https://www.sunstar.com.ph/ |
- 17 Negrense care workers graduate in Japan
- Abellanosa: Machiavelli
- Sigue: Amazing women of March
- Almost 300,000 Covid-19 vax doses in NegOcc, Bacolod nearing expiry
- NegOcc exec: Guv welcomes all candidates
- Drug personality shot dead
- Negros Occidental Provincial Water Summit set on April 7
- Over P115,000 'shabu' seized in Bacolod City
- Bautista to government: Hire more teachers, build more schools
| 17 Negrense care workers graduate in Japan Posted: 01 Apr 2022 03:59 AM PDT THE first batch of scholars composed of 17 Negrense health workers under the Japanese Language and Care Worker Study Scholarship Program recently finished their two-year vocational care worker course at the Houshin School of Healthcare in Miyakonojo City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan.The graduates are Rhea Mae Ermeo from Bago City, Cherie Mae Semeña from Binalbagan, Femar Aquino, Jazmin Ferrer and Arjean Valiente from Cadiz City, Lyrine Ortiz, Jaime Padrid Jr. from Himamaylan City, Don Vetsky Decena from Hinoba-an, Mary Pauline Arro from Kabankalan City, Ferlie John Argando from La Castellana, Edson Pakingking from Murcia, Tracy Lane Rubio and Hervie Superticioso from Pontevedra, Melbourne Crispo from San Enrique, John Mark Fernandez from Silay City, Kevin Clyde Catequista from Sipalay City, and Mary Grace Joan Ebro from Talisay City.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, in his commencement speech, lauded the scholars for their dedication and advised them to be responsible products of the province."As you venture into another chapter of your professional life, always remember, that you are also paving the way on behalf of the other young Negrenses who wish to follow your footsteps. I am taking this opportunity to encourage all of you to stay and work with the Houei Group. Let us show the world not just skills we have, but also our proper work ethics and character," he said.The governor thanked the Houei Group and Yutaka No Sato Social Welfare Corp. for being partners of the province and for their commitment to promote sustainable international education."I am glad that Negrenses are not left behind as the entire global community is getting more and more integrated and connected," Lacson said, stating that while movement and in-person interactions are limited because of Covid-19 pandemic, communities around the world remain connected.The Japanese Language and Careworker Study Scholarship Program is a study now, pay later program under the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division.It is offered to nursing and midwifery graduates and other health related degree holders, who will study Japanese language course for one year and three months at the Houei International Japanese Language Academy and vocational caregiving course for two years at Houshin Fukushi Gakuen.The scholars took the national licensure examinations in January this year and passers will be announced later. They are now on a special activity visa and will transition to care worker visa or nursing care visa soon.The first batch of scholars left for Japan in January 2019. Currently, there are 13 more Negrense scholars in Japan who are set to finish their caregiving course in 2023.The graduation ceremony was attended by Miyakonojo City Mayor Takahisa Ikeda, Yutaka No Sato Social Welfare Corp. Chairman Yukiko Shimizu, Houei Group President Yukari Shimizu Edwards, Houie Group Vice President Takako Shimizu Wee, Houei Group International Affairs General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of International Japanese Language Academy Leroy Edwards and Houei Enterprises Ltd. President Noriyuki Tsuda.The principal, assistant principal, teachers and admin staff of the school also attended the activity. (PR) |
| Posted: 01 Apr 2022 03:58 AM PDT AN ITALIAN Renaissance political thinker who died almost 500 years ago suddenly became the talk of the town. Thanks to the question of Professor Dr. Clarita Carlos to Mr. Bongbong Marcos during the SMNI presidential interview: Are you Machiavellian?I am not interested in Mr. Marcos' answer. What interests me is the sudden surge of Machiavelli's popularity. What interests me, all the more, is the sudden increase in commentators, annotators, and experts in Machiavelli (in particular) and political theory (in general).I taught Political Theory years ago. It was not a secret that the subject was not liked by many students. In fact, there were more who abhorred the readings of the course. Especially among my students who majored in Political Science and who planned to take up law, the likes of Machiavelli were considered irrelevant vis-à-vis the mere interest of getting a college diploma. I must add, parenthetically, that if Machiavelli's works were not viewed with so much interest by those who would prefer to read simplified codal works, there was "greater" distaste