On 12 July 2022, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) published on its website the Department of Science and Technology’s flagship program, “Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program 4.0 (SETUP 4.0)” as part of the SDG Acceleration Actions under “The Partnership Platform”.
The Philippines was recognized by the UN DESA during its interventions at the Seventh Annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) and the 2022 ECOSOC Finance for Development Forum.
According to the recent communications received by the Philippines from UN DESA, the DOST’s “SETUP 4.0”, along with two other identified national initiatives, “stood out as interesting contenders for [the] SDG Acceleration Actions Platform” and is recommended to be registered in the Platform. The DOST gratefully concurred with the recognition and registered SETUP 4.0 in the SDG Acceleration Actions Platform.
Through the representation of then Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña, the DOST delivered the Philippine Statement at the STI Forum which was held on a hybrid format in New York on 5-6 May 2022. The DOST’s SETUP 4.0 has been a recurrent component of country statements developed by the Department.
The special recognition given to the SETUP 4.0 signifies that the Department’s unrelenting efforts and active participation in UN conferences provide great opportunity for the Philippines to showcase its innovative programs and policies in the global arena. The DOST remains steadfast in elevating the country’s standing in the STI international community.
The Partnership Platform
The Partnership Platform is a global registry of voluntary commitments and multi-stakeholder partnerships made by stakeholders in support of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and through various UN conferences and thematic action networks, including the UN Ocean Conference, the Small Island Developing States Conference, the UN Sustainable Transport Conference, the Rio+20 Conference, and others (sdgs.un.org/partnerships).
The SDG Acceleration Actions online database is a tool to help inspire and mobilize actions around the world to promote the implementation of the SDGs, as well as build resilience and bring inclusive recovery in the context of new realities post COVID-19, so that the global economy, planet and people we serve could emerge stronger together from the crisis. (bit.ly/UNSDGAccelerationActions).
The DOST’s SETUP 4.0
Set to run until 2030, the SETUP 4.0 will be at the forefront in the advancement of the technological needs of the MSMEs. The program intends to categorize MSMEs in terms of their level of development to deliver the appropriate S&T interventions. It shall likewise provide industry-level assistance. The program supports the vision of an “Innovative, Resilient, Sustainable and Globally-Competitive Gender-Responsive MSME Sector'' that will nurture a sustainable economy and society for Filipinos in support of AmBisyon Natin 2040. It aims to transform the MSMEs into smart MSMEs through the SMARTER Strategic Themes as follows: Sustainable Economy, Market Competence, Able Human Capital, Responsive S&T Support Infrastructure, Technology and Innovation, Enterprise Support, and Resiliency and Continuity.
Link to the SETUP 4.0 registration as part of SDG Acceleration Actions under The Partnership Platform: bit.ly/SETUPSDGAction (Karen Lou S. Mabagos, DOST-ITCU)
