Leyte ICT head wins in Microsoft ‘creativity challenge’ in France

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April 8, 2019

Team Philippines (from L-R) Ronel Boholano Division, IT Officer of DepEd Leyte; DepEd Usec. Alain B. Del Pascua; Director Abram Abanil Director IV of DepEd Central Office-ICT Services; Clarissa Segismundo, Philippine Lead Microsoft Education Philippines; Adelina Calub, School Director of Nazareth School-National University; and Roland Lorenzo Ruben, a professor at De La Salle Dasmarinas.
(Photo courtesy of Alain Pascua)

GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte- A personnel from the Department of Education (DepEd)-Leyte schools division was named among the five winners in this year’s E2-Education Exchange in Paris, France on April 4.
Ronel Boholano, in-charge of the Information and Communication (ICT) unit of DepEd in Leyte, showcased the learning and development of DepEd and the Leyte Division for ICT in education during the Microsoft-sponsored ‘creativity challenge’.
His winning fellow delegate educators were Ibrahim Aljabri, Carlos Calla, Karyn Fillhart, Tao Wu, and Jacek Zablocki from Saudi Arabia, Peru, USA, China, and Poland, respectively.
“With the support of the division’s banner project Seedling or Strategic Empowerment of Educators in the Delivery of Learning Instruction and Needs-Based Governance specifically project ‘Targets’ and project ‘Sidlit’, the division office is giving technical assistance to our teachers and education supervisors on the proper use of technology on education to develop students that are critical thinkers, collaborative, with good Communication skills and creative,” Boholano said.
Boholano’s presentation followed the DepEd-National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines learning and development process through BEST-Philippines and Microsoft ICT tools with the Microsoft education ambassadors as the main ingredient.
The 28-year-old Microsoft ambassador in Leyte said he is thankful to “gain more knowledge and get insights from other educators around the globe on the best practices that they have in terms of ICT in education in their respective countries.”
He, however, said that the country can solve the issues and problems about ICT literacy of its teachers “by intensifying in-service learning and development activities focusing on teaching ICT as a skill and a subject and teaching the pedagogy in using ICT in teaching all subjects.”
Boholano lauded the support of Leyte schools division superintendent Ronelo Al Firmo, his two assistant superintendents Edgar Tenasas and Marilyn Siao, along with the 37 Microsoft education ambassadors in Leyte who played a great role in achieving the ICT programs in the division.
He added the division has continued the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP) while forging partnership with various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government agencies like Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) who gave free Wifi and starbooks or digital libraries.
“In 2017, we also trained around 1,250 teachers in nine districts in ICT. While in 2018, we trained around 300 in two districts,” Boholano said.
He said some of the NGOs that helped the ICT programs of Leyte include ProFuturo of Spain who gave tablets and training to Leyte schools, ABS-CBN project Genio for flat screen TV and training, Japan’s JAIKA volunteers for ICT training, and Energy Development Corporation (EDC) who distributed computers, among other donors.
Meanwhile, Microsoft said that this year’s fifth annual E2-Education Exchange focused on “celebrating the incredible work done by change makers in education from around the globe.”
“The essence of E2 is celebration, recognition, collaboration, and inspiration,” said the Microsoft Education organization on its website as it invited the “heroes in classrooms around the world” to become a certified Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE).
Alain Pascua, DepEd Undersecretary for Administrative Service said the Microsoft’s E2 event “brings together the most innovative educators from around the world to collaborate, create, and share their experiences on how to integrate technology and pedagogy to advance learning, achieve student outcomes, and transform education.”
Pascua, who joined Boholano and other Philippine delegates in France, announced that the DepEd through the Information and Communications Technology Service (ICTS) “is in fact in the process of procuring the necessary equipment that would enable this kind of online meetings and communications.”
“For 2019, the members of the Executive Committee and Management Committee will be able to use this equipment and technology. For 2020, the plan is to cascade the same to all division offices. This is part of DepEd’s Digital Rise program as outlined in the Public Schools of the Future framework of the Administration Strand,” said Pascua. (RONALD O. REYES)

Food poisoning hits Biliran athletes

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April 8, 2019

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GOMA — LET THE GAMES BEGIN. The Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association(EVRAA) Meet formally opened on Sunday(April 7) with about 10,000 young athletes from 13 school divisions of the region competing the weeklong event. Photo shows Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez(center) joined multi-awarded heptathlon star Elma Muros,who lighted the EVRAA torch,during the opening ceremony. Photo courtesy: Mylane Barquera

