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2006-10-02T19:57:00.002-07:00

UP Baguio alumnus writes National Pledge to Courtesy
By: Nasser A. Dugasan

“A dedicated and excellent service is tantamount to a courteous one.” This was the banner of the delegation that made it to the top of 18 agency-finalists that competed for the Best Courtesy Campaign nationwide.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD-CAR) bagged the grand prize in the Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA) search for the Best Courtesy Campaign in a competition held at Philam Life Theatre, UN Avenue, Manila last September 29.

In the competition, government agencies are to make and submit a concept in a form of a poem entitled “A Pledge to Courtesy” consistent with the theme “Ibigay ang Puso : Gawad Magalang na Ahensya” where they can freely portray and present during the contest proper in a span of only 10 minutes.

By virtue of Memorandum Circular No. 96, “Enjoining Officials and Employees of the National Government including Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations and State Universities and Colleges, as well as Local Government Units and Government Employees Association to support the Courtesy Campaign for Public Servants”, issued on February 2006, Malacanang expressed support for the banner program of the PGEA.

DWSD-CAR submitted the poem in English (translated in Filipino) written by the Regional Social Marketing Officer I and a fresh UP Baguio alumnus Rogerson Dennis R. Fernandez, who also wrote and directed the stage play performed by selected employees during the contest proper.

Fernandez explained, “Courtesy in service is seen rather in the preservation of the craft that is, consistent, honest and free. It doesn’t limit its worth in simple greetings, bows and promptness without quality, smile or priority. Courteous service is selfless service; heart-giving.”

The University of the Philippines-Visayas, the Department of Education Region V (Polangui General Compehensive High School) and the Department of Education V (Camarines Sur National High School) took the first, second and third runners-up respectively.

DSWD bested other competing agencies with the following criteria for judging: Pre-screening score (40%) which comprises the content and clarity of thoughts, originality and creativity, portrayal of Filipino cultural values related to courtesy and cooperation between the management and the union and Contest proper score (60%) which include delivery and performance, originality and creativity and audience impact.

Other finalists include the Civil Service Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, The National Library, University of the Philippines-Diliman, Department of Health, National Livelihood Support Fund, Department of Justice, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Region I, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

PGEA will soon propose to the Philippine Government that the winning pledge of commitment, A Pledge to Courtesy to serve as a model for adoption in the delivery of public services and be included in the regular flag ceremonies in government agencies.

The following is the complete text of the winning Pledge to National Courtesy.

I am a Filipino
A servant for and of my people
A being of utmost respect
A citizen of faith
To my God and my country
I raise my hands in pledge
Be an instrument of integrity
In all endeavors of my government
To my family and fellowmen
I shall work for dignity
In dedication of labor
In the name of equality

I am the Filipino public servant
I shall look up to my people
Grow in utmost esteem
As a symbol of excellence
I shall preserve my craft
To polite and prompt service
In honor of the heroes of my past
Reach out to the least of my brethren
I shall deem no ill in service
Discourage graft and corruption
And set aside my person
That I may serve in honor and in justice

I am a Filipino
A courteous servant in pledge
In service, in civility, in dignity I shall be
The Filipino work hand
God-fearing
Nationalistic
Environmentalist
Humane

Explanation:

The Filipino Public Servant in Pledge

A dedicated and excellent service is tantamount to a courteous one. This pledge to courtesy reaffirms a government employee’s commitment to service in its fullest.

The first stanza embodies the Filipino employee as an integral element in government services – a person who is of utmost faith and respect to his or her people after God and country. It confirms the element of promise as signified by ‘raising one’s hand’. It asserts the dedication of the worker for the dignity of labor and equality for all people in the service.

The second stanza narrates the core of the pledge to civil service and that is polite and prompt service. It recites the employee’s promise of high esteem for his or her people. This value to the public encapsulates the work quality that is expected from all government officials and the workforce. Excellence in the field of public service relies not only in the civility of it but rather in the dedication and aptness of all its components. The inspiration then is drawn from the history of the Filipinos through its heroes and heroines who have worked hand in hand to prepare the road for all of us today.

The courtesy in service is seen rather in the preservation of the craft that is, consistent, honest and free. It doesn’t limit its worth in simple greetings, bows, and promptness without quality, smile or priority. Courteous service is selfless service, heart-giving.

This pledge hence is an encouragement to all branches of the Philippine government – to go beyond the aesthetics of service, to go beyond smiles and greetings, and empty promises. Quality and equality is courtesy. And courtesy spells its value in honor and justice. To smile with honor and work with justice for the ‘smallest’ person is a light to another generation of labor and service.

Finally, the courtesy doesn’t stop in civil service but rather escalates into the higher faculty of a nation’s spirit. The public servant is the Filipino in pledge of courtesy alongside the age-old cultural values maka-Diyos, maka-bayan, maka-kalikasan and ultimately the maka-tao.

The Filipino government employee is the Filipino work hand in commitment to civility and dignity of labor…

2006-10-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

UP head proposes 300% tuition hike

FORT DEL PILAR, BAGUIO CITY – University of the Philippines President Emerlinda Roman has proposed a 200- to 300- percent tuition increase next year for the state university, citing the shrinking government subsidy and UP’s failure to upgrade its socialized tuition program.
The proposal would bring the cost of a UP education up from an average of P 6, 000 per semester to about P 18, 000.

Speaking to reporters at the Philippine Military Academy, where she delivered a talk to cadets on Saturday, Roman said tuition at UP had not been adjusted in the last 15 years and was “ridiculously low”.

“That would be okay, but the thing is quality education comes with a cost,” the state university's first woman president said.

Roman said UP had lobbied strongly for an P8.5-billion budget. “But we never get what we want; and even if (Congress increases the budget for education, a large part of it will go to elementary and high school because they are free”, she said.

Roman said there was nothing in the law that said government should provide a free college education, and warned that all other state colleges may end up following UP’s example because of the governments fiscal crisis.

Roman’s proposal would increase UP fees from P200 or P300 per unit to P1000 on the Diliman, Manila and Laguna campuses. The smaller campuses in Baguio, the Visayas and Mindanao may see the per-unit fee increased to P600.

She said UP economists estimated that P300 per unit tuition since 1989 was worth about P42 today.

Continued Roman: “The university has been remiss because we have not adjusted tuition…and because of this, we haven’t reviewed the Socialized Tuition Fee and Assistance Program, which reduces or removes the tuition obligations of poor students. "

According to a primer issued by the UP Board of Regents, the eroded real value provides “unwarranted support today to students whose families can actually afford to pay the full cost of instruction. ”

It had been noted that the “rise in nominal incomes in almost two decades has resulted in fewer students qualifying for tuition discounts and stipends, ” from 34 percent in 1989 to only 5 percent qualifying in 2003 and 2004.

