I was able to attend DOST Forum last Jan. 14, 2013. It was
about DOST Programs.
DOST Forum is done as part of their information campaign to
let people, who are presently engaged in micro/small/medium enterprise, know
about DOST Programs. As I was listening, I was totally impressed by
their programs. They are offering business solutions and funding.
Here are their terms and conditions of Technology
Assistance:
- Maximum loanable amount is P2,000,000.00
- No processing fees and collateral required.
- Funds released are payable in three (3) years or 36 months at zero percent (0%) interest.
- Rent-to-own scheme, that is , the ownership of the equipment shall remain with the DOST until completion of rental period.
- Liquidation of funds released not later than six (6) months after approval of project.
- Payment starts at six (6) months after approval of project.
- Monthly billing statements will be provided to the beneficiary. Due date is alst working day of the month.
- Six percent (6%) penalty will be imposed on total amount due if the beneficiary fails to pay the first monthly rental after six(6) months.
- Two percent (2%) penalty will be charged for every overdue monthly rental.
- Realignment of project funds and deferment/restructuring of payment is allowed, provided that formal request is made and reasons are found to be valid.
- Return of equipment to DOST and/or reimbursement to DOST and/or reimbursement of project funds for the following scenarios:
- Failure to submit liquidation report within the prescribed period, and
- ·Failure to pay monthly rentals for three (3) consecutive months or its equivalent amount
The DOST Program covers Manufacturing
firms under the following sectors:
·
Food Processing;
·
Furniture;
·
Gifts, Decors and Handicrafts;
·
Marine and aquatic Resources;
·
Agriculture/Horticulture;
·
Metals and Engineering;
·
Information & Communications
Technology/Electronics;
·
Health Products and Pharmaceuticals; and
·
Product Packaging and Labeling.
Having heard that
the DOST Program covers only Manufacturing
business, I was dismayed because my line of business is in Services. So I was like in a wrong
place. But I didn’t leave, I stay for a while to listen to others, thinking
that maybe someone can give me some insights in other sectors. As I was
listening to the discussions, it was focused mainly on fish cake (podpod),
second to it is the furniture making.
As the forum
continues, Mr. Rene R. Duran, the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator
of Sulat, shared a story about an attempt to sell fish cake (podpod) in the
national market. He said that podpod was very much welcomed in the national
market, a lot of people buys podpod when it was included in a food bazaar. There
were different flavors, sweet, spicy, and natural. But one of the identified
problem of podpod is its preservation, it doesn’t last. If you buy it you need to
consume it directly, it’s like “consume before end”^^. So DOST conducted some
research about packaging on how the podpod will last, unluckily DOST found out
that the problem was not in the packaging it was in the process of making
podpod, in the sense that podpod already contains particles that makes it a
short live product. So again DOST conducted several processes but the taste was
no match to the original process.
The DOST facilitator
also shared that he was member of the team who conducted several process in
producing podpod. He said it was only conducted once. He said DOST was also
willing to conduct other ways, the problem really was DOST wanted the
production of podpod to be managed by a group not by individual. But the people
involved in production of podpod only wanted it to be individual. Unluckily,
DOST insisted that it should be manage by a group, they call it one town one product.
From there the
story about podpod ends, and the discussion was focused to the furniture making
until the end.
For those who have something in mind, here's a contact information of DOST:
DOST-EASTERN SAMAR PROVINCIAL S&T CENTER
DOST Bldg, ESSU Campus, Brgy. Maypangdan
Borongan City, Eastern Samar
Telefax No. (055) 261-2664; Mobile No. 0918515990
email: atamoscojr@yahoo.com
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