Outstanding Teachers Off to Brunei Conference

OSEC COMMUNICATIONS
DEPED COMPLEX, MERALCO AVENUE, PASIG CITY 1600
T (02) 6316033 | F (02) 6364876
WEBSITE www.deped.gov.ph
EMAIL depedcommunications@gmail.com

OCTOBER 6, 2008

When it rains it pours --- that’s what two outstanding public school teachers
found out when they were recently chosen to attend the Teachers’ Conference
in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on October 21-23. The news came
on the heels of their bagging the highly coveted Search for Outstanding
Teachers of the Metrobank Foundation.
Jesusa Antiquiera, an English teacher of P. Gomez Elementary School in Sta.
Cruz Manila and Rowena Hibanada, a Social Studies teacher in Pedro E Diaz
High School in Alabang, Muntinlupa were chosen by the Department of
Education to represent the country after receiving invitation from the Ministry of
Education of Brunei Darussalam.
“Giving our teachers a chance to meet their peers from other parts of the world
is one way of rewarding the outstanding performances of our teachers,”
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said.
Teresita Inciong, Assistant Secretary for Programs and Projects and Metrobank
Chair of Preliminary Board of Judges, Elementary Level, the two Metrobank
awardees will join discussions on teachers’ professional standard, teaching for
the 21st century, special education, technical and vocational education, ICT, cocurriculum
education and counseling.
Lapus and Senate Education Committee Chair Senator Alan Peter Cayetano cochaired
the Final Board of Judges for this year’s Search.
Antiquiera and Hibanada joined other outstanding teachers who were presented
by George S.K. Ty, Metrobank founder and group chairman, to President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo in ceremonies held in Malacañang.
Other awardees were: (elementary level) Lynn Padillo of Naga Central School in
Naga City; Maydelyn Antioquia of President Manuel Roxas Memorial School
North in Roxas City; and Marie Theresse Bagas of West City Central School in
Cagayan de Oro City; (secondary level) Ermie Rabara of Midsayap-Dilangalen
National High School in Midsayap, Cotabato; Jeanette Dials of Mariano Marcos
State University Laboratory High School in Laoag City; and Noemi Obcena of
Cagayan National High School in Tuguegarao City.
Awardees from the higher education level were Dr. Irma Makalinao of the
University of the Philippines-Manila and Dr. Virginia Cuevas of the University of
the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.
OSEC COMMUNICATIONS | DEPED COMPLEX, MERALCO AVENUE, PASIG CITY 1600
T (02) 6316033 | F (02) 6364876 | WEBSITE www.deped.gov.ph | EMAIL depedcommunications@gmail.com
The winners were selected from more than 150 nominees coming from various
public and private educational institutions in the Philippines. Each outstanding
teacher received a trophy and a cash prize of P300,000 during the awarding
ceremonies held at the Metrobank Plaza Auditorium during Metrobank’s 46th
anniversary celebrations.
“Over the last two-and-a-half decades, the Metrobank search has established
benchmarks in excellence and achievement among our teachers. The award
has become a measure of performance and contributions, representing a
pinnacle of sorts that any teacher can aspire for,” George S.K. Ty said.
This year’s winners joined the rank of 266 outstanding teachers, who have been
honored by the Foundation for the last 24 years. They automatically become
members of the Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators or NOTED.
NOTED is an honor society of outstanding teachers committed to nurturing a
culture of excellence and service among educators.

Gov't Commited to Deliver Php1.4T Budget

DBM Press Release, Wednesday, October 8, 2008

At the same time, DBM also asked Congress and the public to help ensure that each government department will deliver the performance targets submitted with its budget.




“Each agency will be held liable in accomplishing the outputs and outcomes they submitted.” Budget Secretary Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. said.




In making the statement, DBM called attention to its performance-based budgeting approach which was used in crafting the proposed national budget.




“We have given Congress and the people with the means to gauge the performance of government agencies as against their budgets,” Secretary Andaya added.




Recently, DBM has provided Congress with a book on performance-based budgeting containing the commitments of agencies to deliver results, also known as outputs and outcomes. The book entitled, FY 2009 Organizational Performance Indicator Framework (OPIF), translates the P1.4 trillion budget into performance indicators and targets which can be measured and verified.




