SAGC Speech During Signing Ceremony: Donation of E-Trikes For Marawi City

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Below is the speech of Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi during the signing ceremony of the donation of E-Trikes for Marawi City in Mindanao:

"Task Force Bangon Marawi Chairman and concurrent HUDCC Chief Eduardo Del Rosario, Partners and friends, good morning.

Welcome to the ceremonial signing for the donation of E-Trikes for Marawi city. Today’s event is a significant step in our persistent efforts to rebuild Marawi.

Under president Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive not just to rebuild, but to rebuild better, the department of energy is among the many government agencies working very hard with Task Force Bangon Marawi for this tremendous cause.

Providing our brothers and sisters in Marawi with E-Trikes is not only about providing them with an energy-efficient mode of transporation. These E-Trikes also represent a means to support their livelihood and jumpstart increased economic activity in the area.

To further enhance the benefits of these E-Trikes, the doe, together with our stakeholders in Mindanao, is expediting the establishment of charging stations to maintain and increase the durability of these energy efficient vehicles.

I commend the Task Force Bangon Marawi, our colleagues in the government, members of the energy family, as well as our electric cooperatives, particuarly Lasureco, in all your efforts to ensure the speedy re-energization of the city.

Our dear partners for change, we assure you that we will not rest until Marawi returns to the beautiful and culturally rich city it truly is. Maraming salamat po at magandang umaga po uli sa ating lahat."

Sec. Alfonso G. Cusi
DOE Media Center
12 January 2018

DOE Donates 200 E-Trikes to Marawi

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E-TRIKES for MARAWI: Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi driving an energy efficient Electric Tricycle, one of the 200 E-Trikes donated by the DOE to Marawi through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding today Friday at the Energy Center in BGC, Taguig City.

The Department of Energy (DOE) donated 200 units of energy efficient electric tricycles to the local government units (LGUs) of Marawi as part of its efforts to help rebuild the city.

The donation was made through Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing the turnover of the E-Trikes.

The MOU between Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi and TFBM Chairperson and HUDCC Secretary Eduardo D. Del Rosario was signed today, Friday, January 12 at the DOE Headquarters witnessed by local government unit (LGU) of Marawi and other DOE officials.



The vehicles are expected to help those affected by the siege for their livelihood and daily movement from point to point.

The E-Trikes donation comes as Marawi City is undergoing rebuilding after the end of a five-month take-over by terrorists that resulted to more than P17 billion in property damage and opportunities lost.

“Under President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive to rebuild, the DOE is among the many government agencies working very hard with Task Force Bangon Marawi for this tremendous cause,” said Cusi.



According to Cusi, the rehabilitation for Marawi aims to develop sustainable and equitable resettlement areas for the affected population of the siege.

Cusi said, “More than having an energy-efficient mode of transportation, the DOE E-Trikes for Marawi will provide livelihood to its beneficiaries and jumpstart economic activities in the area.”

The DOE E-Trikes are alternative transportations that are safe, comfortable with relatively reduced noise and environment-friendly compared to other common tricycles.

Local commuters can use the E-Trikes for their daily trips to and from relocation sites, schools, health centers, markets, places of worship and other destinations.

The E-Trikes can be charged at home through common electrical outlets.

The DOE, with the help of the stakeholders in Marawi/Mindanao, is also expediting the establishment of charging stations to maintain and increase durability of these energy efficient vehicles.

Cusi assured that “the DOE will continue to uphold its mandate in providing secure, reliable and sustainable energy to spur sustained growth with inclusivity.”

The signing ceremony was attended by the DOE family and representatives from the TFBM, National Economic Development Authority, LGU of Marawi led by City Mayor Majul Gandamra, Officials of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), Asian Development Bank, and members of the media.

The DOE is the implementing agency of the Market Transformation through the Introduction of Energy-Efficient Electric Vehicles Project otherwise known as the Electric Vehicle Project and is in the process of deploying the same.

TFBM, which was established under Administrative Order (AO) No. 3 issued by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on June 28, 2017, is a group of different government agencies tasked to facilitate the rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction of Marawi City.

The mandate of the Task Force is to develop and implement a comprehensive rehabilitation and recovery program based on a post-conflict needs assessment.

