The Best of 2007: Celebrating people, places and events through the Educ News
By Maribel Cabasal
It is time to celebrate! EducNews has chosen to highlight the best of 2007. We have specially picked the events and people whose impact have affected the department in the past 12 months. We hope not only to inspire you, our readers, but also to thank you for your support.
In this special issue, we have selected achievements and milestones, which have made DepEd a dynamic institution responsive to the needs of the nation.
DEPED HOLDS FIRST NATIONAL CAREER ASSESSMENT TEST
Some 1.8 million fourth year high school students in 13,000 public and private schools and out of school youths took the first ever National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) in January 17. (EducNews, January 2007)
DEPED AVAILS OF LANDBANK eCARD
The Department of Education joined the growing list of government agencies and corporations which availed of the Landbank eCard, the latest product of the Landbank of the Philippines.
The eCard will allow the more than 1,500 employees to withdraw their salaries through any Landbank automated teller machines (ATMs) and Expressnet, Megalink and bancnet ATMs nationwide. (EducNews, January 2007)
470,000 GOV'T TEACHERS TO DO POLL DUTIES
Some 470,000 public school teachers served during the senatorial and local elections on May 14.
The DepEd Election Task Force headed by Undersecretary for Regional Operations Ramon Bacani and Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Franklin Sunga took charge in the orderly management and operations of the elections. (EducNews, February 2007)
PINOY STUDENTS SHINE IN INT'L SCI-MATH OLYMPIAD
Twelve Filipino students in public and private elementary schools brought honor to the country by winning in the 2006 3rd International Mathematics and Science Olympiad (IMSO) held in Jakarta, Indonesia. (EducNews, February 2007)
VP NOLI DE CASTRO, SECRETARY LAPUS AWARD 10 OUTSTANDING STUDENTS
Vice President Noli De Castro and Secretary Jesli Lapus conferred the Vice President’s Academic Excellence and Exemplary Leadership Awards to Ten Outstanding Public School Students (TOPS) at the Heroes Hall, Malacañang last March 23.(EducNews, March 2007)
STRENGTHENED TECH-VOC TO START IN JUNE
The DepED will start the strengthened technical-vocational education with an initial of 148 of the 261 vocational high schools in the country. The department has allotted P200 million for the upgrading of the schools. (EducNews, April 2007)
PALARONG PAMBANSA OPENS
Palarong Pambansa, the annual multi-level national scholastic athletic competition conducted by DepEd opened on April 22 at the South Cotabato Sports Complex in Koronadal City.
A total of 376 athletes from the elementary and secondary levels competed in this year’s games. (EducNews, April 2007)
SECRETARY LAPUS HAILS TEACHERS' ELECTION PERFORMANCE
Secretary Jesli Lapus extolled teachers for what he described as their exceptional performance during the recent midterm elections.
Secretary Lapus also stressed the need for electoral reforms as part of DepEd’s efforts to advance teachers’ welfare.(EducNews, May 2007)
MALAYA IS DEPED'S NEW ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Jonathan Malaya, chief of staff to former Education Secretary Florencio Abad and the son of a retired division superintendent, is now the department’s assistant secretary. (EducNews, May 2007)
DEPED NAMES INCIONG AS NEW ASSISTANT SECRETARY
The Department of Education has announced the appointment of Dr. Teresita Inciong as assistant secretary for programs and projects, vice Dr. Vilma Labrador who was promoted undersecretary for programs and projects of the department. (EducNews, May 2007)
SECRETARY LAPUS REPORTS SMOOTH SCHOOL OPENING
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus reported that school opening throughout the country was generally smooth and orderly on the first day of classes of school year 2007 to 2008.(EducNews, June 2007)
DEPED CONDUCTS REHABILITATION PROGRAM IN DISASTER AFFECTED AREAS
The Department of Education, through its School Health and Nutrition Center (SHNC) has provided rehabilitation services in disaster affected areas in Bicol region during the first semester of this year.
A psycho-social intervention (PSI) and critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) were conducted to a total of 9,893 teachers and non-teaching personnel in the divisions of Albay, Sorsogon, Sorsogon City, Catanduanes, Tabaco City, Ligao City, Legaspi City and Camarines Sur .
Health services were also given to 13,547 schoolchildren by school health personnel at evacuation centers in Albay, Ligao City, and Legaspi City. (EducNews, July 2007)
PGMA VOWS TO SUPPORT RP EDUCATION
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo vowed to improve and modernize the country’s educational system before the end of her term in 2010.
