SSC staff, personnel and faculties reap their harvest in the Service Awards 2013 (News Feature Article)

SSC staff, personnel and faculties reap their harvest in the Service Awards 2013

By: Genievieve Alexie Sarmiento (published in The Scholastican: the official student publication of St. Scholastica’s College-Manila)

St. Scholastica’s College faculties and employees reaped harvest of hard work with joy and peace as the institution of St. Scholastica’s College- Manila celebrated the Service Awards 2013 last Monday, February 11, 2013, 1pm at the Kuniberta Hall.

Hosted by the grade school unit, the spirit of Bayanihancan be felt in the awarding ceremonies wherein all the faculties and employees from the administration, Grade School Unit, Highschool Unit and College Unit are seated according to years of service corresponding to Philippine fruits that is placed on top of the long tables; Banana: 1-10 years, Mango: 11-20 years, Pineapple: 21-30 years and Watermelon: 31-40+ years. The over-all theme is fiesta with the awardees wearing Filipiniana attire.

Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, President, started the Awarding Ceremony with a message of untiring service and unity despite what’s happening in the world outside. Ms. Amor Buenaventura and Mr. Jason Closas, who are both from the Grade School unit, are the emcees for the event.

Videos from the awardees’ co-workers and family are also being shown while plaques of recognition was given by Dr. RemediosChing, Dean of College, Sr. Vicenta Anuran, OSB, Vice-President for Administrative Affairs,Prof. Virginia Fornias, Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Sr. Mary Thomas Prado, OSB, President to faculty members, professional services employeesand general services employees who serve the community for 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, 25 years, 30 years, 35 years and 40 years.

College Faculty from Arts & Sciences Department who received a Plaque of Recognition for 5 years of service are Prof. Michael Antonio, Prof. Maria Lourdes Balatbat, Prof. Lorenzo Gabutina, Prof. Elvira Labartine, Prof. FroilynLunaria, Prof. Noel Moratilla, Prof. Mary Joy Orante, Prof. Mariel Kristine Rubia and Prof. Imelda San Diego. College Librarians who also received the same award are Ms. ShandeeBalenbin and Mr. ArnelMoico as well as Ms. Olivia Aler, College Administrator and Ms. Catherine Ines, College Counselor.

Plaque of recognition for 10 years of service was given to College Faculty Prof. Mae Rafanan of School of Arts & Sciences, Prof. EvaristoAcuña of School of Business, Mr. Erwin Lualhati from Professional Services and General Services Personnel Mr. RomelDizon and Mr. Esteven Lopez. 

Meanwhile, 15 years of service awardees are College Faculty Prof. Antonio Santos of School of Arts & Sciences, Prof. Amor Robles of School of Accountancy, from Professional Services, Mr. Randy Belmundo, Ms. Alicia Cruzos, Ms. Judika Geronimo, Ms. Joselyn Gutierrez, Mr. MoisesNalumen, Ms. Liza Nebran, Ms. Rowena Salavador, Ms. Joan Salivio and Ms. MelvaSerquiña, General Services Personnel Mr. Diosdado Andres, Ms. Vilma De Dios, Ms. AnabelGolfo, Mr. Marcelo Infante, Mr. Ronald Landoy, Mr. TirsoListana, Ms. Analiza Santos, and from Institute of Women’s Studies, Ms. Marites Yee.

Recipients of Plaque of recognition for 20 years of service are College Faculty Prof. Benjamin Cabrera of School of Arts & Sciences, Faculty from School of Music, Prof. Mia LinaBolaños, Prof. Marian de Vera, Prof. Maria Lourdes Hermo, College Librarian Ms. Leslie Bellosillo, School Dentist Dr. RossanaCornejo, Office Personnel Ms. AntoniettaBorcena, Mr. CarlitoComia, Ms. Maria Christina Malig, Ms. Herodina Medrano, Ms. Nova Morabe, Ms. Cely Solomon and General Services Personnel Ms. VinkyCabigon, Ms. HidelizaCenabre, Mr. Gilbert Chiyuto, and Mr. CamiloLariego Jr.

