DOST empowers Dinagat Islands woman-entrepreneur on bread business
By Renelle L. Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Nenita Dela Cruz, proprietor of the Eighty-One Bakeshop, is an epitome of the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs by bringing science and technology closer to the communities.
Along the busy streets of Barangay Sta. Cruz in San Jose, Dinagat Islands, Dela Cruz opened the Eighty-One Bakeshop at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and quickly became known for its freshly baked products, especially its nutritious soft sliced bread and hot ‘pandesal’ or the country’s staple bread roll for breakfast.
Through DOST’s banner program on Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), it aided the bakery’s production by upgrading its equipment, enabling the business to meet the growing demand of customers in the town and nearby communities. Today, it continues to grow and thrive despite market competition, allowing Dela Cruz to open another branch in Barangay Don Ruben.
“Baking is more than just flour and sugar. It is about early mornings, patience, and believing that small efforts can turn a simple recipe into something meaningful,” Dela Cruz said as she shared how passion and right character kept her determination to sustain the bakery despite the challenges brought by the pandemic and even the devastation of Super Typhoon Odette in 2021.
She also expressed gratitude to DOST through its provincial office in Dinagat Islands for its unwavering support that kept the business resilient and thriving. “With the right support from the government through DOST’s SETUP, women entrepreneurs like me are given the chance to excel in business and contribute to local economic growth.”
Meanwhile, DOST continues to invite micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Dinagat Islands that have been running for three years or more, and are operating in DOST’s priority sectors, such as food processing, manufacturing, agri-business, among others, to elevate their operations through technological upgrades and interventions.
SETUP is designed to help MSMEs become more competitive and innovative through technology-based assistance and support services tailored to the business needs. The program can be a strategic partner for growth through the following benefits:
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ for acquiring the right technology;
๐๐๐๐ก๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ to enhance skills and production efficiency;
๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ to streamline your operations;
๐๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ to ensure product quality;
๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ;
๐๐ข๐ง๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ to expand your opportunities. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands with a report from DOST Dinagat Islands)
