| .. |
28 MAY 2003 |
| GMA assures parents, students: All in place for school opening |
| MARAGONDON, Cavite - President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday assured parents of the country's 17 million students that the
preparations and security for the opening of classes for the school year 2003-2004 are all
in place. The President made the assurance in an interaction with teachers and parents attending the Division Seminar Workshop in Science and Technology for all Cavite-based science teachers at the Cavite National Science High School here. The President motored here after she led the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the Philippine Navy at the Naval Air Group Hangar in Sangley Point, Cavite. In her visit here, the President braved heavy rains and strong winds spawned by storm Chedeng that hit Luzon. In remarks, she lauded the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) officials for carefully planning the opening of classes this year. Upon arrival at the seminar site, the Chief Executive was briefed by officials of various academic agencies and the Department of Health (DOH). The President earlier tasked the DepEd, CHED and the DOH to assess and implement instructions to improve the quality of education in the secondary and tertiary levels. During the briefing, DepEd Undersecretary Ramon Bacani assured the President that the agency is ready to carry out the new curriculum, particularly in the teaching of English, Math, Science and Makabayan subjects. Bacani said medical officers in various Cavite school divisions have completed their training on the anti-SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) campaign. The medical officers would be ready to monitor and prevent the spread of the killer pneumonia in Cavite public schools, he said. CHED Commissioner Manuel Punzal, on the other hand, assured the President that beginning this school year, the CHED would implement the President's order to use English as the medium of instruction in colleges and universities. Punzal said the CHED has been working out the strengthening of courses like engineering and nursing to make graduates more competitive in the international labor market. |
| GMA releases P2.4-M to build more classrooms |
| MARAGONDON, Cavite - President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday issued a P2.5-million check as additional funds to build
more public schools in poor barangays nationwide, especially in Cavite. In remarks during the seminar-workshop of Cavite-based science teachers at the National Science High School here, the President said the money would support the funds allotted to solve the lack of classrooms in the country. She cited the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) for launching an important project to help and ease problems in the tertiary and secondary academic levels. "I hope it would help resolve the problem in the lack of classroom. FCCC is a private group. I'm sure they can speedily construct more classrooms and I will inform them that they should prioritize the province of Cavite in their project," the President said. She noted that some Cavite schools have been facing student overcrowding problems. At the Bagong Bayan Elementary School in Silang, Cavite, there are 131 students handled by one teacher. In Pintong Gubat Elementary School in Dasmarinas, also in Cavite, the ratio is 241 students to a teacher. "We will try to close the classroom gap immediately. Kawawa naman ang mga estudyante at lalo na ang mga guro (Teachers and students are having a hard time)," she said. She ordered Education Undersecretary Ramon Bacani to examine the school board funds of all schools in the country and assess if the funds could absorb the salaries of teachers. She also recommended to the Commission on Higher Education the implementation of a "Distance Learning" program. She explained that the "Distance Learning" program is a modernized way of teaching, where a teacher can teach more students in one or two classrooms thru a computer in a single session. |
| DSWD conducts relief, medical mission for MILF affected families in Lanao |
| CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY-The Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday conducted yesterday relief operation
and medical mission in Balindong, Lanao del Sur for the 630 families affected by the
skirmishes between the government soldiers and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Earlier, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared some portions of Lanao as a zone of peace and tasked the DSWD to intensify relief operations for the affected families. Norhaya Umpar, a social worker of the DSWD in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said they provided five kilos of rice and assorted foodstuff for each family. She said 10 health personnel from the ARMM Department of Health (DOH) assisted by the Balindong town health officers also provided free medicines and vitamins during the medical and dental mission Monday. Umpar said they first conducted relief operations last May 8 after the evacuees, 60 percent of them females, started arriving in the town last May 5. The families evacuated from the towns of Monai and Poon na Piagapo in nearby Lanao del Norte after government troops conducted punitive military actions two weeks ago against the MILF as an aftermath of the secessionist rebels' attack in Maigo town. Balindong is the northernmost town in Lanao del Sur coming from Marawi City. The evacuees are now temporarily residing with host families in 11 barangays of the town under the care of government social workers. |
| Statement of the President |
| We view the MILF statement as a
positive and welcome development. Based on our validation of certain assumptions, we are
even prepared to respond with an offer of a permanent ceasefire leading to the signing of
a final peace agreement at the soonest possible time. We are currently validating the
authenticity, genuineness and sincerity of the offer and the ability of the MILF
leadership to enforce discipline and compliance on the ground. We are awaiting MILF's
positive response to our counter offer. In the meantime, we will continue with our normal
police and law enforcement functions for the safety and security of our people. Meanwhile, we have informed the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, who is in Teheran for the OIC Conference of Foreign Ministers, of these developments. We will continue to work with the OIC in the fight against terrorism and in the pursuit of a just, durable and comprehensive peace in Southern Philippines under our national sovereignty and Constitution. We call on the MILF to join us in this quest for a permanent and lasting peace. |
