E-classrooms piloted
in 3rd district schools

The Grade 5 class of the Alejandro Acuna Yap Quina Memorial Elementary School in Victorias City that uses the Promethean Interactive Whiteboard.*

The Department of Education Victorias City District in Negros Occidental has reported an encouraging performance of pupils of the Alejandro Acuna Yap Quina Memorial Elementary School in the city.

This is reportedly with the help of the interactive whiteboard that was installed last year by Rep. Alfredo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), a press release from his office said.

The e-classroom will help bring a new mind-set for the youth, the press release quoted Benitez as saying, and adding that he has intensified his advocacy for the opportunities and potential of cyber-education in the schools, and monitored the performance of the Promethean Inter-active Whiteboard that he has helped install in pilot schools in the third district.

DEPEd Supervisor for Victorias City District Nelda Demegillo reported that the performance of grades 3 and 6 pupils in the National Achievement Test covering English, Mathematics, Science, Filipino and HEKASI jumped from 58.50 percent last school year to 75.57 percent in 2012, the press release said.

Principal Oscar Blanco said there is maximized exposure of many pupils to the Promethean Inter-active Whiteboard by allowing as many classes to use the technology as well as teachers and pupils in other schools in Victorias, it also said.

E.B. Magalona Elementary School principal Angeles Verdeprado noted the motivation for pupils and teachers who are exposed to the new technology and how the experience boosted the teaching-learning process, the press release added.

She also reported that dropout rate has gone down to three percent, and the initiative and creativity of teachers have increased as they prepare teaching modules for the classes that utilize the interactive whiteboard, the press release further said.*

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VM assures repair
of city traffic lights

Bacolod acting Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said the city will repair and transfer traffic lights affected by diggings being done for the construction of various entities.

Sayson said the old traffic light near Pepsi-Cola in Barangay Bata will be transferred to Back-up 6 at Libertad Exension, a press release from City Hall said.

He said the budget for the project is ready and documentation is underway.

He said the traffic lights at the Lopue’s East area, and that at Bangga Cory, are both affected by construction work, and also the one at corner Libertad and Lacson streets (the oldest traffic light in the city) are due for major repairs. The funds for these should be covered by the 2013 budget, he said.

Sayson said repairs by the Bacolod City Water District, Department of Public Works and Highways and communication companies damaged the underground wirings of the traffic lights which have also been in use for long years already, he added.*

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MassKara Queen
screening set

The screening for the 2012 MassKara Queen finalists will be on August 18 and 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the ABS-CBN Bacolod Broadcast Complex, at 26th Lacson Street, Bacolod City.

The TV station, the official production group for this year’s MassKara Queen, will choose the Top 10 finalists, who will vie for the crown in a pageant night set October, a press release from organizers said.

Applicants must be 17 to 23 years old, 5’3’’ and above, and has roots in Bacolod, or goes to school in Bacolod. Those interested should bring a resume and 4R photos of head and body shots, the organizers added in the press release.

Meanwhile, MusiKara: The Search for the 2012 MassKara Festival Music in Bacolod City was launched by the Silver MassKara Festival Organization recently.

The songwriting competition, in partnership with ABS-CBN and MOR 101.5, is open to all bands that can compose and perform an original dance music that could be used for the festival, MassKara festival director Eli F.J. Tajanlangit said.

The music should depict Bacolod’s attractions, love for merrymaking, streetdancing, fiesta celebrations, and the dynamic life in the city, he said.

Grand prize winner will receive P20,000 in cash and the song will become the official MassKara Dance Parade Music for 2012. The nine finalists will receive P3,000 each as consolation prize.

Entry song must be between six to eight minutes, musically arranged and recorded in a danceable upbeat tempo or rhythm, with the lyrics, primarily in Ilonggo, with an option to mix English to a minimum, Tajanlangit added in the press release.

Interested bands may submit their demo CDs and registration forms on or before 5 p.m. of August 31 at MOR 101.5 Studio, ABS-CBN Broadcast Complex, 26th Lacson Street, Bacolod City.

The top 10 finalists will be announced on September 1, while the finals night will be on September 7 at the Bacolod Government Center, the press release added.*

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PHL envoy to Australia lauds
NOLITC English, IT programs

Januario Rivas, Philippine Consul General to the Northern Territory, Australia, lauded the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center for ensuring the provision of quality English language and information technology programs for Negrenses, a press release from the Center said.

Rivas was the guest speaker at the closing rites of NOLITC Tuesday for the Finishing Course for Call Center Agents NC II Batch 14 and English Language Proficiency Training for Skill Workers Batch 3.

He encouraged graduates to develop their multilingual abilities and skills because this will help them get jobs, not only in call centers, but also abroad, the press release said.

Rivas commended the efforts of the provincial government in providing bridging programs that will enhance the skills and competencies of Negrenses to be able to compete in the global job market.

The Training for Work Scholarship Program is an ongoing project of NOLITC, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Developmnent Authority, Business Processing Association of the Philippines, Contact Center Association of the Philippines, and the Bacolod-Negros Occidental Federation for ICT, the press release added.*

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