Author: Anna Clarissa S. Cruz, Project Assistant II, SETUP-RPMO
Seven (7) micro-, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in food processing, agriculture, and metals and engineering located in Bulacan and Pampanga have recently signed up for the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of the Department of Science and Technology in Region 3 (DOST-3).
The seven firms, namely, Happy Huts Pizza House; Bakeology Products Manufacturing; Ajee Food Products; Fiona’s Farm; RDJDC Enterprise; Sarmiento Metal Craft; and Inang Enyang’s Eleven Fourteen Sweet Candies signed a memorandum of agreement through which they will be able to acquire production technologies and systems innovations that will upgrade their businesses.
In the case of Fiona’s Farm, operating as a farm resort and producing tomatoes and other green leafy vegetables thru aeroponics, their electricity consumption is quite high. Through the assistance that they will be getting from SETUP, they will be able to switch into solar (photovoltaic) technology which will radically cut their energy cost and make their day-to-day operation more efficient.
During the signing of the memorandum of agreement, DOST-3 Regional Director Julius Caesar V. Sicat emphasized the importance of adopting technologies to address business-related problems and encouraged the owners of the seven firms to avail of other DOST-3 services, saying “DOST would be very much willing to help all of you, our engagement with each other doesn’t end in SETUP. We also have technical consultancy trainings, and the Regional Science Technology Laboratory (RSTL) which can help further elevate the efficiency of your businesses.”
DOST-3 has allotted a total of Php 7,483,168.00 for all the firm-beneficiaries which will be in the form of technological interventions. The said financial package is payable in three years without interest. Firm-beneficiaries can also re-apply for another engagement after successfully completing their financial obligations.
Since it was first implemented in 2002 as a flagship program of DOST, SETUP has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs achieve business success by providing S&T-based solutions that are tailor-made for a particular requirements of an individual MSME.