Palace: TESDA now offers language courses
In line with the Aquino administration’s thrust
to create more jobs and widen the opportunities for the Filipino work force,
the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has opened
foreign language courses in its regional centers especially for overseas
Filipino workers leaving for abroad for high-paying jobs, the Palace said on
Saturday.
Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said in a radio interview that TESDA is now offering language courses such
Mandarin, Spanish, Korean, Nihongo and Arabic.
TESDA is also encouraging new graduates to study
foreign language to enhance their chance of landing a job abroad, Valte told
dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“Sa mga bagong graduates natin, kung nag-iisip
pa kayo kung kaya ba ng ating mga magulang na makapagtuloy tayo ng kolehiyo,
puwedeng tingnan ang mga vocational courses sa TESDA dahil maraming mga bagong
offerings katulad ng mga foreign language courses,” she said.
According to Valte there is an increasing demand
for Filipinos who can speak different languages because they could also be
employed as tour guides in the country as more tourists arrive in the
Philippines.
There is a high demand for tour guides who can
speak Korean and Mandarin, according to Valte. Tour guides can also work as
tutors and translators, she added.
Multinational companies are also hiring
translators who can speak different languages, she said.
Valte encouraged OFWs to visit TESDA’s website
if they are interested in the new offerings.
“Para din ito sa mga OFW natin na
mangingibang-bansa na gustong matuto nung language sa lugar na pupuntahan nila
to find jobs much easier, check natin ang mga bagong courses na ino-offer sa
TESDA,” she said.
Aside from TESDA’s new offerings, the vocational
learning institution maintains its usual mechanical and technical courses such
as hotel housekeeping courses, barista, hairdressing, salon professionals and
other courses, Valte said. PND (as)
Palace asks naysayers to give peace a chance in
Mindanao
The Palace told naysayers to give peace a chance
in Mindanao after the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) this
week.
In a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on
Saturday, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said those doubting
the peace pact should look into the documents agreed by both sides.
“We invite you to look at the annexes or the documents
that we have put up online in the interest of transparency. This will be the
basis of the crafting of the Bangsamoro Basic Law that will hopefully be passed
by Congress,” Valte said.
“And let’s give it a chance. There are so many
groups that are supportive of this peace deal. Let’s give it a chance,” she
added.
President Benigno S. Aquino III led Thursday the
signing of the CAB aimed at ending the decades-long conflict that claimed the
lives of hundreds of people in Muslim Mindanao.
The President and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib
Abdul Razak witnessed the signing of the said agreement at the Kalayaan grounds
in Malacanang.
In his message prior to the signing, the
President said he will aggressively push for a just and equitable Bangsamoro
Basic Law after Thursday’s signing.
Meanwhile, addressing the concerns of the
employees of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) who fear they may
lose their jobs once a new Bangsamoro political entity is established, Valte
said the stakeholders considered their welfare during the negotiation for the
peace agreement.
Prior to this however, ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman
assured government workers in the autonomous region that they will be retained
in their positions.
“I’m sure na isa ito sa mga bagay na
napag-usapan na ng mga stakeholders dito, but nonetheless, we’ll ask for
clarifications on this. Of course, na-consider naman ang kanilang welfare in
the crafting of the agreement at isa na ‘yan doon din sa mga bagay na we should
all keep in mind para hindi sila makalimutan,” Valte said. PND (as)
Philippines to push through memorial filing with
arbitral tribunal, says Palace
There is no turning back in the Philippines’s
filing Sunday of a written pleading against China’s claims over the West
Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the Palace said on Saturday.
“In all of this, the Philippines will always do
what is right. The government will always do what is right for our country and
for our countrymen,” Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a
radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Asked if the Philippines is ready to push for
the arbitration even without the support of its neighbors, Valte said the
Philippine government is determined to fight for what is right and fair. The
country is also inspired by the support it has been getting from the
international community, the Palace official said.
Other claimant-countries in the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were allegedly being cowed by China not to
follow the actions taken by the Philippines.
“It's apparent from all the support that we’re
getting from the international community for our chosen track na kailangan ito
under international law and for a peaceful resolution of the dispute,” she
said.
The Philippines is also prepared for whatever
sanction that China will impose.
“I think in all of this, the Philippines,
really, will do what is right. China can do what it prefers to do on this
matter.”
It was reported that the Chinese leadership is
furious about the Philippines’s impending memorial filing.
A memorial is a voluminous document containing
very convincing evidence against China's claims over the West Philippine Sea
(South China Sea), the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The Philippines is required to submit the
written pleading through e-mails and courier deliveries, which should come with
soft copies in storage devices.
The memorial should also contain all
documentary, witness, expert, and other evidence that the Philippines intends
to rely on, based on the Rules of Procedure set by the designated arbitral
tribunal supported by the United Nations. PND (as)
Palace asks Filipinos to participate in this
year’s Earth Hour
Malacanang encourages Filipinos to join this
year’s Earth Hour by switching off lights from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm Saturday to
contribute to protecting Mother Earth.
Deputy Presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte
said in a radio interview that each year, more and more Filipinos participate
in the Earth Hour.
“Hopefully, we will surpass last year’s number
of participants at sana mas marami ang tumugon sa panawagan na magpatay tayo ng
ating mga ilaw mamayang 8:30 hanggang 9:30 ng gabi,” Valte told dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan.
“Isang oras lang naman ang hinihingi at saka
makakatulong din ito sa atin kasi summer ngayon.”
Aside from cutting electricity use, Valte said
participating in the Earth Hour is also a good opportunity for families to stay
together and talk.
“Kung may isa kayong kuwarto diyan, may roof
deck kayo, may balkonahe kayo, or kung meron kayong sala, for one hour get
together with the family and take advantage of that hour na magpapatay tayo ng
ating mga ilaw at puwede naman tayong mag-bonding pa ng isang oras mamayang
gabi,” she said.
The Philippines has been one of Earth Hour’s
strongest supporters, having topped town and city participation levels from
2009 to 2013.
Earth Hour is a global project of the World
Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF)-International that has gained the support and
involvement of millions of people in 154 countries.
Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia,
when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to
make a statement on environment change.
It eventually became a global sustainability
movement with the participation of over 50 million people in 35 countries.
On March 28, 2009, more than 4,000 cities in 88
countries officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet,
making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global environment change
initiative. PND (as)
