DTI turns over fablab facility, Bohol gears up for ASEAN integration

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — A year after Bohol's economy was shattered by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the province is now getting up stronger and is readying to be a much competitive player in the global market.

"We all need to work together to understand the pros and cons of global policy reforms and to ensure that poor communities in the tourism supply chain can participate either as destination or suppliers to tourism markets," said Department of Trade and Industry assistant secretary Ceferino Rodolfo at the briefing with stakeholders on the ASEAN Economic Community yesterday.

Ceferino urged Boholanos to ensure that Micro and Medium Enterprises can gain from the benefits of the ASEAN Integration.

DTI-7 regional director Asteria Caberte said that interventions to support MSMEs are now being intensified such as branding and promotions, design mentorship, production, and quality enhancement programs, as well as the availability of financial loans and capital equipment or shared services facilities.

This move is significantly boosted by the existence of the first Fabrication Laboratory or Fablab, which is the first of its kind in the country.

The Bohol Fablab is a shared service facility for small enterprises to produce quality souvenir products that can be supplied to tourism facilities.

"These interventions intend to create value chain and links between the trained participants and the producers, exporters, and other entrepreneurs in Bohol," said Caberte.

DTI, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, Bohol Island State University and international organizations USAID and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, launched the Bohol Fablab as a shared service facility to support the creative industries in the province in May this year.

Hosted by the BISU, the Fablab provides state of the art technology and equipment such as laser cutting, computer numerical control, rapid prototyping, haptic interface modeling, and virtual reality modeling, among others.

According to Caberte the Bohol Fablab SSF will enable local designers in partnership with local MSMEs to come up with high value and high quality product prototypes.

"The facilities can also further assist MSMEs through short run production of prototypes which can be used for market testing before full blown commercial production," Caberte said.

An average of 435 thousand local and foreign tourists visit Bohol every year with at least three thousand MSMEs in the province relying on tourism activities for their livelihood.

Ma. Elena Arbon, DTI-Bohol provincial director said aside from readying Bohol by improving its products' quality and capability, it is also gearing towards providing globally competitive skilled workforce under the AEC.

Arbon emphasized that the presence of Fablab will also open students to take special at the MIT, through the Fab Academy Session that will be opened in January 2015. — (FREEMAN)