Davao HS Grads urged to opt for TechVoc courses
Councilor Rachel Zozobrado is urging Davao City high school graduates to consider taking technical and vocational courses for free through the Pangulong Gloria Scholarships offered through the various Tesda centers all over the country.
“Most of our high school graduates automatically choose white collar courses like accounting and this has led to an imbalance in the competencies supply of our graduates vis a vis the work being demanded here and abroad,” said Zozobrado who has been appointed by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to sit as his representative in the Davao City Technical Education and Skills Development Committee.
The problem with out graduates is their propensity to veer towards course that will get them employed in offices. However this is an unwise decision most of the time because our graduates should be encouraged to enroll in courses that will give them a chance to go into business for themselves later on.
“Technical and vocational graduates are very in demand abroad and if they want to work for themselves or to work in other countries then this is the way to go,” she said. Take a look at Canada Immigration’s application form and you will be surprised at how this country puts a premium on skilled workers, she said.
Zozobrado said high school graduates whose financial incapacity prevents them from taking four-year courses in college should consider enrolling in TESDA’s technical and vocational courses which are offered for free under the Pangulong Gloria Scholarships. This scholarship program, which provides free training, funding and free competency assessment, is in line with the Arroyo administration’s Economic Resiliency Program.
The program, she said, aims to produce a pool of workers who are not only qualified but also globally competent and job ready. The Gloria Scholarship is also ideal for those who are unemployed, underemployed, displaced workers or returning overseas Filipino workers.
Zozobrado said there is no longer any reason for Davao’s high school graduates to stop their education due to financial reasons. If you are at least 15 years old then you are qualified to apply for the Gloria Scholarships. However, you have to take the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) or the Youth Profiling for Starring Careers (YP4SC).
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Earth hour is more than a symbol, 56MW to be saved
Observing “Earth Hour” by switching off your electricity from 8:30 to 9:30
PM today Saturday, March 28, 2009 will not only be a symbol of cooperation among those who want to stop global warming. It is also a surefire way of saving on electric consumption.
“Aside from making a political statement, the one hour Earth Hour will also save some 560 megawatts of power for the Philippines alone,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. That’s the target of the Department of Energy for this year’s Earth Hour. The country saved 80MWh from last year’s Earth hour which was joined by more than one million Filipinos. The organizers of Earth Hour are targeting 10 million Filipino participants this year thereby increasing the amount of energy saved for just an hour.
Zozobrado said Luzon saved 56MWh of power while Metro Manila saved 16 MWh of power in just one hour during last year’s Earth Hour observance. The power saved is already equivalent to shutting down a small coal-fired power plant for one hour.
“We should use this occasion to jumpstart efficient energy use not only for an hour but the whole year round,” she said. The practice of certain government offices in regulating the use of air conditioners is already a good start but needs a more serious implementation.
She said even the private sector should contribute in power conservation by regulating their power use. Observance of the one hour power outage during the Earth Hour is already a good start but it should have a follow through to be more successful, she added.
Zozobrado said the approval of the Renewable Energy Bill, which took 19 years, should also be considered a good start for the government. However, she added, it should jumpstart other energy conservation laws.
Earth Hour aims to get more people involved in reducing the greenhouse gases and in other issues involving climate change. The key here, she said, is to limit the use of non-essential lights and electrical appliances not only for an hour but for the rest of the year.
Observing “Earth Hour” by switching off your electricity from 8:30 to 9:30
PM today Saturday, March 28, 2009 will not only be a symbol of cooperation among those who want to stop global warming. It is also a surefire way of saving on electric consumption.“Aside from making a political statement, the one hour Earth Hour will also save some 560 megawatts of power for the Philippines alone,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. That’s the target of the Department of Energy for this year’s Earth Hour. The country saved 80MWh from last year’s Earth hour which was joined by more than one million Filipinos. The organizers of Earth Hour are targeting 10 million Filipino participants this year thereby increasing the amount of energy saved for just an hour.
Zozobrado said Luzon saved 56MWh of power while Metro Manila saved 16 MWh of power in just one hour during last year’s Earth Hour observance. The power saved is already equivalent to shutting down a small coal-fired power plant for one hour.
