By Alfonso T. Ruda
LABASON, Zamboanga del Norte - The provincial office of the Department iof Science and Technology (DOST) in Zamboanga del Norte has conducted on Monday an orientation on Small Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP)at the Farmers Center, Office of the Municipal Agriculturist in this municipality.
The activity was designed to help the small enterprises in the locality to adopt technology innovations to improve their operations and boost their productivity and competitiveness.
Science Research Specialist Marilyn M. Cadag said the eight priority sectors of SETUP include food processing; furniture; gifts, décor and handicrafts;marine and aquatic resources; agriculture and horticulture such as cut flowers, fruits and high-value crops; health-related products; metals and engineering, technology; and information and communication technology (ICT) electronics.
Beneficiaries of the program are those companies or individual firms based in the Philippines and are entirely owned by Filipino citizens.
Cadagsaidany small and medium-scale business firms, classified under the identified priority sectors and individual firms willing to apply technological improvements to their existing operation, are eligible to avail of the program.
Interested applicants for SETUP assistance shall only send a letter of interest with all the requirements to the office of the DOST Regional Director, identifying the current problems and improvements and the potential technological interventions they need.
“Once the DOST regional office finds the project viable, it approves and endorsesthe application to the Undersecretary for Regional Operations for DOST Executive Committee’s final evaluation,” Cadag said.
Interested applicants of the program are advised to submit the following documents to the DOST provincial office in Turno, Dipolog City: comprehensive proposal; letter of interest; commitment of repayment, including the proposed payment schedule; copy of business permits and licenses from the concerned local government units and other government offices; financial statements of at least for the past three years of operation, duly signed by the registered accountant/auditor; projected financial statement for the next five years; Certificate of Registration of Business Name with DTI, SEC or CDA; Board Resolution regarding the borrowing and designating authorized signatories for the financial assistance (if applicable); three quotations from suppliers/fabricators of the equipment to be purchase/fabricated, and; technical design/drawing of the equipment to be purchased/fabricated.
Among the participants of the one-day orientation-seminar were the local businessmen, farmers,fishermen and other stakeholders.