SSS plans to install solar panels in offices

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Social Security System (SSS) President and CEO Rolando Ledesma Macasaet disclosed on Tuesday that the SSS plans to install solar panels in its offices to save on electricity expenses and promote the use of renewable energy.

Macasaet said the SSS aims to have the pilot implementation of the project in its Main Office in Quezon City where 445 solar panels with combined capacity of 200 kilowatt-peak (kWp) shall be installed.

“Upon the completion of this project, we estimate to generate an average of around 18,872 kilowatt-hours per month, equating to a monthly savings of P200,798.08; and to reduce our carbon footprint by 9.57 tons, equivalent to planting 57.4 trees,” he added.

The SSS is also contemplating to install solar panels in SSS-owned branches nationwide, especially in areas that experience frequent power outages and charge higher cost of electric power.

The plan is in response to Executive Order No. 14 issued by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on January 27, 2023, which approves and adopts the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2023-2028. Among the plans provided under the PDP, which incorporates the 8-point Socioeconomic Agenda of President Marcos, is the lowering of energy costs and promoting renewable energy sources.

“As we continue to pursue the provision of meaningful social security protection to the current and future generations of SSS members and their families and the improvement of our services, we will also adopt and implement measures to strengthen the SSS fund through prudent spending and operational efficiency, while advocating for the protection of the environment,” Macasaet said.

The SSS is committed to managing and minimizing the environmental impact of its operations. It has initiated several eco-friendly and cost-effective efforts in the past such as digitalizing its processes through its online portals, My.SSS and SSS Mobile App, which not only provide members with simpler, faster, and more convenient modes of fulfilling their transactions but also reduce carbon footprint through paperless processing and strict compliance to green procurement.

From 2007 to 2009, the Department of Energy, under its National Energy Efficiency Program and Conservation Program in Government Buildings, recognized the SSS as one of the highest energy efficient government offices with a rating of 94%.

Dolly De Leon, Soliman Cruz, and Martika Escobar to receive the Annual Achievement Award in FDCP’s “Parangal ng Sining”

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To recognize their invaluable contribution to the Philippine Film Industry, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is set to give the Annual Achievement Award to actors Dolly De Leon and Soliman Cruz and filmmaker Martika Escobar at the Parangal ng Sining which will be held on April 23 in Seda Hotel.

“Parangal ng Sining” (Honor of the Arts) is FDCP’s initiative to recognize Filipino filmmakers, artists, and institutions who continue to achieve and work for excellence, leading to acclaim in international film festivals across the globe.

With her breakout performance in Cannes-winning film “Triangle of Sadness,” Dolly De Leon has been recognized in various film festivals and prestigious award-giving bodies around the world, one after another.

Among the most notable were the Best Supporting Actress nominations she received from the 80th Golden Globe Awards and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), making her the first-ever Filipina to receive such nominations.

Before being recognized locally and abroad, De Leon has been in the industry for decades playing small roles in television shows and movies. Her rise to fame may have come at a later point in her career but there are no signs of stopping yet as she has recently been cast in an upcoming action-comedy film alongside Hollywood stars John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu.

For proudly representing the Filipino as an artist, standing side by side with a multinational cast in an international production—and delivering a performance not only noteworthy but memorable to the point of being historical in its time and place, the FDCP will recognize De Leon as one of the Annual Achievement Award recipients of this year’s Parangal ng Sining

With a filmography of films, television shows, and stage plays, Soliman Cruz has become a household name in the entertainment industry as one of the most prolific Filipino character actors.

In the Romanian film “To The North,” the feature film debut of Mihai Mincan, Cruz played the lead character for the first time in his career.

The Soliman Cruz-starrer made its world premiere in one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world—the Venice International Film Festival—where it won the Premio Bisato D’Oro 2022, awarded by the independent film critics of Venice.

His breakthrough performance, along with fellow Filipino actor Bart Guingona, has received standing ovations from festival goers, a proof of the Filipino talent that goes beyond international borders.

For being the embodiment of the consummate actor of both film and stage, providing inspiration to an entire generation of young actors as to what is meant by dedication and professionalism to the art and the craft, the FDCP is recognizing Soliman Cruz as one of the first recipients of the Annual Gawad Lente for his contribution to Philippine cinema in the year 2022.

In 2022, director Martika Escobar made history as the first-ever Filipino director to win at Sundance Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in the United States.

After eight long years of development and production, Escobar’s feature film debut “Leonor Will Never Die” finally made its world premiere at Sundance, marking the comeback of the Philippines in the festival’s competition section 16 years after the country’s last entry.

Since its world premiere, “Leonor Will Never Die” has been screened in numerous international film festivals from all over the globe such as the Toronto International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and Berlin International Film Festival.

For proudly representing the new generation of filmmakers, breaking ground on the world stage and making known the potential of the Filipino cinema artist in weaving original works that are native to the culture but universal in theme, the FDCP honors Martika Escobar as one of the first recipients of the Annual Gaward Lente for her contribution to Philippine Cinema in the year 2022.

S&T graduate studies programs, scholarships open for 2023

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Beginning April 11, the Philippines’ premiere science and technology (S&T) research and teaching institution and the country’s premiere S&T scholarship program are once again opening their doors to prospective applicants.

The University of the Philippines - Diliman College of Science’s (UPD-CS’s) Graduate Programs are now accepting applications, alongside the Department of Science and Technology’s Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (DOST-ASTHRDP).

Applicants to the UPD-CS’s Graduate Programs are also eligible to apply for the ASTHRDP scholarship. To be eligible for DOST-ASTHRDP scholarship, prospective applicants must be Filipino citizens; not more than 50 years old at the time of application; be in good health; pass the admission requirements for graduate studies at any National Science Consortium (NSC)-member university; and pass any requisite interviews and other screening procedures.

Prospective DOST-ASTHRDP scholars are encouraged to undertake theses and dissertations in the following priority areas: Climate Change and Disaster Preparedness; Materials Science and Nanotechnology; and Natural Products and Drug Development.

Established in 1983, the UPD-CS’s main mission is to contribute to the advancement of science and technology in the Philippines through the education of high-caliber scientists, the acquisition of scientific and technological knowledge, and the provision of scientific and technical services. The UPD-CS provides international-quality graduate and undergraduate education in the natural and mathematical sciences; undertakes basic and applied scientific research that are of high standards and national relevance; and renders technical extension services in support of national scientific and technological development.

Meanwhile, the DOST-ASTHRDP aims to help improve the country’s global competitiveness and capability to innovate through S&T, and also seeks to accelerate the production of high-level human resources needed for Research and Development (R&D) in S&T.

The deadline of applications for both UPD-CS Graduate Studies and the DOST-ASTHRDP is June 30, 2023.


For more information on UPD-CS Graduate Programs and how to apply, please visit https://science.upd.edu.ph/graduate-student-guide


For more information on the DOST-ASTHRDP and how to apply, please visit https://science.upd.edu.ph/dost-asthrdp/


For interview requests and other media concerns, please email media@science.upd.edu.ph