Several days before leaving city hall, outgoing Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said that 25 more local public high school libraries were provided with internet connections to facilitate the students’ research requirements and other educational needs.
With the new addition, Belmonte said there are now 58 internet-connected public high school libraries in the city that will benefit poor students who are forced to shell out extra internet cafe expenditures.
The new public school beneficiaries include the Ismael Mathay Sr. High School , Batasan National High School , Manuel Roxas High School , Jose P. Laurel High School, North Fairview High School, San Jose High School, Sergio Osmeña High School, Masambong High School, Pugad Lawin High School, Holy Spirit National High School, Bagong Silangan High School, Tandang Sora National High School, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma High School, Maligaya High School, Doña Rosario High School, Sauyo High School, Balara High School, Carlos P. Garcia High School, Don Quintin Paredes High School, Krus na Ligas High School, Flora A. Ylagan High School, Ponciano Bernardo High School, Judge Feliciano Belmonte High School, Dr. Josefa Jara Martinez High School and the National Orthopedic Hospital School – San Gabriel branch.
Each school was provided by the city government with nine computer units, said Dr. Rowena Cacanindin, officer-in-charge of the QC division of schools.
In the wake of the possible ban of students in malls during school hours, Councilor Jaime Borres of the city’s Third District said that the additional internet connection on public school libraries is a morale booster for the students who sometimes are required to do extensive research work.
Parents in the past have complained that their children are unnecessarily exposed to danger when they go home at night coming from several hours of doing school-related activities in internet shops.
On worst case scenarios, Borres said that the children without adequate adult supervision are sometimes tempted or swayed by their peers to gamble on games like DOTA or watch illicit and sexually suggestive or violent scenes in the internet due to the relaxed rules imposed by the shop owners.
“I have already been a witness on how a bright public high school student was engulfed by peer pressure acquiring unimaginable vices inside internet shops. He learned to smoke pot, drink liquor, gamble and became disrespectful to his elders as the influence of bad company was simply too much for him to overcome. It is a good thing that the parents were able to put some sense into his mind as he bounced back from two mediocre grading periods to land in the top five of his class in the succeeding grading periods,’’ Borres added.
Borres said that not all are success stories recalling an incident when a promising female public high school student run away from home to be in the company of her friends she met in his frequent stays at various internet shops in the neighbourhood.
He added that the bright future of the student went down the drain as she joined a gang where she acquired bad habits like using drugs, taking alcohol and being involved in petty crimes that landed her in jail.
Borres cited Belmonte for giving the councilors annual funds from the city’s coffers which they can dispense for programs of their choice in their respective districts allowing him to purchase computers for public schools and identification cards (ID) with laces for public school students.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
BSP waives bank fees on OFW remittances
MANILA, Philippines - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has agreed to waive the fees imposed on banks that use the Philippine Payments and Settlements System (Philpass) remit system as part of efforts to reduce the cost of sending money by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. told reporters that the central bank’s Monetary Board approved the lifting of the imposition of fees on banks that service OFW remittances through the central bank’s facility for six months.
“The Monetary Board has approved the waiver for six months of fees for banks servicing overseas Filipinos transacting through Philpass.
This will help enable banks to lower their remittance fees,” Tetangco stressed.OFWs and their beneficiaries are expected to enjoy lower remittance fees starting this quarter with the complete operation of the Philpass remit system resulting in savings of between P100 and P500 per transaction.
The system would reduce the charges to P50 for each remittance transaction as the current system charges between P150 and P550 per transaction.OFW families are expected to save at least P92 million to as high as P922 million due to the faster and cheaper delivery of remittances to the beneficiaries at a lower rate.
The system also eliminates the need for courier services by commercial banks for the mode of fund transfer involving credit-to-other banks once the project becomes operational.
The Philpass Remit System involves the use of the BSP-Philpass as the local clearing house for the transfer of remittances from a local bank to another bank where the OFW beneficiary maintains an account.
The project is one of the initiatives undertaken by the BSP in coordination with the Association of Bank Remittance Officers, Inc. (ABROI) through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) last December.
The BSP said the full implementation of the project was originally scheduled in the first quarter of the year but only one bank has been able to migrate to the new system since the signing of the MOA.
According to the BSP, other member banks would be coming on stream once they resolve the remaining issues on hardware and system connectivity.
