Category: Science & Technology

The Western Visayas Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF6 ELCAC) is calling on parents, guardians, and school officials to make sure children are in schools and not in the streets being brainwashed by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army -National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). In a statement sent on Thursday, the task force through its spokesperson Prosecutor 2 Flosemer Chris Gonzales also called on barangay officials and community leaders to protect their communities from being infiltrated by the NPA. “Together, we can protect our youth…

Read More

Ateneo denied the University of the Philippines (UP) a grand UAAP men’s basketball championship party on Wednesday night after taking a 69-66 win in Game 2 of their best-of-three finals affair at the Mall of Asia in Pasay. The outcome means the Blue Eagles, the defending champions, and the Fighting Maroons, seeking their first title since 1986, will meet one last time for all the marbles on Friday night at the same venue. Ateneo survived despite UP pulling off yet another second-half showcase to be just three minutes away from…

Read More

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through its project with the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), is inviting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Kuwait to avail of free telepsychiatry services. The project aims to see telepsychiatry’s acceptance among OFWs. A survey will be conducted among participants to know their satisfaction and recommendation to improve the program, said project manager Lemuel Lozada in an interview with the Philippine News Agency Wednesday afternoon. DOST’s attached agency, the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) has allocated over PHP5.2 million for…

Read More

BACOLOD CITY – Calls for justice and tributes are pouring in for the Negrense school teacher who was gunned down by unidentified assailants the night before the May 9 national and local elections. As of Tuesday, police investigation continues as family members, friends and colleagues mourn the death of Mercy Nequia-Miguel of Himamaylan City National High School, who was supposed to serve during Monday’s polls. Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo, director of Police Regional Office-Western Visayas (PRO-6), said he has directed the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office to conduct a thorough…

Read More

Uncontrolled use of technology and the internet brings various behavioral addictions that can harm people both physically and psychologically, according to the Turkish anti-addiction body. Unconscious and uncontrolled use of technology and the internet is a type of addiction that manifests itself with addictive sub-behaviors such as behavioral addictions, internet gaming disorder, and excessive use of social media and smartphones, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency from Turkiye’s Green Crescent organization. The problems caused by technology addiction include physical complaints such as eye burning, pain and stiffness in the…

Read More

Top officials of Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental have denounced the violence that claimed the life of a public school teacher on the eve of the May 9 national and local elections. Mercy Nequia-Miguel, 49, of Barangay Caradio-an, assigned at Himamaylan City National High School and was set to serve in Monday’s polls, was shot to death by unidentified assailants on her way home with her husband at around 8:30 p.m. Mayor Raymund Tongson said the city government condemns the death of the teacher and ordered the police to “exhaust all…

Read More

Minor glitches experienced by vote-counting machines (VCMs) in a Malabon City public school were quickly resolved before noon, an official said Monday. Melibeth Ruiz, principal of the Concepcion Elementary School (CES), said a VCM in cluster 41 with precinct numbers 100A, 100B, 100C, 101A malfunctioned and failed to accept shaded ballots. “Mayroon lang kaming naencounter ngayon ngayon lang, ,may isang VCM na ayaw magbasa ng balota ng tuloy-tuloy so nagkaroon kami ng delay dahil kinakailangan ipasok ng paulit-ulit yung mga balota para basahin niya (We encountered something just recently, one…

Read More

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña on Friday announced the agency has recorded a 94.23-percent passing rate in the electoral board member certification. “As of April 21, a total of 205,413 local electoral board members [who] will serve during the May 9 national and local elections completed the DOST electoral board certification. We recorded a 94.23 percent passing rate,” he said in a taped report aired Friday afternoon. These individuals, he said, took the theoretical and practical examinations about the parts and operation of a…

Read More

To accommodate more people who want to take this year’s civil service examination, the Civil Service Commission in Davao Region (CSC-11) said they are doubling the application slots to 19,000. CSC-11 Director Cyril Nathan Eamiguel said Tuesday the CSC central office has approved a request to increase the slots for the exam, seeing that many are interested to take it this year. “Since the exams were postponed many times because we have to follow the restrictions to avoid the spread of Covid-19, it is apparent to witness this many applicants…

