The Philippine chemical industry is entering a new phase of innovation and growth, as the Accelerating Schools and Chemical Industry Engagements for Nurturing Development (ASCEND) program takes off. Spearheaded by the Board of Investments (BOI) and Samahan sa Pilipinas ng mga Industriyang Kimika (SPIK), ASCEND will connect academic and industrial expertise to accelerate applied research, drive sustainable modern solutions, and prepare graduates for success in dynamic chemical field requirements.

Held on 17 October 2025, at Sotogrande Hotel Katipunan, the event was seen as a key milestone in pursuit of an objective under the Philippine Chemicals Industry Roadmap to build an ecosystem that prioritizes applied research; sustainable innovation and skills development dovetailed to industry requirements.

Kicking off the event, BOI Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa highlighted the need for schools and industry to work more closely together to have a positive effect on human capital development.

SPIK President Engr. Gretchen Enarle expressed the same vision, emphasizing industry’s influence on determining curricula and research activities.

Engr. Albert Samuela, ASCEND Program Lead & SPIK representative gave an interactive live demo of the ASCEND Playbook and its new centralized collaboration platform. The Playbook is an indispensable resource to standardize the approach on best practices and structure partnerships between academia and industry.

Ways to fund said projects were tackled by Dr. Ruby Raterta, Chief Research Management and Development Division of DOST-PCIEERD. She stressed the importance of government backing for collaborative research and innovation.

One of the spotlight activities was Industry-Academe Reverse Pitching sessions where in industry set out their key challenges and collaboration expectations from academics. Speakers were Mr. Joshua Tan, Product Design and Development Manager of First In Colours, Inc., and Atty. Jhezzarose L. Fajardo-Galorio – Mabuhay Vinyl Corporation’s Personnel & Training Officer.

The ceremonial turnover of ASCEND Playbook Project to Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa, Engr. Gretchen Enarle, President of SPIK and Engr. Albert Samuela, ASCEND Program Lead, meant a significant move in mutual strength between the chemical industrial and institutions of higher learning. Through this symbolic ceremony, the common cause of the Board of Investments, SPIK, and project leaders is clearly defined: to provide industry with a comprehensive guidebook that bridges partnerships and meets the new demands of Philippine chemicals business.

Projects such as ASCEND and AIM! BOI and partners envisage a strong innovation-led collaboration ecosystem. The goal of this partnership is to increase Philippine competitiveness and sustainability, and to contribute positively on the long-term development of the Philippine chemical industry, equipping graduates with skill sets suited for the industry while performing R&D that is aligned with the evolution of domestic players.