Gov't pledges 'stronger' support for country's MSMEs

The government vowed Thursday for stronger support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country to further boost their productivity and competency both in local and global markets.

Science Secretary Estrella Alabastro said through strong collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), local government units and the private sector, the Department of Science and Technology would continue to heighten technology support for MSMEs to improve their competitiveness both locally and internationally.

“We will strengthen our collaborative ties with the DTI, local government units and private organizations to ensure the strategic support will benefit MSMEs which account for 95 percent of businesses in the country,” Alabastro said during the awarding ceremony of 10 technology adoptors at the Manila Hotel.

Alabastro said government scientists and innovators would continue to develop new technologies that would help MSMEs improve their products’ marketability.

“Let me assure you of our confidence in the value added features for technology intervention and utilization by adopting them in your respective enterprises,” she said.

Over the past few years, the DOST has assisted several small enterprises in the regions through its technology assistance programs.

Among the MSME-enabling programs crafted by the DOST were the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SET-UP), Technology Innovation for Commercialization (Technicom) and Techno Gabay Program (TGP).

SET-UP aims to enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs by providing them with technology-based interventions developed by DOST research and development institutes.

On the other hand, Technicom focuses on the relatively advanced areas such as information and communications technology (ICT), materials science and biotechnology, among others.

Techno Gabay, meanwhile, is a program that involves the dissemination and commercialization of agriculture technologies.

For her part, Trade Undersecretary Merly Cruz said there is need to encourage more entrepreneurs to partner with the government to make the MSME sector more vibrant.

“We need more public awareness of businesses that achieve success with the help from the government,” she said.

The DTI has been implementing a program dubbed “One Town One Product-Philippines or OTOP-Philippines” which aims to encourage and establish entrepreneurship which in turn creates jobs and revenues. The program’s key element is the identification, development, and promotion of a specific product or service over which a particular town has a competitive advantage, both in local and global markets.

From July 2006 to June 2008, OTOP has generated export sales amounting to $349.1 million and domestic sales of P5.41 billion, Cruz said.