At any rate, said Roman, the proposed increase was still “far less than the P 100,000 tuition in top universities.”

The state university's Board of Regents met on the UP Baguio campus on Friday, and handed out survey forms to solicit the views of the students and faculty members.

The students responded by staging protest rally.

2006-10-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

An Investigative Report on the Quality of Elementary Education in Baguio City

(IN)COMPETENCE OR (IN)EFFECTIVITY TEST?

“Mahirap yung exam talaga sa HSRT lalo na yung sa Math. Hindi ko masyadong alam. Nung Grade VI kasi ako, hindi masyadong nai-eexplain. Hindi malinaw yung pagtuturo. Laging di pumapasok yung teacher ko. Yung tipong happy-go-lucky. Suweldo lang ang hinihintay kasi nga nasa government siya (kung kaya’t puwede niyang gawin ang gusto niya.”
- Bladimir Parocha
Grade VI Graduate from Roxas Elementary School, Baguio City

It is alarming to note that the present state of elementary education in the city is declining to an extent that educators in that level are not satisfactorily performing their task of honing and molding the youth to be academically-prepared in today’s globally-competent world.

Ironically, Philippine education is on the brink of scrutiny among critics, academicians and other concerned sectors of the society. So, the challenge now is how can elementary teachers in the academe can be more competent to teach? And what is the purpose of education then if students don’t get the quality and effectiveness of learning they deserve?

HSRT : A BANE OR BOON?

The High School Readiness Test (HSRT) is mandated by former Department of Education Secretary Edilberto C. De Jesus through its DepEd Memorandum No. 37, April 30, 2004 “requiring all public elementary graduates to undergo a 90-item proficiency test in English, Science and English which had the same content and degree of difficulty.”

On the other hand, “high school students accepted in specialized science schools, honor students from elementary schools are exempted from taking the said test”, according to de Jesus.

This aptitude exam tries to determine the strengths and weaknesses of elementary graduates on the three afore-mentioned “tool subjects” that are essential to productive learning. This will gauge their critical and analytical skills and preparedness towards desired learning competencies in the secondary curriculum.

In an interview with Mrs. Letecia Sab-it, Head Teacher of Baguio City National High School, she said that, “the cut off score of HSRT is 30% which is equivalent to 27. This means that students whose scores in the test are 30% and above will be enrolled in the regular First Year program and those whose scores are 26% and below will be enrolled in Bridge Program.”

The Bridge Program is a year-long tutorial program, before going to the regular four-year high school. The advantage of this is that students enrolled in this program have the maximum time to study. On the other hand, “If some of the subject teachers are not available to teach, students will wait for them.”, Sab-it stressed.

Thinking that twenty-seven (27%) percent as cut-off score passing rate in that test, still, it is considered to be relatively low since if we are going to compute the fifty percent (50%) of the 90-item test is forty-five (45%) percent. And this is the standard passing rate for a student to pass.

Dr. Elma Donaal, principal of Baguio City National High School reported that sixty (60%)percent of incoming freshmen students flunked in the second High School Readiness Test (HSRT) conducted by their Guidance Office last August 31, 2004. It only means that majority of them are still not ready for high school education.

“Most of the students failed in Mathematics and Science. It (shows) that present academic competence does not suit the level of mastery of students. They are not really ready to enter high school education. And I cannot put only the blame to elementary teachers. It’s also on the leniency between parents and students.”, Bas-it admits.

This percentage of failure seems to be an indicator of poor scholastic performance among these students. It also shows that they have gained poor instruction from their teachers in the elementary. In a way or another, these students are not yet ready to be promoted in the secondary.

Despite this alarming concern in the education sector, its also disappointing to note that “the program became optional because of intense opposition from the parents and students last June 08, 2004.”, according to Dr. Edna Sanaad, DepEd Baguio Education Supervisor II for Guidance.

With so much debate and criticism on the implementation of HSRT, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called for a national convention with public elementary educators last July 2002 “scrapping the controversial ‘bridge program’ and proposed a measure which would require new elementary school pupils to attend kindergarten rather than adding another year to the present four-year public high school course”.

This declaration of the President is a clear strategy of the government to give effective solutions on this prevalent crisis in the elementary education sector.

Knowing the poor results of the said exam and the sudden stop of the implementation of such, it is imperative to look into the present (in)competence of elementary educators to teach in Baguio City Division and what is the implication of the said test to the poor scholastic performance of elementary graduates.

(IN)COMPETENT EDUCATORS?

Teacher’s competence in the elementary level particularly in Baguio City is necessary to positively effect quality and productive learning to students. Without this, teaching methods and styles don’t go together and in effect, the learning process doesn’t go into play.

The following reasons affecting the competence of teachers should be properly taken in consideration in looking into the factors affecting the deteriorating quality of education in the elementary level and to the prevailing incompetence of teachers and the poor scholastic performance of students.

(UN)SPECIALIZED TEACHERS

There is a legal basis for eligibility among elementary teachers to practice their teaching profession in the country. As mandated by RA 7836 “An Act to Strengthen the Regulation and Supervision of the Practice of Teaching in the Philippines and Prescribing a Licensure Examination for Teachers and for other Purposes” in Secs.13-14,it states:

“All applicants for registration as professional teachers shall be required to undergo a written examination. The examinations for the elementary and secondary school teachers shall be
separate. The examination for teachers in the elementary level shall consist of two (2)
parts, namely: professional education and general education. The examination for
teachers in the secondary level shall consist of three (3) parts, namely: professional
education, general education, and field of specialization.
..... The passing rate is 75%”

While it’s true that the Baguio City Division is not hiring licensed teachers to teach in the elementary but we cannot erase the fact that most “elementary teachers are no major (they don’t have specialization) unlike high school teachers. How can they effectively teach a particular subject when they don’t mastered their expertise (major subject).”, says Mrs. Sab-it.

Considering this factor, elementary teachers are not competent much in teaching elementary pupils. Teachers should a mastered craft in order that he/she effectively integrate his/her knowledge to other disciplines.

Say for instance, Ms. Mhargrette G. Dela Cruz, a UP Baguio Mass Communication graduate and a Grade VI teacher from the Roots of Learning Child Development admits that “Being a communication graduate is such an advantage since it helped me to be more confident in teaching. I can be able to integrate Filipino, Science, Computer and Technology and Home Economics in just one lecture/discussion.

Non-specialization of elementary teachers also results to their difficulty in discussing well all their subject areas. They are not confident and prepared to express their thoughts and ideas during class discussions since they’re interests and inclinations do not suit to the subjects they’re teaching. They’re also employing other strategies or tactics just to escape from their teaching tasks.

In the case of Ms. Lydia (not real name) of Mabini Elementary School, she admits that “her interest is more focused on teaching English grammar but then she is obliged by their principal to teach Science and Music in Grades V and VI”. Sad to say, she can’t do anything about it but to force herself to teach these subjects.