Other ABROI members expect to complete their migration to the new system only by end-May or end-June while two banks have indicated that they could comply only by end-September this year.
Last year, remittances went up by 5.4 percent to a new record level of $17.348 billion last year from $16.426 billion and exceeded the revised four percent growth forecast set by the central bank due to the steady growth of OFW remittances to the sustained demand for skilled Filipino workers overseas, particularly engineers, medical practitioners, and teachers.
The BSP recently upgraded its growth forecast for the amount of money sent home by overseas Filipinos to eight percent instead of six percent due to the strong demand for Filipino skilled workers.
So far, OFW remittances went up by 6.6 percent to $5.86 billion in the first four months of the year from $5.49 billion in the same period last year.
By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=586189&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. told reporters that the central bank’s Monetary Board approved the lifting of the imposition of fees on banks that service OFW remittances through the central bank’s facility for six months.
“The Monetary Board has approved the waiver for six months of fees for banks servicing overseas Filipinos transacting through Philpass.
This will help enable banks to lower their remittance fees,” Tetangco stressed.OFWs and their beneficiaries are expected to enjoy lower remittance fees starting this quarter with the complete operation of the Philpass remit system resulting in savings of between P100 and P500 per transaction.
The system would reduce the charges to P50 for each remittance transaction as the current system charges between P150 and P550 per transaction.OFW families are expected to save at least P92 million to as high as P922 million due to the faster and cheaper delivery of remittances to the beneficiaries at a lower rate.
The system also eliminates the need for courier services by commercial banks for the mode of fund transfer involving credit-to-other banks once the project becomes operational.
The Philpass Remit System involves the use of the BSP-Philpass as the local clearing house for the transfer of remittances from a local bank to another bank where the OFW beneficiary maintains an account.
The project is one of the initiatives undertaken by the BSP in coordination with the Association of Bank Remittance Officers, Inc. (ABROI) through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) last December.
The BSP said the full implementation of the project was originally scheduled in the first quarter of the year but only one bank has been able to migrate to the new system since the signing of the MOA.
According to the BSP, other member banks would be coming on stream once they resolve the remaining issues on hardware and system connectivity.
Other ABROI members expect to complete their migration to the new system only by end-May or end-June while two banks have indicated that they could comply only by end-September this year.
Last year, remittances went up by 5.4 percent to a new record level of $17.348 billion last year from $16.426 billion and exceeded the revised four percent growth forecast set by the central bank due to the steady growth of OFW remittances to the sustained demand for skilled Filipino workers overseas, particularly engineers, medical practitioners, and teachers.
The BSP recently upgraded its growth forecast for the amount of money sent home by overseas Filipinos to eight percent instead of six percent due to the strong demand for Filipino skilled workers.
So far, OFW remittances went up by 6.6 percent to $5.86 billion in the first four months of the year from $5.49 billion in the same period last year.
By Lawrence Agcaoili (The Philippine Star) (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=586189&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
Albay borrows P700M for scholarships
LEGAZPI CITY— The Provincial Government of Albay is borrowing P700 million from the Land Bank of the Philippines to finance a scholarship program that seeks to produce one college graduate per family in the province.
The program was a brainchild of Gov. Joey Salceda, who said it was part of his “education-driven development” plans for Albay.
The program, Salceda said, would encourage more young people to study, increase enrolment in colleges by at least 40 percent and produce more graduates.
Salceda, once the closest economic adviser of President Macapagal-Arroyo, signed a loan agreement with Gilda Pico, Landbank president and chief executive officer, at the bank’s head office in Manila.
The bank would charge 8 percent interest per annum for the loan which is payable in 10 years. The Albay provincial government would start paying two years after the loan contract’s effectivity.
The bank would release the money in tranches depending on the number of students that would enrol in a year.
The Albay provincial government quoted Pico as commending Salceda for the program.
Under the program, called Albay Higher Education Contribution Scheme, the provincial government would pay for half of a beneficiary’s college education and reimburse the other half that the student paid upon the student’s graduation.
Among the schools where program beneficiaries are expected to enrol is Bicol University.
12,000 beneficiaries
This year alone, the province will pay for tuition of over 12,000 college freshmen until they graduate.
“I would have placed this amount in infrastructure. But I believe diplomas give better economic returns than roads and bridges,” Salceda said.
He said a well-educated constituency has so much social payback and economic benefits.
“It expands their labor mobility. They will seek better jobs,” said Salceda.