Read More

Around 6,462 teachers will serve as members of the Electoral Board in the 77 municipalities and cities of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). Data provided by Cyrille Gaye Miranda of the Department of Education-CAR Public Affairs Office on Tuesday showed the teachers will be serving in 1,406 voting centers in the region on election day. The region has 2,153 clustered precincts — Abra, 395; Apayao, 167; Benguet, 764; Ifugao, 281; Kalinga, 298; and 248 in Mountain Province serving 1,177 barangays. In Abra, there are 1,185 public school teachers rendering election…

Read More

A suspect in the 2015 killing of an executive of a tribal school in the Surigao del Sur town of Lianga has been arrested, police said Tuesday. Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., director of the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13), said Daniel Lovero Tejero was arrested Monday by the Lianga police by virtue of arrest warrants. Tejero, 30, a resident of Barangay Banahao, Lianga, is the primary suspect in the killing of Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and Livelihood Development (ALCADEV) executive director Emerito Samarca and two…

Read More

Some 497,266 learners in the Ilocos Region have joined the implementation of the expanded limited face-to-face (F2F) classes as of April 21 this year. Department of Education (DepEd) Ilocos Regional Office Policy, Planning, and Research Division planning officer Pedro Jose Cudal said of the total number, 299,539 are under kindergarten to Grade 6, 137,070 are in junior high school, and 60,657 are in senior high school. Cudal said there are now 1,839 schools out of the total 3,409 schools in the region that are participating in the expanded limited F2F…

Read More

The Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion (91IB) has warned students anew against the deceptive recruitment of communist terrorist groups. In an interview on Thursday, Lt. Col. Julito B. Recto Jr., acting 91IB commanding officer, said the youth must take extra caution against the different strategies being used by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to lure them to join their organization. Recto said the troops have been conducting lectures at different schools and universities in this province to boost the youth’s awareness of the infiltration of…

Read More

Six graduating female cadets of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Class of 2022 have landed in the top 10. PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos welcomed on Monday the top 10 graduating cadets of the PNPA Alab-Kalis (Alagad ng Batas na Kakalinga sa Sinilangang Bayan) Class of 2022 at Camp Crame in Quezon City. A total of 226 cadets — consisting of 198 male and 28 female — are set to graduate this April 21. Carlos said the PNPA is the primary source of commissioned officers of the PNP, with…

Read More

Due to inclement weather and flooding, the local government of Santo Tomas in Davao del Norte declared the suspension of work and classes on Monday. In a statement, Mayor Ernesto Evangelista said private and public school teachers are not required to report to their respective schools, although his directive allows school heads to order teachers to report “if needed.” Evangelista pointed out that some schools may need to salvage school properties, especially those schools situated in flood-prone areas. “For the Santo Tomas local government unit, offices whose functions involve delivering…

Read More

The Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Monday classes will be suspended in all public schools nationwide from May 2 to 13. In a statement, the department said classes in all levels will be temporarily halted for two weeks to give way for the teachers’ electoral functions for the upcoming 2022 national polls, in adherence to DepEd Order No. 29. “Walang pasok ang mga mag-aaral mula Kinder hanggang Grade 12 sa lahat ng mga pampublikong paaralan sa bansa. Inilaan ang mga nasabing araw upang magampanan ng mga guro at kawani…

Read More

Being simple and humble helped a lot for new lawyer Mark Ceasar Tecson, son of National Food Authority-Soccsksargen Regional Director Miguel “Mike” Tecson and retired NFA employee Chato Tecson, in passing the 2020-2021 Bar examinations.“He is a very hu…

Read More

Malacañang on Tuesday touted improvements in the early warning system of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as among the legacies under the term of President Rodrigo Duterte. In a Palace briefing, acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said more monitoring systems used for typhoons and floods have been installed or established since the start of Duterte’s term in 2016. Citing data from the DOST, Andanar said the agency now has a total of 17 doppler radar stations as of June 2021. In June 2016, the DOST only had 10…

Read More

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Tuesday announced changes to the registration, accreditation, and monitoring of tower, satellite, and delivery companies to streamline and remove “red tape.” In a statement, DICT Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Caintic said the changes were made through the DICT Department Circular (DC) No. 001, series of 2022 signed last Friday. “This would achieve the instructions of president Duterte to remove red tape and unnecessary steps, costs, and procedures in governmental dealings, as well as conform to Republic Act No 11032 or the Ease…

Read More

Retrieval operations are ongoing for a family of five buried in a landslide in Baybay City, Leyte while the son of a university president has been missing since Sunday as weather disturbance “Agaton”, which now weakened into a tropical depression, battered several areas in Eastern Visayas. Rescuers resumed the retrieval at the landslide site around 5 a.m. on Monday after it stopped Sunday night due to poor visibility and heavy rains brought by “Agaton”, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said in its update sent to reporters Monday. The landslide occurred…