On the other hand, the case of Mrs. Teng-eg, Grade VI teacher of Kristine Viernes from Jose Cariño Elementary School is very grievous. “Boring. Nakakaantok at tahimik (siya). Pasulat ng pasulat.Gumagamit din siya ng teaching aids sa pagtuturo kaso kulang pa rin. Madalas nag-papalinis muna siya bago magturo. (My teacher is boring. I feel sleepy most of the time since she is a silent-type teacher. She keeps on writing. She uses teaching materials but still it’s insufficient for us. Oftentimes that she allow us first to clean the room before teaching her lessons.)

This is the negative effect of non-specialization. Elementary teachers are not motivated and enthusiastic in their pedagogical approaches, methods or techniques.

According to Mrs. Sab-it, “one disadvantage of non-specialization of elementary teachers is their difficulty in going to a training or seminar where they are not comfortable to attend.”

Sab-it added that based on her observation as an educator, most teachers don’t usually apply the training they have attended; they’re just using this for their promotions.

It is no doubt that non-specialization of elementary leads to inefficient quality of education. In a way or another, it deteriorates the learning competencies of pupils more particularly in English, Math, and Science.

“In the recently concluded National Test for Teachers Teaching Mathematics and Science last February 11-12,2006, most elementary teachers in the city failed the said exam.”, Dr. Jurata said.

Such academic failure of mathematics and science teachers in the elementary level only shows that they are not competent well to teach these subject areas.

This is a clear manifestation why most public elementary graduates failed in the HSRT exam.

SELF-RATING PERFORMANCE

Evident in the elementary curriculum is the self-rating evaluation of teachers towards their performance. Dr. Godofredo M. Jurata, principal of Quezon Elementary School admits that, “certain criteria/standards like competence, preparedness and personality of teachers are being evaluated by the teacher himself/herself. After which, his/her evaluation is passed to the principal for final approval”.

Jurata says that “it’s unethical for a principal to evaluate his/her teacher without proper monitoring or supervision with that teacher.” This is for the purpose of not being biased/prejudiced to the members of the teaching force.

With this common standard operating procedure, one teacher can just perfectly evaluate his/her teaching performance. He/she can just make a very good evaluation towards herself. Definitely, the principal can be easily impressed on her performance rating.

Dr.Edna Sanaad, ES-II, Guidance explains that “Performance ratings of teachers are very confidential (private) documents. We are not releasing these for any related public matters”.

The mere fact that DepEd Baguio is neither responsive nor attentive to such practice in the elementary level attests to the fact they are not really concerned in the effectivity or competence of its elementary teaching force.

In a classroom observation conducted by the researcher in March, most of the teachers in Baguio Central school are not creative and critical in their manner of teaching. They are not enthusiastic and focused much because of their poor classroom set-up and over-populated number of pupils.

LENGTH OF SERVICE

Some of the public elementary teachers in the city have already been in the teaching service for almost years now. According to Mrs. Bas-it, “teachers stay for so long in their subject areas and have long been in service.”

This is a sign of incompetence since they do not grow better despite the longevity of their “teaching career.” And this is very prevalent among public elementary schools whether in the rural or urban setting.

(MAL)SUPERVISION

Prof. Leticia Tolentino, Philosophy and (former) Mass Communication Professor from University of the Philippines Baguio and Saint Louis University observed “that today’s teachers (in the city) are not being focused on their classes because they do not get sufficient compensation and because higher authorities fail to supervise them. This in turn makes the teachers attend to personal concerns rather than prioritize their jobs.”

Mrs. Bas-it also said that “lack of motivation” between teacher and student is one of the reasons why the latter is not performing well academically. Add to that the fact that some school administrators are not monitoring progress on both student and teacher.

Some principals are very much busy in attending seminars, trainings, and other conferences that is why they do not have enough time to supervise their teaching staff.

ATTITUDE VS. (MIS)BEHAVIOR

Admittedly, personality plays a significant role in the teaching profession for one to be competent or effective in the field.

“In terms of attitude, pag inspired ka sa gawain mo, makapagtuturo ka ng maayos. Ngayon kung hindi mo feel yung trabaho mo bilang teacher, siguradong grouchy ang approach mo sa pagtuturo at sa estudyante, says Ms. Dela Cruz (In terms of attitude, if you are inspired on what you are doing, you can teach well. Now, if you don’t like your work as a teacher, surely your approach in teaching and to your students is grouchy).

She also claims that “Ang teacher na umiikot sa klasrum ay masipag pero yung mga laging naka-upo kapag nagdi-discuss, mga tamad magturo.” (The teacher who is standing/walking around the room is industrious while those who are sitting on their chair while teaching are lazy.)

Ro-ann Villaruz, graduate of Bonifacio Elementary School says that “Kapag maingay kami, hindi nag-eexplain. Mahilig magpa-assigment. Yung mga bumabagsak, binibigyan ng special projects.”(When we are very noisy, our teacher doesn’t explain the lesson. She always gives assignments. She also gives special projects to failing students).

Allan Ebacuado, graduate of Raya Barangka Elementary School admits that “Terror ang teacher ko. Masungit. Tamad.” (My teachor is terror. She’s always moody and lazy.

“Palaging nag-uutos yung teacher ko noon kaya konti lang natutunan ko” (My teacher keeps on giving commands/requests that’s why I did not learn a lot from school), laments Mae Viernes, graduate of Raya Barangka Elementary School.

Tamad magturo yung teacher ko (Sir Carino). Natutulog lagi at nagpapalinis palagi.” (My teacher is very lazy in teaching. He always sleeps in class and forces us to clean at all times), says Jayson Ayson, graduate of Roxas Elementary School.

Prof. Tolentino considers “lack of research and training as a factor for incompetence among elementary teachers”. This is so because trainings should be an integral part of a teaching career.

On the other hand, Ms. Dela Cruz belives that, “Dapat kailangang mag-attend ng mga seminars kasi yung mga napag-aralan mo noon, nagbabago at nadadagdagan sa ngayon. (It is necessary to attend seminars since what you have learned in the past changes and may still be added through at the present).

Contrary to that, some elementary teachers are joining seminars just for the sake of promotion (self-development) and not for academic enhancement.

INFORMATION SOURCING

It is important to consider also the textbooks used by elementary teachers as a ground of competence.

“Sa totoo lang, ang daming mga libro na out-dated sa public elementary schools. Private schools, walang problema.”, De la Cruz admits (Honestly, there are a lot of out-dated books among elementary schools. There is no problem in private schools.)

