DOST conducted livelihood training for ASEMCO

This photo was taken during the Closing Ceremony of training

DOST through its Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Center recently conducted a livelihood training on Meat and Fish Processing Technology for the employees, members and valued clients of Almeria Seafarers Multipurpose Cooperative (ASEMCO). The three-day activity was held on November 9-11, 2015 at ASEMCO Compound, Del Bano St., Poblacion, Almeria, Biliran. The training was aimed to enhance the skills of the participants in meat and fish processing and to introduce another possible source of income for small entrepreneurs.

ASEMCO, aside from being a lending institution, is one of the active beneficiaries of DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) for their meat processing project. It is their second time to avail of SETUP after successfully completing a charcoal briquetting project in 2014. Last April 2015, they received a financial assistance in the amount of Php 370,000.00 for the acquisition of additional meat processing equipment for the project “Upgrading of Meat Processing Facility”.

The livelihood training covered six different topics which include Tocino Processing, Beef Tapa Processing, Fresh Native Longanisa Processing, Skinless Longanisa Processing, Deboned Bangus and Rellenong Bangus. Expert from DOST-Leyte in the person of Ms. Imelda S. Picorro, served as the resource speaker of the event who demonstrated the safe and proper way of meat and fish processing. The training started with a lecture discussing about the recipes and ingredients, techniques, and the dos and don’ts in the production. Then it was followed by hands-on-demonstration with the use of the equipment acquired through DOST-SETUP fund. 

Meat Preparation and Curing

Packaging of  Product Samples

ASEMCO, spearheaded by its General Manager Ms Anita S. Corto, enthusiastically showed their cooperation as partner with DOST in facilitating the three-day activity. They cater venue for functions and meetings in which Hostel and Function Hall is among the many allied services provided by the cooperative.

The activity ended with a message from the OIC of DOST-Biliran, Engr. Maria Catherine G. Maniba, who thanked everyone for spending their valuable time and for extending their full support and participation during the training. She also shared a glimpse of information regarding the programs and services offered by DOST and invited the participants to visit the DOST-Biliran office if they like to know more about the agency and its services. 

The acquisition of equipment and training is part of the implementation of SETUP project in line with the intention of ASEMCO to expand its existing Meat shop.  (Written by Ms. Gracevillalyn R. Saldo, PA-II, DOST-PSTC Biliran)

Sample Finished Products
(Left: Skinless Longanisa, Right: Beef Tapa)

Passers of 2015 Junior Level Science Scholarships (JLSS - RA 10612)

Share

2015 Visayas S & T Fair in Ormoc City soon

Share

The Visayas leg of the Science Nation Tour will be coming to Ormoc City on September 23-25, 2015. The three day event to be held in Ormoc City Superdome, Ormoc City is part of the national roadshow of DOST to promote the agency’s programs, projects and services.

DOST SEI Scholarship SY 2015-2016 Result

Share

Congratulations to the passers of the DOST SEI SY 2015-2016 Scholarship Examinations from Biliran Province. Complete list of passers will be posted once official list will be released.

RA 7689 PASSERS-BILIRAN PROVINCE

• BAYLON, FREDERICK SULTERAS
• BOHIYAN, GIRLY PAN
• BORAGAY, GILDA GERVACIO
• CUBELO, VERCHIEL BATUTO
• VILLACORTE, SHAN GIL FERNANDEZ
• PANIS, SELWYN IAN ROCHA
• YAGUEL, JOAN ORO
• GONZAL, KING PHILIP CHING
• ARANSADO, JEFRY EBIO
• VILLAHERMOSA, ERNIE JEASH CHIQUILLO
• CATAMORA, ROWENA JANE MATIAS
• SAN ANTONIO,VAN LESTER CULIBRA
• BENAIRES, KENNEY DELA CRUZ
• DONDRIANO, ELDON JAY ELMUNDO
• GARCIA, MARVEN SABONSOLIN
• JAMIN, IRAH MAE EBINA
• ESTRERA, CHARRIE MAE PEROL*

(*Estrera is a student from Leyte, Leyte enrolled at Biliran Science High School)

For the complete list of qualifiers please follow this COMPLETE LIST

Qualifiers are advised to wait for notice from the DOST for the schedule of contract signing and orientation for new scholars. For further information you may visit the DOST Biliran Provincial Office at NSU Campus or contact our phone numbers posted in this blogsite.
Admin

DOST releases livelihood assistance to LGU Biliran

Hon. Mayor Casil (center) receives the check from DOST-8

Share

The Municipal Government of Biliran, represented by its very own Municipal Mayor Honorable Grace Casil, received a financial assistance in the amount of PhP 250,000 from DOST-8 for the Establishment of Common Service Facility for Meat Processing during the recently conducted SETUP Forum in Naval, Biliran on January 12, 2015.

The funding support is intended for the purchase of necessary equipment to be used by local residents who are producing processed meat products. The project is primarily aimed to assist the household meat processors in improving the quality of their processed meat products and enhance their production skill through the establishment of a common service facility for meat processing.

The equipment will be housed in a building that will be provided by the LGU as counterpart. Identified beneficiaries who are producing meat products but have no equipment at home can go to the facility and use them. The facility will also be used for training new entrepreneurs who want to learn meat processing technologies.

Meat and meat products is a major component of the diet of every Filipino. Food consumption survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute show that the average per capita consumption of meat and meat products is around 50 grams per day. Based on this data, an average household of 3 persons would consume a kilo, more or less of meat and meat products every week. FNRI survey further stressed that per capita consumption is also increasing every year. This information would tell us that there is a growing demand for meat products as population grows and further increases as times progresses. Because of these, meat production and processing has become a potential venture even in rural areas.

Several enterprising individuals within the municipality of Biliran, Biliran are among those who took the opportunity to venture into home-based meat processing but because of limited capital for equipment acquisition they end up producing low volume, improperly packed, and even inferior quality products. Homemade processes also compromise food safety and good manufacturing practices and might pose some problems to the consumers.

In response to this scenario, the Municipal LGU of Biliran sought the support of the DOST-Biliran to help establish a common service facility that is equipped with Food Safety and GMP compliant processing equipment for the production of processed meat like tocino, longanisa, ham, and similar products.

The LGU, through its livestock production programs supported by the Department of Agriculture and other private companies like BMEG, assured the availability of raw materials such as locally produced cattles, hogs, and chicken grown by different individuals around the municipality.

With the existing volume of raw materials from local hog growers and the stable demand of the finished product coupled with the willing entrepreneurs group what is only needed is the technology and the facility that would help these producers. Once this is available a supportive LGU will make the project financially viable and sustainable.

DOST honors 7 SETUP Graduates from Biliran

Share

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.