CLARK FREEPORT – The country’s small businesses should prioritize innovation if they want to survive in a challenging business landscape.
This is the message of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to the country’s micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) to innovate and join the digital economy.
During the “Talk Widus” media forum organized by the Pampanga Pres Club in cooperation with Widus Hotel and Casino here on Wednesday, DOST senior science research specialist Jenina Cristel S. Malonzo delved on the program developed by the agency to help MSMEs.
Malonzo said the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program or SETUP, established since 2002, was developed by the DOST to help MSMEs to be able to adapt to innovation upgrade processes and current technology in their production.
“Tintawag ko po itong 3 Ms – Mapabilis ang kanilang produksyon, Mapaganda ang kalidad ng kanilang produktu, at Maparami ang kanilang produksyon para po sila maging competitive hindi lamang locally kundi pati po requirements ng international market,” Malonzo said.
“Ito po ang stratehiya na naisip namin para matulungan po ang sector na ito (This is the strategy that we developed to help this sector),” she said.
“Kase alam pu natin isa sa mga nagiging hadlang kung bakit hindi nakakapag innovate ang ating mga MSMEs yung kakulangan sa pondo or financial mas gusto po nilang ilaan ito sa mga raw materials o ibang gastusin ng business nila kaya medyo na le left out yung innovation, they resort to still manual production,” she noted.
That is why DOST came into the picture to help them in their level so that they could implement innovation and will be able to upgrade their production, she explained. Isa pong layunin ng SETUP mapalawak din yung adoption ng technology na dine-develp ng DOST, she said.
The DOST said, “innovation should be prioritized, especially that we are in the midst of a paradigm shift where it has become necessary, especially for the business sector, to be technology-driven and technology-savvy to survive in a challenging business landscape.”
Competitive
Malonzo said MSMEs can count on the DOST’s programs in their quest for innovation to become globally competitive.
“We are calling on the MSMEs, technopreneurs, and startups to take advantage of our programs to overcome roadblocks and gain market traction,” she said.
SETUP is DOST’s response to the public’s demand for improved access to technologies and breakthroughs developed by the different facilities of DOST. The program focuses assistance on the following priority sectors: food processing, furniture, gifts//decors/ handicrafts, agriculture/ marine/aquaculture/forestry/ livestock, metals and engineering, ICT, health and wellness products and services, halal products and services, and other regional priority products.
The technology intervention enables MSMEs to address their technical problems and improve productivity and efficiency through infusion of upgraded technologies to improve products/services and/ or operations, human resource training, technical assistance and consultancy services, design of functional packages and labels, assistance in the establishment of product standards including testing, and database management system.
The following can apply for SETUP assistance: a company or individual firm based in the Philippines and wholly owned by Filipino citizens; a micro, small and medium scale business firm that can be classified under the identified priority sector; a company or individual firm willing to apply technological innovations to their existing products, services and/ or operations; any government entity (including state colleges and universities), cooperative, civil society organization, and academic institutions operating business-like projects/ activities (such as Common Service Facilities, Innovation/ Incubation Centers) for entrepreneurs/ graduates of entrepreneurship).
Proponents shall submit the following documents to the DOST regional office through the Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC): letter of intent to avail of the SETUP assistance, stating commitment to refund the cost of innovation system support and cover the insurance cost for acquired equipment; fully accomplished DOST TNA Form 1, “Application for Technology Needs Assessment”; proposal using SETUP Form 1 “SETUP Project Proposal Format”; copy of business permits and licenses issued by LGUs and other government offices.
For more details, visit the nearest DOST Provincial Science and Technology Center or regional office in your area, Malonzo said.
