Aquino declares May 2 as special non-working day
in Bauan, Batangas in celebration of 'Sublian Festival'
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared May
2, which falls on a Wednesday as a special (non-working) day in the
municipality of Bauan in Batangas in celebration of its Sublian Festival.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 369 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on April 19, to give the people of Bauan the full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with fitting ceremonies.
The Sublian Festival is a yearly festive
ceremony commemorating the founding of the holy cross in Bauan, a town in
Batangas. The festival aims to revive the centuries-old tradition of dancing
the Subli, an indigenous dance of Bauan. (PCOO)
.
Aquino calls for fair and balanced reporting
from media practitioners
President Benigno S. Aquino III called on media
practitioners to internalize and advocate the practice of fair and balanced
reporting in their publications in order to achieve our “collective goals and
dreams for our nation.
The President made this call in his speech
keynoting the 16th National Press forum and Annual Membership Meeting of the
Philippine Press Institute held on Monday at the Traders Hotel along Roxas
Boulevard in Pasay City.
“Alalahanin po natin, magkatambal ang ating mga
tungkulin: Kami, bilang nasa gobyerno, at kayo, bilang tagapaghatid ng
katotohanan. Ang pagtupad sa tungkuling natutuhan na po nating hilingin sa
gobyerno, ay siya rin sanang pagtupad sa tungkuling puwede nating asahan mula
sa lahat— katapatan sa katotohanan, pantay na pagsusuri, at pagtutok sa kung
ano ang makabubuti sa taumbayan,” the President said.
“Hindi ko naman po hinihiling na mag-imbento
kayo ng kuwentong-kutsero upang pabanguhin ang gobyerno. Pero kung babalansihin
po natin, at iisipin na ang bawat salita ay nakakaapekto sa buhay ng kapwa
natin Pilipino, tiyak ko po na mas madali nating maaabot ang kolektibo nating
mithiin para sa bayan,” he stressed.
The Chief Executive said he believed that if all
media practitioners, in their pursuit and honing of their craft, would adhere
to the code of professionalism, integrity and credibility, the true sense of
democracy would prevail amid the jumble of dissenting voices and opinions.
“Sa inyong pagpupursigi na maabot ang
pinakamataas na antas ng propesyunalismo, integridad, at kredibilidad sa
larangan ng pamamahayag, naniniwala akong maiaangat ang uri ng ating demokrasya
kung sa gitna ng nagtutunggaling boses at opinyon, may mahubog tayong isang
Pilipinas na may mas matibay na lipunan, mas nagkakaisang tinig, at mas
positibong sambayanan,” the President said. (PCOO)
.
Aquino receives three Filipino pugilists in
Malacañang
President Benigno S. Aquino III received three
Filipino boxers who have brought honor and glory to the country, carving their
names in the world’s roster of best sluggers.
Filipino boxers Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, Johnriel
“Quadro Alas” Casimero and Sonnyboy Jaro paid a courtesy call on President
Aquino at the Music Room of the Malacanang Palace on Monday.
The fighters were accompanied by Games and
Amusement Board (GAB) chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon and their respective
promoters/managers Edmund Villamor (Nietes), Samson Gello-Ani (Casimero) and
Aljoe Jaro (Jaro).
The World Boxing Organization (WBO) Light
Flyweight World Champion Nietes was also a former WBO Minimumweight World
Champion.
Prior to his boxing career, the minimumweight
Nietes worked as a utility man at the Antonio Lopez Aldeguer boxing gym. In
2003, He became a professional boxer and a national champion after a year. He
has fought 33 fights registering 29 wins (16 by knockout), 1 loss and 3 draws.
The 22-year-old native of Ormoc, Leyte Casimero
was once the interim WBO Light Flyweight Champion. A year after turning
professional in August of 2008, Casimero won over Rodel Quilaton for the then
vacant Philippines Boxing Federeration Flyweight title.
Following the bout, Casimero moved down one
division, to light flyweight, defeating Liempetch Sor Veerapol of Thailand by
technical knockout to claim the then vacant WBO Asia Pacific Light Flyweight
title.
He successfully defended that title two bouts
later against Ardin Diale, until he got the biggest break of his career.
In February of this year, Casimero won the
International Boxing Federation Interim Light Flyweight title against
Argentinian boxer Luis Lazarte via TKO in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Casimero’s boxing record stands at 14 wins (10
knockouts), 2 losses and 0 draw.
The WBC Flyweight World Champion Jaro was a
former shoemaker before turning professional boxer in September, 2001. (PCOO)
.
Aquino to formally launch K+12 Basic Education
program in Malacañang Tuesday
President Benigno S. Aquino III will formally
launch the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Kindergarten to Year 12 (K to 12)
program in ceremonies to be held in Malacañang on Tuesday (April 24).
With its launch, the enhanced K+12 Basic
Education program will be implemented in all public elementary and secondary
schools nationwide starting school year 2012-2013 when classes open this June.
The central feature of the K+12 Program is the
upgrading of the basic education curriculum to ensure that learners acquire the
relevant knowledge and skills they will need to become productive members of
society. It seeks to introduce relevant skills development courses and special
interest subjects that will suit the personality, strengths and career
direction of each learner.
Education Secretary Brother Armin A. Luistro FSC
said the event is another step towards achieving the President’s ten-point
basic education reform agenda he laid out when he assumed his presidency.
Luistro said the formal launch is a milestone in
the commitment of the government to upgrade the basic education in the country
and offer better employment opportunities for the graduates of the education
reform program.
In designing the new curriculum, the K+12 Task Force
considered not just local experiences and best practices but also insights from
Southeast Asian neigbors. “What we have is a curriculum proudly made for
Filipinos by Filipinos, and one that would enable any Filipino to compete with
the best of the world,” Luistro explained.
“While we are proud of the work we have done
with the curriculum, this is by no means a perfect document,” Luistro said. “We
will closely monitor its implementation, and funnel learning and insights to
the development and roll-out of the succeeding grade levels. The new basic
education curriculum and the broader K+12 Program should only get better with
time.”
Related to this, DepEd is also retooling its
teachers to give them the necessary preparation for the successful
implementation of the new curriculum. “Summer training program for Grades 1 and
7 teachers began last week and will commence nationwide in May to cover more
than 140,000 teachers in the public school system,” Luistro said.
He added that DepEd is also working with various
private school associations to broaden the reach of the training program and
serve their teachers too. (PCOO)