“We should use this occasion to jumpstart efficient energy use not only for an hour but the whole year round,” she said. The practice of certain government offices in regulating the use of air conditioners is already a good start but needs a more serious implementation.
She said even the private sector should contribute in power conservation by regulating their power use. Observance of the one hour power outage during the Earth Hour is already a good start but it should have a follow through to be more successful, she added.
Zozobrado said the approval of the Renewable Energy Bill, which took 19 years, should also be considered a good start for the government. However, she added, it should jumpstart other energy conservation laws.
Earth Hour aims to get more people involved in reducing the greenhouse gases and in other issues involving climate change. The key here, she said, is to limit the use of non-essential lights and electrical appliances not only for an hour but for the rest of the year.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Smoke ban in Marlboro country should be eye-opener for Dabawenyos
The smoking ban in Marlboro country should be enough eye-opener for Dabawenyos violating Ordinance No. 043-02 popularly known as The Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Davao City.
“The ordinance is being implemented for almost seven years now but there are still plenty of Dabawenyos violating the ordinance without even fear of being caught red-handed,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Perhaps, the risk of getting cancer and other diseases caused by smoking does not scare them but here’s one that should really make Dabawenyo smokers stand up and consider their smoking habit, she added.
The State of Virginia, known as Marlboro country because it is the home of Marlboro and the location of Philip Morris’ largest cigarette factory producing Marlboro and Virginia Slims has approved a bill that will ban smoking in most Virginia restaurants and bars. The bill, which was signed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, will become effective December 1, 2009.
Under Virginia’s newly-approved law, smoking will be restricted to separate rooms that have their own ventilation. Exposure to cigarette smoke can increase the formation of free radicals in the body which destroy human cells. Cigarette smoke contains cancer-causing agents or carcinogens which damage important genes in the body.
“When the home state of a cigarette brand, which is earning millions from taxes and employment brought about by Marlboro, decides to restrict smoking in their public places then people should really be getting worried because this is proof that the health scare brought about by smoking is finally gaining grounds,” Zozobrado said.
Virginia is not however the first state in America to have banned or restricted smoking. Twenty-three of the 50 States, plus Washington, D.C. have banned smoking in public areas. The tobacco states of North Carolina and the other states of South Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming are still debating the ban.
“Davao has pioneered the smoking ban in the Philippines but it seems there is still a lot to be done in terms of convincing Dabawenyos to observe the law,” Zozobrado said. Despite the serious campaign of the city government to limit smoking to restricted areas, there are Dabawenyos who unabashedly violate the law, she added.
“I am appealing to the anti-smoking enforcers to please implement the law when necessary,” she said. Smoking has caused millions of deaths all over the world and if we want to protect our health and the health of our children then we must ensure that the Anti-Smoking Ordinance is properly implemented at all times no matter who gets affected.
The smoking ban in Marlboro country should be enough eye-opener for Dabawenyos violating Ordinance No. 043-02 popularly known as The Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Davao City.
“The ordinance is being implemented for almost seven years now but there are still plenty of Dabawenyos violating the ordinance without even fear of being caught red-handed,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Perhaps, the risk of getting cancer and other diseases caused by smoking does not scare them but here’s one that should really make Dabawenyo smokers stand up and consider their smoking habit, she added.
The State of Virginia, known as Marlboro country because it is the home of Marlboro and the location of Philip Morris’ largest cigarette factory producing Marlboro and Virginia Slims has approved a bill that will ban smoking in most Virginia restaurants and bars. The bill, which was signed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, will become effective December 1, 2009.
Under Virginia’s newly-approved law, smoking will be restricted to separate rooms that have their own ventilation. Exposure to cigarette smoke can increase the formation of free radicals in the body which destroy human cells. Cigarette smoke contains cancer-causing agents or carcinogens which damage important genes in the body.
“When the home state of a cigarette brand, which is earning millions from taxes and employment brought about by Marlboro, decides to restrict smoking in their public places then people should really be getting worried because this is proof that the health scare brought about by smoking is finally gaining grounds,” Zozobrado said.