DepEd Advances Indigenous Peoples Education Through Committed, Sustained Dialogue with IP Communities

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Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones reaffirmed the Department of Education’s (DepEd) commitment to further strengthen the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program through continuous consultations with IP elders, leaders, and community representatives during the 2017 National Indigenous Peoples Education Gathering on January 10 in Davao City.

The Gathering commemorated 10 years of meaningful dialogue between DepEd and IP communities all over the country that led to the birth of various policy issuances that provide appropriate directions for IPEd Program implementing regions and divisions, so that initiatives are responsive to the aspirations and educational needs of IP learners.

A prayer-blessing also opened the second decade of dialogue, with community elders and leaders expressing their hopes for a deepening relationship between IP communities and DepEd, and praying for the guidance and well-being of all those involved in implementing the IPEd Program.

In her keynote message, Briones highlighted specific education concerns that have direct bearing on IP learners and communities and the implementation of an education that is geared toward a more quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education for all.

She underscored the importance of environmental protection in the curriculum as one way to contribute in keeping IP learners and communities safe, as their identity, culture, and livelihood are shaped by the natural environment surrounding their communities.

“So kailangan talaga, tayo na umaasa sa natural environment, dapat tayo ang mangunguna sa pag-protect nito… I-protect ang ating livelihood dahil ang katutubo, hindi lang nagpuputol ng kahoy, hindi ba? Pinapalitan iyan dahil alam naman natin na iyon ang nagshe-shelter sa atin, ” Briones said.

She called on DepEd to be a champion of the environment as this is a concern of all, not only of IP communities.

The Education chief also mentioned the significance of utilizing technology in ensuring that the cultures of various IP communities in the country are nurtured and protected: “Kailangan gamitin natin ang technology para ipalaganap ang ating kultura, pamamaraan, at pamumuhay.”

Briones committed that as DepEd continues its efforts to enhance the curriculum, concerns of IP learners and communities will be included. “Marami pang pagbabago ang gagawin natin sa curriculum, pero ang importante, hindi natin iiwan ang mga katutubo.”

Furthermore, she conveyed her message not just for IP learners but to all Filipino learners, "You have to be brave, you should be courageous, you should not be afraid even as you know that the world is changing and by the time that you graduate, it will change even more.”

Also present at the event were Undersecretaries Alberto Muyot, Jesus Mateo, Lorna Dino, Alain Del Pascua, Annalyn Sevilla, and Victoria Catibog; Assistant Secretaries Revsee Escobedo and Josephine Maribojoc; and former Education Secretaries Jesli Lapus and Mona Valisno.


Notable milestones

As of 2016, the IPEd Program has reached 16 regions, 31 cities, and 80 provinces; established mechanisms for engagement and partnership with 170 Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) in 290 communities nationwide; developed more than 500 contextualized lesson plans in collaboration with 60 ICCs located in over 200 communities nationwide; and conducted basic training on IPEd and the use of contextualized lesson plans to 2,718 schools serving IP learners.

The IPEd Program is also working on the development of the basic requirements —orthography, dictionary, grammar book, and reading materials—to implement the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) with 65 ICCs.

In support of the program, DepEd continuously crafts policies based on community feedback through consultations and relevant studies that will address the education concerns of IP communities. Concerns addressed by policies formulated in the five years of IPEd Program implementation include the recognition of non-profit private schools serving IP learners, cultural sensitivity in dealing with aspects of IP culture, curriculum contextualization, and hiring of teachers for schools implementing IPEd, among others.

With the opening of the second decade of dialogue, future directions include institutionalizing the mechanisms of dialogue towards effective curriculum contextualization and program implementation, strengthening and expanding school level implementation of the IPEd Program, and systematizing the delivery of DepEd services—both formal and ALS—in far-flung IP communities, among others.

AFPI: New P5 coin will be accepted at LRT / MRT Ticket Vending Machines by March

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AF Payments Inc. (AFPI), the company behind the Automated Fare Collection System beep™ and the supplier of the self-service Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) in LRT1, LRT2 and MRT, has begun the calibration needed for TVMs to accept the new five peso coins released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) late last year.

The calibration work will be conducted in Germany where the supplier of the coin acceptor unit used in the machines is based. AFPI’s partner in Germany is one of the leading suppliers of vending machine coin acceptors in the world.

