DOST’s techno transfer programs back MSMEs

“Micro small medium enterprises (MSMEs) have significant economic contribution, accounting for almost 32% of the Philippine gross domestic product ”, said Engr. Emelyn P. Flores, Assistant Regional Director for Technical Operations of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 6.

Flores spoke in one of the forums of the first regional Techno Gabay and TechnoMart Summit conducted by the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) held in Iloilo City recently.

According to Flores, three major programs comprise the medium-term component of the technology transfer and commercialization section of the 2002-2010 DOST National Science and Technology Plan. These are the Small Enterprise Technology-Upgrading Program (SET-UP), Technology Innovation and Commercialization (Technicom), and Techno Gabay Program (TGP).

Flores explained that SET-UP seeks to enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs through technology innovations while Technicom identifies technology gaps to facilitate interventions for technology commercialization. On the other hand, TGP, bannered by DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), promotes science-based technology services to end-users in the agriculture, forestry and natural resources sectors.

Flores also reported that MSMEs represent 99.6 % of total business registered in the country and 92% of which are micro enterprises. MSMEs also employ 40 % of the total labor force nationwide.

“These significant figures attest why DOST supports MSMEs and enhances their competitiveness”, Flores emphasized.

“With priority concerns for natural fiber, fashion accessories, metals and engineering, furniture, horticulture, food processing, aquatic and marine, DOST offers provision of technology, technology training, technical consultancy and advisory services, support services for enterprise development, and laboratory and other testing services”, Flores said in closing. Isaac T. Abello, WESVARRDEC-RACE S&T Media Service