DOST urges SMEs to avail financial assistance under Set-Up
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 22 (PIA) -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has called on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Negros Oriental to take advantage of its funding assistance with zero interest.
Under its Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (Set-Up), DOST executive manager for technical support services, Jesus Zamora, encouraged SMEs, particularly those needing science and technology interventions, to apply for financial aid for them to boost its productivity and competitive.
In a Kapihan forum, Zamora said that DOST firmly supports SMES as the focused market of the program since 90 percent of businesses are SMEs, making them the backbone of the country’s economy.
The Set-Up is a holistic assistance provided SMEs - from consultancy, product development, product packaging and labeling, to connecting them to entities for marketing and accessing raw materials from DOST beneficiaries, revealed Zamora.
Under the program, the DOST officials emphasized “the funding assistance is not subsidy or grant and that SME-beneficiaries must return the investment back with zero interest.”
In the same forum, Ed Du, Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce Inc.(NOCCI) president, challenged local entrepreneurs to be globally competitive to prepare for the critical period, January 2015, where the zero tariff scheme under the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) takes effect.
“Asean countries can import and export almost all products or goods across the borders at no tariff, the more our local products should be of quality and upgraded to compete in the open market, that’s why we need the help of DOST,” said Ed Du.
Furthermore, he also encouraged businessmen including the agriculture sector and students to be more innovative and face the challenges in using science and technology so that local products will be a potential for export. (mbcn/JCT-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)
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DAR installs 13 beneficiaries in San Jose, NegOr
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 22 (PIA) -- The Provincial Agrarian Reform Office (PARO) of Negros Oriental had distributed lands and installed 13 farmer-beneficiaries recently in the town of San Jose, Negros Oriental.
According to Gherelene Mae Rafols, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) information officer, the property was formerly owned by Trison’s Development Corp that covered 10,6492 hectares.
The installation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries were spearheaded by officials from DAR, Stephen Leonidas and Gerry Gumalo, said RAfols.
Highlighting the installation was the distribution of Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs), a much awaited event.
In his message, Leonidas reminded the beneficiaries to take care of the adult coconut trees in the area, and for them to plant and develop more trees.
Leonidas also encouraged the farmers to avail of the projects and programs of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) for their guidance in coconut farming.
The farmers were also reminded of their obligations and responsibilities especially the payment of taxes to the government and the annual amortization of the land to the Landbank of the Philippines. (mbcn/JCT-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)