The provincial directors from Zamboanga Peninsula convene during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas in Zamboanga City, and reported about the achieved victories of DOST-9, highlighting their perpetual commitment to building smart and sustainable communities in the region. (PIA)
PAGADIAN CITY – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Zamboanga region said the successful operation of the Small Enterprise Technology Program (SETUP) has significantly improved the production efficiency of almost 10,000 enterprises in the region.
A total of 9,851 firms were granted P54.6 million in assistance under the program. This generated P458.7 million in gross sales and created 1,635 jobs across Zamboanga Peninsula.
SETUP, the flagship program of DOST, helps micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) improve their productivity and competitiveness in the market by providing them technology upgrades, technical assistance, and innovation support
Engineer Denis B. Tagab, owner of Engineer Steel Manufacturing in Dipolog City highlights how DOST-SETUP significantly improved his production efficiency.
“[Noon] ang isang T-bar na 1-meter komo-consume siya ng mga half hour. [Ngayon,] sa T-bar [machine] one-minute lang”, he said. (Before, a 1-meter T-bar would take about half an hour. Now, with the T-bar machine, it only takes a minute.)
The technology interventions from the program enabled his enterprise to produce its materials instead of outsourcing them, leading to its transition from Engr. Steel Industry to Engr. Steel Manufacturing.
Instead of outsourcing materials like coil springs from Manila and Cebu, they now manufacture them in their facility resulting in construction industry from other cities like Dumaguete City and Bacolod City to outsource from them.
During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, DOST Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Director Nuhman M. Aljani said that SETUP has been operating for quite some time and emphasized its significant contribution in upgrading MSMEs throughout the region and in the country.
This program is designed for existing enterprises aiming to upgrade their business by meeting department’s requirements.
To qualify, MSMES must meet DOST requirements including a minimum operation period – three years for small and medium enterprises and one year for micro enterprises.
Moreover, enterprises must undergo a technology needs assessment identifying gaps that require process optimization or adoption of new technology.
“Nakita ng DOST na kung gusto natin talagang tulungan yung industry kailangan mag-provide tayo ng needed technology for them to upgrade” said Provincial Director Nuhman M. Aljani emphasizing their strong commitment to addressing the needed interventions of enterprises. (Hanna Lee Cabaluna/CCP/PIA-9)
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