Virginia is not however the first state in America to have banned or restricted smoking. Twenty-three of the 50 States, plus Washington, D.C. have banned smoking in public areas. The tobacco states of North Carolina and the other states of South Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming are still debating the ban.
“Davao has pioneered the smoking ban in the Philippines but it seems there is still a lot to be done in terms of convincing Dabawenyos to observe the law,” Zozobrado said. Despite the serious campaign of the city government to limit smoking to restricted areas, there are Dabawenyos who unabashedly violate the law, she added.
“I am appealing to the anti-smoking enforcers to please implement the law when necessary,” she said. Smoking has caused millions of deaths all over the world and if we want to protect our health and the health of our children then we must ensure that the Anti-Smoking Ordinance is properly implemented at all times no matter who gets affected.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Mintal to become new tourist attraction with heritage declaration
Barangay Mintal will soon become Davao City’s newest tourist attraction with the declaration of the barangay as a Japanese heritage site.
“The declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site will encourage the residents to look at possible economic activities which they can do to attract Japanese and other tourists,” Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief Roberto Teo said.
The stakeholders and other agencies and offices agreed to finally pass for the City Council’s approval the resolution declaring barangay Mintal as a Japanese Heritage Site. This after the Committee on International Relations headed by councilor Rachel Zozobrado conducted its third and final committee hearing on the proposed resolution yesterday.
Teo said it is only fitting to declare the area as a Japanese Heritage Site considering that it has indeed been identified by researchers as an area where the Japanese settled from 1919 to 1945. The location, he said, is very important because Japanese tourists would definitely want to pay homage and visit the sites previously occupied by their ascendants.
Zozobrado, who also hails from Mintal, said the barangay has always been known as Little Tokyo. She said the passage of the resolution declaring Mintal as a Japanese heritage site is long overdue since it would have already attracted Japanese tourists last August.
Philippine Nikkei Jinkai Incorporated Chairman Bernardo Fernandez said all of Mintal before was occupied and owned by the Japanese. Historically, he said, the entire Mintal area is really a Japanese community.
Barangay Captain Ramon Bargamento has already identified a site where the planned Japanese garden would be built, the small plaza beside the Mintal Gym. However, Historical Society Chair Enrica Babao said the place is too small and suggested that they
scout for bigger areas in the area since there are lots of government institutions in the area like the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Bureau of Plant Industry.
The committee agreed to look into other areas where the suggested Japanese garden will be located as a symbol of Japan’s heritage.
Barangay Mintal will soon become Davao City’s newest tourist attraction with the declaration of the barangay as a Japanese heritage site.
“The declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site will encourage the residents to look at possible economic activities which they can do to attract Japanese and other tourists,” Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief Roberto Teo said.
The stakeholders and other agencies and offices agreed to finally pass for the City Council’s approval the resolution declaring barangay Mintal as a Japanese Heritage Site. This after the Committee on International Relations headed by councilor Rachel Zozobrado conducted its third and final committee hearing on the proposed resolution yesterday.
Teo said it is only fitting to declare the area as a Japanese Heritage Site considering that it has indeed been identified by researchers as an area where the Japanese settled from 1919 to 1945. The location, he said, is very important because Japanese tourists would definitely want to pay homage and visit the sites previously occupied by their ascendants.
Zozobrado, who also hails from Mintal, said the barangay has always been known as Little Tokyo. She said the passage of the resolution declaring Mintal as a Japanese heritage site is long overdue since it would have already attracted Japanese tourists last August.
Philippine Nikkei Jinkai Incorporated Chairman Bernardo Fernandez said all of Mintal before was occupied and owned by the Japanese. Historically, he said, the entire Mintal area is really a Japanese community.
Barangay Captain Ramon Bargamento has already identified a site where the planned Japanese garden would be built, the small plaza beside the Mintal Gym. However, Historical Society Chair Enrica Babao said the place is too small and suggested that they
scout for bigger areas in the area since there are lots of government institutions in the area like the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Bureau of Plant Industry.The committee agreed to look into other areas where the suggested Japanese garden will be located as a symbol of Japan’s heritage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
