Wellness in Science and Technology: DOST adopts 5-yr digital strategy | Inquirer Business

DOST adopts 5-yr digital strategy | Inquirer Business: "Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo on Wednesday assured ICT industry stakeholders, particularly members of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, that ensuring Internet access for all and enabling government agencies with technology would still be a vital part of the administration’s agenda.

“The DOST is at one with the stakeholders and the broader ICT sector and it fully intends to push forward with the implementation of the newly crafted ICT road map that is the PDS,” Montejo said in a statement.
“It is an impressive body of work and we support the many that were involved in its creation,” he said.
The PDS was crafted by the CICT after nine months of consultations with the private sector and other government agencies.
It aims to provide a guide for social and economic development in the Philippines by harnessing ICT. The ultimate goal is a stronger society with empowered Filipinos at its helm.
The PDS’ major thrusts are e-Governance, Internet access for all, digital literacy and ICT sector development. Each of these has a set of objectives for 2016 and a set of corresponding actions that respond to these objectives."

Wellness in Education: Gov't and private sector pitch in to build over 12,000 classrooms | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

Gov't and private sector pitch in to build over 12,000 classrooms | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online: "Six months after the DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with municipal, city and provincial government units for the construction of classrooms under the 50/50 counter-parting scheme, a total of 1,054 classrooms have been committed for completion within the school year worth over P800 million.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said some P1B worth of classrooms is up for signing in the weeks ahead.

Based on DepEd figures the number of classroom backlog runs up to 66,800 units based on student population for school year 2010-2011.

From the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), another 1,000 units of fully-equipped classrooms are up for turn-over to DepEd by December 2012.

Based on its 2011 actual budget allocation of some P8 billion for classroom construction, DepEd can only build a maximum of 10,000 classrooms per year.

“From this single government corporation alone"

Wellness in Environment: DENR Chief Paje tells local execs to study geohazard maps | The Philippine Star » News » Headlines

Paje tells local execs to study geohazard maps | The Philippine Star » News » Headlines:

The environment chief recommended to local government units (LGUs) to prohibit habitation in areas declared as “highly susceptible” to flooding and landslides by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), citing as example the Pangi River in Davao City that overflowed following heavy rains.

"Pangi River, according to Paje, has been declared as prone to overflow in a geohazard study, “Terrain Analysis of the Davao City Watershed,” conducted by the MGB-Region 12.

He said the MGB has already completed the geohazard assessment and mapping throughout the country, and has distributed geohazard maps with a scale of 1:50,000 to all LGUs.

Paje also advised the LGUs to monitor areas prone to flooding in their respective municipalities, especially during heavy rains, and to install early warning system that will monitor water level in the rivers, like the one placed in the Marikina River.

Under the geohazard mapping project of the DENR, the following were identified as top 10 flood-prone provinces: Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Maguindanao, Bulacan, Metro Manila, North Cotabato, Oriental Mindoro and Ilocos Norte.

The project has also identified flood-prone provinces along the Eastern Seaboard to include Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, eastern side of Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur and Davao Oriental."

Wellness in Arts: Entry for the CCP Architectural Design Competition for the Artist’s Center and Performing Arts Theatre / Buensalido Architects

Entry for the CCP Architectural Design Competition for the Artist’s Center and Performing Arts Theatre / Buensalido Architects: "Design Concept:
“A TAPESTRY OF THE FILIPINO CULTURE”
Weaving as Core Concept
The Philippines is known for its hybrid of cultural identities. The descendants hailed from different countries, eventually forming intricate layers of diverse characteristics which now define Filipinos. Their distinctiveness, therefore, lies in that hybridity – they are a unique tapestry of interwoven cultures.

Weaving is a manifestation of coming together to bind, intertwine and strengthen materials. With the help of many interlaced threads, a single thread can form part of an extremely stronger fabric, as evidenced in many artifacts of vernacular culture: strands of Buri thread can form a banig; otherwise delicate Jusi Fiber can form an intricate Barong Tagalog; and a united people can overthrow unjust leaders. This symbolism of coming and standing as one– weaving together different parts to form a coherent and strong whole – is applied in different levels of Buensalido Architects’s design proposals to serve as a constant reminder of their collective strength as a country."

Peace Update: Prosecution to quit if Zaldy turns state witness | The Philippine Star » News » Headlines

Prosecution to quit if Zaldy turns state witness | The Philippine Star » News » Headlines: "Two state prosecutors handling the Maguindanao massacre case yesterday vowed not to accept the offer of former regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan to turn state witness, even if it would mean resigning from their posts.

The government lawyers, who requested anonymity, said they wanted the case to continue on its course.

They dared Ampatuan to have himself arraigned first if he really wanted to tell the court about his family planning the heinous Nov. 23, 2009 killings.

“We don’t want a repeat of the Garcia prosecutor,” said one of the prosecutors.

The prosecutor was referring to Ombudsman Chief Special Prosecutor Wendell Sulit who agreed to the plea bargain offered by former military comptroller Carlos Garcia to plead to a lesser crime in exchange for returning half the money he allegedly stole.

The prosecutor noted that Sulit ended up being suspended.

“If he really wants to say what he knows, then have himself arraigned first so he can join the trial,” the fiscal added."