Taking into consideration any unforeseen delays in the process, the new coins are expected to be usable at all TVMs across the three elevated railways (LRT 1, LRT 2, and MRT 3) this March.

“For the protection of our consumers and the train operators we serve, we only work with experienced and reputable suppliers who have the capability to perform this type of sensitive system upgrade” said Agnes Padilla, spokesperson for AF Payments, Inc.

In the meantime, AFPI advises the commuting public to double-check their five peso coins before inserting them into the TVMs to avoid any inconvenience. It also reminds passengers that they can opt to buy Single Journey Tickets and even replace their new coins for old ones at the station tellers.

Lastly, the company reminds the public that they can purchase and reload the tap-and-go beep™ cards at FamilyMart, Circle K, SM Bill Pay, Robinsons Business Center and Bayad Center outlets as well as at the stations.

DepEd Receives Training Course Manual for Child Protection Specialists

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As part of its continuing efforts to promote the Child Protection Policy, the Department of Education (DepEd) received 1,500 copies of the manual entitled “Breaking the Chain of Violence Against Children: A Specialized Training Course for DepEd Child Protection Specialists” from Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation on January 9.

The donated training course manuals will be given to all the trained and designated child protection specialists (CPS) of DepEd, and will be used by the participants of the second level training, to help them gain expertise on providing technical advice and referring child protection cases, advocating for the protection of children, and disseminating information to their respective schools and offices.
On behalf of the Department, Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Alberto Muyot received the manuals officially turned over by Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation’s Managing Director, Atty. Carmela Andal-Castro.

In his foreword message for the manual, Muyot expressed the importance of creating a safe and nurturing environment for learners; “DepEd recognizes that for a teaching-learning environment to be truly beneficial and meaningful for learners, it should promote all their rights, especially their right to be protected from all forms of abuse.”

Castro also expressed her hopes that the publication of the CPS training manual would help teachers, school officials, and even parents combat abuse, neglect, and exploitation of learners.
The training course manual contains the training program, materials for the training modules, and the references used such as the DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012 or the DepEd Child Protection Policy and the Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

Pursuant to Department Order No. 131, s. 2016, and to further boost the implementation of its policies on child protection, DepEd shall train and designate CPS who will provide technical guidance to the schools and their respective schools divisions on complex or serious cases of child abuse brought to their attention, and recommend actions to address the same based on existing Child Protection-related laws and pertinent DepEd issuances.

The CPS shall also assist in referring cases to concerned government, non-government, or other agencies for appropriate interventions or further case management.
There are two levels of training for CPS: (1) National Training of Trainers on Child Protection; and (2) Child Protection Specialist Training.

To date, there are 290 trained and designated CPSs in Regions 1, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and National Capital Region (NCR). There will be additional three batches for the Second Level Training in February and March, with participants from Regions 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.

“We hope that this training course can adequately address the needs of our child protection specialists. It is our goal to train individuals to be knowledgeable on the holistic approaches to child protection,” Muyot concluded.


Photo caption: DepEd Undersecretary Alberto Muyot receives 1,500 copies of training course manuals for Child Protection Specialists (CPS) donated by Consuelo Zobel Alger

Celine Dion Announce Live 2018 Tour to Play in Manila

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Tickets Go On Sale To The Public Beginning 18 January 2018

World-renowned singer Celine Dion has announced she will head overseas this summer with her highly anticipated LIVE 2018 Tour to perform in seven cities across the Asia-Pacific region. Scheduled to kick-off 26 June in Tokyo, the CELINE DION LIVE 2018 Tour will see Celine return to cities she hasn’t performed in for ten years, including Tokyo and Macao, and cities she will perform in for the first time ever, including Singapore, Jakarta, Taipei, Manila and Bangkok.

Tickets for CELINE DION LIVE 2018 in Manila will go on sale to the public beginning 18 January at 10 a.m. Members of TeamCeline will have access to purchase tickets before the public through an advance pre-sale from 16 January to 17 January. The tour is produced by AEG Presents and co-produced by Ovation Productions in Manila.

Tickets for CELINE DION LIVE 2018 Tour in Manila will go on-sale to the public beginning 18 January.

For tickets and information visit celinedion.com and smtickets.com.



