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CHED bats for more scholarships, assistance to poor students
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The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) today batted for the continuity of government scholarship and
assistance programs, putting at 10 percent of the national college population the ideal proportion of students
to be covered by the programs.
In today’s news briefing in Malacanang, CHED Executive Director Julito Vitriolo also reiterated the call more
funds for the college education sector.
He said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has already spent some P7 billion for such programs which
benefited about 650,000 poor and deserving students since 2001.
This is on top of some P1.2 billion already spent on training programs to upgrade the capabilities of almost
4,000 faculty members and about P2.5 billion for laboratories, libraries and other instructional facilities of
government as well as some private partner learning institutions.
Vitriolo said there are now 72 centers of excellence and 122 centers of development identified in the country’s
higher education profile which are comparable to quality learning institutions in some ASEAN neighbors.
Vitriolo said the CHED is currently developing educational models to upgrade the curriculum program
including the 15-year college educational program patterned from Europe to develop globally competitive
students and standards.
For his part, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Pastor Guiao
reported that the number of TESDA scholars who got into high-paying jobs increased almost seven-fold from
42,216 in 2000 to 357,509 in 2009.
Presidential Spokesperson Ricardo Saludo said noteworthy among the President’s education program
include providing Cabinet rank to the TESDA Director General and the adoption of the ladderized education
joint undertaking with CHED which not only provided immediate jobs but credited units taken in tech-voc
trainings scholarships in formal college courses.
Saludo noted that the trainings, scholarships conducted by TESDA and CHED have provided high-level
education and academic qualifications for poor but deserving Filipinos so that they easily land in high-paying
jobs in information and communications technology (ICT), tourism, business process outsourcing (BPO) and
shipbuilding industries among others.
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PGMA inspects thriving Go Negosyo, SME ventures
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LUBAO, Pampanga -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's strategy of using small and medium scale
entrepreneurship programs in the fight against poverty was recognized by the Philippine Center for
Entrepreneurship during the Go Negosyo Seminar for residents of Pampanga's 2nd District held here today at
the compound of the St. Augustine Parish Church.
Presidential Consultant for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said the President’s policies in support of the
Go Negosyo program for the past four years have inspired many entrepreneurs in the country.
A plague of appreciation designed by Cebu-based international designer Kenneth Cobonpue cited the
President for pushing and innovating positive enterprising mindset on entrepreneurship.'
''The Negosyo Seminars have the strong support of President Arroyo as she clearly sees the importance of a
thriving entrepreneurial climate for the country. She understands Go Negosyo and having an enterprising
mindset, is a solution to poverty,'' Concepcion said.
Officials said that under the Arroyo administration, the number of banks supporting small and medium-sized
entrepreneurs (SMEs) increased from only about five to at least 212 today, servicing some 900,000 SME
clients.
The President also toured the ''one town one product'' (otop) trade exhibit where Go Negosyo beneficiaries
such as Navarro Foods, which manufactures original Kapampangan delicacies like burong mudfish, burong
dalag, shrimp paste and crab aligue, have availed of financial assistance to expand their domestic
businesses into exports.
Neri-Mars Sweets and Delicacies, which makes pastillas, and other sweet delicacies, also have expanded
operations due to Go Negosyo's technical assistance.
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PGMA opens Region 3 BSP branch in Pampanga
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President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today bid farewell to the Armed Forces of the Philippines saying she was
leaving it, as its Commander-in-Chief, a truly professionalized force solely guided by duty to the Filipino people
and Constitution.”
During an AFP testimonial parade in her honor at Camp Aguinaldo, the outgoing President offered her
congratulations and gratitude to the men and women in uniform for “giving their best” to serve the flag.
She he cited gains made with the military during her nine years as President and Commander in Chief.
She expressed hopes that the future leaders will build upon the achievements of her administration and
continue the programs she started.
“Indeed I fervently hope that the progress we have made will not stop. I hope that what remains to be done will
be picked up by the next generation of leaders,’ she said.
During Arroyo’s term, various reforms in the military were initiated under the Philippine Defense Reform (PDR)
program that strengthened the military institution, revised doctrines and modernized military equipment and
weaponry.
In her parting message to the troops, Arroyo commended the military with a Presidential Citation for its
significant contribution to the successful conduct of the first automated elections last May 10.
She also awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor to Bangit for his “untiring effort” and “sacrificial service” to
lead and mobilize the military that resulted to the successful automated polls.
The Legion of Honor is conferred upon a Filipino or a foreign citizen in recognition of valuable and meritorious
service in relation to the military affairs of the Philippines
She said: “I thank the AFP for this testimonial parade. More than that, for the last nine years, the best of your
efforts and skills sacrifices, passion to serve. A professional soldier is not politicized, instead he follows the
chain of command, in war and in peace, with the price of offering his or her life.”
The President said she has not wavered in her efforts to enhance soldiers’ welfare. “Soldiers will get another
round of increase in salary starting July 1”, she said referring to the three-year salary standardization law which
also covered the military.
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BSP: RP economy doing well
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SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga – While the rest of the world continues to reel from the effects of the global
financial crisis, the Philippines, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, is doing relatively well, as shown
by the 7.3 percent growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter.
In a retrospective forum at the inauguration of the newly constructed BSP building here this morning, BSP
governor Amando Tetangco said the country’s resilience was brought about by the “pursuit of sustained
economic reforms under the leadership of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I am pleased to report that our country, as a whole, is doing relatively well. While the
world economy remains in distress following the worst global financial crisis in decades, the Philippine
economy continued to move forward, culminating in the 7.3% GDP in the first quarter this year,” he said.
Tetangco pointed out that under the administration of President Arroyo, average annual inflation was kept at
single digits, dropping to 2.8 percent in 2007, the lowest annual average in 21 years.
“This year, the average inflation for the year is at 4.3 percent, well within the government’s target of 3.5 to 5.5
percent for 2010,” Tetangco said.
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves attributed the strong showing of the country’s economy to the increase in
investment and consumption.
“Right now there has been a shift of investments from developed countries specifically from troubled European
countries to Asia and they see that the Philippines has been undertaking a number of reforms (EVAT and
banking reforms as well our manageable deficit or debt to GDP ratio) in the past,” Teves said.
“So they look to the Philippines as a stable and profitable area to invest in,” he added.
Tetangco seconded the Finance chief’s observations saying “the resiliency of our economy was not lost to
global analysts and investors.”
“One of the world’s biggest investment banks said the Philippines surpassed expectations, displaying
remarkable resilience and an impressive rebound,” Tetangco said.
“The pursuit of sustained economic reforms under the Administration of President Arroyo made this possible,”
he added.
He said the rise of overseas Filipino workers’ remittances “to historic high levels” was also instrumental to the
improved fiscal stability of the country.
In return, the BSP is working to lower remittance charges and conducting financial education on investment
opportunities and investor protection programs so that OFW families will receive the complete remittance from
their loved ones.
He said that since the mandate of the BSP is maintaining financial stability, his office will “continue to make
good progress in
integrating our countrymen into the net of the formal financial system through a program to provide financial
services to the underserved as well as the unserved and unbanked.”
“In particular, we have made inroads in improving lives through microfinance with an impressive rise in the
number of clients served, in loans granted and in savings generated. In fact, the country has been recognized
as one of the best in the world of microfinance by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The Philippines is also in a
leadership position for mobile money transfers,” Tetangco said.
“This, we shall continue to do as we pursue our mandate to ensure stable prices through monetary policies; a
sound and stable banking system through appropriate policies and programs; as well as a safe and reliable
payments system that inspires confidence in our financial system,” he added.
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