Philippines: Government Agencies Reaffirm Commitment To Assist SMEs
The small and medium enterprises (SME) sector is the backbone of the Philippine economy, the Department of Science and Technology (Dost) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.
SMEs comprise about 99.6 percent of all registered firms nationwide, employ 69.9 percent of the labor force and contribute 32 percent to the economy.
Through SMEs, economic activities in the countryside are being distributed equally and it is believed to be a potent force in the war against poverty.
The two line departments of the government, the Dost and DTI recently forged greater collaboration and strong commitment to the SMEs in the region through its flagship programs, Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (Setup) and One Town One Project (Otop), respectively.
The DOST's Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (Setup) is a nationwide strategy to encourage and assist the local micro, small and medium scale business enterprises (MSMEs) to implement technological innovations and improvements in their operations.
Specifically, the program aims to improve the SMEs operation such as productivity, product quality, manpower development, cost of production, waste management and other related activities. The Setup strategy is to focus the interventions to the following industry sectors: Food processing, furniture, metals, aquatic and marine, horticulture, and fashion accessories, along with gifts, house decors, handicrafts, natural fibers and dyes.
The program is open to any small and medium scale business firm that can be classified under the identified priority sectors and willing to apply technological improvements in their existing operations. To date, Dost-9 supports about 17 projects under the facility throughout the region.
Furthermore, DTI's One Town One Product (Otop) was recently launched nationwide to encourage and establish entrepreneurship, which in turn creates jobs and revenues.
The program's key element is the identification, development, and promotion of a specific product or service over which a particular town has a competitive advantage, both in local and global markets. Otop motivates, assists, and supports micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to manufacture, offer, and market distinctive products or services, using locally available raw materials and inherent human resources, skills and talents. Under this program, efforts are directed at identifying the specific product or service that can impact most on the lives of people in a particular town in terms of job and income generation.
The two agencies held a roundtable discussion on Setup and Otop last December 14 in this city with Dost Regional Director Brenda Nazareth-Manzano, DTI Regional Director Nazrullah Manzur and provincial heads from both agencies in attendance.
Among others, the agreements reached by both agencies were to focus convergence on the identified Otop to include seaweeds, bottled sardines, rubber, mango and virgin coconut oil; forge an agreement to already specify respective interventions in the implementation of Otop and Setup; in the conduct of technology training, marketing and managerial trainings will also be integrated; source-out technology information and experts; package business proposals for potential beneficiaries of Setup assistance; and meet regularly to discuss pressing issues and concerns related to the implementation of the Setup and Otop.
Source: Sun.Star
Potential of a Landfill facility
As a small city, Maasin City of Southern Leyte Philippines has no technology to utilized garbage into productive use.
May I just respectfully envite you to visit www.flickr.com/photos/restoregreenmovement of the potentials our city trash is generating and the absence of proper waste management by our city government.
Please have time.
Respectfully yours,
Nelson T. Enojo