DepEd advances voucher reforms, strengthens classroom observation system

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 





DAVAO DE ORO, 05 March 2026 — Education Secretary Sonny Angara pushed forward key reforms, engaging private school partners to improve the voucher program implementation and directing the Department’s Management Committee to enhance the classroom observation system under the Teacher Growth and Performance framework.



These initiatives aim to ensure smoother voucher delivery for learners while strengthening instructional support systems for teachers across schools.



"Sa ngayon, nakatutok tayo sa pagpapabuti at pagpapalawig ng implementasyon ng ating voucher programs sa bansa. And it begins with meaningful conversations with our leaders in private education institutions to ensure that our priorities are aligned in implementing the program," Secretary Angara said.

Led by Secretary Angara, the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) convened for the 351st time, where the committee and private education leaders discussed how the two sectors can work together to ensure that the implementation of the Senior High School Voucher Program remains corruption-free.



DepEd also noted that the new guidelines for the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) will prioritize learners from middle-income and low-income households.



The meeting was also attended by Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) President Fr. Karel S. San Juan, SJ; PEAC Regional Secretariat XI Regional Program Director Sr. Ma. Marissa R. Viri, RVM; school heads of GASTPE-participating schools in Davao; and other officers and trustees of regional associations.



Secretary Angara also convened DepEd’s National Management Committee members to discuss how the agency can further improve classroom teaching observations while avoiding unnecessary stress among public school teachers.



In response to this concern, the Department is currently working on a policy that focuses on teachers' growth and performance. The framework highlights four key components—Learner Evidence, Professional Artifacts, Collaboration and Professional Engagement, and a Single Classroom Observation—each weighted at 25%, ensuring that no single measure disproportionately determines a teacher’s performance rating.



Furthermore, the proposed policy seeks to promote teachers' professional growth, ensure fairness, manage workload effectively, and ultimately improve learning outcomes.

"Muli, patuloy tayong magsusulong ng mga polisiya at programa para sa ikabubuti ng ating mga kaguruan. President Bongbong Marcos has emphasized time and again the need to protect the welfare of our teachers—and we remain steadfast in carrying out this directive," Secretary Angara said.

San Miguel opens museum at oldest brewery to honor 135 years of enduring legacy

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A museum dedicated to one of the Philippines’ most iconic and enduring brands, highlighting over 135 years of history and brewing tradition, and paying tribute to generations of employees, has opened at the country’s oldest surviving brewery in Polo, Valenzuela City.



San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President and COO John Paul L. Ang and San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMBI) President and COO Carlos Antonio M. Berba recently led the opening of the company’s Polo Brewery Museum — marking the completion of a decades-long effort to gather and preserve archival records, historical objects and artifacts, and oral histories tracing San Miguel’s history as a beer brewer founded in 1890 — before it became a diversified conglomerate operating in multiple industries, today.



The museum, housed in the original building of the Polo brewery, features a wide collection of displays, including once-state-of-the-art brewing equipment, facsimiles of historical documents, classic labels and advertisements, workers tools, among others — all tracing the company’s evolution across generations.



Also featured are other priceless pieces used in the brewing process, including a mash filter used in separating liquid wort from solid grain, in preparation for beer brewing; a washing machine used for the filter cloth for the mash filter; an all-copper centerpiece mash tun, where the brewing process begins; and mash kettle where the liquid wort is boiled.



The items represent the company’s “last remaining connection” to its long and remarkable history.



“This tribute to San Miguel’s beginnings and milestones could not have been better placed. Polo Brewery is our oldest operating facility and it serves not just as a sentimental link to our past, but as a source of strength. It should remind us of our tradition of excellence and hard work through generations of employees. That same tradition powers our company today,” said Ang.



Following the destruction of World War II, San Miguel had to rebuild from the ruins of the City of Manila where it was originally founded in the San Miguel district in 1890 to its then acquired Balintawak Beer Brewery in Polo, when the area was still part of Bulacan in 1947.

It is in this building that the museum now showcases its displays, foremost of which is the Royal Patent issued by the government of Spain in 1890 that granted founder Don Enrique Maria Barretto de Ycaza the 20-year exclusive rights to brew beer at his La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel in Manila.



Also on display are old promotional materials and advertising from the 1950s through the 1990s, as well as the various packaging and bottles developed over the decades.



Berba said preserving San Miguel’s history carries both honor and obligation. “You have to remember, while heritage… is a privilege, it is also a responsibility. It is our responsibility to make sure this legacy continues for SMB,” he said.



Efforts to establish the museum date back to as early as January 2000, but progress came gradually, with archives and historical pieces slowly accumulated through successive plant leaderships.



