Marcos Innovation Hub Laguna Quezon: Nature & Technology Center
Marcos Jr. Establishes Innovation Hub in Biñan, declares New Protected Area in Quezon
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has substantially bolstered the nation’s innovation and conservation efforts with the establishment of a new innovation hub in Biñan, Laguna, and the declaration of a protected area in San Francisco, Quezon.These landmark initiatives, formalized through recent presidential proclamations and laws, underscore the administration’s commitment to fostering economic growth and safeguarding the country’s rich biodiversity.
On July 30, President Marcos Jr. signed Proclamation 985, designating a 50,000-square-meter parcel of land at the De la Salle University Science and Technology Complex, Leandro V. Locsin campus in Biñan, Laguna, as a knowledge, innovation, science, and technology ecozone. This new zone will be known as the De La Salle University Innovation Hub.The creation of this hub is rooted in Republic Act (RA) 7916, the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995, as amended by RA 8748. This foundational law aims to stimulate economic expansion by developing specialized economic zones, or “ecozones,” defined as areas with high potential for agro-industrial, industrial, tourist/recreational, commercial banking, investment, and financial development. The establishment of the Biñan innovation hub, upon the recommendation of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Board of Directors, is expected to catalyze advancements in science and technology, attracting investment and creating new opportunities.
In parallel, President Marcos Jr. signed RA 12229 on July 23, declaring a 29.6-hectare land in San Francisco, Quezon, as a protected landscape. This designation, to be known as the San Francisco Protected Landscape (SFPL), recognizes the exceptional biological richness, native species, and ecological significance of the Mulanay Watershed Forest Reserve. The SFPL will be classified as a national park,mandating the State’s active role in it’s conservation,protection,management,and rehabilitation.
RA 12229 emphasizes a collaborative approach to the SFPL’s administration, requiring cooperation among national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private entities, and local communities.To this end, the law establishes a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), chaired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), to oversee the SFPL. A dedicated Protected Management Office will also be instituted to manage the day-to-day operations, protection, and administration of the landscape.
Moreover, a trust fund has been established to ensure the sustainable operations of the SFPL. Under the law, 75 percent of all revenues generated will be retained by the PAMB and deposited into a Protected Area-Retained Income Account. The remaining 25 percent will be allocated to the National Treasury’s General Fund as a special account. This fund can be augmented by grants, donations, and endowments from both domestic and international sources, with disbursements strictly for the protection, maintenance, administration, and management of the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) and approved projects.
Copies of Proclamation 985 and RA 12229 were officially uploaded to the Official gazette, marking a significant step forward in the Marcos Jr. administration’s dual focus on technological advancement and environmental stewardship.