for the likes of Rousseau, Hegel, and Marx.Precisely, why I find it ironic when all of a sudden people here and there have become Machiavellians, speaking as if they're Machiavelli's close friends or childhood playmates.Quite unfortunate though that still the political thinker's views are read like a glass of water: half-filled and half-empty. People repeat caricatures of Machiavelli, underscoring the often-oversimplified notion that his philosophy is obsessed with power, immoral (or amoral), and selfish. There's a grain of truth in these, but any serious student of political science and political philosophy knows that like any theorist or thinker, Machiavelli simply did his part in trying to interpret political life the best way he could during his time.It would not be incorrect to say that Machiavelli is not so accurately read if we limit our focus on themes of deception and cruelty in his work, especially The Prince. While Machiavelli may have been associated with practical politics, that is, the "is" of politics rather than the "ought"; nevertheless, it is not entirely true that he is the archetype of diabolical rule or governance without morality.One must read Machiavelli, especially The Prince, in context. Moreover, one has to read the other writings of the Italian political thinker in order to get the fulsome landscape of his views. Apparently, Machiavelli is not like Aristotle who is explicit in his view on the link between ethics and politics. More so he is not the same with Christian thinkers who see politics as part of God's plan. There's truth in this, but there is also a valid reason why. It will make our reading of him circumspect if we pay attention to the situation of Renaissance Italy. If we do this, it cannot easily be said that there is no moral element in Machiavelli's thoughts. It is not the case that Machiavelli is ordinarily and without any qualification supportive of any naked reduction of politics to power.Because we do not have enough space to elaborate the above mentioned points, let me recommend a few reliable commentaries. You may consider Sebastian de Grazia's Machiavelli in Hell, a work described by the Journal of Modern History as vivid and credible. Also check Giovanni Giorgini's "Machiavelli on Good and Evil: The Problem of Dirty Hands Revisited", a chapter in the book Machiavelli on Liberty and Conflict. Another work by the same author is "Cicero and Machiavelli: Two Visions of Statesmanship and Two Educational Projects Compared." This discusses Machiavelli's political philosophy as a vision of statesmanship and, thus, an educational project for rulers.Professor Carlos' question is timely. Whether Bongbong Marcos is Machiavellian, is something that remains to be seen. Setting aside our partisan differences, my advice is for us to read and read the appropriate sources before we make unnecessary and pretentious remarks about something we know little. |
| Posted: 01 Apr 2022 03:57 AM PDT THE National Women's Month may be over but my head is still swirling in amazement of the women in my current network. I met and worked with some of the most awesome, inspiring, and trailblazing women in this country last month. Some of them I have already known for years, but their latest feats are worth mentioning today.This week, I was invited to serve as moderator of a conference in data science and analytics organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines in line with their project dubbed as Smarter Philippines through Data Analytics, Research and Development, Training, and Adoption (Sparta) which is dedicated to putting in place the necessary online education, research and development mechanisms, and infrastructure to enable the industry of Data Science and Analytics, and foster smart governance practices.I was totally engrossed in listening and conversing with my panel composed of Michelle Alarcon, president of the Analytics Association of the Philippines, and President and Managing Director of Z-Lift Solutions Inc.; Donna Pamella Pam Gonzales, the Deputy Project Manager for the MOOCs and SGP component of Sparta, and Dr. Ruth Angelie Cruz, Associate Professor at the Department of Decision Sciences and Innovation of De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines and Business Development Manager of the Andrew L. Tan Data Science Institute (ALTDSI). These women spoke about the importance of embracing data as a tool for designing solutions to current problems such as in education, poverty alleviation, healthcare, and even addressing day-to-day pain points for citizens. Sparta brought us all together as the project which started some years back is really an ambitious yet noble attempt to usher this country into a digital and data-driven transformation.Then there is this young woman who has accepted my invitation for her to be my associate researcher in my current research entitled, "A