Manila – Heaven’s Bakehaus and Enterprises, a bakery located in Iligan City, has been recognized by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for its outstanding contributions as a modern micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME). DOST-10 (Northern Mindanao) announced on Thursday that the bakery is this year’s recipient of the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) for the Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), a flagship initiative of the DOST.
According to Philippines News Agency, Heaven’s Bakehaus has gained distinction as the exclusive provider for the One Town, One Product hub in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte. The hub serves as a one-stop retail store featuring market-ready community products, attracting both local buyers and tourists.
The bakery’s owners, Marc Claro, a police officer, and his wife, Dr. Roly Ann, represented the Northern Mindanao region in the national competition for the Best SETUP PRAISE after their regional victory in October. Marc Claro expressed gratitude for DOST’s continuous support, stating, “Put it in your mind and heart that there is always one DOST for you.”
Now in its 11th year, the SETUP PRAISE award acknowledges MSMEs that have excelled in technology and innovation with DOST’s assistance. Heaven’s Bakehaus, established on October 18, 2012, began with a modest capital of PHP5,000, aiming to provide livelihood for a single parent living with the Claro family. Its flagship product is “piaya,” a popular food item from Iligan. The bakery upgraded its piaya and pastel processing equipment in 2016 with DOST’s SETUP assistance.
In 2021, it became a licensee of DOST- Food and Nutrition Research Institute’s Enhanced Nutribun (enutribun) technology and is now the sole adopter of this technology in Lanao del Norte.