Gov. Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order No. 4 on Jan. 15, creating the Technology Startup Council that will coordinate, advise, and recommend policies to the local startup community, recognizing its role as a “vital driver of local economic transformation, job creation, and inclusive growth.”
According to the four-page EO, the council will provide a mechanism for convergence among government, academe, industry, civil society, and youth to strengthen the local startup community, promote startup development, and align local initiatives with both regional and national policies.
Council composition
Baricuatro will sit as council chair, with the president of the Cebu Startup Ecosystem Alliance as co-chair.
Members include representatives from the Provincial Planning and Development Office, the Innovation and Startup Act Committee, the Provincial Board Committee on Commerce and Industry, the Development Acceleration Support for Innovation Growth Program, and three representatives from the startup community.
The council may also invite national government agencies, academic institutions, financial institutions, chambers of commerce, and other stakeholders as advisers or observers, including the Departments of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Trade and Industry (DTI), and Science and Technology (DOST).
Mandate and functions
Its primary duty is to recommend policies that will strengthen the startup community by promoting shared standards, coordination and collaborative development to ease of doing business, talent development and strategic planning for startup stakeholders.
It will also serve as a bridge among government agencies, academe, media and civic organizations to align innovation initiatives, streamline support and encourage policies that enable the growth.
Through coordinated media strategies, promotions and partnership with local government units, universities, investors and national innovation agencies, the council will help push public awareness and credibility of Cebu-based startups.
Part of the council’s functions is to identify funding sources such as grants and government incentives, as well as facilitate and provide pathways to capital for early-stage to growth-stage startups. But the EO prohibits the council from accepting fund sources.
Sandbox programs
The council will also establish Sandbox programs that allow qualified startups to test products, services and emerging technologies in controlled, real-world environments.
Other functions include maintaining data on local startups and funding flows, organizing events to promote Cebu as an innovation hub, fostering an inclusive startup community, and developing frameworks to ensure long-term institutional sustainability.
The Cebu Provincial Investment and Promotions Division will serve as the council’s secretariat, in coordination with the Provincial Planning and Development Office and national innovation agencies.
The council may form technical working groups covering areas such as policy and governance, startup development, research and development, digital transformation, investment, and inclusive innovation.
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