Study Towards Building A Comprehensive Data Analytics and Visualization Portal for National and Local Development in the Philippines (D4D). Frei Sangil is founder and chief executive officer of LAYERTech Software Labs. She is a data analyst, cybersecurity, computing and intelligence consultant for various companies, NGOs, and local governments and government agencies. Frei is passionate innovator, analyst and programmer, adept in C, C++, C#, R, VB, Java, PHP, HTML, Python, CSS and SQL, cybersecurity and research professional, experienced project manager, and advocate for data-driven governance, open data, and open education. Just reading her portfolio makes me wonder how in her twenties, she can be this passionate about helping our country. She has worked and is well acknowledged in her field even in other countries and will surely be one amazing woman whose career I would love to follow.For names of those I know for years now enter my mind whenever we speak of amazing women, I have Emmylou Versoza-Delfin of the Department of Information and Communications Technology and heads the ICT Industry Development Bureau, which takes the lead in the department's Digital Cities Program. She was recently designated to also head the department's strategic communications programs. I know Director Emmy since the founding days of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines and the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for Information and Communications Technology (Bnefit).I also have in mind Dr. Lizan Perante-Calina, who has been a good friend since my college days. She now heads the Graduate School of Public and Development Management of the Development Academy of the Philippines. Dean Lizan is very dedicated to helping professionals in government to upskill and embrace future thinking lenses. She has pioneered and driven many innovative programs under her department.Indeed, I am blessed to know many women who are doing their very best in taking this country several notches higher especially around innovation. Let me save the other names for another column. |
| Almost 300,000 Covid-19 vax doses in NegOcc, Bacolod nearing expiry Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:39 AM PDT OVER 221,000 doses of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccines of various brands are due to expire at the Negros Occidental Provincial Cold Room Storage by the end of April this year.Dr. Claudella Josefa Pabillo, who is in-charge of the province's cold storage facility, said expiring vaccines at the end of April include Pfizer orange cap - 36,720 doses; Moderna - 4,890 doses; AstraZeneca - 38,900 doses; and Janssen - 140,539 doses.But Pabillo said the Pfizer orange cap vaccines may be utilized before the end of the month as they are allocated for the inoculation of children aged five to 11 years old.She said some people failed to return for their second dose, thus some vaccines were not utilized.Pabillo also said that the final disposition of vaccines that are nearing expiration is within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Government agencies involved in the inoculation drive are advised that the expiration period of the vaccines is extended up to one month, the doctor said, as she reiterated that Covid-19 jabs will still be available in all local government units (LGUs) and hospitals for those who want to avail of them.Earlier Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II noted that the slow vaccination turnout is being experienced not only in the province but also worldwide.Those who are left unvaccinated are people who do not believe in the vaccine's efficacy because of their religion, while others refuse to be inoculated because of personal beliefs, he added.Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) will also wait for the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the extension of expiration date of the Covid-19 vaccines earlier delivered to the city, its top official said.Em Ang, executive director of the EOC-TF, said Thursday, March 31, that several doses of AstraZeneca vaccines will expire this month and they will wait for the directive from the Department of Health (DOH) on what to do with it."When they sent [these vaccines] to us, it's near expiry and right now we only administered 831 doses of vaccines in a day infor all vaccination centers. Before, we averaged 12,000 doses to 15,000 in a day," she said.Ang said that before the delivery of the vaccines two months ago, they refused to accept it and they advised the City Health Office (CHO) to write the DOH-Western Visayas and National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) to refuse the delivery because they still have a big inventory of the vaccines in the city's cold room."But the DOH replied that we cannot refuse the vaccines so they delivered it to the city," she said.CHO records showed that a total of 20,000 of AstraZeneca vaccines will expire this month and another 40,000 doses in May and 10,000 doses in June."We still have an enough supply of vaccines in the cold room and we cannot administer these vaccines in such a short period of time (since it's near expiry) considering that 130 percent of the target population were already fully vaccinated," Ang said.She said that currently, the city is only concentrating on booster shots and inoculation of children aged five to 11 years old.Ang said they cannot return or distribute the vaccines to other LGUs without a directive from the DOH. |
