UNIVERSITY of the Philippines-Los Banos partnered with SyCip Gorres Velayo and Co to continue the next phase of Work on the Agro-Industrial and Information Technology Parks Project through the conduct of a feasibility study.

UPLB officials headed by Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. and Director Romel Carlos of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Office led the team that accompanied the SGV to the AITPP site.

The project is envisioned to be the preferred destination of locators for a robust academe-industry partnership, with UPLB playing an active role in delivering innovative new products and services to the market.

It was established as the Science and Technology Park in the 1990s to initiate the commercialization of UPLB-generated technologies. DOST initially supported it to build the first three incubator buildings.

On May 2019, the Public-Private Partnership Center of the National Economic Development Authority announced that its Project Development and Monitoring Facility Committee had approved support for UPLB’s Special Economic Zone to cover the following: Project Feasibility Study and Project Structuring, Preparation of Bid Documents and Assistance during the PPP Bidding Process, and Assistance and Advisory until Financial Close.

The UPLB administration worked for the creation and designation of the S&T Park into an SEZ to be known as UPLB Agro-Industrial Park and UPLB Information Technology Park under the SEZ Act of 1995.

Following the PDMF approval, the PPP Center, represented by Executive Director Ferdinand Pecson and UP President Danilo Concepcion, signed the Technical Assistance Agreement covering the project.

The UPLB SEZ will occupy a 70-hectare area in the vicinity of the UPLB Agricultural and Life Sciences Complex.

The UP Board of Regents at its 1305th meeting approved it and subsequently, then President Benigno Aquino III signed Presidential Proclamations No. 1164 and No. 1165 to pave the way for the declaration of the technology parks as an SEZ.