CELINE DION LIVE 2018 Tour Dates:

26 June
Tokyo
Tokyo Dome

29 June
Macao
Cotai Arena at The Venetian Macao
3 July
Singapore
Marina Bay Sands Grand Ballroom

4 July
Singapore
Marina Bay Sands Grand Ballroom

7 July
Jakarta
Sentul International Convention Center

11 July
Taipei
Taipei Arena

13 July
Taipei
Taipei Arena

19 July
Manila
Mall of Asia Arena

23 July
Bangkok
Impact Arena

One of the most immediately recognized, widely respected and successful performers in pop music history, Celine Dion has sold almost 250 million albums during her over 30-year career. She has earned five Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards and seven American Music Awards.

In 2004, Celine received the Diamond award at the World Music Awards recognizing her status as the best-selling female artist of all time. In 2016, the Billboard Music Awards presented her with the lifetime achievement Icon Award.

Celine continues to break records with her ongoing Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace which has played over 1,000 shows to more than four million fans.

Always-on and Always Connected – Meet the New Lenovo Miix 630 2-in-1 Detachable

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This CES 2018, we’re teaming up with Qualcomm and Microsoft to bring mobile computing to consumers in a whole new way. Meet the new Miix 630, Lenovo’s latest Windows 10 S 2-in-1 detachable that gives you the power and productivity of a laptop with the always on, always connected mobility of a smartphone.1 This isn’t just Wi-Fi. We’re talking about true anytime, anywhere mobility – with integrated 4G LTE1 so you don’t have to just rely on finding a Wi-Fi hotspot. Now you can have the instant-on, whisper-quiet operation of a smartphone in the form of a versatile 2-in-1 detachable with a full-sized keyboard and digital pen included.2

Here are the top five benefits the new Miix 630 can make in your productivity.


#1: Everyday PC Performance

We built the Miix 630 with Qualcomm’s innovative Snapdragon™ 835 Mobile PC Platform on the Windows 10 S operating system, so you can get work done on the go. Its full-sized backlit keyboard with precision touchpad gives you a comfortable and convenient typing experience to compile reports, design presentations or crunch numbers. We’ve also equipped it with a Lenovo digital pen with 1,024 levels of sensitivity so you can draw, sketch or annotate with Windows Ink™ for a natural pen-on-paper experience.

The Miix 630 runs on Windows 10 S, making it ideal for users who want consistent performance and streamlined security by running apps exclusively from the Microsoft Store. If you prefer the familiarity of Windows 10 Pro, the Miix 630 allows you to upgrade at no cost so you can choose the operating system that fits your needs.3


#2: Fast Smartphone Connectivity

We made the Miix 630 for today’s mobile generation. It delivers the kind of always-on, always connected1 freedom that smartphone users expect, and what laptop users want. Whether you’re working from a coffee shop or airport, you can now eliminate dependence on public Wi-Fi networks or the hassle of having to create a hotspot from your phone.

More than just anytime, anywhere connectivity, the Miix 630 offers lightning-fast connections1. Its integrated 4G LTE1 is designed for fast download speeds allowing you to check emails, share files, shop online or stream your favorite show without a hitch.


#3: Your Mobile Sidekick

Even with its keyboard, the Miix 630 is just 15.6mm (0.6 in) and featherlight weighing just 1.33kg (2.93 lbs).  The Miix 630 offers incredibly long battery life of up to 20 hours of local video playback4 -- letting you leave the power cord at home. Better yet, the Miix 630 gives you constant connection even in standby mode – offering longer battery usage.5 Standby mode lets you stay connected with up-to-the-minute emails, notifications, message syncing and Skype calls in standby mode – all without draining your battery.


#4: Smooth, Quiet Operator

The Miix 630 is built with a fan-less design that packs more power with efficient heat processing into a smaller Snapdragon 835 mobile chipset. Its quiet operations make it ideal for working in quiet public spaces like the library, classroom or co-working space.


#5:  Versatile Inside and Out

The Miix 630 2-in-1 detachable gives you five ways to intuitively interact with your device. Browse social media or watch videos on its 12.3-inch WUXGA+ touchscreen tablet, draw and edit with its Lenovo digital pen, or attach its full-sized keyboard to comfortably type those longer emails. The detachable keyboard can serve as a screen protector when you’re on the go.

