ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) is affirming the contribution of agriculture and fisheries-based entrepreneurs as motive forces in the Philippine economy.

Assistant DoST director for technical operations in Region 6, Engineer Emelyn P. Flores told participants to the first regional Techno Gabay and TechnoMart Summit conducted by the Western Visayas Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (WESVARRDEC) in Iloilo City recently that “micro-small-and-medium enterprises (MSMEs) have significant contributions to the economy, accounting for almost 32 percent of Philippine gross domestic product (GDP).”

MSMEs represent 99.6 percent of the total number of businesses registered in the country and fully 92 percent of these are micro enterprises.

The MSMEs also employ 40 percent of the total labor force nationwide, making them, rather than big corporations, the biggest sectoral employers in the country.

“These significant figures attest to the need for government support for MSMEs,” pointed out Flores. “This is the reason why DoST enhances their competitiveness.”

She also said that “with priority concerns for natural fiber, fashion accessories, metals and engineering, furniture, horticulture, food processing, and aquatic and marine, DoST offers the provision of technology, technology training, technical consultancy and advisory services, as well as support services for enterprise development, and laboratory and other testing services.”