THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Zamboanga Peninsula, through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (Setup), has extended P14.6 million assistance in technology upgrade in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay since January this year.

Jennifer Pidor, head of the Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Science Center, said that so far, they have assisted 12 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the province.

Pidor said the 12 Setup-assisted projects are distributed under the following business sectors: agriculture, aquaculture, forestry and horticulture, six; food processing, four; information and communications technology and electronics, one; and metals and engineering, one.

Pidor said the MSMEs assisted are as follows: Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) Achasol, Berbana Rice Mill, RJ Bakeshop, Cassy's Sweet Bites and Grill, Rendon Rice Mill, The Project Computer Services and Enterprises, Rosemarry Rice Retailing, Brito's Rice Mill, Remitera Bakery, G.D. Motor Parts, Zamora Rice Mill and Amabelle's Cakes and Pastries.

She said that overall, the technology upgrading of the Setup-assisted firms in Zamboanga Sibugay translated to about P67,796,559 in gross sales, improvement in productivity averaging to about 59 percent, and a total of 93 employment opportunities were generated for the locals within their respective communities.

Meanwhile, the Amabelle's Cakes and Pastries, the latest MSMEs to receive assistance from DOST-Zamboanga Peninsula, is a business based in Villacorte village, Olutanga, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Pidor said bakeshop has received funding worth P315,700 for equipment and productivity upgrades from the DOST-Zamboanga Peninsula.

"With the current pandemic situation, the provision of the said funding hopes to help address the issue on food security in the island (of Olutanga)," Pidor said.

She said the fund assistance will be used for the procurement of baking equipment such as a three-layered cake chiller, 12 cubic feet upright chiller, a heavy duty six-quartz cake mixer, a stainless steel cooling rack, kitchen utility rack, and working table, as well the construction of the production area.

She said that with the assistance by DOST, the bakeshop is expected to increase at least 25 percent in production and income.

She noted that the firm recorded an average of 248 orders of cakes and pastries per year with product pricing as low as P500, making an annual average gross income of P865,000.

Amabelle Camoy, the proprietor of the bakeshop, hopes to employ more employees to help her in the production and sales. (SunStar Zamboanga)