As the pandemic brought additional burden to micro-to-small medium enterprises (MSMEs), the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) Program aims to find solutions to the problems of private companies and MSMEs.
During the first CRADLE Symposium on Tuesday, Jan. 18, DOST Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said the program allows industry members to "pandemic-proof their businesses" through research and development.
"Innovation is the key for our private companies to sustain their business performance, despite the challenges brought about by restrictions in health and travel," Guevara said during the DOST CRADLE's Science Kusina.
"I believe what we are doing in CRADLE and the rest of the components of our Science for Change Program is helping the country boost its innovation performance at the global level," DOST Secretary Fortunato "Boy" de la Peña added.
Through the DOST-CRADLE Program, the Tacloban City Litson Industry Association (TACLIYA) has partnered with the Eastern Visayas Food Innovation Center (EVFIC) and the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU).
The EVFIC works to reprocess the excess lechon into shelf-stable products such as "lechon paksiw de Leyte," that can provide potential for expansion of their existing market and also seen to serve as emergency food in times of calamities in the region.
Another breakthrough in the partnership between the University of Santo Tomas and the Banawe Soybean Corporation. The study will develop gluten-free, vegan sausages from okra.
Facing the problem of waste amounting to one million metric tons per year from pineapple stems and core, Del Monte Philippines and the University of San Agustin have forged a partnership to address agricultural waste from pineapples by developing extracted compounds from waste plant parts into high-value products such as functional food ingredients and dietary supplements in food and beverages.
Meanwhile, the partnership of Pascual Pharma Corporation and the University of the Philippines-Visayas will address generating better food for better survival and therapy, particularly to those who are affected with a chronic or terminal disease.
The project will create food that are easy to digest, appropriate for recovery, and will increase immune system responses using bioavailable proteins and bioactive peptides from low-cost fish species.