Read More

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and motorcycle ride-hailing firm Angkas on Wednesday launched a basic motorcycle driving program designed to professionalize motorcycle training in the country. Jointly designed and developed by TESDA and Angkas, the five-day course will subject motorcycle riders to formal training inside a 400-square-meter facility inside TESDA, including an actual demonstration. The program will also include pre-ride activities, monitoring, and maintenance of motorcycle performance. “I’ve seen the importance of training, of education, especially in this business. Because of the lack of institutionalized training, there…

Read More

UniTeam senatorial candidate Harry Roque supports nuclear energy to meet the country’s growing energy demand but is against reviving the Bataan nuclear power plant (BNPP) since it would put the people and the environment at risk. The former presidential spokesman also said he would propose measures prioritizing liquified natural gas (LNG) as a cleaner alternative to coal and maximizing renewables to ensure the country’s energy security. Roque, who hails from the Bataan province, cautioned the government to rethink the BNPP’s revival. He said the plant was built next to two…

Read More

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) announced Friday the opening of new positions to boost its research and development (R&D) programs and projects in the Ilocos Region. DOST Ilocos regional director Armando Ganal said in an interview that 36 science and technology fellow positions are available for immediate hiring. “They will be will be assigned in the different R&D institutes and councils of the department,” he said, adding that successful applicants will participate in the conceptualization, policy and funding development, monitoring, and evaluation of various R&D programs and projects.…

Read More

Officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) in Negros Oriental on Friday raised concerns to authorities over their safety and security during the conduct of the May 9 national and local elections. Their concerns were addressed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during the 6th Provincial Joint Security Control Center (JPSCC) meeting at the Marian Priests’ Center in this capital. Negros Oriental provincial schools superintendent Dr. Senen Paulin said one of their main concerns is the safety…

Read More

Some 71 Bangsamoro teachers have completed the month-long peace conversations, capability enhancement sessions, and education workshops to effectively communicate the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and its peripheral areas. In a social media post on Friday afternoon, the Office of the Presidential Adviser of Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) said the recently concluded training was part of its efforts to promote the document to educators from different learning institutions such as madaris (Islamic schools) and Catholic…

Read More

A group of farmers here is reaping the benefits of modern farming using an intelligent green box, ensuring quality harvest of high-value crops regardless of the season. Through indoor farming, the 32-member La Granja Farmers and Agriventures Association has been harvesting at least 180 kilograms of fresh lettuce weekly for the requirement of high-end restaurants in this city and some parts of Samar. “We are assured of continuous supply whatever comes. I am giving our buyers safe, clean, and nutritious food. This is a very good technology,” said Martina Reyna,…

Read More

Big information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) firms in Iloilo are ready to work on-site starting April. Iloilo Federation for Information Technology (IFIT) executive director Joeven Tansi said two to three weeks ago, some firms have already started to pull out logistics for those in work-from-home (WFH) arrangements and return them tentatively on-site. “We have more or less 10 huge firms with around 13,000 workforce. So far that I know of they are complying,” he said in an interview Monday. There are around 97 BPM firms located in Iloilo. Other firms…

Read More

More former Moro rebels who were decommissioned are now skilled to earn decent income after getting their national competency certificate Wednesday from Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) education ministry. In a statement, Minister Mohaqher Iqbal of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education’s Technical Education and Skills Development (MBHTE-TESD), said the former rebels are now earning a decent income to provide their families basic needs. The 121 former combatants belonged to the first batch of decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who are added to the roster…

Read More

More than 4,000 Cebuanos can now start their free training with the Technical Skills Development Authority (TESDA) after receiving their certificates of scholarship from the Cebu provincial government. Through a PHP100-million budget, the local government launched the “Sugbo Kahanas” program which will help Cebuanos and the economy recover from the damaging effects of the pandemic and Typhoon Odette. Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday led the ceremonial distribution of scholarship grants to 55 Cebuano beneficiaries who represent the 4,329 qualified TESDA scholars of the Capitol’s Sugbo Kahanas program. “This program .…

Read More

An official of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on Monday urged large buildings and government buildings to use cloud-based monitors and electronic sensors (e-sensors) to monitor their energy consumption. “These are tools that would enable large buildings and government buildings to track their energy consumption and figure out the aspects where they waste energy,” DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said in a public briefing. Amid the rising oil prices, Guevera said the first line of defense is minimizing energy consumption. “If we do not understand how we consume energy,…

