DOST, CSU open first National Innovation Day Celebration in Caraga

Celebrating the region’s immense pool of innovation, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched the first National Innovation Day in Caraga on April 21, 2025, featuring select innovation facilities at Caraga State University.

The celebration is dubbed LUNSAD or Launching of Novel Solutions to Achieve Sustainability and Development, which follows the theme FLIP: Forging Leaders of Innovation in the Philippines. DOST-Caraga Regional Director Engr. Noel M. Ajoc describes it as “a call to action to create, build, and sustain solutions that are responsive to the needs of the communities.”

CSU President Rolyn C. Daguil delivered a welcome message assuring the university's sustained effort in developing innovations and solutions, especially in agriculture, the environment, disaster resilience, and digital transformation.

As a highlight of the event, the participants toured some of the Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Centers on the campus, including the Center for Human-Computer Interaction (CHCI), Food Innovation Center (FIC), Sustainable Mineral and Mining Operations Using Industry 4.0 (SuMMO), Navigatu, Black Native Chicken (Patani) Farm, and ScrapCycle PH. 

The afternoon session discussed Artificial Intelligence for Regional Transformation and ScrapCycle’s journey. Local Government Units and agencies also participated in reverse pitching to present their challenges and seek solutions from the innovation community in the region. 

The month-long event is a milestone for the growing innovation ecosystem in the region, which is propelled by collaboration among the academe, government, and industry. 

This article is aligned with SDG No. 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)