Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippine Constitution mandates that the State shall give priority to research and 
development, invention, innovation, and their utilization, and to science and 
technology education, training, and services. The government should be able to 
provide mechanisms and platforms for the integration of a developmental approach 
into science, technology, and innovation. 
This measure proposes the establishment of Science and Technology parks (STPs) 
nationwide to promote a culture of competitiveness and innovation through tech-based 
enterprises and knowledge-based institutions.  
Moreover, it proposes the grant of subsidies and incentives for the development of 
STPs as well as the provision of technical assistance, policy advice, and support for 
the establishment of centers for science park development;  
As one of the primary authors of Republic Act No. 11293, or the Philippine Innovation 
Act, and Republic Act No. 11337, or the Innovative Startup Act, this proposal is 
intended to further support the country’s steady rise in the Global Innovation Index. 
The Philippines has already climbed from 100 in 2014 to Rank 50 in 2020.  
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is most earnestly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
May 15, 2023
9:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH GUIDELINES AND INCENTIVES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARKS (STPs) IN THE PHILIPPINES, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:  
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Science and Technology 
Parks Act". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. – The State recognizes science and technology 
as essential for national development and progress and shall give priority to research 
and development, invention, innovation, and their utilization, and to science and 
technology education, training, and services. It shall support indigenous, appropriate, 
and self-reliant scientific and technological capabilities and their application to the 
country's productive systems and national life. Towards this end, the State shall 
develop a national strategy for, and incentivize the building of a knowledge-based 
economy anchored on a national workforce that is well-equipped with 21st-century 
skills, through the establishment of Science and Technology Parks throughout the 
country.  
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – The following terms as used in this Act shall mean: 
(a)
Digital Transformation means the strategic adoption or use of digital technologies
to transform services or businesses, by replacing non-digital or manual
processes with digital processes, tools, and solutions in order to improve
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productivity, deliver better user experiences, manage business risk, and control 
costs;  
 
(b)  E-readiness (electronic readiness) is a measure of the degree to which a country 
is prepared to partake in electronic activities and, thus, benefit from ICT in 
education;  
 
(c)  Innovation refers to the creation of new ideas using new or existing technologies 
that results in the development of new or improved products, processes, or 
services, which are then spread or transferred across the market;  
 
(d)  Research Parks are master planned properties and buildings designed primarily 
for private and public research and development facilities, high technology and 
science-based companies, and support services;  
 
(e)  Science Park refers to all property development that is designed to support the 
clustering of knowledge-based enterprises in order to commercialize science and 
technology. Science parks aim to foster the development and growth of 
knowledge-based economies by bringing together scientific research with 
governmental organizations and their business support and development 
programs in one physical location;  
 
(f)  
Science and Technology Park (STP) encompasses any kind of high technology 
clusters such as a technopolis, science park, science city, cyber park, industrial 
park, innovation center, research and development (R&D) park, university 
research park, research, and technology park, science and technology park, 
science city, science town, technology park, a technology incubator, technology 
park, technopark, technopole, and technology business incubator run by an 
organization managed by specialized professionals whose main aim is to 
increase the wealth of its community by promoting the culture of innovation and 
the competitiveness of its associated businesses and knowledge-based 
institutions;  
 


(g)  Technology Business Incubator is a facility designed to help startup technology-
based businesses by providing them with the necessary resources, services, and 
support needed during the development stage.  
 
ARTICLE II  
DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 
SEC. 4. Development of a National Ecosystem. – To leverage science, technology, 
and innovation (STI) which are the major pillars of developing economies in the Fourth 
Industrial Revolution, the State shall ensure the development of a national ICT 
ecosystem that will lead toward the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) which is 
the 
building 
resilient 
infrastructure, 
promoting 
inclusive 
and 
sustainable 
Industrialization, and fostering innovation by 2030. To achieve the foregoing goal, the 
State shall:  
(a)  Promote, develop, and grant subsidies and incentives for the development of 
science and technology parks or science parks, which shall have research and 
development centers, technology business incubators, and other innovation 
centers;  
 
(b)  Promote, develop, and support capacity-building activities to upgrade the 
knowledge of managers of science and technology parks across the country;  
 
(c)  Provide and make available technical assistance, policy advice, and support for 
the establishment of centers for science park development around the country;  
 
(d)  Develop, promote, encourage, and ensure mechanisms and platforms for the 
integration of a developmental approach into science, technology, and 
innovation, organizing capacity building, providing policy advice, facilitating the 
exchange of experience and best practices, and conducting research and 
problem-solving in science park and technology incubator development.  
 