Before the start of a roundable discussion in Malacañang that focused on education for competiveness, productivity and poverty alleviation, the President revealed that the government increased the budget allocation of the Department of Education to P150 billion this year from P129 billion in 2006 in an effort to modernize the educational system.(EducNews, July 2007)
LABRADOR RELEASES DOH-BFAD ADVISORY ON CHINESE FOOD PRODUCTS
Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Vilma Labrador releases Memorandum No. 314 based on a DOH-BFAD Advisory which bans certain Chinese food products laced with formaldehyde, a cancer-causing substance.(EducNews, August 2007)
MADRASAH PROGRAM PROVIDES QUALITY EDUCATION TO MUSLIM SCHOOLCHILDREN
The Department of Education is stepping up its efforts to provide quality education to Muslim public schoolchildren through the Madrasah Program.
The Muslim-friendly curriculum is being implemented in grades 1 and 2, affecting 52 classes on a total of 1,814 Muslim students in selected public schools around Metro Manila, where large Muslim communities reside.(EducNews, August 2007)
METROBANK AWARDS OUTSTANDING TEACHERS
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus led other officials in conferring gold medallions to the ten winners of the 2007 Metrobank Foundation Search for Outstanding Teachers in ceremonies held in Malacañang Palace on September 5.
Four teachers each from the elementary and secondary levels and two college teachers from public and private institutions joined the illustrious list of Metrobank-teacher honorees which now number to 265 since the award was given out in 1965. (Educnews, September 2007)
SPECIAL EDUCATION MARKS 100 YEARS OF SERVICE TO FILIPINOS
Special Education (SPED) in the Philippines celebrates its centennial anniversary this year with activities that focus on its pioneering efforts to minister to the educational needs to students who require special attention.
December marks the International Year of the Disabled where a grand celebration of the 100 years of SPED in the Philippines will be held. Its highlight is a "Tribute to Pioneers in SPED“ and "Friends of Special Children.” (EducNews, October 2007)
PHILIPPINES 'MEGA TOOTHBRUSHING DRILL' ENTERS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
The country has beaten the record of China’s Largest One Time Toothbrushing Activity by over 300 percent thus making it to the Guiness World Record.
The new world record holder, "Super Mega Toothbrushing Drill of the Philippines gathered simultaneously some 41,000 grades 4, 5 and 6 pupils from Manila, Davao and Cebu in February 2007 setting the record "Most People Brushing their Teeth in Multiple Venues.” China’s entry had 10,420 students.(EducNews, October 2007)
8 FILIPINO KIDS WIN IN ASIAN ART CONTEST
Eight Filipino grade schoolers - with one winning the Grand Prix - won in the Mitsubishi Asian Children’s Enniki Festa on illustrated diary art contest held in Tokyo, Japan.
The contest theme, "Here is my Life,” depicted the activity of the young artists in five pages of drawings and written essay in Filipino.(EducNews, October 2007)
RP WINS UNESCO BOARD SEAT
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus was elected to the highest policy – making body, the Executive Board, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at the midpoint of the biennial 34th General Conference in Paris, France. The Philippines will serve a four year term.
Secretary Lapus’s candidacy was boosted by his strong audit and financial management background. (EducNews, October 2007)
UNIONBANK DONATES P100 M FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
UnionBank of the Philippines has earmarked P100 million for their "As a Filipino Project“ as part of the Department of Education’s Adopt-A-School Program.
This was announced by UnionBank chairman and CEO Justo Ortiz at the As a Filipino Teachers’ Congress held last October 24 to 25 at the Philippine International Convention Center. (EducNews, October 2007).
DEPED INTEGRATES CONSUMERISM IN CURRICULUM
In an effort to strengthen and protect the interest of the consuming public, the Department of Education will integrate consumer education in the curricula of all public and private schools from primary to secondary levels. This move is in compliance with Article 154 of the Consumer Welfare Act of the Philippines. (EducNews, October 2007).
DEPED HOLDS NAT'L LITERACY CONFERENCE IN MANILA
One of the year’s most anticipated events in the academic community, the National Literacy Conference gathered some 280 literacy advocates at the Grand Boulevard Hotel, Manila recently. The three-day conference aimed to recognize the critical link between functional literacy and health status towards a healthy Philippines. (EducNews, November 2007)
Undersecretary for Regional Operations and Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) Chairperson Ramon Bacani announced the resumption of the department’s National Literacy Awards during the National Literacy Conference held recently. (EducNews, November 2007).
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