LET THE GAMES BEGIN. The Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association(EVRAA) Meet formally opened on Sunday(April 7) with about 10,000 young athletes from 13 school divisions of the region competing the weeklong event. Photo shows Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez(center) joined multi-awarded heptathlon star Elma Muros,who lighted the EVRAA torch,during the opening ceremony. Photo courtesy: Mylane Barquera

Incident happened on the eve of EVRAA Opening

ORMOC CITY – A total of 70 athletes, and two trainers from Biliran delegation participating the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet were hit by an alleged food poisoning.
The young athletes suffered abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea after taking their dinner last April 6(Saturday) at their billeting quarter in Ormoc City Senior High School (OCSHS), this city.
Initially, 68 athletes were rushed to the hospitals Saturday night complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting.
Dr. Edmund Keirulf, Ormoc City Health Physician suspected symptoms lead to staphylococcal contamination.
He said that they suspected the pork curry that was served during dinner was the cause, since it had a bad smell already when the samples of the food being served was taken.
Food samples were being sent to the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) for testing, Dr. Keirulf said.
As of press time, results are not yet available.
But John Paul Roca, DOH information officer, said that all the young athletes, are now in good and stable condition.
“This is an isolated case and we just hope that they will have more food servers to avoid any sanitary-related issues and foods could be cook properly,” Roca said.
He added that they have regained their good physical conditions enough for them to join the week-long sporting event held in this city.
On Monday, the Regional Surveillance team of the DOH went to the OCSHS to conduct inspection and further investigation of the incident and according to Keirulf, they suspected food poisoning, probably caused by bacteria.
The Biliran contingent have their own food caterers.
Despite of the health issue that hit some of their athletes, the Biliran team who has the biggest with 821 delegates, is confident that they could give a good fight in the EVRAA games.
Ryan Apay, the information officer designate of DepEd Biliran, informed during a press conference that they provided psychological aid to boost the morale of their athletes to play well.
Dr. Keirulf added that he will give a go signal for the affected athletes to play in the games, along with the Biliran team’s physician fit to play certificates.

This year’s EVRAA Meet is being participated by about 10,000 athletes and their coaches coming from 13 school delegations. The regional sporting event is to end on April 12.

BY: RUBY ESPINA with RONALD O. REYES

NPA suffers major defeat with failure of Victoria attack

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April 5, 2019

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CATBALOGAN CITY- The New People’s Army (NPA) in the region has suffered a major blow as they failed to successfully carry out their attack on a police station in Victoria, Northern Samar.
Thus said Major General Raul Farnacio, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division, based this city.
What made the failure doubly frustrating to the rebels was it happened while they were to celebrate their 50th founding anniversary, Farnacio said.
The NPA observed their founding anniversary on March 29.
To recall, about 80 NPA rebels attacked the police station in Victoria on March 28 but was frustrated by 15 policemen, led by their chief of police, Lt. Eladio Alo, who engaged them to a two hour gun battle.
This resulted to the death of three rebels and the captured of three others.
At least two policemen were hurt during the predawn attack.
Farnacio said that the NPA rebels further suffered defeat with the surrender of a top rank rebel leader in Leyte.
He said that ‘Ka Bayong’ of the Apoy Platoon, informed them that more rebels are planning to surrender and return to the folds of the law and want to avail the program of the government for those who want to surrender.
“What we can assure the public is that members of the Philippine Army is always ready and willing to do what is necessary for the triumph of the government,” Farnacio said.
The region’s top Army official also said that their forces are further augmented with the return of their forces earlier assigned in Mindanao and Negros and the assignment of the elite force of the Philippine National Police, Special Action Force, to the region.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

