DOST honors 7 SETUP Graduates from Biliran

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January 12, 2015 marks an important milestone in the history of Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) implementation in the Province of Biliran. It is the time when DOST 8 celebrated and honored the success of seven beneficiaries of the SETUP, the biggest number yet, who completed their obligations of the SETUP for the prescribed period of implementation. These micro entrepreneurs all came from different areas of Biliran Province.

The SETUP graduates who attended the ceremony. 4 out of 7 were present. In photo (L-R). Ms. Ma. Catherine Maniba - PSTC Biliran OIC, Ms. Mae Anne Reyes-DOST-8 RPMO Coordinator, Ms. Anita Corto - ASEMCO Manager, Mr. Rogelio Cabulang-owner AR La Naval Motor Parts & Gen. Marketing, Ms. Josefina Buban-proprietor Elshirglow PFP, Ms. Adela Caril and Mr. Caril, owners of Caril Furniture, Engr. Erneto Granada - ARD TO of DOST-8, & Mr. Romeo L. Dignos PSTD of DOST-Biliran

The graduates include: AR La Naval Motor Parts and General Marketing from Naval, Biliran who also was named as DOST-8's best SETUP adoptor of 2013 who was honored during the National Science and Technology Week in July 2014 held at SM MOA. DOST provided PhP 985,000 in equipment acquisition support fund for improvement of its small motor parts fabrication facility. The firm completed the refund of DOST assistance last April 2014.

Also in the list is Caril's Furniture owned by Ms. Adelfa Caril who received assistance for improvement of its wood cutting and finishing processes amounting to PhP 70,000. Refund was completed in May 2014. Caril's furniture has become one of the best furniture makers in Biliran today. They cater to customers from other parts of Leyte and Samar as well.

The Almeria Seafarers Multi-purpose Cooperative (ASEMCO) received assistance from DOST for the acquisition of charcoal briquetting machine in the amount of PhP 105,500. The project was intended to support the solid waste management program of LGU Almeria by converting agro-waste into cahrcoal briquettes. They started refund in June 2011 and completed in May 2014.

Elshirglow Processed Food Products is from Bariis, Caibiran, Biliran. Owned by Ms. Josefina Buban in partnership with a group of women from the same Barangay, the enterprise produces nata-de-coco in various forms -cubes or strips, and different flavors. The group received support from SETUP for acquistion of equipment, Food Safety Improvement, Productivity Enhancement through MPEX, and packaging improvement of its product. Its SETUP financial support for equipment acquisition amounted to PhP 81,000 was completely refunded last September 2014. Presently, they are the only producer of nata-de-coco atsara in the Province.

White Rose Bakeshop, Naval Biliran was assisted by DOST-SETUP for the acquisition of technology and related equipment in the production of vegetable based noodles and bread. Presently, the firm is the only producer of squash breads and squash and malunggay noodles in Naval. Their financial assistance amounting to PhP 413,200 was completely refunded from July 2010 to April 2013.

Roselyn Espina Marketing took over the responsibility of the Biliran Integrated Coconut Industries (BICI) who suffered financial setbacks in 2009. BICI received PhP 740,000 in 2007 for the acquisition of equipment for coco-coir production. Ms. Roselyn Espina Paras who was BICI's manager then continued the refund despite the project becoming non-operational due to market problems. The obligation was finally completed on July 2014.

DADINIRT Food Products is another firm who assumed another project. It assumed the responsibility of Carding Meat Store after it suffered financial problems in 2008. DADINIRT accepted the equipment worth PhP 202,240 for meat processing from Carding Meat Store. It completed the refund from January 2012 to August 2013.

2014 Accomplishments

DOST-Biliran staff during the 2014 Christmas fellowship

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Another year has passed, another year comes. As the working calendar 2015 officially opens today it is our duty as a government office to report what we have done according to our mandates. The following is the scoop of our accomplishments based on the set performance indicators:

SETUP

The DOST Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center's major mandate is to support the micro, small, and medium enterprises (mSMEs)by applying science, technology, and innovation to improve their productivity. Through the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), DOST-Biliran targeted to assist 5 new mSMEs for a total proposed allocation of PhP 2.13M. It was able to assist 7 enterprises with approved funding support of PhP 2.9 M or 140% and 138% as to the number of enterprises and the amount of assistance respectively.

Based on KPIs

Based on our key performance indicators, DOST Biliran targeted to provide 34 Technology Interventions to 5 existing mSMEs and 3 new mSMEs that would generate PhP 3.754M Gross Sales and employ a total of 42 persons. As the year closed, the Center was able to extend a total of 45 Technology Interventions or 132% of the target. Technology Interventions included provision of technology, acquisition of technology related equipment, proposal preparation, plant lay-out assistance, product and process improvement, etc. The interventions helped 21 existing firms and 3 new firms. The gross sales generated by assisted mSMEs as a result of the support reached PhP 7.8 M or 208% on target. It also generated an employment of 70 persons which is 165% of our target.

Provision of consultancy services is another task of the DOST Biliran. Implementation of the regular consultancy programs of DOST  achieved 100% accomplishments as targeted. The MPEX helped 4 firms, another 4 firms availed of CAPE, 1 for CPT, 1 for Energy Audit, and 2 firms for Food Safety. In addition the office rendered one-on-one consultancy with various clients in different technology concerns. For 2014 the office provided 52  other consultancies (target = 44) to 95 clients (target=44) with 77 experts deployed (target=55). These figures are also higher to as much as 216% against target

For training services, DOST Biliran targeted 9 trainings for 9 firms with 94 participants with 17 experts deployment. The office conducted 9 trainings, assisted 16 firms with 160 participants and 17 experts. Accomplishments surpassed the target to as much as 178% for the number of firms assisted.

Network and Resource Generation

The DOST Biliran could not achieve its mandate alone. Partners such as the LGUs, other line agencies, and NGOs are crucial in project implementation. Because of this one of its major KPIs is Networks and Linkages established. In 2014 DOST targeted 12 networks and linkages with 3 projects co-funded with LGUs and 3 trainings conducted with LGUs. The office was able to create 44 linakges with 34 projects supported with LGUs and 3 trainings conducted with LGUs.

These projects implemented and linkages established in 2014 generated project resources amounting to PhP 1.3 M from LGUs, PhP 0.6 M from SUC, PhP 2.05M from other line agencies, PhP 2.92M from NGOs/mSMEs and PhP 0.3 M from other government organization.

Internal Resources

The DOST-Biliran was able to achieve all these with a very skeletal force. The office is composed of a 5-personnel team. Total budget for SETUP Implementation for the past year was only PhP 0.56 M and another PhP 0.6 M for Office operations excluding salary and benefits of regular staff. DOST is currently housed in its own 2-storey building inside the campus of the Naval State University in Naval, Biliran