No mountain too steep for DOST Consultancy program

Biliran Scents & Fragrance citronella plantation assessment

The DOST-8 Consultancy team literally walks though hills and climb mountains just to reach its clients in the countryside.

This has become the routine of the Comprehensive Agricultural Productivity Enhancement (CAPE) coordinators and its commissioned consultants during assessment of interested clients who signifies interest to avail of DOST services.

CAPE is one of DOST's consultancy window together with the Manufacturing Productivity Expansion (MPEX) Program, Cleaner Production Technology (CPT), Food Safety (FS), Energy Audit (EA), and other technology specific consultancies.

On June 2-3, 2014 the DOST-8 Team lead by Engr. Ramil Uy, STS Coordinator, Ms. Lucia Dauz and Engr. Florentino Quenonez, MPEX Coordinators, and Ms. Evelyn Tablante, CAPE Coordinator together with the DOST-Biliran Team headed by Mr. Romeo L. Dignos, PSTD, Ms. Ma. Catherine B. Gonda, SRSII, Ms. Gracevillalyn Saldo, Project Assistant II, and Mr. Teddy Abenido, Project Assistant I visited 8 firms from around the Province of Biliran who are enrolled for consultancy assistance for CY 2014.

Canaan Hill Farms Assessment

The DOST Teams were joined by a group of CAPE consultants from the Visayas State University in the persons of Dr. Alfredo B. Escasinas, Dr. Arsenio Ramos, and Dr. Mario Baliad who are experts in their respective fields in Agriculture.

These firms will receive free consultancy services from DOST commissioned consultants from various schools in the region for a period of 3-6 months. The consultants will assist the recipient firms in improving their operations both on technical and management aspects. DOST provides support for the transportation and other incidental expenses of the experts during the consultancy engagements. The consultants, in return, will make necessary recommendations and other technical inputs that will help solve common problems in the business operations. On the receiving end, the firm will be responsible for the cost of any changes he/she is willing to adopt out of the consultants recommendations.

The cost of consultancy fee is so high nowadays that it would be impractical for micro and small enterprises to avail the expertise of consultants by spending some amount out of their own pockets. DOST’s assistance is therefore a big help for them since DOST convinced these consultants to do their share without asking for standard rate consultancy fees.

>The firms to be assisted include: 4 for MPEX: JC Breadhauz, Almeria, Biliran, USJ Welding Shop, Almeria, Biliran, Kisha Snack House, Cabucgayan, Biliran, and Memu Minimart, Caibiran, Biliran; 4 for CAPE: Atipolo MPCI, Naval, Biliran, Biliran Scents & Fragrances, Biliran, Biliran, Canaan Hill Farms, Caibiran, and Maderazo Farm, Caibiran. Also USJ Welding Shop will be assisted with the CPT Program and Energy Audit.