DPWH Region 8 eyes better spending amid 2018 poor performance

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April 5, 2019

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TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is hoping to improve its budget utilization rate for Eastern Visayas projects this year despite bottlenecks that are out of the agency’s control.
DPWH Regional Director Nerie Bueno said they have mapped out plans to fast-track spending this year after seeing reports that only P17.32 billion or 41.95 percent of the P42.64 billion allotment last year has been disbursed as of Dec. 31, 2018. The figure is way below than the 70 percent to 75 percent ideal budget utilization rate.
“The regional office is fully aware of the problem and we have to address it in 2019. We don’t want to commit the same mistakes over and over again,” Bueno told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Wednesday.
Although P41.29 billion or 96.84 percent of the 2018 outlay has been obligated, actual disbursement remains low due to some factors considered by DPWH as out of their control.
These include bad weather, insufficient workforce provided by the contractors, road right of way acquisition issues, difficulty on transportation of construction materials and scheduling of equipment, peace and order problem in Samar Island, and repeated bidding failures.
“Some contractors are not interested to build infrastructure in remote areas because they have many choices with a lot of projects being rolled out under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program. Road right of way problem is major setback since we have to talk to people and deal with a lot of legal issues,” Bueno added.
Last year, the region completed 716 out of the 1,040 regular projects listed under the 2018 General Appropriations Act. Some 271 projects were ongoing while 52 others have not yet started as of Dec. 31, 2018, according to DPWH records.
To curb project delays in the future, the department has started pre-detailed engineering activities as early as first quarter of 2019 for projects programmed in 2020.
For 2019, the DPWH is eyeing a P27.62 billion budget under the 2019 National Expenditure Program. The proposal went up to P61.11 billion in 2020.
No single project for 2019 has started its construction this year due to pending approval of the 2019 budget bill after months of budget deadlock as Senate and House of Representatives failed to reach consensus.
The 2019 proposed budget has been submitted to the President for scrutiny but Malacañang could not say when it will be signed.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

“It’s More Fun In the Philippines” showcases at NBA Wizards Halftime

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April 5, 2019

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Photos courtesy of Oscar Sibal, Manny Lopez, Ferdi Hudencial

WASHINGTON DC- On its 7th year, the Filipino Heritage Night (FHN), organized by Filipino-American Basketball Assn (FABA) of Metro DC’s Ken Mendoza, staged another successful “all tickets sold out” day of showcasing Filipino Heritage through the Philippines’ favorite sports- basketball during the NBA Wizards vs. Miami Heat game, Capital One Arena, Washington D.C. FHN endeavors to bring the Filipinos and non-Filipinos closer together in this annual event where FABA players are given a chance to play in the prestigious NBA court, meet their favorite NBA stars up-close inspiring them to do better in basketball.
Both US and Philippine national anthems were sang by Fil-Ams from New York City – the TOFA Artists & Performers led by Elton Lugay.
This year at the NBA Halftime show, two multi-awarded groups, the Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) of Metro Washington D.C. spearheaded by Grace Divina Valera, Jesse A Gatchalian/ Arnedo S Valera and the Richmond Pilipino Class from Central Virginia (RPC) led by Maria Cielo Sinsioco, performed “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” dance to the music of “Piliin mo ang Pilipinas”.
Other performers with the group were from the Ilocano Society of America/ ISA’s Miss Teen Philippines-America beauty queens, some Mabuhay Inc. members and the eskrimadores of the Pinakatay Eskrima (c/o Lexi Crisostomo) in DC.
The two groups’ choreographers were Dennis Michael Hona-Hansinger and Ludwig Osorio.
A total of 90 dancers (56 from MHC and 34 from RPC) proudly performed waving US and Philippine flags, signifying the friendly ties between the 2 countries.
The dance showcase was initiated by MHC’s Executive Director & former Philippine Embassy’s Cultural Officer/ Attache’ Grace Valera who thought of encapsulating the diverse, vibrant and colorful cultures of the Philippines in one production number.
And to ensure a bigger participation, Grace asked the collaboration of Maria Cielo Sinsioco of Richmond Pilipino Class- a highly dedicated cultural group from Central Virginia, who agreed to do the Southern Philippines/Muslim suite while the rest of the suites will be done by MHC.
Both Valera and Sinsioco believed that showcasing the Philippines to the American mainstream is a great way to spread Philippine goodwill and promote the good image of the Philippines in the U.S.A.
With the big banner of “It’s More Fun In The Philippines”, the Halftime showcase in the US capital, featured the Philippines’ diverse cultures of 5 cultural suites namely: the Spanish/Maria Clara Suite, the Cordillera/ Mountain Province Suite, the Southern Philippines/Muslim Suite, the Tribal & Ati-atihan suite and the Rural/Barrio Fiesta Suite.
To the delight of over 20,000 arena audience, the two pride of the Philippines- Manny “PACMAN” Pacquiao (a Pacquiao look-alike Rudy Merc) and the Philippines’ Miss Universe (played by the 2011 Miss Teen Philippines-America title holder Chessa Taboada), joined in the halftime performance. The big event was also televised thru the NBA channel and Pay for View.
Ken Mendoza, the indefatigable president of FABA Metro DC, said “Through the annual Heritage Night at NBA Games, we can inspire the young generations that anything is possible if we put our mind into it, and that as Filipinos, we are proud of our heritage and culture”.