Read More

Israel is keen to partner with the Philippines in boosting more profitable agriculture in the country through capacity-building efforts and the introduction of Israeli technology. In a media roundtable on March 10, Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss said the embassy is open to facilitating partnerships between Israeli and Filipino stakeholders not only to introduce their innovation but also to share best practices that would be relevant to the local agriculture setting. “The Israeli government is willing and is interested to partner with the Philippines. Whilst we have very…

Read More

Former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gringo Honasan has been named as the 11th member of the senatorial slate of presidential aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. In a statement Friday, the camp of Marcos announced that it has adopted the veteran legislator to be part of its senatorial lineup for the May 2022 polls. “We are pleased that he is now part of our senatorial slate. We believe that Sen. Gringo will accomplish a lot in the Senate,…

Read More

The Philippines and Israel are partnering to further boost the country’s dairy sector. In a signing ceremony on March 2, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar and Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss signed a joint declaration that would jumpstart technical and economic partnerships between Filipino stakeholders and Israeli agri-food industry players. “We aim to introduce smart and precision agriculture while using Israeli technology adjusted to local conditions to address the local challenges. Signing the joint declaration is a strong signal that MASHAV, Israel’s agency for development cooperation,…

Read More

The Department of Science and Technology – Northern Mindanao (DOST-10) is drawing up measures to attract more investors for local start-ups. In an interview Wednesday, DOST-10 Director Alfonso Alamban said having investors or venture capitalists directly supporting budding entrepreneurs in the region is one of the “weak spots” that they intend to address as part of its Regional Inclusive Innovation Centers (RIICs). “Start-ups or technology-based businesses are usually developed by students and professors in universities, and they reached out for possible investors that could help them materialize their ventures,” he…

Read More

Filipino and American soldiers started the construction of buildings in four schools in Luzon as part of this year’s “Balikatan” exercises. In a statement Tuesday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief, Col. Jorry Baclor, said groundbreaking ceremonies were held on Monday at Masi Elementary School in Rizal, Cagayan; Taggat Sur Elementary School and Pinas Elementary School, both in Claveria, Cagayan; and San Francisco Elementary School in Alicia, Isabela. “The activity is undertaken by engineering units and personnel from both the AFP and US Armed Forces to…

Read More

The Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking the issuance of an executive order (EO) to suspend import duty on coal outsourced from countries outside the Asean-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA). DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi made the statement amid the skyrocketing global oil prices that can also affect power rates in the coming months. “For coal, the tariff –the 7 percent tariff– on coal importation from non AIFTA, there is 7 percent duty. It is being suspended. We are asking for issuance of an EO from the President to suspend it,”…

Read More

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is hoping more women would take part in all levels of climate change development planning, as well as in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM). Secretary Fortunato de la Peña on Tuesday cited a recent survey on 130 countries that showed that with higher female government representation, there are more international environmental treaties likely to be implemented. “Studies demonstrate that gender equality and women empowerment are central to economic development as well as environmental sustainability. For example, there is evidence that women play…

Read More

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday awarded six Philippine universities PHP12.1 million worth of grants that would put access to justice for women and girls at the center of their respective clinical legal education programs. The grant, signed with representatives from Western Visayas State University, Adamson University, University of San Carlos, University of the Visayas, Father Saturnino Urios University, and St. Louis University, is under EU’s Governance in Justice (GOJUST) program, which aims to support the Philippine government’s efforts to improve access to justice for all. “Ensuring women and girls…

Read More

Over 7,000 students returned to schools in this city on Tuesday for face-to-face classes since the pandemic broke out two years ago. Department of Education Tacloban schools division information officer Nilo Eder said the first day of limited in-person learning has been successful as the weather in the city improves. “We are very happy to see children coming back to campuses today. Teachers, parents, and learners have been excited for this return of in person classes after nearly two years of modular learning due to movement restrictions,” Eder told the…

Read More

A fire at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant “has not affected essential equipment,” the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said early Friday, citing local sources. The announcement by the UN’s nuclear watchdog came shortly after Ukraine’s foreign minister said on Twitter that a fire had broken out at the plant while Russian troops were attacking. “Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Fire has already broke out,” said Dmytro Kuleba, adding, “If it blows up, it will be 10 times…

