Ateneo Still Center Of Excellence In SM

Ateneo, UIC: Two Schools in Southern Mindanao Enjoying Autonomous Status

There are 85 private and public higher education institutions in Southern Mindanao and only two of them---the Ateneo de Davao University and the University of Immaculate Conception are enjoying the Autonomous Status.

“The autonomous and deregulated status is given by the Commission on Higher Education to private HEI’s that have shown exemplary performance in their education program including research and extension services,” CHED XI Education Supervisor Engr, Luis Perez said.

Ateneo, a private Sectarian institution, was the first higher education institution to have been given an Autonomous Status in the region for 5 years. The status was renewed last November 2007 and will last up to November 14, 2012 after ADDU once again proved it was qualified to be deregulated. The University of Immaculate Concepcion has just been given the Autonomous status.

Perez said a school with Autonomous status is no longer directly supervised by CHED administrative-wise. The school can open new programs without getting approval from CHED. Schools with Autonomous status enjoy a lot of perks aside from independence since they are the priority in case of financial assistance from CHED. These schools also get the first chance when there are scholarship programs like the Faculty Development Programs.

One of the most obvious benefits of being an Autonomous School is that they are no longer required to get a Special Order or SO. This is an order required by the CHED to certify that the school’s educational program is already certified. Autonomous schools like Ateneo and UIC are no longer required to get an SO since they are no longer regulated by CHED.

There are certain criteria before an institution is given an Autonomous Status and one of this is that most of the school’s programs are already accredited by PAASCU or the other private accreditation agencies which signifies that the institution is offering quality education. The institution should also prove that it is a center of excellence, a status also given by CHED to schools that meet certain criteria. “A high percentage in Board results is a big factor in granting the center of excellence status to an institution,” he said.

The State Universities like the University of the Philippines and the University of Southeastern Philippines are however a different story since these are chartered institutions created by law and financially supported by the government. State universities also enjoy administrative freedom so they can operate as many programs without CHED intervention. The state universities are governed by a Board of Regents which is headed by the CHED Chairman,

“Schools that enjoy an Autonomous Status are schools that are over and above the minimum standards set by the government,” Perez said. Thus, you can always rely on these schools to provide quality education.(published, THE EDGE, April 2008)

Will Cheap Medicine Bill Trickle To The Masses?

The hypertension medicine Norvasc is priced at P8 in India and a startling P80 in the Philippines. The price difference is expected to disappear with the approval by Congress the other day of the Cheap Medicine Bill sans the provision on generic prescription.

But will the supposedly drug lowering effects of the new law trickle down to the poorest of the poor in Philippine Society? Healthcare in the Philippines sucks and in the local parlance, if you are poor "higa ka na lang sa semento at hintayin mo mamatay ka."

Take the case of former president Corazon Aquino who has colon cancer. She's one of the lucky few because aside from hundreds (if not thousands) of people praying for her recovery, she does not have to concern herself with the costs of her chemo or her medication. What about Mang Juan who is even scared to have himself tested for fear of getting a portion of the family budget that is not even enough to buy the family 3 kilos of rice for a day?

Commuting Is A Pain

Commuting can be a pain that's why I always thank my lucky stars for affording me a chance to work at home in my own time. This eliminates several hours of commute time which can be a big waste of time, money and effort. Even in Davao City, commuting can already be a pain especially with the Bankerohan Bridge still being repaired. The opening of classes this June will surely add to the congestion.

Wednesday Movie Guide

Ironman is finally here in Davao particularly at SM City Cinema 1. (I just checked with NCCC Cinema and they have it too --- they have new theaters, new seats!) I'm excited to see Robert Downey in that gold and red hit-tech suit to fight crime. Downey is Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and weapons maker who was captured by terrorists in the Middle East. He dons the suit and becomes Ironman to protect the very people who have been victimized by the weapons he created. It also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, a very talented actress who starred in unforgettable movies like Shakespeare in Love.

As a promotional gimmick for the movie, an LG IronMan 18 karat gold phone has been released. The phone, which is worth $2000 is not available anywhere but only at the IronMan website. That is, if you are lucky enough to win their contest.

Well, you can buy cheap IronMan memorabilia at Jollibee Just buy the Kiddie Meal and choose from the IronMan watch, game, notebook and shades.

IronMan GP

SM Cinema 1 11:05/1:30/4:00/6:30/9:00

NCCC Cinema 2 12:00/2:30/5:00/7:30/10:00

Ploning

SM Cinema 2 11:50/1:40/3:30/5:20/7:10

When Love Begins

SM Cinema 3 & 4 11:25/1:20/3:15/5:10/7:05

Davao Businessman Eyeing Investors For P15M Cable Ski Park

Campo Agua: future site of cable wakeboarding facility in Mindanao

Campo Agua in Sirawan, Toril, Davao City may just become the venue of Mindanao’s first cable wakeboarding facility if the vision of owner and manager Kenneth Valderama is realized.