De la Cruz adds that “Lalo na ngayon sa ratio ng libro sa estudyante. Kapag 1 is to 1 madaling mag-back-up ng aral ang estudyante pero kapag 1 is to 3, kawawa yung dalawang hindi makakahawak ng libro. Dapat kailangan mo ng creative ways para mareinforce mo mo yung pagtuturo. Hindi mo na maaasahan ang libro ngayon.” (Especially now that the ratio of books to students. If the ratio is 1 to 1, a student can easily back his/her lesson but if it is 1 to 3, the other 2 suffers. It is necessary to employ creative ways to reinforce teaching. Now, you can’t just depend on books.”

Aside from this, proper reinforcement of media tools is imperative in the elementary level. The use of media equipment is vital not only in modern teaching but also integral to productive learning

“The normal problem among elementary teachers today is that they are not resourceful in finding teaching aids that are new and innovative to elementary students”, Dr. Jurata stressed.

ECONOMIC BURDENS

Financial circumstances and other family dilemmas usually occur among elementary teachers since they’re salaries are relatively low.

“Because of the increase of price of some basic necessities and other needs in the family, some teachers do extra income jobs like selling tocinos.”, Dr. Jurata observes.

Ms. Dela Cruz says that “Sa totoo lang, kapag delayed ang suweldo o kaya wala kang pera, muryot ka.”, (Actually, if your salary is deleayed or you have no money, you are disturbed).

She adds that “Walang masama sa sideline ng mga elementary teachers, huwag lang makakaapekto sa pagtuturo like yung umaabsent or late pumapasok.” (There’s no harm in having sidelines for as long it does not affect your manner of teaching like you are not making an excuse (being absent) or coming late to school).

LEGAL CONSTRAINTS/RESTRICTIONS

In today’s modern society, there are a lot of existing legal policies that hinder public elementary teachers to discipline naughty and unethical students. Examples of such are human rights violation, oral defamation or slander, child abuse which would include physical torture or harassment and even negligence.

Dr. Jurata narrates how “a teacher in his school did not notice unknowingly her pupil outside who was badly injured at his left head while conducting a periodical exam. After which, that teacher rescued her injured pupil to the hospital. And the parent of that pupil came immediately and blaming the teacher of negligence". Story like this happens normally and teachers are always being confronted by parents.

In the case of Kristine Viernes, graduate of Josefa Carino Elementary School, she laments that “Nangungurot sa singit yung teacher palagi.”

“Nagpapahiya ng estudyante yung teacher ko”, (My teacher insinuates/humiliates students), says Ro-Ann Villarus, graduate of Bonifacio Elementary School.

“What is wrong among parents nowadays is that they tolerate much their children. They easily believe on what their children are saying and not looking into the other side of the story.”, says Ms. Dela Cruz.

“Walang masama sa mga law na ganyan. Dapat din nilang tignan kung bakit nava-violate nila yung law. Tulad yung pagsigaw ng teacher sa estudyante. Yung ibang parents, they see it as something bad pero kung nakita man nila na masyadong makulit at magulo lalo na sa 1 is to 60 na classroom set-up, hindi mo masisi yung teacher na mabulyawan mo yung estudyante.” (There’s no harm in these laws. We should also look into reasons why these laws are being violated. Like the manner of reprimanding of the teacher to students. Other parents, they see it as something bad but if they only see that they’re children are naughty and bad in a 1 is to 60 classroom set-up, you can not blame the teacher why he/she reprimanded/humiliated that student).

Of course they’re competence/power as a teacher is being restricted because of these legal policies.

Given these legal restrictions, it is still important that elementary teachers discipline elementary pupils in a diplomatic way because they are still their second parents of these students.

LACK OF INCENTIVES

Low-salaries among teachers are a major factor why teachers are not motivated to teach.

Mrs. Bas-it also observes that “the poor salary of teachers affect the teaching performance. If only the government is responsive to the needs and concerns of these teachers, they can be more enthusiastic and motivated to effect productive learning.”

“Imbes na magturo ka at mamatay sa gutom, hahanap at hahanap ka ng sideline para mabuhay” (Instead that you teach and you starve to death, you will find a way to look for a sideline in order to survive) says Ms. Dela Cruz.

She also adds “Nagbebenta ako ng candy, hindi ako lumilihis sa normal na presyo. Nagtitinda din ako ng Index card.” (I’m selling candies, I do not go beyond the normal price. I’m also selling index cards.)

Prof. Tolentino says that “Bassit suweldo, bassit trabaho” (Low salary, lesswork). Yes, that’s true among elementary teachers. And it is very prevalent in the city.

Because of the lack of incentives from the government, some of public elementary really augment for a living through selling tactics or strategies.

It is undeniable to note that even if our elementary teachers are good, they’re best is not enough because they’re not motivated to teach because of their low salary.

BRAIN DRAIN

Today, opportunities abroad for teachers are growing high.

“Most of our brilliant educators in the city are going abroad because they can have higher salaries and other better benefits and opportunities unlike here.”, says Dr. Jurata.

Ms. De la Cruz, on the other hand says, “Naiinis ako sa kanila. Adgit ako sa isyung yan. Kung lahat ng magagaling na teacher ay pupunta sa abroad, sino na lang ang matitira, yung mga baguhang incompetent, mga tamad, at mga “latak” . ( I feel mad about them especially that issue. If all our brilliant teachers will go abroad, who will be left, the new incompetent teachers, the lazy one, and the ‘residue’”.

Brain drain in the elementary education system in the city is a negative indicator of teaching competence and performance. It is a major factor why most of elementary teachers today are not competent and most pupils are not performing well in their studies.

(UN/MIS)EDUCATED STUDENTS?

Relative to the very low results of the High School Readiness Test (HSRT), we should also look into the side of students. We have to consider also the underlying reasons/factors why did they fail in that aptitude exam.

LACK OF CONCENTRATION

Academic focus or concentration is declining nowadays among elementary pupils .

“Nung Grade VI ako, nagbabatuhan ng papel yung mga kaklaseko. Harutan. Hindi nakikinig sa teacher. At madalas na naglalaro sa klase.” (When I was in Grade VI, my classmates are throwing papers. They’re always giggling and not listening to the teacher)

“Yung mga estudyanteng nasa lower section na bobo (academically challenged), naghahatakan. At kawawa yung teacher.

Kapag ang teacher tamad magturo, tatamarin yung estudyante

Kung pangit yung attitude ng teacher, talagang hindi rin sila gaganahan mag-aral ang mga estudyante.”, Ms. De la Cruz said

MULTIMEDIA INFLUENCE

A concerned teacher says that “Kapag marunong gumamit ang mga bata maganda pero hindi maganda yung nagde-depend na lang sila dito”

In some cases, elementary students are being addicted to pornographic films that hampers their academic performance. It seems to be a deteriorating factor towards the decline of pupils scholastic performance

PARENTAL (MIS)CONTROL

“Ilang parents ang naka-away ko. Tama bang magkaroon “signature campaign” against me. Gusto nilang maalis ako sa bilang teacher. Mahigpit talaga ako sa estudyante lalo na yung mga matigas ang ulo at kunsintindor. Ginagawa ko yung corporal punishment para matuto yung bata kasi may anak din po ako” says Ms. Dela Cruz in an interview.

