainable Caloocan City, drafted by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Technical Working Group of Caloocan City.

To date, the DOST has partnered with 116 local government units (LGUs) in the country to help them craft their own smart and sustainable community roadmaps, adopt smart solutions in agriculture, governance, and transportation, among others, and work with stakeholders and like-minded partners.

The Smart and Sustainable Program (SSCP) is one of the many initiatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aims at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph. (By Rosemarie C. Señora, DOST-STII and photos from Patrick James Lee Alfonso, DOST-STII)