“With this budgeting approach, we are tying the budget of government with performance.” said Andaya.




Meanwhile, DBM Assistant Secretary Verbo Bonilla disclosed that there are other reforms, aside from OPIF or performance-based budgeting, that are being undertaken by DBM.




Recently, DBM also published and provided Congress with the 2008 Budget in Brief, which contains information on how to easily understand the 2008 Budget. The Budget in Brief effectively summarized the 1,223 pages of the General Appropriations Act into 16 pages, providing the public with concise information on the budget in non-technical terms. The Department is likewise in the process of making budget information available through the internet, as well as ensuring the integrity of the procurement process.




“Our many initiatives aim to make the budget and the budget process more sound, transparent and accessible to stakeholders,” Bonilla said.

DBM RELEASES Php11.6B YEAREND BENEFITS

DBM Press Release, Wednesday, November 5, 2008

The coming Christmas season need not be glum, especially for government workers and their families. Providing good cheer, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released some P11.6 billion representing one-half of the year-end bonus and cash gift for the more than one million workers employed in government. Budget and Management Secretary Rolando Andaya, Jr. said that the release of the year-end bonus (YEB) and cash gift will ensure that public workers will have something to tide them over the holidays. “We have already released funds for the year-end benefits, knowing that these will help cheer up our government employees, especially at this time of the year spent in celebration with the family,” Secretary Andaya said. The YEB is equivalent to one month basic salary while the additional cash gift is P5,000. Government employees, however, already receive one-half of YEB in the middle of the year. As per Budget Circular No. 2005-6 dated 28 October 2005, the rest of the year-end bonus should be paid not earlier than November 15 but not later than November 30 of each year. The year-end bonus is also higher this time around, taking into account the consecutive 10 percent salary increases of government personnel the past two years. Entitled to the payment of year-end bonus and cash gift are officials and employees of all national government agencies (NGAs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions (GFIs), and local government units regardless of the nature of their appointment, whether permanent, temporary or emergency in nature. Included in the grant of these benefits are contractual employees who perform the functions of a regular employee. Andaya clarified that local government units, government financial institutions and government owned or controlled corporations are also authorized to source these benefits from their respective local or corporate funds. “With this budget release, we are making sure that government employees will receive their year-end benefits on time and without delay,” Secretary Andaya added.

king of Egypt

By Marnie Hunter
CNN

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- "Now, come, travel back in time. See where and how these rulers lived," Harrison Ford's deep voice beckons just before double doors swing open into a labyrinth of galleries displaying more than 130 ancient Egyptian artifacts.

The recorded introduction a la "Indiana Jones" welcomes visitors to a new exhibit featuring treasures from boy king Tutankhamun's tomb and artifacts tied to rulers spanning 2,000 years of Egyptian history.

"Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs," presented by Emory University's Michael C. Carlos Museum, premieres in the United States on November 15 at the Atlanta Civic Center.

An array of objects associated with rulers dating from Egypt's Fourth Dynasty into the Late Period (about 2600 B.C. to 660 B.C.) makes this the largest and most encyclopedic exhibit featuring Egyptian pharaohs presented in the U.S., according to exhibition curator David Silverman, who has worked on other exhibits focusing on Tutankhamun.

"A lot of people, when they hear 'Tut,' they think of gold, they think of the mummy, and they think of the discovery -- all of which is important. But when you think of more than 300 pharaohs, 31 dynasties, [Tutankhamun's] is only one of them," Silverman said.

Carefully focused pools of light illuminate stone pharaohs, gold and carnelian jewels and objects intended for the afterlife in darkened galleries looking at themes including the family life, religion, court and gold of the rulers.

A golden mask found on the mummy of Psusennes I presides over the gold gallery. Considered by ancient Egyptians to be the skin of the gods, gold was highly prized and used extensively in royal burial to assure pharaohs' divinity in the afterlife. A gold collar found on the body of Neferuptah, daughter of Amenemhat III, showcases an intricate arc of carnelian and feldspar that terminates with golden falcon heads.

Teachers Atteded Seminar