USM Showcases Innovation Leadership at RAISE Summit Week 2025

The University of Southern Mindanao (USM) actively participated in the RAISE Summit Week 2025, held from October 13 to 16, 2025, at Hotel Casiana, Tagaytay City. The national summit, sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), brought together institutions implementing the Regional Agri-Aqua Innovation System Enhancement (RAISE) Program across the country.

Leading the USM delegation was University President Dr. Jonald L. Pimentel, together with Dr. Julius Jerome Ele, Dr. Josephine R. Migalbin, Program Leader of RAISE SOCCSKSARGEN and Project 4 Leader, Prof. Pia Amabelle Flores, Prof. Ronald Pascual, and other officials. The summit gathered program and project leaders, university officials, and innovation champions to strengthen linkages and promote technology-driven development in the agri-aqua sector.

The RAISE SOCCSKSARGEN Program, led by Dr. Migalbin, is composed of five higher education institutions—University of Southern Mindanao (USM), Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU), Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology (CFCST), Cotabato State University (CotSU), and Mindanao State University–General Santos (MSU GenSan).

It implements four component projects aimed at boosting regional innovation and entrepreneurship through research, technology transfer, and knowledge sharing:

• Project 1: Regional Intellectual Property and Technology Business Management (IPTBM) in SOCCSKSARGEN through the RAISE Program
  Project Leader: Prof. Pia Amabelle C. Flores, University of Southern Mindanao
• Project 2: Regional Agri-Business Hub (ABH) in SOCCSKSARGEN through the RAISE Program
  Project Leader: Prof. Ronald R. Pascual, University of Southern Mindanao
• Project 3: Regional Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubator (ATBI) in SOCCSKSARGEN through the RAISE Program
  Project Leader: Dr. Dennis S. Meriales, Sultan Kudarat State University
• Project 4: Regional Knowledge Management (KM) Hub in SOCCSKSARGEN through the RAISE Program
  Project Leader: Dr. Josephine R. Migalbin, University of Southern Mindanao

Throughout the four-day event, delegates from RAISE regions across the Philippines presented updates on their projects, shared success stories, and explored strategies for strengthening research-industry partnerships. The summit also featured plenary discussions, exhibits, and networking activities highlighting the role of innovation in sustainable agricultural and aquaculture development.

USM’s active participation in the RAISE Summit Week 2025 shows its role in driving innovation and collaboration within the SOCCSKSARGEN region and beyond. Through the RAISE Program, the university continues to champion science-based solutions that empower communities and advance regional progress.