Some situations occur like “Walang parent na nag-aalaga sa mga estudyante. May mga parent na walang pakialam sa kanilang mga anak. .Ayaw ng public humiliation ang ilan sa mga parents.”, according to a concerned teacher

Family issues like broken families, physical torture, juvenile delinquencies are effects of parental miscontrol that leads to the child’s inattentives and lack of focus towards his/her studies.

‘PARENTS ABROAD ISSUE’

“Financially, it helped. Mas gugustuhin kong maghirap kasama ang parents ko kaysa wala sila sa piling ko …”, laments a teenage girl who is craving for the love of her mother.

Financial burden may seem as a reason why Filipina mothers left their children but the bottomline here is that to what extent/degree is the care, attention and love of parents give to their children.

Sad to say, we always keep the blame on teachers. Now, more than ever it is important to look also into the flaws of parents who often than not neglect the emotional and psychological needs of their children. Failure to give these basic needs are detrimental to academic involvement/performance.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The need for specialization among elementary teachers is imperative in today’s elementary education in the city of Baguio. Departmentalization of subject areas is relatively significant to meet the growing competence of the three essential tool subjects in the academe: English, Mathematics and Science.

The re-implementation of the High School Readiness Test is necessary to determine the readiness, competence and the strengths and weaknesses not only the students but also the teachers.

Intensive academic research, productive seminar, training, and conferences are avenues of professional development. Thus, these are strongly enforced not only in the elementary but to all levels of education.

Reinventing new, creative and critical approaches towards teaching and learning are integral towards academic excellence and development.

Legal policies relative to elementary education should be properly implemented.

The government should be transparent and responsive to the needs and concerns of teachers especially in the prevalence of brain drain in the country. This is one way to encourage them to improve and harness their teaching craft.

This can be possible through increasing their salary and giving additional incentives to them. They have to produce more books and they have to improve classroom equipment and infrastructure which are vital to quality learning.

Personality development is necessary among teachers. This is one way for teachers to be more nationalistic, realistic and can eventually improve their craft and more importantly, they should have the passion to teach and mold young individuals.

Parents should guide and direct also their children so that they can be able to maximize their full potentials as active social learners and not just a passive spectator of change and development.

The society and the church should also respond to this pressing problem in the education sector because they are also important social fibers that mold worthy and productive citizens in the country.

Now, more than ever, competence and effectivity of teachers and learners go together.

2006-09-10T03:25:00.002-07:00

Probing the Guimaras Oil Spill

An MT solar tanker sank three weeks ago in Guimaras Island. It has leaked about 20 percent of its load of 2 million liters (500,000 gallons) of bunker oil. The spill has damaged about 220 kilometers (137 miles) of coastline, 450 hectares (1,112 acres) of mangroves and 116 hectares (287 acres) of seaweed plantations in the province.
oil spill

In an effort to help solve this problem, the goverment hired local fishermen ans other marine protectors to help clean the Guimaras oil spill. This advocacy is very overwhelming since villagers immediately responded to this call of environmental protection.

Guimaras fishermen were determined to clean the oil spill that devastated their major source of living, fishing.

http://www.blogger.com/>oilspill

On the other hand, the city government of Iloilo is adamant to push Petron Corp. to take full responsibility on the social and environmental damage it has created to the people of Nueva Valencia and other affected municipalities of Iloilo.

Petron Corporation

other related info: www.bulatlat.com/news/6-30/6-30-guhit.html>petronliability

Last August 18, the Philippine Coast Guard ship sprayed dispersants to clean up the oil spill northeast of Guimaras island, central Philippines. Also, disaster workers and residents in Guimaras are attempting to contain last week’s oil slick from a sunken tanker due to its impact on fish, plants, people and tourism in the area.

Picture taken August 18, 2006. REUTERS/Leo Solinap (PHILIPPINES)

Village workers clean bunker oil from the sand in Guimaras island, central Philippines August 18, 2006. Bunker oil from last week’s oil spill were placed inside plastic bags for disposal. Disaster workers and residents in Guimaras on Thursday attempted to contain last week’s oil slick from a sunken tanker due to its impact on fish, plants, people and tourism in the area.

guimarasvillagers

The following photos show the initial findings from a Board of Marine Inquiry investigation last. Aug. 11 oil spill in Guimaras. Local residents hired by Petron clean some areas affected by the oil spill in the shoreline in Nueva Valencia on Guimaras island. Hundreds of people have fallen sick and one man has died in central Philippines following the country’s worst ever oil spill.

see petron

Despite the slow pace of Petron Corp., Guimaras villagers go hand in hand in cleaning the oil spill brought about by MT Solar I. This is to bring back the beauty of their island. Doing this also will eventually bring back the life of their marine resources.

The Guimaras oil spill this year is another reminder of an environmental problem for us. This must serve as big lesson that each and everyone of us should deeply bear in our hearts and mind. Oil companies must heed to this humanitarian call of envrironmental advocacy so that another marine crisis will not happen in the future.

The government must strictly enforce new environmental laws and other related legal policies to ensure that the welfare of multitude people living near to protected marine ecosystems should always be upheld and taken with utmost concern and immediate priority.

It is therefore imperative for us to protect and sustain our marine life not only for our present generation but for other future generations.

2006-09-10T03:25:00.001-07:00

Guimaras Oil Spill

2006-08-30T04:08:00.000-07:00

Exercise on Immediacy and Multimediality

Prof. Rolando Fernandez Talks on Blogging

Accordingly, I am so impressed with Prof. Fernandez in his lecture on blogging to Online Journalism students. He admits that although he is not so much inclined into that trend of journalism, he believes that webloging has a bright future.

"We should not be intimated by the series of sidebars presented among blugs. Rather we should be challenged by these chunks of information,"Prof. Fernandez says to us budding journalists.

Prof. Fernandez shares that in 1999, in San Francisco, webloging came into the online world. With its birth, million of users welcomed its innovative online capacity to create interactivity and multimediality. In the survey conducted by PCIJ Philippines, there are at least 4.5 million users.

In the Philippines alone, Fernadez notes that most Filipino reporters now have blogs. Some journalists get reports or tips from other people's blog. One example he presented is the controversial Garci Tape in 2005 where most of the reporters had the direct access into it.

I'm also convinced into what Prof. Fernadez cited in the case of Ms. Ellen Monticellas, a columnist of Malaya wherein Monticellas received more reactions and comments on her blog rather than on her column in Malaya.