The Miix 630 also offers amazing personalization. Windows 10 S enables Cortana®, your voice-enabled intelligent personal digital assistant, on the Miix 630. Get reminders, track flights, send short emails, play music and much more – all with just your voice. Pair its infrared camera with Windows Hello™ for quick and more secure log-in to your Miix 630. Having biometric facial recognition adds a layer of security and personalization for instantaneous log-in.

Experience next-gen mobile computing with the Miix 630 that combines PC performance; fast integrated 4G LTE1 for anytime, anywhere connectivity; and the incredible mobility and versatility of a 2-in-1 detachable.

The Miix 630 (keyboard and Lenovo digital pen included) starts at $799.99, expected to be available beginning in 2nd quarter of 2018 on www.lenovo.com2 and will be compatible with select local carriers (prices may vary per market).1
Discover more at www.lenovo.com/lenovolaunch and www.lenovo.com/ces.


1 Requires separately purchased cellular data plan that may vary by location. Additional terms, conditions and/or charges apply. Connection speeds will vary due to location, environment, network conditions and other factors.
2 Prices do not include tax, shipping or options and are subject to change without notice; additional terms and conditions apply. Reseller prices may vary. On-shelf dates may vary by geography and products may only be available in selected markets. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings, features and specifications at any time without notice.
3 Upgrade must be within 180 days after Windows activation. All offers subject to availability and may vary by market. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings, features and specifications at any time without notice.
4 Up to 20 hours based on local video playback requires unit configured with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 SoC, 4gb RAM, 128gb UFS storage. Battery life tested using continuous FHD video playback, 1080p (1920x1080) resolution, 150 nits brightness, system audio level at 17%, player audio level at 100%, played full-screen from local storage, headphone attached, wireless on but not connected. All battery life claims are approximate. Actual battery performance will vary and depend on numerous factors including product configuration and usage, software, operating conditions, wireless functionality, power management settings, screen brightness and other factors. The maximum capacity of the battery will naturally decrease with time and usage.
5 Based on QTI Labs internal testing compared to competitive thin and light 2-in-1 devices.


LENOVO is a trademark of Lenovo. CES is a trademark of the Consumer Technology Association. Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Qualcomm Snapdragon, Qualcomm Connected Camera Platform and Qualcomm Home Hub Platform are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. MICROSOFT, WINDOWS, WINDOWS INK, WINDOWS HELLO and CORTANA are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2018, Lenovo Group Limited.

How to Cultivate Exceptional Writing Skills for Success in College and Beyond

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In today’s world, exceptional writing skills have become a major ingredient for success in both college and the workplace. Prospective students have had to demonstrate their writing ability through college application essays. Enrolled students, on the other hand, continue to utilize writing skills when writing term papers, applying for financial aid and other educational endeavors.

Looking at the workplace scenario, writing skills are still relevant. They are needed in making job applications, writing resumes, making business proposals, propositions and making effective business communications. In essence, writing skills are vital for life.

In this respect, let’s consider how you can cultivate the exceptional writing skills that will guarantee you success in your college life and beyond.




Enroll in a Writing Course

Consider enrolment in a writing course

An essential part of developing your writing skills is getting the necessary training required for exceptional writing. You can get such training through workshops, courses and targeted instruction. Depending on your goals and intended purpose, the writing course could be general or specific to your career or studying field. Writing courses, just like most courses, have a novice level, intermediate and advanced level; thus you can gauge yourself according to these levels and determine your type of training. You can choose to pursue the course in a physical training center or you can still pursue it online if the institution offers such facilities.



Have a Writing Partner

Writing partners can bring objective peer review

Peer review has been a beneficial ideal since time immemorial in virtually all fields. It typically rides on the notion of ‘iron sharpens iron’! You can greatly improve your writing skills by having a writing partner who checks, edits, proofreads and evaluates your written work. This makes you have an objective appraisal of your work which most of the time cannot be achieved if you personally reviewed the work. A writing partner can assist you immensely in checking the flow, readability, comprehensiveness and clarity of your work, whether in school or in the workplace scenario.



Utilize Writing Tools and Applications

Writing tools such as Grammarly can enhance your content

Sometimes, all we need is a writing tool to enhance the writing process. We could have the necessary set of skills to write, but the writing workload could be overwhelming. In this case, a writing tool can be of great aid. If you need to proofread your work, check on style, change the diction, tweak the vocabulary or perhaps improve the readability of your work for your niche audience, writing tools can help you. For example, grammarly.com aids in checking grammar and proofreading your work; Juicy Studio can help you improve the readability of your content, among others.



