LearnCon participants spearhead National Action Plan for Learner Participation crafting

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Selected learners from 17 regions of the country convened to contribute in the crafting of the National Action Plan for Learner Participation during the recently concluded Learners’ Convergence (LearnCon) PH 2023.

As active and responsible contributors to nation-building, around 1,890 youth leaders in attendance committed to mobilize learner-centered campaigns and initiatives on health, sports, learner formation, disaster risk reduction and management, and learners’ rights and protection to make a huge impact in the country’s basic education.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte commended the delegates for using their voice to advocate for policies supporting quality and inclusive education through their involvement in school’s student government or other student organizations.

"As youth leaders, I encourage you to collaborate and build a strong network across regions and organize awareness campaigns about issues affecting Filipino youth," VP-Sec. Duterte said in a written speech.

Another highlight of LearnCon is the election and oathtaking of the new set of National Federation of Supreme Secondary Learner Government (NFSSLG) officers for School Year 2023-2024.

Ma. Cassandra Austria from Quezon City, NCR was elected President among 17 regional SSG presidents. The other elected officers are Gian Franscine Lampaz of CAR-Baguio City as Vice President; Alexa Delle Aranda of Region I – Pangasinan as Secretary; and Nina Keira Noelle Lezada of Region X – Cagayan de Oro City as Treasurer.

In addition, John Carl Hermocilla of Region IX – Zamboanga Sibugay will serve as Auditor; Mark Kristoff Javate of Region VIII – Calbayog City as Public Information Officer; and Jan Xerohj Olivo of Region IV-A – Antipolo City as Protocol Officer.

“It is essential for us to recognize that we are not mere recipients of change but active agents in shaping the future we envision for our education system,” Austria said, noting that the NFSSLG, under her leadership, will seek to strengthen student representation at all levels of decision-making.

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary for Operations Dexter Galban encouraged learners to work with the newly elected officers and board members to champion causes dear to their heart.

Anchored on the theme “SaMakabata: Sentro ng Karunungan, Huwaran ng Kagalingan,” the recently concluded learner engagement emphasized the importance of recognizing learners as the center of educational processes. It also provided them the opportunities to acquire new knowledge which can enrich their lives and aid them in addressing challenges in their respective schools and communities.

Huwag bibitiw’: UP professor emeritus urges new scientists to shape PHL’s future

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In the face of a future yet to be written, beset by Promethean technologies and an Apolakian climate, one of the country’s foremost Filipino writers calls on a new generation of Filipino scientists to stay grounded—and stand their ground.

UP Diliman Professor Emeritus Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu exhorted UPD-CS’ graduates to remain hopeful but vigilant of the future. (Photo credit: Garcia Photography Services)

“Ihahabilin ko ito nang may pakiusap: huwag sanang magbago ang isip ninyo. Kailangan ng bansa natin ng higit pang maraming scientist,” distinguished writer Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu exhorted the University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) graduating class of 2023, noted for having the most number of PhD graduates in the College’s 40-year history.

A professor emeritus and former dean of the College of Arts and Letters (UPD-CAL), Dr. Torres-Yu expressed cautious optimism for the future in her keynote address delivered at the UPD-CS Special Recognition Program last July 29. She also underscored the fundamental role of Filipino scientists in safeguarding the country’s future.

UPD-CS’s newly-minted graduates should never forget why they became scientists, Dr. Torres-Yu said, waxing poetic: “Ang kinang ay dapat timplahin ng kabuluhan para higit na maging kapakinabangan sa bayan at sambayanan. Samakatwid, hindi tayo nabubuhay para sa sariling kinang lamang.”

 



Hopeful vigilance for the future

Dr. Torres-Yu said she would be remiss as a professor and mentor if she did not urge vigilance and caution amid the celebration. She reminded UPD-CS’ new scientists that their lives and work are not isolated from the rest of the world:

“Anuman ang laboratoryong piliin, hindi ito maitatago sa nangyayari sa mundo. Kumbaga sa bagyo, literal at metaporikal, umaabot sa atin ang unos, baha, lindol, pagkawasak ng kapaligiran, kabuhayan at kapayapaan… Gusto ko mang iwasan ang pagbanggit tungkol dito, dahil ang pagtatapos ninyo ay dapat na maging masaya, magkukulang naman ako bilang guro kung hindi ko man lang mabanggit ang tungkol dito,” she told the gathered crowd of over 400 graduates.

“Ang mahalaga ay manatili ang ugaling mapagmatyag na taglay na ninyo dahil mga scientist kayo; maging mapanuri, makilahok at pumanig sa pagbabagong makabubuti sa ating bayan at sa sangkatauhan,” she added.

UP Diliman Professor Emeritus Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu exhorted UPD-CS’ graduates to remain hopeful but vigilant of the future (Photo credit: Shedy Masayon, UPD-CS SciComm)

She also touched on the need to inspire Filipino children to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through literature. Dr. Torres-Yu’s non-profit organization, Supling Sining, Inc. (SSI), collaborated with UPD-CS to create the Sulong-Agham multilingual children's books series.

UPD-CS’s Class of 2023 produced a total of 454 graduates. This number consists of 19 PhD graduates, 108 MS graduates, seven MA graduates, three Professional Masters, five diploma recipients, and 312 BS graduates. The number of the College’s PhD graduates for 2023 is also almost double that of the previous year, the most number of PhD graduates UPD-CS has had in its 40 years of existence.

The full text of UP Diliman Professor Emeritus Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu’s keynote address to the UPD-CS Class of 2023 can be found here: https://science.upd.edu.ph/cs-2023-recognition-day-inspirational-message/

SSS beefs up campaigns against delinquent employers

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The Social Security System (SSS) asserted that it is aggressively pursuing delinquent employers nationwide and vows to intensify further its efforts to collect their unremitted contributions.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet made the statement to assure all SSS members of its commitment to pursue delinquent employers and to urge all employers to comply with their obligations of religiously remitting the social security contributions of their employees.

“Each employer is assigned to a specific SSS Account Officer (AO) whose responsibility is to ensure employers’ compliance to Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018, such as registration and reporting of their employees and remittance of corresponding contributions to SSS,” Macasaet explained.

He added that Statements of Account (SOAs) are prepared regularly, which leads to the conduct of payroll audits whenever discrepancies are discovered. Billing letters are then sent to the employers who are obliged to settle as soon as possible or within the payment deadline.

Errant employers will receive a demand letter from SSS which could lead to the filing of a case assuming the persistent non-compliance by the employer.

SSS intensified its Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) campaigns, which aim to compel delinquent employers to comply with the law by issuing a Notice of Violation and instructing them to report to SSS within 15 days or face legal consequences.

“Even though we are aggressively pursuing delinquent employers, we still offer them some relief through our contribution penalty condonation programs for their consideration so that penalties may be waived if they are deemed eligible,” he said.

“SSS is also continuously reconciling and updating its records since we discover that several employers sometimes neglect to update the list of their employees in the SSS records resulting in overstated SOAs being issued by SSS,” Macasaet said.

SSS issues hundreds of thousands of SOAs and billing letters, which have to be later classified depending on actions taken by SSS and/or the concerned employer.

SSS regularly coordinates with state auditors toward fairness in the presentation of financial statements as well as in assessing compliance with pertinent laws, rules, regulations, and policies or procedures. State auditors’ observations, recommendations, and reports help drive continuous efforts to improve SSS operations.

Meanwhile, Macasaet ensures stakeholders that SSS is financially capable of continuously paying benefits and granting loans to its members and pensioners as its cash flows remain healthy, with revenues outpacing expenditures.