“The difference in economic return between an elementary graduate and a secondary graduate is about seven percent. But the differential between a college graduate and a high school graduate is about 21 percent,” he said.
He said with diplomas, graduates in the province would be able to find jobs elsewhere and not cramp the small jobs market of Albay.
“Diplomas are like visas,” he added.
Education department
Albay is currently the only province in the country with a Provincial Education Department, known earlier as Education Quality for Albayanos, which was created by an ordinance.
The department has a regular staff approved by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and Management.
Salceda said Albay has committed over 17 percent of its annual budget for education subsidy.
Pagasa, South Korean agency spearhead flood forecasting project
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) are set to implement a $3-million flood forecasting project this month to help address the perennial problem of flooding in Metro Manila.
Pagasa administrator Prisco Nilo said the project includes the installation of automatic weather stations, rainfall gauging stations, and water level gauging stations in selected flood-prone areas in Metro Manila and Rizal province.
“This project will greatly enhance the flood forecasting capability of Pagasa in Metro Manila and its nearby areas,” Nilo said.
He said all real-time rainfall data, including forecasts and warnings, will be made available to agencies involved in disaster management and local government units.
Nilo stressed that the project will not only benefit Metro Manila but also residents of Rizal where some rainfall and automatic weather stations will also be installed.
“These equipments can be utilized for the issuance of warnings for floods and rain-induced landslides in the area,” the Pagasa chief said.
Last year, tropical cyclones “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” caused massive flooding in Metro Manila and its nearby areas, killing nearly a thousand of people and damaging billions of pesos worth of properties.
Public school uses solar power
MANILA, Philippines - The Sitero Francisco Memorial National High School in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City will be the first solar-powered school in the country after the installation of a 1kW photovoltaic solar array to light its nine-classroom building.The solar energy initiative is one of the flagship projects of school principal Cesar Villareal and science department head Jameson Tan.
Tan scouted for potential donors and found Wanxiang America Corp. through the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
The six solar panels, worth P500,000, were shipped from Illinois, USA by Wanxiang America. The city government of Valenzuela covered the duty on the cargo and the installation cost by professionals from FFG Solar Power Inc.
The installation of the solar panels would make the high school the first school in the country to have a hybrid energy setup, like the so-called “green schools” in the United States which use solar energy and grid energy.
The solar panels can generate 1kW to 5kW of electricity per hour depending on the intensity of sunlight. Unused solar energy is stored in eight deep-cycle batteries which can be used after sunset. The panels also continue to absorb light from the night sky.
“Once operational, the solar project will help students become more aware of their energy needs, the science behind it and other vital issues on energy utilization,” Villareal said.
A Web-based solar monitoring station will also be installed to monitor the energy production of other affiliate solar schools abroad in real-time.
The data will be used in studies on electricity and renewable energy sources, and how these are generated and used.
Villareal said that in the future, the school plans to develop a “green building” which teaches the harvesting of rainwater for energy generation and ventilation, the preparation of landscapes to reduce heat, reduction in water consumption, and recycling of waste water.
The ceremonial switching of lights was attended by Valenzuela City first district Rep Rex. Gatchalian, second district councilor Shalani Soledad, Department of Education officials led by division superintendent Dr. Flordeliza Mayari, and FEE representative William Manz.
- PERSEUS ECHEMINADA, (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=580914&publicationSubCategoryId=68)
Anti-poverty program boosts Mindanao reforestation efforts
The Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP) has released over P40 million for its environment projects and half of it is allotted for reforestation activities in the upland the coastal areas in the south of the Philippines.
DA-MRDP is poverty alleviation program under the Department of Agriculture aims to improve incomes, better governance and sustain bountiful gifts of nature of Mindanao.
“We’re glad that we have our humble contribution for the protection of our natural resources as well as in the reforestation efforts of the country,” said program director Lealyn Ramos.
The recent feat of the country as cited for its low-carbon reforestation program comes as a reward when everyone toils to protect ourselves and the country from climate change Ramos said.
“Our contribution might be considered small but surely it’s nothing trivial,” she added.
Implemented under the Program’s Natural Resources Management (NRM), 575 hectares of upland and coastal areas various areas in Mindanao have engaged in agroreforestation, watershed management and mangrove rehabilitation.
RT Lim town in Zamboanga Sibugay is now implementing 100 hectare reforestation activities with P3.45 million to spend.
