We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
QC all set for class opening
The Quezon City government is gearing up all of its efforts and resources to aid students and teachers for the school year 2023-2024 to ensure a smooth and orderly opening on 29 August. “Education is a community responsibility. We want to make sure that our children are given the right tools, environment, and guidance to help them learn and develop their potential,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said. According to the Schools Division Office of Quezon City they are expecting over 458,000 students for the coming school year. Being one of the cities with the highest student population, the City strives to address the challenges that remain present in the education sector, primarily school congestion and quality of learning. In coordination with the Schools Division Office, the City aims to implement various strategies to address classroom shortage. Proposed interventions include the construction of mid-rise school buildings and institutionalization of blended learning. “Congestion is still an issue since QC is the biggest division in the country in terms of student population and there are no more buildable spaces. We have started building vertically in some areas. We are also institutionalizing the blended learning modality. Congested grades will shift to blended modality where there will be three days of face-to-face classes and two days of asynchronous or synchronous classes,” Belmonte said. “Together with the Schools Division Office and the Education Affairs Unit, we are also considering a school service or bus system to transfer excess students to QC schools that have not reached their full absorptive capacity,” she added. Moreover, the city is in the process of introducing the QC Voucher system for elementary learners similar to what is being done now at the senior high school level, where students will be given a voucher to enroll in accredited QC private schools. The LGU is also open to leasing unused buildings in private schools that can serve as extension facilities to congested public schools. Several schools are also undergoing renovation in an effort to provide a better and more conducive learning environment for the students. Part of ensuring that all QCitizen learners are ready to go back to classes, the city has started the distribution of learning kits to all K to 12 learners. The post QC all set for class opening appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC all set for start of school year
The Quezon City government is gearing up all of its efforts and resources to aid students and teachers for the school year 2023-2024 to ensure a smooth and orderly opening on 29 August. “Education is a community responsibility. We want to make sure that our children are given the right tools, environment, and guidance to help them learn and develop their potential,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said. According to the Schools Division Office of Quezon City (SDO QC), it is expecting over 458,000 students for the coming school year. Being one of the cities with the highest student population, the city strives to address the challenges that remain present in the education sector, primarily school congestion and quality of learning. In coordination with the Schools Division Office, the city aims to implement various strategies to address classroom shortages. Proposed interventions include the construction of mid-rise school buildings and the institutionalization of blended learning. “Congestion is still an issue since QC is the biggest division in the country in terms of student population and there are no more buildable spaces. We have started building vertically in some areas. We are also institutionalizing the blended learning modality. Congested grades will shift to blended modality where there will be three days of face-to-face classes and two days of asynchronous or synchronous classes,” Belmonte said. “Together with the Schools Division Office and the Education Affairs Unit, we are also considering a school service or bus system to transfer excess students to QC schools that have not reached their full absorptive capacity,” she added. Moreover, the city is in the process of introducing the QC Voucher system for elementary learners similar to what is being done now at the senior high school level, where students will be given a voucher to enroll in accredited QC private schools. The LGU is also open to leasing unused buildings in private schools that can serve as extension facilities to congested public schools. Several schools are also undergoing renovation in an effort to provide a better and more conducive learning environment for the students. As part of ensuring that all QCitizen learners are ready to go back to classes, the city has started the distribution of learning kits to all K to 12 learners. QC Education Affairs Unit (EAU) Officer-in-Charge Maricris Veloso said that the distribution of school supplies for enrolled students has commenced, while public school teachers can expect an additional 1,000 laptops within the year. Since 2020, the city has distributed over 6,000 laptops to its public school teachers. Teaching and non-teaching personnel can likewise expect the continuous provision of monthly and quarterly allowances. The city government will provide additional sets of tables and chairs for teachers, 15,000 tablet armchairs for elementary schools, 10,000 tablet armchairs for secondary schools, and 5,100 sets of kiddie tables and chairs for kindergarten learners. Furthermore, QC will also procure 141,880 storybooks, 80,000 workbooks, SMART TVs, computers, and CCTVs, underscoring safety in schools. Efforts to improve the internet connectivity in schools as well as free internet access for hybrid learners, and provision of assistive technology for inclusive learning are also underway. As part of the city’s learning recovery initiatives, it is also implementing its tutoring program dubbed "Zero Illiteracy sa QC," to help improve students’ fundamental