| NegOcc exec: Guv welcomes all candidates Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:37 AM PDT PROVINCIAL Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II clarified that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson welcomes all national candidates who are coming into the province and wants to pay a courtesy visit to him.This despite the fact that Lacson has already declared support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo and the candidacy of Senate President Vicente Sotto III for vice president.Diaz confirmed presidential aspirant Senator Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, who is arriving in the province Friday, April 1, will meet the governor at the Provincial Capitol Building in Bacolod City to have lunch together.He said there is no problem if the candidates pay a courtesy call to the governor, saying: "We will give (them) a Negrense warm welcome."Pacquiao's campaign manager and former Bacolod mayor Monico Puentevella said that upon arrival in Silay City, the presidential aspirant will meet Mayors Mark Golez and Nilo Jesus Antonio Lizares III of the cities of Silay and Talisay, respectively.Included in Pacquiao's activities are his visit to Burgos, Libertad and Bacolod Central Markets and an Interfaith Christian Fellowship at His Life Ministries compound at Santa Clara Avenue in the city.Pacquiao will arrive in Silay City via chopper from Iloilo and will proceed to Dumaguete City on Saturday, April 2, before flying back to Manila for the presidential debate.Puentevella earlier said that Pacquiao is also meeting Bacolod mayoralty aspirant Alfredo "Albee" Benitez during his visit in the city.But photographs he sent to the media yesterday showed that the two were able to meet during the senator's visit in Iloilo City Thursday, March 31, 2022.Incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who is a long-time friend of Pacquiao, earlier said: "I have no control over that," when asked if he has a scheduled meeting with the senator.Leonardia, in a statement Thursday, said the people of Bacolod welcome boxing icon and wife, Jinkee, to the City of Smiles."As with other dignitaries and ranking government functionaries, and even presidential candidates, visiting our beloved city, it is, indeed, an honor to have the 'Pambansang Kamao' in our midst, especially so that he is an adopted son of Bacolod," he said.The mayor added that "we wish him all the best in his new political journey with high hopes that he will have a pleasant time during his visit to our city and other areas of Negros Occidental." (With reports from EPN) |
| Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:37 AM PDT AUTHORITIES are looking into the possibility that the killing of an alleged drug personality in Purok Boulevard, Barangay 14 in Bacolod City shortly before midnight Wednesday, March 30, is related to his involvement in illegal drug activities.Police identified the fatality as Jeremy Maslog, 21, of the said barangay.Major Ramel Sarona, commander of Police Station 1, said the victim was included in their illegal drugs watchlist and a habitual offender for violation of Presidential Decree 1602 (illegal gambling) and City Ordinance 358 (possession of bladed weapon).Investigation showed the victim was on his way home on board a motorcycle when unidentified assailants fired at him several times and fled.The victim succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot.Police recovered from the crime scene two fired cartridges of unidentified firearms and a motorcycle.Sarona said they are eyeing two suspects in the killing of Maslog, believing that "it was well-planned to kill him in the area."He said the victim was also involved in several theft incidents within their areas of jurisdiction."For now, we are eyeing illegal drugs as possible motive in the killing of the victim and we are still gathering evidences to identify and arrest the suspects," he added. |