SEC. 5. Government Support for Science and Technology Park Projects. – In the 
identification of science and technology park projects that can be qualified for 
government support, the following essential precursory conditions must be in place:  


(a)  The key tenants or the anchor tenants, such as national research institutes which 
are committed to staying in the STP;  
(b)  A management team with all the skills necessary for managing the STP can be 
assembled;  
(c)  A strong science base in the surrounding areas of the STP is already available;   
(d)  The city or area where an STP is located is attractive to talented people and 
students;  
(e)  An entrepreneurial culture is available in the city or country where an STP is to 
be located;  
(f)  
Finance, especially seed and venture capital, is available in the city or country 
where an STP is to be located.  
 
SEC. 6. Incentives and Support for the Creation of Science and Technology 
Parks. – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of 
Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Information and Communications 
Technology (DICT), the Department of Finance (DOF), and the Department of Public 
Works and Highways (DPWH) shall collaborate to create specific mechanisms to 
identify the extent of incentives and support for the creation of STPs, which can be 
under any of this model:  
(a)  Fully-government owned either through the national government or any of its 
agencies, or a local government unit, a state university, or a government 
corporation;  
(b) 
Publicly owned or the majority of ownership pertains to government with private 
sector counterpart at less than fifty (50) percent;  
(c)  Privately owned or more than fifty (50) percent with government counterpart or 
subsidy;  
(d)  Fully owned by the private sector with assistance from the government in various 
forms such as seed money, technical support, and others.  
 
SEC. 7. Technologies for Business Commercialization Through the Science and 
Technology Parks. – The DOST in consultation with the DTI and the DICT shall 
identify, list, and recommend for prioritization of technologies that are ideal and 
desirable for business commercialization through the STPs.  
 


SEC. 8. Design and Plans of Science and Technology Parks. – The DOST, DICT, 
and DPWH shall prepare the design and plans of the proposed science and 
technology parks in every location and shall propose project timelines for each.  
 
ARTICLE III 
DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PARKS 
SEC. 9. Regional Science and Technology Parks. – The DOST in consultation with 
DTI and DICT shall design, prepare, develop, and recommend various components of 
a science and technology park in every region, subject to the following:  
(a)  Effectiveness of the incubation and innovation programs to be offered by an STP, 
ideal for the generation of innovative business ideas, growth of entrepreneurial 
spirit, and responsiveness to global market demand;  
 
(b)  List of potential key anchor tenants of the STP which shall eventually constitute 
the backbone of the STP and help ensure that the STP can deliver its most 
important designated functions;  
 
(c)  Possibility of clusters and spin-offs of universities into science and technology 
parks.  
 
SEC. 10. Proof of Social Benefits. – If the national government or any local 
government unit, or through a government corporation or state university, finances the 
development of an STP or provides other incentives such as tax exemption or 
reduction, the said STP shall sufficiently prove that it provides social benefits such as 
advanced research and development (R&D) or boosts economic development in the 
region, province, city or municipality where it shall be located. The economic or social 
contribution of an STP should be measured and monitored by a framework to be 
developed by DOST in consultation with the National Economic Development 
Authority (NEDA).  
 
ARTICLE IV 
INCENTIVES 
SEC. 11. Incentives. – A qualified science and technology park (STP) developer 
and/or locator, whose activities may form part of the Strategic Investments Priority 


Plan, shall be entitled to such fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, including but not limited 
to income tax holidays, special corporate income tax, enhanced deductions, and such 
incentives as may be provided under the National Internal Revenue Code, as 
amended. Local government units are encouraged to provide their own set of 
incentives according to their taxation power.  
 
ARTICLE V 
DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS 
SEC. 12. Promotion of Science and Technology Parks. – The DOST and DICT 
shall regularly develop, guide, assist or spearhead programs, projects, and activities 
to promote science and technology parks.  
 
ARTICLE VI 
SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM 
SEC. 13. Linkages to Existing Projects and Initiatives Anchored on Innovation. 
– The DOST, DTI, and DICT shall ensure appropriate linkages between existing 
projects and initiatives anchored on innovation and science and technology parks 
closest to their location or area of interest and shall assist stakeholders in pursuing 
linkages.  
 
ARTICLE VII 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DOST, DICT, DTI, DOF, and 
DPWH, in coordination with other industries concerned, shall issue the necessary 
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act within a period of 
ninety (90) days after its effectivity. The non-promulgation of the implementing rules 
and regulations shall not prevent the implementation of this Act upon its effectivity.  
 
SEC. 15. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to effectively carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the 
concerned government agencies. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the 
continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act.  
 


SEC. 16. Repeating Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, rules, 
and regulations or parts thereof which are in conflict or inconsistent with the provisions 
of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.  
 
SEC. 17. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act shall be declared 
as unconstitutional or invalid, the other parts or provisions hereof which are not 
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.  
 
SEC. 18. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.  
 
Approved,