TACLOBAN CITY– The management of Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II) has announced that its application for franchise renewal passed through the first reading at the Senate.
Engr. Fernan Paul Tan, the general manager of Leyeco II, made this disclosure during the meeting of the representatives of the Association of Leyeco II Active Member-Consumers (Alamco) last Sunday (April 14).
The bill is being sponsored by Senator Grace Poe.
Earlier, the House of Representatives approved the franchise renewal of Leyeco II which serves Tacloban City and the towns of Palo and Babatngon with over 80,000 member-consumers.
“And if we will be lucky enough, Leyeco II will be the first power cooperative to have its franchise approved by the current 19th Congress,” Tan said.
It was learned from the Leyeco II general manager that 29 franchises of electric cooperatives across the country have pending franchise applications before Congress.
According to Tan General Manager out of the 29 Electric Cooperatives Wanting to Renew
It was learned that the bill for franchise renewal was endorsed to the Senate las December 2022.
However, last March 2024, it was approved on its first reading.
Tan said that during the first day of the Senate committee, Sen. Poe said that she did not see any reason why the franchise renewal application of Leyeco II would be denied, considering of its ‘excellent performance.’
Leyeco II has been judged as a Triple AAA electric cooperative for the past seven years in a row. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
In light of the prohibition of physical punishment in disciplining unruly children, elementary and high school teachers must undergo comprehensive retraining and retooling to effectively manage classroom dynamics and address behavioral issues. With the removal of corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool, teachers are tasked with finding alternative methods to maintain order while implementing a positive learning environment.
Retraining these teachers should prioritize the development of effective classroom management skills. Teachers need to relearn how to create a structured and supportive learning environment where students feel safe, respected, and engaged. Techniques such as establishing clear expectations, implementing consistent routines, and utilizing positive reinforcement can help prevent behavioral problems from escalating and promote a conducive atmosphere for learning.
Teachers must be equipped with the knowledge and strategies to handle violent and abusive behavior among students. This includes recognizing early signs of aggression, de-escalation techniques, and appropriate interventions to ensure the safety and well-being of both students and staff. By receiving specialized training in conflict resolution and behavior management, teachers can effectively address challenging situations while maintaining a calm and composed demeanor.
This retooling of teachers should involve education on trauma-informed practices and understanding the underlying factors contributing to disruptive behaviors. Many children exhibit challenging behaviors as a result of adverse experiences or unmet needs, and teachers must be equipped to respond with empathy and sensitivity. Training programs should emphasize the importance of building positive relationships with students, fostering a sense of belonging, and providing appropriate support and resources for those in need.
Ongoing professional development opportunities should be provided to ensure that teachers stay abreast of best practices and evidence-based strategies in classroom management and behavior intervention. Collaboration with psychologists, counselors, and other support communities can also enhance teachers’ ability to address complex behavioral issues effectively. Through continuous training and support for teachers, schools can create a nurturing environment where all students can thrive academically and socially.
The prohibition of physical punishment in schools is already in place, and it underscores the need for teachers to undergo retraining and retooling in classroom management and behavior intervention. We just need to equip teachers with the necessary skills, knowledge, and support so that schools can promote positive discipline practices and create safe and supportive learning environments for all students. Investing in teacher training is essential to ensure the well-being and success of both students and educators in today’s educational landscape.
The disappearance of movie houses from the cultural landscape of Eastern Visayas has shown a significant shift in societal entertainment preferences driven by technological advancements. It brings to mind the nostalgic essence of an era where movie houses held a central place in people’s lives, serving as communal spaces where individuals of all ages could escape into the magic of cinema.
In those days, the anticipation of a new film’s release was palpable, with posters teasing upcoming attractions and loudspeakers heralding the daily screenings. The communal experience of watching a movie on the big screen, surrounded by fellow enthusiasts, added an irreplaceable dimension to the viewing experience. Movie houses weren’t just venues for entertainment; they were hubs of social interaction, where communities converged and shared collective experiences.
However, the rise of home entertainment technologies, from Betamax to VHS players and eventually computerized media players, revolutionized how people consumed movies. The convenience and privacy offered by these devices gradually eroded the appeal of movie houses, leading to their decline and eventual demise.