| Negros Occidental Provincial Water Summit set on April 7 Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:34 AM PDT THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is set to hold the Provincial Water Summit at the Nature's Village Resort in Talisay City on April 7, 2022.The summit is themed "Achieving a water-secure future for Negros Occidental," a statement from the Provincial Government said Thursday, March 31.The summit, to be attended by representative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), will underscore the highlights of the February 2020 Negros Water Summit Provincial Integrated Water Security Framework and Planning Process.The results of the hydrologic studies in watersheds of Negros Occidental and highlights of the proposed Negros Occidental Integrated Water Security Plan will also be tackled during the event.A pledge of commitment and support from the stakeholders will also be made during the summit. |
| Over P115,000 'shabu' seized in Bacolod City Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:34 AM PDT AN ESTIMATED P115,600 worth of shabu was seized in separate drug busts of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Western Visayas in the city on Wednesday, March 29, 2022.The operations led to the arrests of Robert Carino, 34, of Purok Kawayan in Barangay 28; Joebert Amante of Purok Mahinowaun, Barangay 19; Ronald Torrres, of Barangay Villamonte; Jake Dela Torre, of Barangay Singcang-Airport; Arjie Paran, of Barangay 19, all in Bacolod City; and Romeo Cabarles of Barangay Lag-asan in Cadiz City.BCPO records showed that Carino, a high-value individual, was arrested by operatives of Police Station 6 after he sold a sachet of shabu to a poseur buyer in Purok Kawayan, Barangay 8 at 11:16 p.m.Police recovered from Carino's possession 10 sachets of shabu weighing five grams with estimated market value of P34,000, the P500 marked money, P260 cash and cellular phone.Meanwhile, Cabarles and the other suspects were also arrested by the PDEA in Barangay 19 around 3 p.m.Police recovered from the suspects several large packed plastic and small sachets of shabu weighing 12 grams with estimated market value of P81,600, a cellular phone, coin purse, pouch, lighters, drug paraphernalia and a drug bust money.PDEA records showed that Cabarles was identified as a drug den maintainer in Barangay 19.The suspects are detained at the custodial facilities of Police Station 6.They will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. |
| Bautista to government: Hire more teachers, build more schools Posted: 31 Mar 2022 07:22 AM PDT IF THE return of face-to-face classes in some areas becomes nationwide next school year, the government should now go full blast in building schools, hiring teachers and buying books and equipment.This call was made by UniTeam senatorial candidate and former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, who noted that the government has 18 weeks left to ready the 47,612 public schools for the expected August opening of school year 2022-23."Lumiliit ang window of opportunity," the three term-mayor of the country's largest city by land area said, adding that "preparations for our children's education should be as focused as preparations for the national elections."According to Bautista, if Covid-19 cases will continue to be low, it will eventually "end the longest physical closure of schools in our history."But the 24 million public school returnees, he added, should not go back to schools "with deficiencies the pandemic has worsened."Kailangan may sapat na bilang ng classrooms at teachers, bagong libro, at mga kumpletong kagamitan," Bautista said.To ensure that these are ready by time schools reopen, Bautista said the Department of Education (DepEd) must spend without delay its "mega allocation" in the 2022 national budget."For example, the DepEd has in its disposal P3.18 billion for new classrooms and laboratory this year," said Bautista, who is running under the platform of Internet reform, Livelihood for all and Youth development, or ILY.On top of this, he added, is a P1.03-billion allocation for the repair and renovation of school buildings. Bautista said the P1.12 billion earmarked for school desks and furniture must be spent with deliberate speed."Merong pang pondo ang DepEd na halos kalahating bilyong piso para health, sanitation and water facilities," he pointed out, adding that "ang mga ito ay dapat nasa last stages na ng procurement."Bautista also batted "for the speedy acquisition of the items" listed in the P1.5-billion fund to modernize "last mile schools," which are located in poor and hard-to-reach areas.But what should be given the highest priority, Bautista stressed, is the hiring of new teachers and the promotion of those whose assignment or length of service make them deserving of a salary bump."The recruitment should be year-round. The DepEd is one job fair that never closes because a net increase of just 40 students triggers the hiring of one teacher," Bautista said.The DepEd has 990,995 authorized personnel positions, of which 46,632 are vacant."Let us fill these with competent, qualified and dedicated teachers," Bautista said. (PR) |
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