Form a Habit of Writing

Write as often as you can

It is said that it is easy to maintain a writing habit than to maintain the discipline to write. Therefore, if you want to develop exceptional writing skills, you are better off making writing a habit. To achieve this, try to write as much as you can. Write about everything and anything for you to enjoy the process. In the first instance, it may seem hard but within no time, you will live to write.



Read Widely

Reading exposes you to best writing techniques

The only way you can get versatile in the writing world is if you have a feel for what other people are writing. This means that you will have to read widely. Your best pick could be of magazines and books of popular journalists and writers. This exposes you to the strategies, techniques and methods that are being used by various renowned writers. This exposure could help you to grasp a thing or two about creating effective catchy content; which will help you greatly in your writing endeavors in college and beyond.


Practice Writing in Different Styles

Explore different writing styles

If you want to be an exceptional writer, you must determine what works for you and what doesn’t. What better way to achieve this than to try out different styles of writing! Once you embark on this, you will know which style suits you and where your proficiency lies. In addition, it may also expose you to the tenets of different writing styles which may come in handy at one time in college life or beyond.


Conclusion
These tips are sure to help you cultivate exceptional writing skills that could help you achieve success in your college life and even beyond. You can apply them as you endeavor to improve. But one thing is ultimately needed in applying them, that is, the love for writing. If you can develop the love for writing, then all these other tips will be easy to apply.

Sophia Clark graduated from the University of the City of New York with B.A. in Journalism, 2011. She is a creative writer from New York who loves to share her thoughts with readers, now she writes for EssayWriterSite. In her free time, she enjoys writing fiction as well as reading it. Her big dream is to publish a novel one day. Connect with her on Twitter and Google +.

DOTr MRT-3 Procures Independent Safety Auditor to Decide on 48 Dalian Trains’ Fate

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Transportation Metro Rail Transit-3 (DOTr MRT-3) has completed the procurement of an Independent Audit and Assessment (IAA) Consultant, that will evaluate and make recommendations on what to do with the 48 cars or Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) that have already been delivered by CRRC Dalian, in addition to evaluating and making recommendations for other components of MRT-3.

DOTr OIC Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan said that last 3 January, the first working day of 2018, the DOTr MRT-3 Team already met with TUV Rheinland, the winning IAA Consultant.

TUV Rheinland, a German firm established in 1872, met the high qualifications set — ISO 17020 and ISO 17065 certification, and membership in the International Federation of Inspection Agencies (IFIA). Other similarly qualified firms that participated were TUV SUD and Bureau Veritas.

Commenting on whether the 48 LRVs will be used, Usec. Batan said in a press conference held yesterday, 10 January 2018, at the MRT-3 Depot, “Na-deliver na po yung mga bagon, but we are unable to accept them unless our IAA Consultant has certified their safety and compatibility with our system.”

Usec. Batan noted that the DOTr has assured the IAA that they will not interfere or influence their assessment of the 48 LRVs.

“We will not in any way try to influence their independent assessment of the 48 cars from Dalian, at tayo po ay magdedesisyon base po sa kanilang recommendation. Kung sasabihin po nila na puwede po iyang patakbuhin ng kaagad-agaran, we will consider. Kung sasabihin po nila ay patatakbuhin yan na may kinakailangang adjustments, we will consider, of course not at our expense. At kung sasabihin po nila na kailangang ibalik yan, ibabalik po natin yan,” he added.

Earlier, concerns were raised with the 48 LRVs procured by the previous administration for P3.8 billion after they exceeded the weight prescribed in the Terms of Reference (49,700-kg vs. 46,300-kg). Compatibility with the MRT-3’s maintenance facilities and signaling system were also an issue.

Usec. Batan explained that with the current fleet of Czech-made trains, MRT-3 can operate up to 20 3-car trains. If the 48 LRVs are cleared to run, that can be increased to 20 4-car trains.

“Ang original design capacity po ng MRT-3 at peak hours is 20 3-car trains, running at 60-kph, with a 3-minutes headway. Ibig po sabihin niyan ay every 3 minutes dapat may dumarating na 3 bagon,” Usec Batan said.

