Baguio City- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Camp John Hay in Baguio City to strengthen the capability of local Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in the region.

Under the said MOU, DOST and PCCI in the Cordilleras will sustain and expand their partnership towards helping the MSMEs in the region to have access to different technological innovations to improve their production efficiency and competitiveness. The MOU includes providing mentoring and related assistance to MSME beneficiaries of DOST-CAR to help them become world class business enterprises.

Signatories of the MOU were DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo, DOST-CAR Regional Director Julius Caesar B. Sicat, PCCI-CAR Regional Governor Marciano L. Garcia, President of PCCI Baguio-Benguet Chapter Rhodora A. Ngolob, Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services of DOST-CAR Nancy A. Bantog, President of PCCI Benguet Chapter Rex D. Balong-Angey, and Executive Director of PCCI Benguet Chapter Trinidad Cayading-Trinidad.

The said MOU also stated that DOST-CAR and PCCI-CAR will execute separate Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) for specific engagements that will detail the collaboration and responsibilities of both institutions.

“One way of achieving inclusive development, especially for areas in the countryside, is by helping local MSMEs to improve their productivity and competitiveness. In recent years, DOST has been at the forefront of creating conducive business environment for MSMEs to allow them to develop quality products and increase efficiency through the infusion of appropriate technologies,” said DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo.

According to Sec. Montejo, building a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce will further improve the quality of assistance that DOST is providing to various local firms in CAR, particularly under DOST’s Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program or SETUP.

SETUP is a nationwide strategy to encourage and assist MSMEs to adopt technological innovations that will improve their business operations. The said program offers MSMEs equipment and technical assistance to upgrade the quality of their products and services conform to national and international standards of excellence.

According to Montejo, DOST-SETUP program assists some 3,000 MSMEs all over the country every year. For the first semester alone, from January to June 2015, a total of 1,236 firms have been given assistance.
“DOST-CAR and PCCI-CAR will work together to promote business growth and sustainable development among MSMEs sector in the region through providing advance knowledge on entrepreneurships,” Montejo added.

“Our region (CAR) has been blessed with different raw materials that can be used in producing innovative products and could make waves in the world market,” said Director Julius Caesar Sicat. “At DOST, we always fully maximize this potential through various S &T interventions. We believe that science and technology enable and empower enterprises and help level the playing field for our MSMEs in today’s smarter economies.”  

The MOU signing between DOST-CAR and PCCI-CAR was part of the Science Nation Tour leg in the said region. SNT is a national road show which aims to promote and expand DOST’s programs, projects and services in every region of the country. #dostPH   #pcci  #msme   #entrepreneurs


Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario G. Montejo ((middle), DOST-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Director Julius Caesar B. Sicat (left), and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Regional Governor Marciano L. Garcia (right) sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last October 07, 2015 at the Camp John Hay in Baguio City. The goal of said MOU is to improve the quality of production of the MSME sector in CAR. According to Sec. Montejo, forming a partnership with PCCI will help DOST in strengthening its programs for MSMEs and bring inclusive growth in the region. (Photo by Arjay Escondo, S &T Media Service)