Stronger resolve to work on its completion came in 2025 as San Miguel marked its 135th anniversary, a milestone that highlights its longevity in Philippine business. Additional resources poured into transforming the space into what company officials described as a lasting source of pride for employees, and a reminder that long-term success is built on adaptation, discipline, and continuity.



For now, the Polo Brewery Museum is not open to the public, with only employee visits and pre-arranged, special visits allowed. It is intended not just to preserve artifacts, but also to highlight how brewing excellence, workforce training, and technological standards helped sustain the company’s expansion locally and regionally, for over a century.

Bukidnon 1st District Rep. Jose Manuel Alba, a long-time human resources officer of SMB, cited in his keynote address how he sees the human side of the company’s industrial story and its connection to the nation’s progress.



“Our rich history deserves to be honored even in a brewery like Polo — people need something that speaks to the heart,” Alba said. “Whether in San Miguel or in the public sector, the calling remains the same: Serve with your heart; struggle if you must; but always choose to be good.” ##30##

PHOTOS:


Leading the ribbon cutting rites of the Polo Brewery Museum are (from left) Bukidnon 1st District Rep. Jose Manuel Alba, SMC President and COO John Paul L. Ang, Polo Brewery Plant Manager Danny Pajarillo, former SMC CFO and now SMC consultant Ferdinand K. Constantino, and San Miguel Brewery Inc. President and COO Carlos Antonio M. Berba.






All-copper mash tun used in brewing beer and the evolution of San Miguel beer bottles.

A collection of vintage tools used in the old brewery.



The original marker of the Balintawak Beer Brewery plant in Polo, Bulacan, which was acquired by San Miguel in 1947 to rebuild its beer brewing business after World War II.



Perhaps, the most important artifact in the collection: the royal patent that gave Don Enrique Maria Barretto de Ycaza the exclusive rights to brew beer in Manila in 1890.







These dated tools and equipment were considered state-of-the-art during their time in the mid-1900s.

Deep Blue Diplomacy: The Philippines Descends on Shanghai to Conquer the Global Dive Market

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The depths of the ocean are calling, and the Philippines is answering with a masterclass in maritime prestige. From March 6 to 8, 2026, the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center will transform into the epicenter of the underwater world as the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, in a powerhouse alliance with the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) - Shanghai, leads a high-stakes delegation to the Diving Resort and Travel (DRT) Show Shanghai 2026.

This isn't just an exhibition; it is a strategic maneuver to dominate one of the most explosive travel sectors on the planet.

The Great Leap Downward: China’s Diving Explosion

While the global diving community grows at a steady pace, China is experiencing a literal tidal wave of interest. Recent data reveals a staggering reality:

China’s annual growth rate for newly certified divers is estimated at 35% to 40%.

This astronomical rise significantly surpasses the global average of a mere 10%.

High-octane segments like technical diving, snorkeling, and scuba are seeing unprecedented demand.

"DRT Show Shanghai provides a vital avenue to reinforce the Philippines' stronghold in a rapidly expanding dive market," declared TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles. She emphasized that consistent presence in these "specialized trade platforms" is the key to driving high-quality visitor arrivals to Philippine shores.

A Pavilion of Wonders

The Philippines is not arriving empty-handed. A massive 90-square-meter exhibition space will serve as the gateway to the archipelago’s underwater crown jewels. This collective showcase features 18 elite co-exhibitors, representing the best of the nation's:

Luxury dive resorts and liveaboards.

Expert dive tour operators and specialized shops.

Local Government Units (LGUs) and DOT regional offices dedicated to marine preservation.

This unified front aims to highlight the country’s globally recognized ecosystems and world-class biodiversity to the premier manufacturers, certification agencies, and conservationists attending the show.

A Legacy of Excellence

The Philippines enters the 2026 circuit with the momentum of a champion. The previous year was a "gold rush" of international accolades that solidified the country’s status as the ultimate diving destination:

DRT Show Shanghai 2025: Secured the Tropical Blue Haven Award and the Diving Paradise Award.

DRT Show Beijing 2025: Brought home the prestigious Island Charm Award.

The Mission: Beyond the Reef

By identifying diving as a priority tourism product, the TPB is focusing on more than just sightseeing. The mission is to forge strategic B2B engagements and trade networks that ensure sustainable, high-value tourism for years to come. 

As an agency mandated to promote the Philippines as a world-class MICE and tourism destination, the TPB is inviting all industry stakeholders to connect with the delegation and explore the limitless collaborative opportunities hidden beneath the waves.