ZAMBOANGA City – The Department of Science and Technology (Dost), in its bid to upgrade the region’s rubber industry, have improved the rubber processing facility of the Philippine Pioneer Rubber Products Corporation (PPRPC) in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay. The improved facility, which is located in the municipality of Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay, was inaugurated on Wednesday. Brenda Nazareth-Manzano, Dost regional director, said Tuesday the processing facility was improved with PhP8.3 million funding support from the agency’s flagship Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (Setup). Manzano said the PhP8.3 million funds was use “for the acquisition of processing equipment needed by the firm.” She said the funding support covers the acquisition of the following equipment: slab cutter with accessories; turbo mill with accessories; and baling press machine with accessories. She said the Dost through Setup also provided technical consultancy services of proper plant lay-outing, process flow, and manpower development assistance such as training, among others. She said the PPRPC shouldered the cost of installation and renovation of the processing area. She said with the interventions the quality of the rubber products will be improved and increase the productivity of PPRPC. PPRPC Chair Natalia Jambaro said with the upgrading they will be able to cater to more rubber producers especially cooperatives and agrarian reform communities who manage rubber plantations in Zamboanga Sibugay as well as from Zamboang del Norte. Jambaro said they are targeting to achieve the minimum volume requirements demanded by big rubber companies such as Yokohama. “With products processed in our upgraded facility, we can achieve the required volume and better quality and therefore we can demand a better price,” she said. She thank Dost and the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) for the realization of the improved project. To date, Manzano said Setup has assisted 206 projects here in Region IX with total funding assistance for innovation system support amounting to PhP132 Million. In terms of value of assistance, Manzano said the PPRPC is the biggest in Region IX and second biggest nationwide. Meanwhile, Manzano announced that the Dost regional office will be also operating a rubber testing laboratory to cater to the needs of rubber processing firms such as PPRPC for the needed laboratory tests. “The laboratory will be up and going anytime – next month,” she announced. (PNA)