ILOILO CITY – A total of 14 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Iloilo province have received packaging and labeling assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The product labels were turned over to recipient-beneficiaries by Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña during a short ceremony held at the Iloilo City Hall here Thursday afternoon.
In his message prior to the turnover, dela Peña said one of the major strategies they introduced in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s desire to reduce the gaps or inequalities among regions and provinces, is to increase entrepreneurial activities and make MSMEs competitive.
“We do not really think much about the big companies because they have their resources, their own way to improve their productivity. But the smaller ones need assistance,” he said.
In Iloilo, the top MSMEs are into food processing, metal works, equipment fabrication, and furniture-making.
“Packaging is not only to make it appear beautiful. It has a function. It has to hold the product as much as possible to protect the product and to prolong shelf life,” dela Peña added.
DOST 6 (Western Visayas) Director Rowen Gelonga said the provision of assistance is an ongoing program of their office, in partnership with the city and provincial governments of Iloilo.
“We design their product labels. We give them technical assistance on appropriate packaging materials based on their products,” Gelonga said, adding that with good product packaging, they could easily penetrate the mainstream market.
“Aside from product packaging, we will also provide training on food safety and product development,” he added.
Antonette Zabala, owner of Antonia’z Yema business, is one of the local entrepreneurs who received a product label from DOST.
Zabala recalled that before she availed of the assistance, she only placed her yema products inside a sealed plastic. She produces 50 to 100 boxes per week, intended for reselling mostly in their village at Hibao-an.
“With the new packaging, at least we can engage bigger communities. I am really intending to expand the market only in the region but hopefully nationwide, God willing,” she said.
She also said she is planning to add polvoron and other sweets to her array of products. (Perla Lena/PNA)