Plaque of recognition for 25 years of service was given to College Faculty Prof. Arturo Molina of School of Music, Office Personnel Ms. CielitoBorja, Ms. Edna Cabe and Ms. Kristina Gaerlan of Institute of Women’s Studies. Ms. Ellen Catherine Carbon received the award for 30 years of service. Office Personnel RicheldaValeros is the recipient of 35 years of service award and Office Personnel Ms. Melinda Viado for the 40 years of service Award.

Service Awards is an event celebrated annually by the community of St. Scholasica’s College.

Phil’s readiness on PPP facilitates on answering classroom backlogs (News Feature)

Phil’s readiness on PPP facilitates on answering classroom backlogs

By: Genievieve Sarmiento (published in The Scholastican: the official student publication of St. Scholastica’s College-Manila)

Philippines defeated Japan and China in its readiness in the Public-Private Partnership Program (PPP) making it on the 8^th rank in The 2011 Infrascope Study created by European Intelligence Unit (EIU) and commissioned by Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In a scale of 0 to 100 being 100 as the “ideal environment for PPP projects”, the country scored 47.1 out 100 while China 49.8, Japan 63.7 and Australia 92.3 at the top. The study contains an assessment of the countries in Asia-Pacific region in their ability to manage public-private infrastructure projects.

The Public-Private Partnerships is a long term agreement between public and private sectors to achieve a common goal. In President Benigno S. Aquino III’s administration, PPP is a social contract wherein it recognizes private sector as the key to national growth and development in infrastructures, governance, public service and investment programming services. Private resources are used in financing development projects initiated by the Government as stated at the PPP center.

There are three criteria in the selection of projects in the PPP website, 1) Readiness of the project, 2) openness in meeting the sector’s needs, and 3) Implementability of the project.

PPP for School Infrastructure Project (PSIP) is one of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) PPP project for classrooms construction nationwide, Mark Nimeno, Project Manager of PSIP said. It aims to decongest 10-year curriculum and promotes mastery of learning in support of the K-12 Program through provision of additional school facilities making the classrooms in its ideal size of 45:1 meaning 45 students per class.

The government acknowledges the private sector’s importance in the design and construction of 9,301 classrooms which costs P16.3 billion in 2,204 existing schools which is consistent with the Minimum Performance Standards and Specifications (MPSS) set by DepEd. It answers our classroom backlog which numbers 66,800 in 2010. These are one-storey and two-storey classrooms including seats and toilets in 2,204 public schools in Regions 1,3 and 4-A. Maintenance of these will also fall within the next 10 years under a build-lease-and-transfer contract, Nimeno mentioned.

DepEd Undersecretary Francis Varela said in an interview that Bayani Fernando’s BF Corp. and Riverbanks Development Corp. won the contract (Package A for Region 1) which has annual lease payment costing P344.6 million annually for 10 years. Meanwhile, Megawide, in collaboration with Citicore Investment Holdings Inc., won the PPP project packages A and B for Regions III and IV-A with lease payments costing P523 million and P760 million per annum each year for the next 10 years .

In choosing the recipient schools, DepEd considered the following criteria: presence of shortage, complete site ownership, available of space for the construction and ease of mobilization for the architects, technical engineers and staff of DepEd.

Nimeno clarifies that the PPP Center is the one who assists and facilitates the PPP projects of its Implementing Agencies (IAs) in this case, the DepEd.

DepEd is also looking at the construction of 30,000 classrooms as mentioned by Education Secretary Armin Luistro in an interview. In fact, they already set aside P12 billion for reducing classroom shortage. This project costs PhP 10.04 Billion and is a Build-Lease and Transfer (BLT) contractual arrangement.  

Clarity

Practice output. Cover for my favorite song.

Clean Air Posters

These are collection of posters I made following a communication plan on Clean Air I made during college for my Advocacy Communication class. Some of these posters are created just this summer break.

Hildegard Awards 2013 Exhibit

Created this layout in line with the St. Hildegard Awards 2013 theme which is held annually by the 4th year Mass Comm students in St. Scholastica's College. This is for the exhibit that was shown during the votation wherein the students votes for the media outputs such as commercials, campaigns, published articles and documentaries which shows gender fairness, women empowerment, social justice, human rights and environmental awareness. The Hildegard Awards has been a prestigious event being attended by media personalities.