VOL. NO. 2, ISSUE NO. 1, January 13, 2006

TEEP improved elementary students' performance
The Third Elementary Education Project, which was implemented in Negros Oriental for 7 years, has made a difference in public elementary schools in the province as the over-all performance of elementary school students here have significantly improved.

Local officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) disclosed this during a Kapihan forum conducted by the Philippine Information Agency recently.

During the forum, local TEEP Coordinator Dr. Catalina Credo said public elementary students showed a marked improvement based on the results of two national academic assessment tests.

Per results of the National Sample-Based Assessment (NSBA), an overall gain of 4.08 in subject areas of English, Math, Science and Filipino was seen from 1999 to 2005.

On the other hand, the overall test scores in the National Achievement Test (NAT) increased from 43.90 in SY 2003-2004 to 55.83 in the following school year.

Credo also reports that the mean percentage scores (MPS) among the students upped from only one school that obtained a 75% MPS in SY 2003-2004 to 14 schools that obtained an MPS of 75% and above in SY 2004-2005. Likewise, more than half of the schools tested in this period scored an MPS of 50%.

Credo said they are happy with the results as they met the national target of 55%, but not too happy. "We were ambitious at the start and we wanted to achieve more," she said.

TEEP is also responsible for a drop in the number of non-readers among elementary school students. At the start of school year 2004-2005, non-readers were high, ranging from 28% among Grade 6 students to 75% among Grade 1 students.

But the number shrunk at the end of the school year, with only 6% in Grade 6 and 25% in Grade 1 who remain non-readers.

The same story is also true with non-numerate students as numeral literacy increased along with the decline of non-numerate students in Grades 1 to 3 levels for SY 2004-2005.

Improving the quality of elementary education is one of the aims of TEEP which is a 7-year project jointly funded by World Bank and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, says Provincial Schools Division Superintendent Aleli Abne in the same forum.

TEEP is implemented within 22 identified depressed provinces nationwide as well as areas that showed a poor performance in academics and Negros Oriental is the lone recipient of the project in Region 7, said Abne.

The said project is scheduled to end in June 2006 and with it, the withdrawal of the project's physical support.

In view of this, Credo said the provincial education division is concentrating its efforts in boosting disadvantaged, depressed and underserved schools.

In SY 2003-2004, schools that got a low 49.99% MPs numbered 283, and this was cut down to 153 in the following school year. "These are the schools that are now our concern, that we need to visit as these are the schools that have not met the national target," says Credo adding that in the 'last 2 minutes' of the project implementation, the project implementers will be devoting their time to helping these schools.

Amidst the impending termination of the project, education officials in the province are seeking the support of local government units, community and other stakeholders to sustain the gains they achieved under TEEP.
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PRC sets licensure exam for teachers
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC-7) announced that this year's Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) will be held simultaneously in the city and regional testing centers nationwide on August 27, 2006.

Qualified applicants are enjoined by PRC-7 Officer in Charge Atty. Dan V. Malayang to file their application according to the following schedules: January 2 to April 28 for all repeaters and January 2 to May 31 for all new or first timers.

The following are the examination requirements:
1. Original and photocopy of Birth Certificate from NSO in security paper
2. Original and photocopy of Marriage Certificate from NSO in security paper (for married female)
3. Original and photocopy of transcript of records with scanned picture (with remarks "FOR BOARD EXAMINATION PURPOSES ONLY") bearing the exact date of graduation and Special Order Number
indicated therein and the 18 units of credit in Professional education courses for non-education graduates
4. Original and photocopy of diploma if exact date of graduation is not indicated in the Transcript of
Records
5. Three (3) recent identical copies of passport size colored picture with complete name and complete name tag in white background
6. 2 pieces window envelope with metered stamp (for Notice of School)
7. Assignment and Report of Ratings
8. Examination fee of Php900.00
9. Current Community Tax Certificate (Cedula)

LET Chairperson Leonor Tripon Rosero said applications with incomplete documentary requirements shall not be accepted. Likewise, applicants whose names are not the same with the names in the birth certificate and transcript of records shall not be accepted. However, they will be accepted upon submission of the amended birth certificate and transcript of records within the application period, says Rosero.

Application forms are free of charge and may be filed personally at PRC Cebu, V. Rama Guadalupe, Cebu City.
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DLR launches ARC Larena
The Department of Land Reform (DLR) recently launched the 6th Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in the province of Siquijor in a simple ceremony at Dionaldo Building, Larena, Siquijor.

The new ARC is composed of 34 barangays: 19 of these are in the municipality of Larena, 12 in Enrique Villanueva and three in Maria, covering a total area of 7,300 hectares with a total population of 15.249.

This area will benefit from the 5-year Agrarian Reform Community Development Plan (ARCDP) formulated by the community leaders in coordination with the local government units, people's organizations (POs) and the DLR.

ARCDP pursues a long term community's economic, ecosystem and socio-political development which includes infrastructure projects and support facilities, health and sanitation services, agricultural productivity and agro-based rural industries.