The loss of movie houses represents more than just the disappearance of a physical space; it marks the end of an era in popular culture. For older generations especially, these establishments hold cherished memories of youthful escapades and romantic rendezvous. The transformation of former movie houses into mundane establishments like grocery stores or appliance centers serves as a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of cultural icons.
The narrative of movie houses fading into obscurity in the face of technological progress is not unique to Eastern Visayas; it echoes a broader global trend. Yet, it prompts reflection on the unintended consequences of technological advancement. While computers and digital media have undoubtedly enriched our lives in many ways, they’ve also contributed to the erosion of traditional forms of entertainment and communal gathering spaces.
Ultimately, the demise of movie houses serves as a reminder to cherish and preserve the cultural heritage that enriches our lives. While progress is inevitable, it’s essential to recognize the value of our shared traditions and collective memories, ensuring that they aren’t lost to the relentless march of time and technology.
This transformation of former movie houses into something mundane reminds us of the transient nature of cultural icons. It prompts reflection on the unintended consequences of technological advancement, highlighting the erosion of traditional forms of entertainment and communal gathering spaces in the face of progress. While computers and digital media have undoubtedly enriched our lives, their rise has also necessitated the sacrifice of cherished cultural institutions like movie houses.
Actually, the exit of movie houses into obscurity in Eastern Visayas is not isolated; it reflects a broader global trend. But it underscores the importance of preserving cultural heritage amidst the relentless march of time and technology. The demise of movie houses serves as a wake-up call to cherish and safeguard shared traditions and collective memories, ensuring that they are not lost to the annals of history. As we go through an increasingly digital world, we may as well recognize the intrinsic value of cultural institutions like movie houses in shaping our identities and enriching our lives.
But the trend is alarming than inspiring as many of us would like to believe. The departure of many from the bondage of the soil and cruel exploitation of such unjust social order had actually been gradually depleting the working hands that till our lands. Efforts of government to reclaim so much land or find compensation from those lost to land conversions would be futile due to the bitter reality that the work force in the farms had dwindled significantly over the years.
Many of our productive generation, those within the working-age population, had been pushed by poverty to become domestic and blue collar workers in foreign shores. We have lost so much to the rich countries of a powerful workforce that could potentially augment rice production. A huge number had been migrating to foreign shores to take odd jobs like caring for the old and sickly that offers high wages. Our government cannot afford to match both in pay and opportunity just to hold our workers from going abroad.
The situation is aggravated by the unabated exploitation of our farm workers who suffer economic difficulties despite their industry tilling farmlands. It starts with the misplaced priorities of the agriculture department that promotes organic and scientific farming as a mere advocacy but implements programs like the use of synthetic fertilizers. The high cost of farm preparation, farm inputs such as the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides cause the poor farmers to avail of usurious loans usually from rice traders who control the rice supply chain.
The apparently unjust setup places the poor farmers buried in debts that usually bear high, if not usurious interests. What they earn during harvest is inadequate to settle their loans. This causes the vicious cycle of borrowing and paying loans while living in poverty despite their sweat in rice farming as palay prices are purposely pegged low by rice traders who intentionally lower the market prices of rice.
With palay used as commodity for payment of loans, the harvest is captured by rice traders who have the capital to keep the stocks until the harvest season is over. When farmers have no more palay even for their own consumption, rice traders will again raise rice prices until the next harvest season when they would lower rice prices to justify their cheap buying price of palay. The hapless farmer had been at the losing end as they remain in the shackles of the proverbial bondage of the soil. comments to alellema@yahoo.com
WE have to learn the art of how to stay on course in our life so that we do not get distracted, confused, entangled and lost. For this, we have to be clear about what the real and ultimate purpose of our life is, as well as know how to relate everything in our life—both the good things and the bad—to this purpose.
This, of course, would require us to undertake regular review and updating of our plans and strategies through practices like daily examinations of conscience, monthly days of recollection, annual retreats, etc. And even during the day, we should make a number of pit stops to see if we are still on course or are already getting deviated from the proper way.
We should always keep sharp our awareness that our life is actually something like a journey where we are expected to make daily progress on our way to our ultimate home or destination, which is to be with God in heaven. Yes, we have to realize deeply and abidingly that our life here on earth is also like a test God gives us, to see if what he wants us to be is also what we ourselves would like to be.
We are somehow reminded of this need of ours in the gospel of the Mass on Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter. (Jn 6,30-35) “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst,” Christ told a crowd of people, somehow telling us also that it should be Christ who should be the object of our real hunger and thirst.