“At the same time po, MRT-3 was also designed to be expandable to 20 4-car trains, running with a 2-minutes headway, or 4 na bagon kada 2 minuto. Yan po ang target natin, at kung sakali pong ma clear ng ating IAA Consultant ang 48 LRVs, ay mas maaga po nating magagawa yan,” he added.


Maintenance and Spare Parts

Spare parts for the maintenance of MRT-3 will start arriving in tranches from February to June, with MRT-3 having started to procure them last November 2017.

Batan said they will utilize the Holy Week break, during which there will be no operations, to conduct general maintenance works on MRT-3.

“Tuwing Holy Week tayo po ay nagsasagawa ng general maintenance sa buong MRT-3, at yan po ang tingin namin na mainam na target para madagdagan ang bilang ng mga tumatakbong bagon. Ito po ay dahil na rin sa inaasahan naming nakarating na ang marami sa mga spare parts na na-order na at patuloy pa nating inoorder para sa MRT-3,” he said.

Based on its contract, Busan Universal Rail Inc. (BURI), the previous maintenance provider, was supposed to have completed the general overhaul of 26 LRVs by November 2017. When they were terminated last November 6, BURI was only able to overhaul 3 LRVs, which is one of the causes for their termination.


No MRT-3 Fare Hike

Usec. Batan assured train commuters that there would be no fare increase while there is no substantial improvement of MRT-3 operations, restoring convenience to its thousands of patrons daily.

“Ang commitment po natin sa sektor ng riles ay hindi po tayo magtataas ng pasahe na hindi po nakakaramdam ang ating mga commuters ng improvement sa convenience, availability at reliability po ng ating mga sistema. hindi lang po dito sa MRT-3, kundi sa lahat ng sistema ng riles,” he said.

Updates on CHED K+12 Faculty Scholarship Allowances

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Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan explained that only 4,096 faculty scholars under its local scholarships are experiencing delays in the release of living allowances, clarifying earlier reports that 9,500 scholars have been affected.

As of today, the Commission has fully released allowances for 2,051 scholars who have submitted complete documentary requirements, an ongoing effort since November 2017 following the resumption of the processing of allowances after the COA Notices of Suspension were issued.

Understanding the delays the Program has encountered, the Commission has also approved the partial release of living allowances for 1,011 scholars with valid contracts and enrolment forms, despite pending requirements. The balance will be released to these scholars upon submission of remaining documents to the CHED Regional Offices. Meanwhile, 933 scholars will receive no allowances due to non-submission of enrollment forms.

“We request our scholars with pending documentary submissions to please submit the remaining requirements to the CHED Regional Offices at the soonest possible time so that we can facilitate the release of allowances to our remaining grantees,” said the CHED Chairperson.

“We in CHED deeply regret the impact the delays has caused our scholars,” said Licuanan. “But it is important to understand the factors that contributed to these delays: among them, discrepancies and deficiencies in documents, the volume of documentation that required thorough vetting following initial audit, and the need to abide with government accounting and auditing rules, which we, as an agency, also had to comply with,” she continued.

“The Commission has not stopped in its review and improvement of current systems since the program began in 2016. In fact, refinements have been integrated into the system regularly following each semester, to reduce potential errors and causes of delays,” said Licuanan.

The K to 12 Transition Program began in 2016 to prevent the massive displacement of higher education faculty and staff, as a result of lesser workloads in colleges and universities due to the implementation of Senior High School (SHS), while upgrading the quality of higher education.

“Yes, there have been challenges, but we hope the public also sees what the Program has achieved as a whole: apart from the scholarships, CHED is also supporting 307 faculty members undergoing industry immersion, trained 3,792 college faculty for the new and enhanced curriculum, trained 6,494 teachers for Senior High School, developed 17 cutting-edge graduate programs with the top universities in the United Kingdom, awarded 201 institutional grants for colleges and universities, and 163 grants for research and extension, among others.”

Licuanan also denounced malicious allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds allotted for the living allowances and other grants under the program. According to the Chairperson, “It has been my personal commitment to stamp out corruption in CHED since day one, despite the odds. We have implemented the Program with the highest level of ethical stewardship. Every peso is accounted for.”