About three communities in Linamon town in Lanao del Norte have engaged in agroforestry conservation and ecotourism development for its 12 hectares forest cover which house the one of province’s tourist spot the Tinago Falls.
- MARVYN N. BENANING, (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/260236/antipoverty-program-boosts-mindanao-reforestation-efforts)
UN cites Albay’s drive against climate change
United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon cited the province of Albay in the Bicol Region as among the local governments which initially signed the UN’s latest campaign on climate change in Bonn, Germany.
Albay is among the first local governments which have already committed to a 10-point checklist to step up investment in urban planning; infrastructure and building safety; reinforcing drainage systems to reduce flooding; and installing early warning systems, among other measures, under a two-year UN Campaign dubbed, “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready.”
It was signed by Albay Governor Joey Salceda at the First World Congress on Cities and
Adaptation to Climate Change in Bonn from May 28 to 30.
“I encourage all cities to join, following the examples of Bonn, Mexico City, Saint-Louis in Senegal, Larreynaga-Malpaisillo in Nicaragua, Albay in the Philippines, Baofeng in China, and Karlstad in Sweden," Ban said in a message to the International Disaster and Risk Conference in Davos, Switzerland.
“A resilient city and its citizens can benefit greatly from the opportunities presented by urban risk reduction actions,” added Margareta Wahlström, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction. “When successfully mobilized, resilient cities may benefit from growth and employment, business opportunities, balanced ecosystems, better health and improved education.”
The campaign also calls on local community groups, planners, academe, NGOs and the private sector to join in the efforts to make as many cities as resilient as possible.
It was Albay governor Joey Salceda who initiated a climate change action as part of the local governance strategy towards economic and social development, urging other local governments to do the same.
Albay is home to 1.3-million people. It has gone through major volcanic eruptions and typhoons, the most disastrous was supertyphoon "Reming" (internatonal name: Durian) in 2006.
Ban meanwhile underscored the importance of disaster risk reduction in combating climate change as well as attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
"With the earthquake in Haiti and other disasters, this year began with tragic reminders of the vulnerability of societies and the complexities inherent in any response," Ban said.
A climate change meeting will be held in Cancun, Mexico in December while an MDG summit will be convened at the UN Headquarters in New York in September.
"Disaster risk reduction can help to advance progress across this agenda. By focusing on the linkages, we can achieve a triple win by reducing the impact of disasters, adapting to climate change and safeguarding our development gains,” Ban said.
- MADEL R. SABATER, (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/259988/un-cites-albay-s-drive-against-climate-change)
Photo credits: http://www.newsweekstudy.com/images/ban.jpg | http://www.arkibongbayan.org/2007-01Jan23-albayonemonthafter/00-guinorailway/100_9811.JPG
Ro-Ro system cuts travel time, costs – ADBShare
THE roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) system has significantly cut the transport costs, as well as travel time in the Philippines, an Asian Development Bank (ADB) study revealed.
ADB said more tourists are using Ro-Ro because of its affordability.
Compared with other modes of transport such as air and traditional shipping, Ro-Ro is a competitive means of transporting passengers, the ADB said.
For example, tourism receipts in Boracay from 2003 to 2006 rose by more than 50 percent. In Iloilo and in Dapitan, receipts rose 30 percent and 200 percent, respectively.
“It should be noted that this rise in tourist arrivals can be attributed to the availability of both Ro-Ro and air transport services,” the ADB said.
In 2003, the government issued a policy to promote Ro-Ro, a system designed to carry rolling stock cargo that does not require cranes for loading or unloading.
The Strong Republic Nautical Highway is one of President Arroyo’s priority programs to ensure fast and economical movement of goods and people, and to boost domestic tourism and trade. The government wants a Ro-Ro port system to link all the country’s islands.
Earlier, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said the government will expand the country’s Ro-Ro ports by installing 74 modular ports nationwide to link the country’s provinces.
The project, dubbed as Greater Maritime Access (GMA) Ports, will be funded by an P11-billion loan from BNP Paribas.
This project would use prefabricated steel ports composed of five interdependent modular parts, such as pier or causeway connecting to shore, mooring platform, manual ramp dolphin, and passenger terminal with solar power utilities.
- DARWIN G. AMOJELAR SENIOR Reporter (http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/16102-ro-ro-system-cuts-travel-time-costs--adb)
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