“We are looking for investors who would be willing to invest at least P15 million for the construction of a cable wakeboarding park here in Toril either on a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) scheme or other method,” Valderama said. He said he already has the land but an investor is needed to provide the equipment.

The Valderamas own a 13-hectare property right where Campo Agua Resort is located but the latter only occupies about 2.4 hectares. Of the total land used, 400 square meters have been allotted for the pool, 2 hectares for the fish ponds, 3,000 square meters for the boating lagoon and some space for the crocodile farm.

Campo Agua Resort is being marketed as an interactive water playground for kids with open slides, tunnels, mushroom showers, water hydrants which can be controlled by the kids and spray boardwalks. The area development started way back in 1999 but the restaurant and the resort was built only in 2002.

The resort already offers lots of activities for parents and children aside from swimming. They can go fishing and have their catch cooked by the restaurant for a minimal fee. The fish will also have to be weighed in and paid per kilo.

“We also sell hito (both fingerlings and the table sizes) for those who want to start their own hito farms; the fingerlings are priced at P2 to P5 per fingerling (which can take four to five months before they become table sizes ready for frying or roasting),” he said.

While the resort is doing great and is becoming a favorite spot not only for swimming but also for those who want to have their birthday or other parties in a resort, he said he still wants to expand and make it a center of entertainment for Dabawenyos and even for the whole of Mindanao.

Valderama’s passion is however to see the place transformed into a tourist destination through the construction of a cable wakeboard facility. “Grabe ang hatak sa mga foreigners ng mga ganitong lugar so it will really be feasible for those who will invest in it,” he said.

What was known worldwide before was only wakeboarding which is a sport that required a person (who is attached to a skateboard-like board called well, a wakeboard) to be pulled by a boat and allowed to ski in the water. Cable wakeboarding on the other hand, is also wakeboarding but this time, the person does not require a boat but an overhead cable system.

Cable wakeboarding has been considered a favorite sport and hobby by foreigners for a long time now. However, this extreme sport became famous in the Philippines only recently, thanks to movie star and cable wakeboarding aficionado Aga Mulach who included some cable wakeboarding shots in one of his recent films.

The Philippines is not however a stranger to cable wakeboarding since it has two cable wakeboarding facilities located in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur (CamSur Watersports Complex) and in Balibago, Calatagan (Lago de Oro). There are more than 140 cable wakeboarding facilities worldwide, 60 of which are found in Germany. The two facilities are raking in dollars and pesos thanks to the local and foreign tourist arrivals.

The Department of Tourism is always on the lookout for the establishment of new tourism products for Davao and for Mindanao. This is one private sector initiative that deserves support from the government.

With an improved peace and order condition in the area plus a lot of push, Valderama’s dream of seeing a cable wakeboard facility right in Campo Agua’s location may become a reality sooner than he thinks.(published, THE EDGE, April 2008)

Lord Of The Wings

Filipinos are known for their creativity. If you have seen the Harry Cutter barber shop or the Mang Donald's burger then chances are you are quick to recognize name brands that have been localized by Pinoy's. Here's one of them along Toril.

The Church And A Close Mindset

Will the church keep its word that it will not give the sacrament of Holy Communion to the Davao City councilors who voted YES to the Local Development Plan for Children during last Tuesday's sessions? For sure, no councilor would be brave enough to prove the church's claim by attending mass.



But come to think of it, is the church's proclamation rational? Is it based on clear thinking or were they just misled? During the 3rd reading of the resolution, councilor Angela Librado said she could not find any of the allegations hurled by the church against the LDPC. Archbishop Capalla was invited during the committee hearings but unfortunately, he failed to attend. Was that because the matter was insignificant to the archbishop? Or could it perhaps signify the closed mindedness of the church represented by the archbishop?



Davao City may be considered as one of the most livable cities in Asia but poverty and child problems are mounting. Look around and even in your neighborhood you can see lots of children who have been left behind to fend for themselves. Parents are lining up to get cheap, if not free rice to feed their growing family. And yet the church says population growth is not the problem but the distribution of resources.



I agree. But shouldn't we look at this on all fronts? And solve this on all fronts?



After the session I was able to interview a doctor who is against the LDPC. She said "they do not know the issue; is population a problem? Hindi naman ah!" Data however shows that the Philippines is already Top 12 in the



Librado claims this is not all about promoting pre-marital sex or promiscuity or abortion. The church however refuses to believe that. But what is wrong with teaching people to plan their families the best way they can? Using contraceptives does not make women whores or irresponsible. Natural family planning or whatever, it is their choice. The use of contraceptives is a choice that should be left to the couple, not the church; not the government because neither will feed hungry mouths that will start to line up once the couple start to go and multiply...



Will, I too be prohibited from taking the Sacraments because of this?