Northern Mindanao (NorMin) officially launched a unified digital platform to streamline research, development and innovation across Region X, addressing long-standing fragmentation among local researchers, government agencies and industries.

The platform — known as HIRAYA, short for Harnessing Innovation, Research, and Analytics for a Yielded and Adaptive Knowledge Ecosystem Management System — was introduced during the opening of the 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week at the Cong. Pedro P. Romualdo Gymnasium.

Developed under the Department of Information and Communications Technology, HIRAYA serves as the region’s first centralized repository for research outputs, faculty expertise, intellectual property data, and regional innovation analytics.

Project lead engineer James Kevin M. Sagocsoc, DICT provincial officer for Camiguin, said the initiative bridges key gaps in a region rich with talent but hindered by isolated efforts.

“Technically, in Region 10, we do have plenty of resources — we talk about human resources, policies, startups and talents — but we are not working together,” Sagocsoc said. “That’s why we conceptualized HIRAYA. It is a unified platform where all resources from the different provinces in Region 10 when it comes to RDI are present.”

A core feature completed in the initial phase is the Problem Bank. The tool functions as a digital clearinghouse where businesses, micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, and public entities can post technical challenges. Local startups, researchers, and innovators can then submit existing solutions or collaborate on new ones.

Additionally, the portal compiles grant opportunities from state agencies including the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Science and Technology, and DICT, while providing open-access data to assist lawmakers in drafting evidence-based policies.

The public platform adopts a “quadruple helix” model, inviting direct participation from academic institutions, government bodies, private industry, and local communities. Sagocsoc noted that future phases will integrate additional datasets through expanded public-private partnerships.

The launch was attended by key science officials, including DoST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., Undersecretary for Regional Operations Sancho A. Mabborang, and Assistant Secretary for Countryside Development Ma. Teresa B. de Guzman.