Central Luzon enterprises to get aid on tech upgrade
CITY
OF SAN FERNANDO -- Micro, small, and medium en t er p r i ses (MSMEs) in Central Luzon may now get assistance on technological upgrades.
This is through the Department of Science and Technology - Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (DOST-SETUP) which assists businesses in acquiring appropriate technologies to improve product quality, operations, and competitiveness.
SETUP Manager Jenina Cristel Malonzo said the program will provide additional funds to enterprises in innovation, technical training, needed equipment and consultancy services, packaging and label design, establishment of product standards and database information syst em.
“This is the assistance of the government to them. As we know, these MSMEs propel the economy as they make up 90% of our establishments. They are the ones who employ a huge number of workers,” she sai d .
DOST is continuously improving its assistance to MSMEs through the infusion of science and technology interventions as they are the region’s financial lifesavers.
In addition, Malonzo explained that the company, cooperative, or association to apply for DOST-SETUP should be solely owned by a Filipino and established for at least three years in operation in the country.
“We have been doing proper evaluation of their project proposals since the beginning. We evaluate their financial standing for us to ensure that they have enough funds, and they could return the assistance they could get to DOST,” she added.
Meanwhile, Malonzo shared that the DOSTSETUP is in the form of a refund, but collateral and interest-free.
“Whatever assistance they get or total equipment services and cost, they could refund this in three to five years. This is very convenient for our MSMEs. I think they could not get this in other assistance like in banks which have interest,” she mentioned.
She noted that the equipment could be pulled out if the MSME beneficiary is unable to commit to the refund obligation.
Also, SETUP priority businesses include food processing; furniture; gifts, decors, and handicrafts; metals and engineering; information and communications technology; and health products and pharmaceutical s.
“In this pandemic time, we helped the MSMEs in the health and wellness sector, for example, the producers of disinfectants. We were able to give them new machines and equipment,” Malonzo added.
In Pampanga, DOST has provided mixers to manufacturers of disinfectants, alcohols, and hand sanitizers to improve the standard quality of their products under the program.
In Tarlac, the agency has given a blister packaging machine to a company for the production of medicines and supplements.
“This is to aid our kababayans who do not have the financial capacity of buying medicines in bottles as they could only afford it in blister packs or tablets.
We aim to give the products in that kind of small packaging so that many of the people will benefit,” she said.
For this year, about P65 million has been downloaded to DOST Central Luzon to fund 60 SETUP projects for MSMES.
Central Luzon MSMEs could apply for SETUP by visiting region3.dost.gov.ph for further information.