SBMA waives P30-M rent from Subic schools

SUBIC BAY FREE PORT—To help upgrade the quality of the work force in the Subic Bay area, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has waived lease rentals that the agency collects from schools operating in this free port.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said that as a result, the SBMA will now be giving up some P30 million in annual rentals through a “no-lease” scheme offered to schools here as a form of incentive to help improve the skills of Subic workers and enable them to meet industry requirements.

Arreza said the waived income would constitute almost a 100-percent increase over the P16.3-million annual subsidy previously given by the agency through discounts on property leases.

Likening the program to “hitting multiple birds with one stone,” Arreza said the beneficiary schools could plow back their savings into scholarship grants and projects to improve their staff and facilities.

With this scheme, Arreza said academe would get much-needed financial support, Subic Free Port industries would be assured of a globally competitive work force, and the community would reap the resulting benefits.

“In the long run, we hope to see a constant increase in enrollment at all levels, [as well as] the enhancement and inclusion of courses and fields of studies that are required in this free port,” Arreza added.

Initially, six of the 11 schools operating in this free port will be included in the program. These are Casa Kalayaan International School, FIRST School of Subic Bay Free Port Zone, Subic Montessori School, Lyceum of Subic Bay, Comteq Computer and Business College, and Mondriaan Aura College. The schools are now being audited in preparation for their inclusion in the program.

A memorandum of agreement is also being prepared to specify the commitments to be made under the program by both the SBMA and its partner-schools, Arreza said.

The program is also expected to build on the gains made by the Subic Bay Workforce Development Foundation Inc., a multisectoral body established by the SBMA to promote work-force development among public and private entities here, and the SBMA Scholarship Foundation, which has been tasked to formulate the program’s guidelines and policies.

The SBMA decided to grant the lease-free privileges to Subic schools after the agency’s board of directors approved in January a program calling for a more globally competitive work force in the Subic Bay free port.

Beatrix Anagaran, head of the SBMA General Business and Investment Department, said the program to produce a globally competitive work force sprung from a strategic planning session held by the SBMA in October, when Arreza took note of the “very sad statistics of Philippine education.”

Anagaran said Arreza then directed her department to come up with a study on Subic’s educational institutions, while emphasizing the role SBMA has to play in the advancement of education within the Subic Bay area and the neighboring communities of Olongapo, Zambales and Bataan. Written by Henry Empeño - businessmirror.com.ph

‘GAPO, TESDA KABALIKAT AWARDEE

Olongapo City Mayor James “Bong” Gordon Jr. received two (2) trophies from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) recently during the 14th Kabalikat Awards under the local government unit category.

Mayor Gordon, along with City Councilor and Sangguniang Panlungsod Labor Committee Chair Edwin Piano received the award from TESDA Sec. Augusto ‘’Boboy’’ Syjuco, TESDA Deputy Director-General for Fields Operations Rogelio C. Peyuan and Deputy Director-General for Sectoral TVET Milagros Dawa-Hernandez.

One of the major merits of Olongapo for receiving the award was the establishment of Olongapo City Technical Education Center (OCTEC) which became a community center and is now Gordon College, one of the premier educational institutions in the city.

The college, along with TESDA holds free trainings like housekeeping, welding and computer education. Over six thousand (6000) Olongapenos have already trained under the program and more are still undergoing training.

The trainings, which are TESDA accredited, usually run for six months and afterwards, the trainees, receive a ‘certificate of completion’.

The ‘Kabalikat Award’ is a TESDA annual institutional award. It aims to give recognition to the different institutions which has helped TESDA to strengthen and continue technical education and skills development.

Awardees in the LGU category also include the Office of Congresswoman Nanette Castelo Daza (NCR), Municipality of Tadian (CAR), City Government of Passi (Rgion VI), Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Norte (Region IX), Office of Congresswoman Thelma Z. Almario (Region XI) at City Government of Bislig (CARAGA).

The awarding ceremonies was held also in celebration of the 14th year anniversary of TESDA on August 14, 2008.

Mayor Bong Gordon at the awarding of ‘’14th TESDA Kabalikat Award’’. Together with Mayor Gordon are (from R-L): Deputy Director-General for Sectoral TVET Milagros Dawa-Hernandez, DOLE Under-secretary for Labor Relation Romeo C. Lagman, TESDA Secretary General Agusto ‘’Buboy’’ Syjuco and TESDA Deputy Director General for Communities and Local Government Unit Services Pastor Z. Guiao.
PAO/Don

Principals, tuturuang gumamit ng Internet

Tuturuan ang public school principals na gamitin ang Internet upang palawakin ang kanilang kaalaman tungkol sa mga pinakabagong pamamaraan sa pagtuturo.

Sinabi ni Education Secretary Jesli Lapus na bilang pasimula, tuturuan mag-online ng Department of Education sa tulong ng Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, Regional center for Educational Innovation and Technology, isang South East Asia-based educational institution ang may 1,600 principals sa bansa sa ilalim ng DepEd Excels (Excellence in School Leadership in Southeast Asia.)

“The combination of online classes , individual coaching through the Internet and face-to-face sessions will help maximize group and individual learning while ensuring that the outputs are produced by the principals themselves,” paliwanag ni Lapus.

“By upgrading their competencies, we optimize the principal’s leadership and management capabilities while updating them on the latest trends in curriculum and instruction,” dagdag ni Lapus.

Samantala, pinapurihan ni Lapus and Olongapo City National High School sa pagkopo ng anim na parangal sa Classroom and Excellence Awards na itaguyod ng Singapore-based Asia Europe Foundation.

Lahat na tatlong entry ng OCNHS, sa pamumuno ng kanilang principal na si Dr. Helen Aggabao, sa Classroom Awards at tatlo pang entry sa Excellence Awards ay nanalo sa online website contest o online learning platforms.

Sa naturang e-learning o virtual classroom, maituturo at magkakaroon ng talakayan ang member-countries.