Read More

The Technical Institute of Iloilo City (TIIC) Molo campus is looking forward to becoming an assessment center of the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA). Molo campus administrator Maria Mathilde Treñas said on Thursday the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is expected to tackle during its regular session on March 8 their request to open TIIC as an assessment center for 21 qualifications or training courses. “We are ready because we have competent instructors. We have complied with the facilities and we pass with flying colors every time TESDA conducts a…

Read More

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed Executive Order (EO) 164 that now includes the potential of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix. Released on Thursday, EO 164 was signed by the Chief Executive last February 28. “This policy is the start of the national nuclear power program,” said Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Gerardo Erguiza Jr. in a press conference. Under the new policy, it stated that the country “shall ensure the peaceful use of nuclear technology anchored on critical tenets of public safety, national security, energy self-sufficiency, and environmental…

Read More

MANILA – Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi on Wednesday assured the public on the sufficiency of the country’s oil supply amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Cusi, however, cautioned against the inevitability of domestic price spikes, reflecting upward global market movements. “We are not lacking in supply given that we source our crude oil requirements primarily from the Middle East, and finished products from Asia-Pacific. However, the impact of the Ukraine crisis on international oil markets does have a direct effect on our prices,” Cusi said at the virtual…

Read More

MANILA – The Department of Energy (DOE) expects the Office of the President to release an executive order (EO) on the possible use of nuclear power for the country’s energy security. “We heard from the Office of the President that the policy is going to be approved soon. It’s an executive order,” DOE Undersecretary Gerardo Erguiza Jr. told reporters in a press conference Wednesday. In 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte signed EO 116 that created the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) composed of 17 agencies studying the potential of nuclear…

Read More

UniTeam senatorial candidate Harry Roque would push for environmental education for students from kindergarten to grade school to develop a sense of responsibility towards the environment. Roque said students must be well-informed about key environmental issues facing the world so they can develop critical and creative thinking. He vowed to reintroduce House Bill No. 5984, which he first filed when he was a member of the House of Representatives. The bill seeks to include environmental education in the curriculum for the primary education department. Under the bill, the Department of…

Read More

A clear program on innovation and technology is needed from those running for office to sustain the gains on digitalization that have been achieved to date, a convenor of Digital Pilipinas said. With the looming change in administration in the Philippines, Amor Maclang, co-founder of GeiserMaclang and a trustee of World Fintech Festival said they will ask, through a technology and innovation forum, those running for elective office for their stance on digitalization. “So even if we cannot trigger them to incorporate technology and innovation agenda at the get-go, we…

Read More

Some 44,027 teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) Ilocos Region have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) as of February 21. In a virtual press conference on Tuesday, DepEd Ilocos Region medical officer Dr. Romarie Castillo said of the total number, 25,596 are teaching personnel while 18,431 are non-teaching personnel. “We are now at 92 percent in the vaccination of the teaching and non-teaching personnel out of the total 58,122 eligible population,” she added. Castillo said some 2,864 personnel have registered and are waiting…

Read More

A “School on Wheels” equipped with laptops, printers, and internet connection will soon be traveling around remote areas in the province of Ilocos Norte to reach out to students under the current distance learning program of the Department of Education. Donated by the first Gen-owned Energy Development Corporation (EDC), Ilocos Norte’s first mobile school is reportedly worth PHP 1.9 million. EDC is the country’s largest renewable energy producer that owns a 680-hectare wind farm in Burgos town in this province. Senior education program specialist and acting information officer Valerie Talamayan…

Read More

Vice President Leni Robredo is the top pick for the presidency based on the results of a recent survey by an organization of Catholic educational institutions in the country. In a statement Tuesday, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said Robredo got 1,624 or 52.57 percent out of a total of 3,089 responses from students, school heads and administrators, non-teaching personnel, alumni, and other staff with the corresponding age groups of 18-25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, and 56 and older. The CEAP poll survey was conducted from January 24…

Read More

Some 77 public schools in the Ilocos Region have joined the expanded limited face-to-face (F2F) classes starting February 21. In a virtual press conference on Tuesday, Department of Education (DepEd) Ilocos regional office planning officer Pedro Jose Cudal said the schools are in addition to the 20 that piloted the limited F2F in the region in November 2021. Of the total number, 32 schools are in Ilocos Norte, 39 in Pangasinan, and six in Ilocos Sur, he said. “Some have already expanded their grade level coverage as before, the pilot…

Read More