Prof. Fernandez also claims that with the advent of webloging, production costs in writing and publishing is more cheaper than the actual cost of newspaper production. He admits that this is the present challenge of community press in the Cordillera. The fact that any reporter or writer can afford to go the computer shop or internet cafe testify on the premise that webloging is an online necessity now.

"Blogging help democratize the practice of journalism. Blog is meant to expand audience access to online report", Fernandez admits to us budding journalists.

In the said lecture, Prof. Fernandez also focused on the ethical standards of blogging as drafted by the Society of Professional Journalists. Being honest and credible are still the good mark of a professional journalist, he admits. Fernandez believes that journalism ethics should be upheld at all times even in the online world.

More importantly, his talk also emphasizes on certain laws accompanied to webloging as many would not believe into it because what they know is that there is no censorship in webloging. Among these laws include libel, invasion of privacy (as being mandated by the Revised Penal Code) and copyright laws being mandated by the Intellectual Property Code of 1997.

Thus, Prof. Fernandez is very positive with this development of online journalism. "Blogging can never be a threat but rather a challenge and an opportunity to practice properly because the future is now.", Fernandez admits.

On the question of Prof. Amor whether personal blogs can be source of information, Prof. Fernandez says that he don't just accept information but rather verifies it before it will be published. "Because accountability really matters among journalists of today.

At the end of the forum, Prof. Fernandez posits that journalism ethics and laws pertinent to journalim (print, broadcast, online) should always be taken into consideration even if weblogging is an exciting and innovative training and practice journalists or reporters opt to use now in the online world (i.e journalistic practice).

2006-08-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

Criticism over the Guimaras Oil Spill Issue
(PDI Aug, 28, 2006 Issue with headline, "DoJ likens oil spill to ULTRA stampede"

Another issue of environmental degradation has affected a multitude lives of people in Guimaras Island. According to a report made by the Region VII Disaster Coordinating Council, the spill has affected 26 villages in Guimaras and damaged 15.8 sq km of coral reefs, 314 ha of mangroves and 58 ha of seaweeds.

I am amenable that this alarming incident could be taken as a similar incident of non-confirmation/acceptance of responsibility

PETRON CORP. could be legally responsible for the massive oil spill off Guimaras Island that has ravaged marine resources and deprived residents of their livelihood, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said yesterday.
“This might be like ‘Wowowee’,” Gonzalez said, referring to the matter of taking responsibility for the incident.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had ordered the Department of Justice to take part in the investigation and find out who was responsible for the spill that has affected 66 sq km of sea and 220 km of coastlines.
A joint Senate-House inquiry is scheduled to open today on the incident, but Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. has indicated he will not attend the hearing, setting the stage for another clash between the Senate and Malacañang.
Petron chartered the tanker MT Solar I to bring two million liters of bunker fuel from Bataan to Zamboanga but it sank in rough seas on Aug. 11, spurting out more than 200,000 liters of oil into the water.
Petron, which is involved in cleanup operations and has sought experts’ assistance to help contain the slick, has said that “technically, the liability for the oil spill damage rests with the shipowner.”
But it also said it felt a moral responsibility to extend assistance to the affected communities.
“I disagree,” Gonzalez, referring to the Petron statement, said in a phone interview. “I don’t want to elaborate because if I’m going to investigate this, any statement I make might be misconstrued. I’m certain there is responsibility, legal.”
Lopez’s responsibility
The justice secretary likened the incident to the “Wowowee” game show stampede in February at the PhilSports Arena (formerly ULTRA) where, he said, ABS-CBN chair Gabby Lopez took moral responsibility for what happened.
The National Bureau of Investigation later recommended that Lopez and other network officials be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and injuries over the deaths of 71 people and injuries suffered by scores as a result of the stampede by the show’s fans.
Petron could not be reached for comment on Gonzalez’s remark.
He said he would wait for the Special Board of Marine Inquiry to finish its investigation of the oil spill before conducting his own probe.
Initial findings
He said the DoJ would look into whether there was criminal liability for the spill, with the possible charges being reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property or reckless imprudence resulting in death, since two crew members of the tanker have remained missing.
He also said he would check whether the Philippine Coast Guard or the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) could be held responsible as well for allowing the Solar I to set sail despite the tanker and its crew having insufficient documents.
The marine board has found during its initial investigation that the tanker had an expired interim document of compliance, which is issued to show compliance with the code for the safe operation of ships and pollution prevention.
The initial results of the board’s probe also showed that the tanker’s crew members either lacked the necessary training for oil tanker operations or had expired certifications.
Clemente Cancio, president of Sunshine Maritime Development Corp. (SDMC) which owns the 998-ton tanker, earlier said his company would assume responsibility but maintained that the crew members were qualified and their papers were in order.
Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo Jr. has ordered regional offices to inspect the 414 oil tankers in the country to determine their seaworthiness and check on their documents.
At least 12 ships -- five from the Coast Guard and seven contracted by Petron and the owners of the sunken tanker -- are battling the oil slick.
Aerial spraying of chemical dispersants will be continued.
Vice Admiral Arthur Gosingan, Coast Guard commandant, said his men’s efforts were focused on preventing the oil slick from spreading beyond the Guimaras Strait.
Cebu and Masbate
Gosingan also said the slick had not contaminated areas near Bantayan Island in Cebu and Masbate, based on aerial surveys and inspection by Coast Guard ships.
He said the remote-operated vehicle belonging to Fukada Salvage and Marine Works was expected to arrive by the middle of this week.
The Japanese vessel, equipped with powerful underwater cameras and an advanced sonar system and capable of diving to 2,000 meters underwater, will conduct surveys to determine the exact position of the vessel.
Gosingan said the authorities would decide whether the tanker should be removed or its remaining bunker fuel sucked out based on the results of the underwater survey.
The spill has affected 26 villages in Guimaras and damaged 15.8 sq km of coral reefs, 314 ha of mangroves and 58 ha of seaweeds, according to a report of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council.
‘3-way collusion’
Petron is sending barges for temporary storage of collected oil-contaminated debris, said Cruz.
He said recycling firms would look into the possibility of using the collected fuel.
World Wildlife Fund-Philippines yesterday said that what could be the worst oil spill in the country’s history could be attributed to bad governance.
“It’s actually a three-way collusion,” WWF president Lorenzo Tan told the Inquirer.
“Petron manages that terminal in Bataan, but there is a Coast Guard officer detailed there. So who let the vessel sail? My understanding is that it is the job of Coast Guard personnel to check the papers before a captain or ship leaves port,” Tan said.
A recent satellite photo of an oil slick showed it may have reached the Visayan Sea. Petron quoted the Coast Guard as saying it was not an oil slick but an “oil sheen” and posed no threat.
Can of worms
“If governance were good, the accident would not have happened … A national calamity truly exists, but it is a calamity of governance,” Tan said.
“The problem is Petron, Shell, Caltex and all oil companies and all shipping companies have to deal with the Coast Guard. In a way, Petron is also a victim of the system here,” Tan said.
He said the marine board inquiry would open a can of worms on the national maritime situation, including corruption in the country’s ports. With a report from Blanche S. Rivera in Manila

2006-07-16T05:32:00.000-07:00

Advancing an Agricultural Modernization through Science and Technology

In this changing world, a catalyst of development continues to rise. It is a mere fact tha man has queched his awesome curiosity by making innovations, undergoing relevant researches in agriculture, medicine, nutrition etc., pioneering scientific and technological development, and above all raising the standard of living through science and technology.

