OLONGAPEÑA, ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING TEACHERS OF THE PHILIPPINES

Another Olongapeño has brought pride to the city and is now an inspiration to many, specially those in the education sector.

The ‘good news’ was recently received by Mayor James ‘’Bong’’ Gordon, Jr. from Metrobank Foundation, Inc. After conducting a rigid evaluation, Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara emerged as one of the two winners in this year’s Metrobank Foundation Search for Outstanding Teachers of the Philippines’ for the Higher Education category.

Dr. Guevara is a native of Olongapo City. She has been practicing her teaching career for twenty-six (26) years at the University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman and is considered as one of the finest professor in ‘’Digital Signal Processing’’ as her Field of Specialization at UP-Diliman College of Engineering.

The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. recognized the numerous accomplishment of Dr. Guevara, one as the proponent and program leader of the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) Program.

Having been served as dean of the UP College of Engineering, she has convinced the university to open freshmen block sections to give freshmen a peer support system and help them adapt to college life. As a result, the percentage of freshmen who graduate improved specifically on the passing rate for Math 17 for students enrolled in the block sections, higher than those who were not in the block sections.

Another notable achievement of Dr. Guevara is the breakthrough Inter-disciplinary Signal Processing for Pinoys (ISIP) Program that started in 2007.

With her expertise on Digital Signal Processing, Dr. Guevara redesigned an engineering subject in UP—Signals & Systems with the idea that the mathematical formula will look less formidable if students will hear, see, and play with them first in the laboratory. The passing rate then for this subject went from 70% to 90%.

By winning in this year’s search, Dr. Guevara joins the elite group of outstanding teachers of the Philippines honored by Metrobank Foundation.

She will receive a gold medal, a trophy, and a cash prize of P300,000 from Metrobank Foundation, Inc. The medal will be conferred on her by President Benigno ‘’Noynoy’’ Aquino III and the foundation’s top officials headed by its president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña. Mayor Gordon will also witness the awarding on August 31, 2010 at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang.

Dr. Guevara will also be presented to the top caliber leaders of the business community in an awarding ceremony as the highlight of the 48th Metrobank Anniversary Celebration on September 3, 2010 at Metrobank Plaza Auditorium, Makati City.

The winners were selected from 156 nominees coming from various public and private educational institutions in the Philippines, of which 40 qualified as regional finalists.

The regional finalists underwent interviews and teaching demonstrations before the members of the preliminary board of judges identified for each category. Twenty (20) national finalists then were selected to become the national finalists.

The national finalists then faced the Final Board of Judges for this year’s Search co-chaired by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri and Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura.

Also serving as judges were: Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairman Francisco T. Duque III; Australian Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Rod Smith; San Beda College President Rev. Fr. Aloysius Ma. A. Maranan; and Shell Companies in the Philippines Country Chairman Mr. Edgar O. Chua.

OLONGAPOS’ PRIDE: 2010 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Teachers of the

Philippines Dr. Rowena Cristina L. Guevara.