𝐄𝐎 𝟒: 𝐆𝐎𝐕. 𝐏𝐀𝐌 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐔𝐏 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐋
Gov. Pamela S. Baricuatro issued an executive order creating the Technology Startup Council of the Province of Cebu, a new body aimed at coordinating policies, programs and partnerships to strengthen the local startup ecosystem.
Executive Order (EO) No. 4, Series of 2026, signed on Jan. 15, 2026, establishes the council as the primary coordinating, advisory and policy-recommendatory platform for startups in the province, recognizing its role as a vital driver of economic transformation, job creation and inclusive growth in Cebu.
The order draws legal basis from Article XIV, Section 10 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Philippine Innovation Act, and the Innovative Startup Act, which direct national and local governments to promote innovation-driven enterprises and strengthen governance structures supporting startups. It also references national funding mechanisms such as the Startup Venture Fund and Startup Grant Fund, as well as the Local Government Code of 1991.
The creation of the council aligns with national and regional development frameworks, including the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 and the Central Visayas Regional Development Plan 2023–2028, both of which identify research, development, technology and innovation as core pillars for economic transformation and job creation. The order also recognizes the role of the Department of Science and Technology’s iSTART Program in helping local governments integrate innovation into development planning.
Under the order, the governor will serve as the council chairperson, with the president of the Cebu Startup Ecosystem Alliance as co-chairperson. Members include representatives from the Provincial Planning and Development Office, the Innovation and Startup Act committee, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan 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 Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The executive order outlines broad responsibilities for the council, including recommending policies to strengthen coordination within the startup community, serving as a bridge among government, academe and the private sector, and increasing public awareness of Cebu-based startups.
The council is also tasked to support programs such as startup weeks, incubations, accelerators and mentorship initiatives, identify pathways to capital for startups, and establish sandbox programs for testing emerging technologies.
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.
The startup council is required to draft its internal rules and major program frameworks within 90 days from the order’s effectivity. It will meet at least quarterly, with special meetings to be called by the chairperson or a majority of members. /𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶𝑳 𝑷𝑰𝑶
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