Ours is an age of rising technology. The demand of advancing our technology must be our visionary goal in our country. And through our concerted effots, we can be able to answer the countless needs of man through agricultural development so that we cannot be left behind by other progressive nations in the whole world.

At this point in time, science and technology plays a vital role in pursuing its continuing uest to further mobilize productive and fruitful endeavors in agricultural modernization through cience and technology. For agricultural development id the centerpiece of economic growth and development.

Scientific efforts to boost food production have helped much our country. Scientists have produced compost fertilizers and environmentally-friendly fertilizers to enhance the productivity of our agricultural products. They have also discovered a scientifically-made substance called pheromone for insect trapping. This substance is discovered to reduce pest organisms and harmful insects that attack plants and goods.

The Department of Science and Technology have also introduced new ways and means in food technology. Food technology is a new technology in the field of nutrition that introduces different concepts in food making, food processing and food packaging. Food technology really plays a significant role in the economic development of our country.

Agricultural modernization have also helped farmers to use modern and efficient tools in scientific farming. These tools are effective in soil conservation, planting techniques and post-harvest technology. These processes have helped much in the increase production of agricultural products.

The International Rice Research Institute at the University of the Philippines Los Banos have developed high-yielding rice varieties that helped much in the rice production of our country. IR-18 much known as miracle rice have helped farmers to propagate this rice variety. IR-16, IR-14 and IR-19 and other igh-yielding rice varieties are also introduced in the different provinces of our country to ensure that we have a high rice productivity.

The Philippine Coconut Research Institute have developed high-yielding copras that have contributed much in the gross national income of our country. We cannot deny the fact that Philippines is one of the top ten producers of copras and other oil products in the whole world and this is an evident manifestation that our agricultural production is really progressing in a global scale.

The Philippine Textile Research Institute in Baguio City is continually developing natural fibers like ramie, silk and cotton and synthetic fibers such as nylon, dacron and polyester. This program of the PTRI have helped much in the textile industry of our country. This agency have pioneered trainings and seminars to the different regions of the country to ensure that agricultural modernization is always in the forefront of economic development.

The University of the Philippines in the Visayas, Miag-ao Campus, Iloilo City pioneers its programs in fisheries and ocean sciences. These programs aim to develop and modernize fishing techniques, concepts and procedures related to fish culture and poduction. It is with no doubt that these endeavors of UPV Miag-ao in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources have encouraged fishermen of the different regions of the country to use various methods and techniques in fish cultivation. This is an evident manifestation that fish production and fish cultivation have helped much in the agricultural development of our country.

As a response to the millennial imperative of the plethora of globalization, we must go headway in advancing agricultural modernization through science and technology and advancing agricultural and technological endeavors in steering an overall economic growth and development.

This is our dream. This is our vision. A dynamic and competent Philippines in agricultural modernization in Asia and to the rest of the world.

2006-07-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

On Philippine Politics

“The effort of the government alone will never be enough.
In the end the people must choose and
the people must help themselves…”
-John F. Kennedy

The political system in the Philippines is run by political elites, political dynasties and traditional politicians. Those who have money have the access to education. The elites send their children to school and eventually become future leaders of the country. Power is monopolized by few members of the elite society. Therefore power is concentrated on the hands of few, and these people maintain the status quo.

The power relation in politics dates back during Spanish era continued in US era then up to now. During Spanish era, people in politics draw close relationship with priest because they hold power. During US era, they taught us the same principle that Filipinos can’t do anything without their help. They taught us to be dependent to those who hold power.

Them - being superior, because they are highly industrialized country and known as the source of power. They made us believed that they will help our country to attain progress but still poverty is blatant. Our economic crisis seemed to be incurable.

Power relation in the Philippines is not natural. Political system is somewhat man-made. However, this is already brought by our customs and traditions. We grew up with that kind of situation but it doesn’t mean we can’t do anything about it.

Once there is a leader, political agendas (and even personal interests) were associated. There are laws to be implemented. Politics are not only meant for those who have a degree, in Philippine context, election has been a popularity contest. The show business and politics do intertwine.

It is not natural. It’s an ailment (‘kanser ng lipunan’; malalim na talaga ang ugat ng sakit–José Rizal) a system that is so hard to alter. People always want more. Cultured Politicians who are from political clans, they rule, the same political consciousness, same political ideas were implemented like the one (ancestor) before them. And it becomes a cycle. Power is centralized to those who have the ability to sustain it.

The power relation in the Philippines is actually rooted in the political system itself. It is embellished in the system and even in our culture. Of course we can do something about it, but it takes time. Maybe it would take us centuries (if we start now) to achieve the ideal political system (if there’s such).

One can always introduce changes. The problem is Filipinos are afraid of changes, that’s why they repel it, even criticize it. That’s why if there are changes strict compliance is necessary,
On the other hand, the crisis we are facing before and even right now is not only the government’s sole fault. We should also do our part as the citizen of this country.
Of course there are people or groups of people who are more deserving in the exercise of the said power and if they are better than the current leader, then show up by doing it in their own level at least.

Some people are fit for the exercise of power some are not sometimes it is within their character, sometimes they just have the required qualifications, however, even if they are put in the position and yet the people behind them will not do their part nothing will happen.
Cooperation of everyone is needed. Regardless of who is in the position and regardless of the nature of power relation in the country. If there’s cooperation we can achieve our goals of bureaucracy. (Idealistic.)

It is amenable that our country is under turmoil, no one knows when this destabilization would stop. There are many solutions that are being suggested yet the country is still suffering from illness. Filipinos suffer from chaos of the great leaders of the society from the illness that many of us didn’t partake. #

2006-07-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

Personal Reflections on the Power of Philippine Mass Media

It has posed time and again that the media being the fourth estate of the society is a powerful vehicle for change. The ability of every medium to create significant developments in their own has proven a considerable command among members of the community. The media has power. The measure to whether how powerful the media are is yet to be proven by communication researchers all over the world. Theorists continue the debate to whether the media is so powerful or is not so powerful. However, personally I would support the Macro-media effect claim in the study of communication; that there is much power in the media.

