ENTREPRENEURS under the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region are urged to undergo the Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of the Department of Science and Technology – Cordillera (DOST–CAR).
Sheila Marie Singa-Claver, Provincial Science and a Technology Director for Baguio and Benguet explained SETUP is a nationwide strategy to encourage and assist MSMEs in adopting technological innovations aimed at moving technology transfer programs for registered enterprises.
“We assist them by providing appropriate technologies to improve and develop their products, services or operations, we also provide training and technical assistance including consultancy services aside from design and provide functional packaging materials and labels and assistance for them to comply with the regulatory and marketing standards such as testing and calibration services through our regional standards and testing laboratory at DOST, aside from providing technological acquisition for them to implement technological innovations,” Claver said.
SETUP aims to enhance operational efficiency, and boost productivity and competitiveness while empowering firms because solutions regard local conditions and market impact of problems.
Under SETUP, technology-based solutions raise standards and product quality. The end results are a human resource base adept in use of its skills, as well as, operations that maximize efficiency while minimizing cost and waste.
“What we really want to achieve here is to develop our MSMEs in the region. We have actually help a lot of MSMEs in the Cordillera since this was implemented in 2002 and as of today, we have assisted 532 MSMEs in the Cordillera and we were able to provide P281 million for this program,” Claver added.
DOST-Cordillera has identified food processing, furniture, gifts, decors, handicrafts, agriculture, marine aquaculture forestry as priority sectors.
Metals and engineering, ICT, health and wellness products, halal products and services, energy and environment, creative industry and other regional industry priorities are also given support by DOST.
“If their business falls under any of these priority sectors, all they have to do is go to the nearest provincial science and technology centers and they will be assisted by our PSCC’s on how to go about this because they would have to prepare a proposal but even before the proposal, they will have to have a technology needs assessment wherein representatives of DOST-Car will have to visit the proponents of SETUP to see what the proponents really need so that it would be a responsive and appropriate intervention that the DOST will provide for the proponent,” Claver added.
Established in 2002, SETUP is DOST's key strategy to stimulate investments in urban, semi – urban and rural areas that focuses on assisting MSMEs through provision of technology, testing of products for compliance to international standards, assistance in packaging and labeling of products, creation and management of databases and information systems and links with national and international organizations to provide raw material source, market, training, financing, and equipment design and fabrication.
Any company or individual firm based in the Cordillera Region and wholly owned by Filipino citizens wanting to engage in small and medium scale business firm classified under the identified priority sectors aside from idividual firm that is willing to apply technological improvements in their existing operations may apply for DOST-Car’s SETUP.