skills in reading and numeracy. “Our objective for the upcoming opening of classes is to ensure that learners will have their educational needs met and to lessen the parents’ worry,” the mayor said. SDO QC also noted that an Education Summit in consultation with education stakeholders; parents, barangay, school heads, learners, and teachers was conducted prior to the opening of classes. Oplan Balik Eskwela hotlines and help desks are also operational, and traffic management has been planned in coordination with the barangays and concerned city departments. “Let us help our students achieve learning excellence by actively engaging in our children’s education and being one with the city government,” Schools Division Superintendent Carleen Sedilla said. With all these preparations in motion, the city ensures the successful opening of classes for School Year 2023-2024. The post QC all set for start of school year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Confidential and intelligence funds increase P120M in 2024, UP budget cut P2.93B
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Thursday confirmed that there will be a P120-million increase in confidential and intelligence funds for the fiscal year 2024. In a Malacañang press briefing, Pangandaman said the increase is due to additional confidential funds allocated to three government agencies. These agencies include the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and the Presidential Security Group (PSG). A 2015 joint circular released by five government agencies defines confidential expenses as those of surveillance activities in civilian government agencies. According to the same 2015 joint circular, intelligence funds are those related to intel information-gathering activities of uniformed and military personnel that directly impact national security. Pangandaman justified the increase in the CIF, saying it is necessary to support the government's efforts to protect national security and ensure the safety of the President and other government officials. "The additional funds were allocated for specific purposes. For example, in the case of DICT, the increase is for cybersecurity, which is essential as we push for digitalization," Pangandaman said. "Cybersecurity investment is parallel to our digitalization efforts. Why does it need to be confidential? It's because of the procurement process. You cannot disclose the technical specifications of your cybersecurity projects in the Terms of Reference (TOR) because hackers might see it. If they have access to the specs, our cybersecurity projects and programs won't be effective," she added. Pangandaman said the administration is confident that the proposed allocations for intelligence funds are well-justified. "The additional funds were allocated for specific purposes. We can assure the public that these intelligence and confidential funds will be beneficial to the country," Pangandaman said. In a separate statement, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said there also an increase in the CIF in the Armed Forces of the Philippines; National Security Council; Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, and; the Office of the Ombudsman. Meanwhile, there has been a decrease in the CIF allocated for the Philippine Competition Commission, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Department of Justice. On the other hand, the confidential funds of the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President remain at the same level as the 2023 General Appropriations Act. DBM likewise emphasized the declining percentage contribution of CIF in the national budget in recent years, decreasing from 0.215 percent in 2018, 0.192 percent in 2019, 0.235 percent in 2020, 0.212 percent in 2021, 0.183 percent in 2022, 0.190 percent in 2023, to 0.176 percent in 2024. "With these, the public can remain confident that the disbursement and utilization of the CIF will be done by government agencies with utmost transparency and accountability, in strict adherence to existing guidelines set forth by the Commission on Audit (COA) on the appropriate allocation and use of these funds," DBM said. Budget Cuts Meanwhile, DBM said the budget cut for the University of the Philippines (UP) under the proposed 2024 expenditure plan will not affect student admissions. In the Palace briefing, Pangandaman said the P2.93 billion reduction in the UP budget for 2024 resulted from the removal of budgetary requirements for several infrastructure projects scheduled for completion this year. “So if it's for completion in 2023, we don’t need the funding for 2024,” Pangandaman said. Asked if the budget cut will translate to a reduction in the number of students admitted to UP, Pangandaman said none. The DBM added it also took into account how much of UP's budget was used the year previously when determining the proposed NEP's budget allocation. “Hence, in our review and evaluation of UP’s budget proposals, we considered its absorptive capacity, which is 69.48% as of end-2022,” it said. The post Confidential and intelligence funds increase P120M in 2024, UP budget cut P2.93B appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
National budget’s importance, intricacies