In the Philippines alone, Television has been the most influential medium. Almost every Filipino household today has a television set or is exposed to television on a daily basis. The growth in the television audience can be a measure of how powerful it is. People wanting to own a television set or people wanting to watch a television program provide considerable evidence of its power. The EDSA II uprising has been a proof to how people watched the events before its advent. More than any other ‘teleserye’ people soaked eyes into television screens. After the sought-after Impeachment Proceedings on television, people went to the streets- a proof of media power.

Going alongside television is Radio. Most rural areas rely to both TV and Radio today for information. Radio lost popularity in the 90s when TV soared high. However, there are still big portions of the countryside that rely mainly on Radio broadcast. Developmental communication claims that it eyes radio to be more effective and powerful tool in the rural areas. This is true to many agro-industrial provinces in the country such as Isabela and Nueva Ecija. The power of radio to negotiate development is inevitable at this point. Radio’s power in the creation of Political figure is best manifested by Noli de Castro and Loren Legarda. Isabela province’s governor Grace Padaca also proves the power of the media to create new politics and a new society as stated by Prof. Mae Barros in the recommendation of the Undergraduate thesis “Mula Bombo patungong Kapitolyo”.

The news papering medium including all of print media remain resilient in the creation of Filipino identity. Moreover it has been a power for many Filipino’s giving a deeper treatment of the issues that the ‘instantaneous broadcast’ cannot give. Print Media with its golden ages in the 70s has proven power over dictators and cronies. It has served into the 90s and the millennium safeguarding public policy visible in the Estrada Regime when the newspapers including the tabloids and magazines aided to publish the truth.

Finally, the emerging powerful media called e-media which include the internet and trans-media tools that include the advertising industry are starting to show domination among the younger audiences. The capacity of such medium to facilitate critical thinking among the young appears to be one of the most significant aspects of this medium. The personal pages or blogs are evidences of an emerging power to voice out grievances and uphold public policy among web-goers and cultural groups. Not only did it open a possibility of organizing people but it has also bridged and created links among cultures.

Evidently, the power of these medium, the power of the media lies on the media-consumers themselves. The measure to what extent the power is to be utilized lies on how the people behave with the media. Therefore, how powerful the media are is how powerful the people become when using them to empower themselves…

Personal Plans of Conceptualizing a New, Innovative Show that will Appeal to Filipino Audiences.

I’ve always wanted to create a program for gays and lesbians. The program ‘OUT’ on GMA7 was a great start for the advocacy of acceptance for the third sex. Unfortunately, it only lasted for some months. I would want to work on a revival of such Gay-Lesbian talk and magazine show. Writing to even directing such programs would eventually be a fulfilling career.

The predominantly macho Filipino society is now challenged by post-modern and indie thoughts about sexuality, religion, and morality. Hence, the country specifically the broadcast media should start gearing towards the acceptance of such realities in the post-modern world. Films and television programs depicting gay and lesbian feats and struggles have started to unveil. It should be reinforced by programs in the broadcast that would re-define the position of these individuals in the community. It is time people open their eyes to these realities and that they must be addressed. Considerations for the program include the timeslot and the rating MTRCB would give it. The program should try to get a PG-rating in the early night or late night primetime viewing hours. This is to enable the younger generations to view the program and to communicate with its advocacies effectively.

How would it appeal to the conservative society? The ‘outing’ of Rustom Padilla on National Television is not a small event in the history of show business. Honesty in words and in action – that is integrity should be a major factor for acceptance. For a program that would discuss sexuality, it is important that a person who would be host must posses an image that has credibility alongside integrity. Boy Abunda can be considered for the hosting. A heavy appeal to emotion was utilized in the Rustom Padilla issue, one factor it got an easy acceptance from the viewing public. Hence, it should be one characteristic of the program to be. The program must take off its pitch with the episode involving showbiz personalities who are willing to be out. It must be done with alternating episodes of ordinary people’s struggle to come out. Professional views and the views of the conservative society must also be involved to create a true orientation for the audience that is, supporting people for their decisions made.

Finally, the program will appeal by being an honest window to the world of homosexuality. It will show true struggles of people thereby adding to its credibility. It will involve re-enactments, talk, and even re-unions in some cases. In order to cast a great audience reach, the program will focus on issues rather than ages or appearances of homosexuals and their stories. Topics will never dwell on love stories but would rather be a multi-faceted one. It will discuss the political and social aspects of homosexuality alongside personal, psychological, and emotional aspects of it.

2006-06-25T04:37:00.000-07:00

Position Essay on the RA Gapuz Nursing Review Center Leakage Issue

Accordingly, I'm affected by the issue. It’s not because I was an RA Gapuz reviewee but I felt so alarmed into the situation of other nursing examinees who tried their best to take that rigorous and comprehensive licensure examination for nurses and sad to say they did not have the chance to get a copy of that controversial ‘leakage’ prior to that said test.

In the wake of that phenomenal issue, I’m so disappointed and even so disgusted since its really unfair considering the fact that RA Gapuz had privately/secretly handed that 'controversial leakage’ from the Board of Nursing in respect of the conduct of the June 11th and 12th Nursing Board Exams. What keeps me dragging now is the validity of the fact that the review center called for an emergency review as what its reviewees assert part of their final coaching.

On that same day, they were required to pay at least P 2, 000.00 for that leakage paper containing sixty five (65) items with complete answers covering topics relative to psychiatric mental nursing and surgical-medical nursing.

These factual and circumstancial pieces of evidence as confirmed and presented by ninety-one (91) complainants (Baguio nursing examinees) are deemed valid, authentic/genuine since they are brave enough to expose this issue for they are actually holding pertinent documents that will testify on RA Gapuz’ direct participation in that ‘leakage issue’.

Professionally speaking, I am amenable on the growing public clamor that the outstanding track record of that review center looms as a phenomenal question of integrity and even a perennial subject of public and professional scrutiny of their self-proclaimed credibility and excellence.

The authenticity of the facts and evidence as collected and presented by the complainants manifest to the fact the nurses/nursing professionals they have produced are just thin cans that seemingly contain something or nothing less in totality.

A true registered nurse is not a liar and is never been a cheater. He/she is professionally honest in deeds and actions from the moment he/she is reviewing for the exam, the time he/she is taking the exam and eventually the time he/she is practicing his/her profession.

A true registered nurse is professionally prepared and intellectually competent to face the professional test of their field of endeavor. Professional ethics should always be upheld at all levels, not just securing for license for personal growth and development but living up to the morals/ideals expected to practice by a professional.

Now, more than ever, professionalism and honesty in national board examinations is then imperative to expect a credible, authentic and genuine Nursing Licensure Exams. The Professional Regulation Commission must therefore strictly enforce and implement laws and policies to immediately secure legal actions to any anomaly/issue arising in respect to the conduct of any professional examination.