DLR is assisting six people's organizations and cooperatives in the area: Canlambo Women's multi-purpose cooperative and Catamboan Farmers Association in Larena, Cangmangki Rural Improvement Club and Lomangcapan Fishermen and Farmers Association in E. Villanueva; and the Pisong A Farmers Association in Maria.

The launching ceremony was attended by the mayors and local officials of the three municipalities, officials from DLR headed by Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Grace B. Fua and Larena Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer Hygeio Canaverla, representatives from DLR partner agencies and from POs within the ARC area.
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Go for Chacha, parliamentary form of gov't- Gov. Fua
"I would go for a parliamentary form of government," says Siquijor Governor Orlando Fua in connection with the call of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for political reforms. "It's true that if we do not address the fundamental defects of our system through charter change, we will continue to lag behind our neighbors in terms of development," Fua adds.

Fua said he is pushing for charter change, particularly favoring the shift to a parliamentary form of government. "But there has to be elections," Fua stressed, in view of a proposal to impose a moratorium of elections in May 2007 to allow the smooth transition from a republic to a parliamentary-federal form of government.

"Our present form of government is only advantageous to a few senators who make Senate their springboard to achieve their political ambitions," he said.

The governor however insisted that the President should stay in spite of all the political bickering. "President Arroyo should not quit. It is the voice of the people clearly articulated in the last elections," he said.

Fua also said the chacha is not designed to benefit one person or a particular group as it is intended to overhaul the political economic system to address the demands of the 21st century "new world order."

Pres. Arroyo has pressed her drive for long-overdue political reforms through charter change this year, saying that "we will not achieve the rank of a modern first-world nation in 20 years until we address these issues" of economic and social needs, terrorism and destabilization and political reforms.
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Kashmir Leyretana presides dialogue in Bais City
Department of Agrarian Reform Assistant Secretary for Special Projects ASEC Kashmir Balhaman Leyretana recently sat down with sugar planters in the province to discuss agrarian issues affecting sugar plantations in the province.

This developed after Bais City Mayor Hector Villanueva invited the DAR official to preside the dialogue with Negros Oriental sugar planters, during which the discussion revolved around valuation problems and agrarian implementation guidelines particularly the policy on the installation of farmer-beneficiaries.

DAR Information Officer Aileen Alaban said Leyretana has disclosed that he is set to request the Supreme Court to make an Order to create a special agrarian court in Bais City to cater to the voluminous cases regarding land valuation.

Alaban said Leyretana was joined by Assistant Regional Director for Administration Nevino Cardiente, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Stephen Leonidas, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer 1 Paulino Tudlasan Jr. and Bais Municipal Agrarian Reform Officer Lumel Chiu.
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SOUNDBYTES:
P3.1-B released for public services; more CV workers left for jobs abroad in 2005
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has released a total of P3.1 billion in the first week of 2006 to be used in various programs and services for the poor such as housing, food, education, health and public works. The funding was sourced from the P35 billion earmarked for economic improvement.

Likewise, a total of 1.99 million jobs were generated from January to Sept 2005 through government intervention in agri-business land development, government funding for micro, small and medium enterprises as well as housing and public construction. The 2 million jobs created by the government is a realization of the Arroyo administration's goal of creating 6 to 10 million jobs by 2010.

Meanwhile, the number of workers from Central Visayas deployed abroad increased by 13 percent in the first 10 months of this year according to POEA-Visayas.

Evelia Durato, POEA-Visayas head, said the top three countries of destination were the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.

She attributed the increase to POEA's efforts to look for employment opportunities for Filipino abroad.

PGMA urges critics to set aside partisanship
For the welfare of the nation, the Arroyo government has been reaching out to the opposition and critics to forge a common front against poverty, hunger and terrorism. This is the time for high statesmanship and patriotism as the nation awaits its leaders to set aside partisanship and stand united to address urgent concerns. The government has set the tone for RP's takeoff and is now looking at the Council of State as a good vehicle to promote national consensus, cooperation and progress.

Give E-Vat a chance, Palace insists
Malacañang appealed to the government's critics to allow the full implementation of the expanded value-added tax law this year, saying its initial implementation last year had many beneficial effects for the economy including the strengthening of the peso, reduction of the fiscal deficit and greater investor confidence in the country.

Civil service exam set
The Civil Service Commission announced that the schedule of written career examinations for professional and subprofessional will be held on April 2, July 30 and Oct. 22.

Non-wage perks
Two labor groups have expressed their support for Pres. Arroyo's initiative to provide non-wage benefits to salaried individuals, specially to restructure the income tax system.

Cha-cha conference
City mayors will gather in Iloilo City on Jan. 23 and 24 to discuss, among others, the proposed shift to a parliamentary form of government.

Davide eyed as country's UN delegate
Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. is reportedly being groomed to become the country's next permanent representative to the United Nations, considered one of the most coveted posts in the foreign service.

GSIS pensioners granted 3% increase
The Government Service Insurance System's board of trustees has approved a 3% increase in the monthly pension of its regular pensioners.

RP nurses welcome in Hawaii
Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle said the island state would open its door to more Filipino nurses due to a shortage of health care workers.