4th ind’l revolution takes shape

The government is banking on the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program 4.0, or SETUP 4.0, which harnesses technology and innovation to ensure the productivity and resiliency of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME).

Department of Science and Technology (DoST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said SETUP 4.0 seeks to strengthen the program that was earlier launched for 2002 to 2017, or the firm-level assistance to upgrade existing technologies and products of SME, and SETUP Upgrading Program 2.0 for 2018 to 2020, or the science and technology (S&T) assistance to further boost enterprise and industry productivity.

Challenges and concerns
According to De la Peña, the emergence of Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution has considerably accelerated in recent years. The thrust, which leverages on electronic technologies, addresses challenges and urgent concerns, like the COVID-19 pandemic which radically changed business and industry in many ways.

He likewise included sustainable development, climate change, globalization, migration and urbanization, as well as changing demographics, as challenges that continue to impact society in general and the business and industry sectors in particular.

Moving up
With these issues, SETUP 4.0 is the next phase of implementation of the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program, which is in response to the rapid emergence of Industry 4.0, the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other forces that are creating deep transformations in the local and global markets.

He said this supports the vision of an “Innovative, Resilient, Sustainable and Globally-Competitive SME Sector” that will nurture a sustainable economy and society for Filipinos in support of “Ambisyon Natin 2040.”

Priority industries
Under SETUP 4.0, the priority industries include: agriculture and forestry; food processing; marine and aquaculture; shipbuilding/marine transport; manufacture of furniture, jewelry, GHD and creatives; tool and die; agrimachinery/farm implements/food processing equipment; electronics, ICT and ICT services; and health and wellness, which includes biomedical devices, pharmaceuticals and food supplements.