On 22 June, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his Cabinet approved the proposed P5.768-trillion national budget for Fiscal Year 2024, an outlay that seeks to support the administration’s efforts to promote economic transformation and recovery from the pandemic. According to the Development Budget Coordination Committee or DBCC, the FY 2024 budget is 9.5 percent higher compared to this year’s outlay which was P5.268 trillion. In a recent Department of Budget and Management or DBM press release, Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the proposed 2024 National Budget shall continue to prioritize expenditures that will sustain economic growth, bearing in mind inclusivity and sustainability consistent with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and the administration’s 8-point socioeconomic agenda. Pangandaman stated: “Guided by our Medium-Term Fiscal Framework, the proposed national budget will continue to prioritize expenditures outlined in the administration’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and cater to the objectives of PDP 2023-2028. It shall continue to reflect our commitment to pursue economic and social transformation to address the scarring effects of the pandemic, as well as the impact of inflation, by prioritizing shovel-ready investments in infrastructure projects, in human capital development, and in sustainable agriculture and food security, among others.” DBM added that it is crafted as an indispensable step towards the overarching goal to attain upper-middle-income status while bringing down the deficit to 3 percent of GDP and reducing the poverty rate to 9 percent or single digits by 2028. From an ordinary citizen’s point of view, whether it is P5.268 trillion or P5.768 trillion, either of the two is an enormous and substantial amount. However, we must be aware that the problems that must be addressed and the projects that must be implemented are enormous that these amounts may just be enough to address the issues and concerns of the citizenry. Different government offices have their respective mandates to fulfill and the reality is that resources are limited. The job of the Secretary of Budget and Management is not as simple as approving releases and signing checks. It is more complex than that due to the different needs of different departments. This point is supported by Pangandaman’s statement that, “Due to the limited fiscal space, we optimized the allocation of resources by ensuring that the PDPs that will be budgeted are implementation-ready and must be delivered and executed on time. This entails that the agency proposals considered are clear, comprehensive, and complete in terms of submitted supporting documents such as feasibility studies and annual procurement plans. We also referred to the agencies’ respective absorptive capacity, as we considered that a low budget utilization rate may reflect the agency’s limited capacity to utilize additional funds.” Due to this manner of prioritization, the gain of one agency may lead to the loss of another agency as the latter’s project may be deemed important but not the priority for the current year. This loss does not mean it is the end for said project as there is always next year when it may be given a chance for allocation. It is worth noting that the proposed FY 2024 National Budget will be submitted to Congress a few weeks after the second State of the Nation Address or SoNA of President Bongbong Marcos, which is scheduled on 24 July. Under the Constitution, the National Expenditure Program or NEP must be submitted to Congress within 30 days after the SoNA. The NEP is the national government’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. Once approved by Congress, it will be known as the General Appropriations Bill, and once passed into law, the bill will be known as the General Appropriations Act. Before one questions the budget allocation and project prioritization, it is best to take a step back and understand that it is always the best interest of the entire country that is the consideration in budget making. The post National budget’s importance, intricacies appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Big sponge’: new CO2 tech taps oceans to tackle global warming
Floating in the port of Los Angeles, a strange-looking barge covered with pipes and tanks contains a concept that scientists hope to make waves: a new way to use the ocean as a vast carbon dioxide sponge to tackle global warming. Scientists from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have been working for two years on SeaChange -- an ambitious project that could one day boost the amount of CO2, a major greenhouse gas, that can be absorbed by our seas. Their goal is "to use the ocean as a big sponge," according to Gaurav Sant, director of the university's Institute for Carbon Management (ICM). The oceans, covering most of the Earth, are already the planet's main carbon sinks, acting as a critical buffer in the climate crisis. They absorb a quarter of all CO2 emissions, as well as 90 percent of the warming that has occurred in recent decades due to increasing greenhouse gases. But they are feeling the strain. The ocean is acidifying, and rising temperatures are reducing its absorption capacity. The UCLA team wants to increase that capacity by using an electrochemical process to remove vast quantities of CO2 already in seawater -- rather like wringing out a sponge to help recover its absorptive power. "If you can take out the carbon dioxide that is in the oceans, you're essentially renewing their capacity to take additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere," Sant told AFP. Engineers built a floating mini-factory on a 100-foot (30-meter) long boat which pumps in seawater and subjects it to an electrical charge. Chemical reactions triggered by electrolysis convert CO2 dissolved in the seawater into a fine white powder containing calcium carbonate -- the compound found in chalk, limestone and oyster or mussel shells. This powder can be discarded back into the ocean, where it remains in solid form, thereby storing CO2 "very durably... over tens of thousands of years," explained Sant. Meanwhile, the pumped water returns to the sea, ready to absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Sant and his team are confident the process will not damage the marine environment, although this will require further testing to confirm. A potential additional benefit of the technology is that it creates hydrogen as a byproduct. As the so-called "green revolution" progresses, the gas could be widely used to power clean cars, trucks and planes in the future. Of course, the priority in curbing global warming is for humans to drastically reduce current CO2 emissions -- something we are struggling to achieve. But in parallel, most scientists say carbon dioxide capture and storage techniques can play an important role in keeping the planet livable. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) could help to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 as it offsets emissions from industries which are particularly difficult to decarbonize, such as aviation, and cement and steel production. It could help to tackle the stocks of CO2 that have been accumulating in the atmosphere for decades. Keeping global warming under control will require the removal of between 450 billion and 1.1 trillion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2100, according to the first global report dedicated to the topic, released in January. That would require the CDR sector "to grow at a rate of about 30 percent per year over the next 30 years, much like what happened with wind and solar," said one of its authors, Gregory Nemet. UCLA's SeaChange technology "fits into a category of a promising solution that could be large enough to be climate-relevant," said Nemet, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. By sequestering CO2 in mineral form within the ocean, it differs markedly from existing "direct air capture" (DAC) methods, which involve pumping and storing gas underground through a highly complex and expensive process. A start-up company, Equatic, plans to scale up the UCLA technology and prove its commercial viability, by selling carbon credits to manufacturers wanting to offset their emissions. In addition to the Los Angeles barge, a similar boat is currently being tested in Singapore. Sant hopes data from both sites will quickly lead to the construction of far larger plants that are capable of removing "thousands of tons of carbon" each year. "We expect to start operating these new plants in 18 to 24 months," he said. The post ‘Big sponge’: new CO2 tech taps oceans to tackle global warming appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
UNDP help sought to implement Mandanas Ruling
The Philippine government is seeking the assistance of a United Nations agency to help local government units in strengthening their financial absorptive capacity amid the implementation of the Mandanas Ruling......»»
Foreign aid spending hit 8-year peak but pandemic poses fresh hurdles
Acting NEDA chief Karl Kendrick Chua said agencies have improved their absorptive capacity to spend......»»
Marcos Jr. eyes stronger maritime ties with India
The Philippines is seeking stronger maritime security cooperation with India to ensure the safety of seafarers from both nations as the world’s oceans are becoming more dangerous for commercial shipping, President Marcos said......»»
Arayat-Magalang bypass road 80 % complete: DPWH
Arayat-Magalang bypass road 80 % complete: DPWH.....»»
Philippines FDI ‘bound to improve’ in coming years – HSBC
The Philippines would be able to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI) in the coming years amid reforms that improved the country’s business climate, HSBC Global Research said......»»
Marcos admin eyes building 20 new dams by 2028
To meet the country’s growing demand for water and power, the government is eyeing to build 20 medium and three to five large dams by 2028, the end of President Marcos’ term, according to National Irrigation Administration head Eduardo Guillen......»»
Big 4 Volleyball tilt marks successful inaugural season, eyes bigger tourneys soon
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Big Four Volleyball Tournament wrapped up last weekend successfully at the Warehouse Sports Lab in Mandaue City. This grassroots volleyball tournament saw inaugural champions being crowned. The Subangdaku Trojans emerged as champions in the 13-under and the girls 14-17 divisions, while Cabancalan National High School ruled the 14-17 boys division. .....»»
DPWH continues construction of Sta. Margarita Diversion road
Samar First DEO now continues the construction of Sta. Margarita Diversion road under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for FY 2023......»»
NEWS BRIEFS | 25 March 2024
Senate eyes probe of resorts within the slopes of Mt. Apo Following the controversy involving the establishment of a resort reportedly within the famed Chocolate Hills in Bohol province, Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committees on Energy and Migrant Workers, is setting his sights on the resorts located on the slopes of Mt. […].....»»
Davao City Council moves hearing on traffic-causing road construction works
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews – 26 March) – The Davao City Council rescheduled to Tuesday, April 2, the second hearing on the suspended road construction works in the locality after key officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Davao region failed to show up Friday. The DPWH-Davao key officials are reportedly in […].....»»
DPWH-Davao: Coastal Road lights inactive due to stolen wires
THE Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) confirmed that a portion of lights along the Davao City Coastal Road are inactive due to wire theft......»»
Sibol exec wants improved conditions for women in esports
Esports has once been dubbed as a male-dominant industry, both in competitions and within top positions in different related organizations. Recent years have seen a shift in the role of women in the industry but like in traditional sports, the change is considered minimal, and more could be done......»»
The iris reveals it all
William Shakespeare once said, “The eyes are the window to your soul......»»
Expelled solon Teves eyes political asylum; detention extended
The legal team of expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr. is looking to exhaust all legal remedies possible, including political asylum in Timor-Leste, Teves' lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said......»»
Asialink eyes P2.4 billion in truck loans as e-commerce grows
Asialink Finance Corp. is looking at lending as much as P2.4 billion this year to the fast growing market for brand new and used trucks that are essential to the growth of e-commerce and logistics......»»