Thus, we have to realize that we need to educate our biological or bodily functions, insofar as possible, such that they acquire a theological meaning and purpose and not just purely biological functions.
If we are truly serious in our Christian duty to make ourselves “another Christ” who is the pattern of our humanity and the redeemer of our damaged humanity, then the Christian transformation of our own selves should not only involve our spiritual faculties—our intelligence and will—but also our biological or bodily powers.
Thus, when we experience hunger for food or thirst for some drink, it should not just be food and drink that we should be interested in. We should not remain in the level of the material aspect of our life. Our hunger and thirst should also lead us to God.
For this to take place, we certainly need a kind of plan or program to keep our spiritual life alive and vibrant even as we go through the drudgery of the routine things or the excitement of new and challenging things.
We need to realize more seriously that more than feeding our body, we actually need to feed our soul which, being the principle of our life, is more important than the body. We are not just a biological being, like the plants and animals. We are human beings, persons with a rational nature and animated by a spiritual soul.
We need to discipline ourselves to follow a certain plan that would help us keep alive our awareness of our need to make Christ the constant focus and goal of our life. This would mean that we learn how to be in contemplative mode even as we immerse ourselves in our earthly affairs.
This is the way to properly stay on course in life!
The journey of entrepreneurship is not without its fair share of challenges and setbacks. Aspiring entrepreneurs must equip themselves with resilience, adaptability, and a growth mindset to navigate these obstacles and emerge stronger. Here are some strategies to help aspiring entrepreneurs overcome challenges and setbacks on their entrepreneurial journey:
1. Embrace a Positive Mindset: Cultivating a positive mindset is crucial when faced with challenges and setbacks. Instead of viewing obstacles as insurmountable barriers, perceive them as opportunities for growth and learning. Embrace a “can-do” attitude and believe in your ability to overcome any challenge that comes your way.
2. Seek Support and Mentorship: Surround yourself with a network of supportive individuals who can offer guidance, advice, and emotional support. Seek out mentors who have experienced similar challenges and setbacks, as their wisdom and insights can be invaluable in navigating difficult situations. Additionally, connect with fellow entrepreneurs who can provide encouragement and share their own experiences.
3. Learn from Failures: Failure is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurial journey. Rather than deeming failures as setbacks, consider them as valuable learning opportunities. Analyze what went wrong, identify the lessons learned, and use that knowledge to improve and grow. Multiple failures may seem to dishearten you. However, they are a string of valuable lessons that you should keep in your heart.
4. Adapt and Pivot: In the fast-paced business world, adaptability is key. Be willing to adjust your strategies, products, or services based on market feedback, customer demands, or changing circumstances. Flexibility and the ability to pivot, when necessary, can help you overcome challenges and stay ahead of the competition.
5. Break Down Challenges into Manageable Steps: When faced with a complex challenge, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. This approach allows you to tackle each component one at a time, making the overall challenge less overwhelming. Celebrate small victories along the way, as they provide motivation and momentum to keep moving forward.
6. Prioritize Self-Care: Building a business can be demanding and stressful, but it’s essential to prioritize self-care. Take care of your physical and mental well-being by maintaining a healthy work-life balance, engaging in activities you enjoy, and practicing stress management techniques such as exercise, meditation, or spending time with loved ones. Taking care of yourself ensures you have the energy and resilience to face challenges head-on.
7. Continuously Learn and Improve: Commit to lifelong learning and personal growth. As an entrepreneur, you should keep up on industry trends, never cease from acquiring new skills, and seek opportunities for professional development. This continuous learning mindset will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to overcome challenges and setbacks effectively.
8. Stay Focused on Your Vision: During challenging times, it’s crucial to stay focused on your long-term vision and goals. Remind yourself of why you started this entrepreneurial journey in the first place and the impact you aspire to make. Keep your vision at the forefront of your mind, and let it serve as a guiding light during difficult moments.
Challenges and setbacks are not indicators of failure but opportunities for growth and resilience. Embrace these obstacles with determination, seek support when needed, and keep pushing forward. With perseverance and a positive mindset, aspiring entrepreneurs can overcome any challenge that comes their way and ultimately achieve their entrepreneurial dreams.
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If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the column, feel free to send an email to jca.bblueprint@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting with you!
