DOST gives financial assistance to LCPFI
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 9 (PIA) -- The Little Children of the Philippines Foundations, Inc. (LCPFI) received a check worth P136,000 recently as financial assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through its Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP).
DOST-Negros Oriental Prov’l Science & Technology Director Gilbert Arbon turned-over the check to LCPFI Administrative Director Carmenia Benosa.
According to DOST Information Officer Roslyn Tambago, the Foundation is one of the growing numbers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Negros Oriental which have availed of the DOST-SETUP, a nationwide strategy to encourage and assist SMEs to adopt technological innovations to improve operations.
SETUP provides a package of technological assistance, which includes the infusion of new or advanced technologies, provision of limited funds for technology acquisition, human resource training, technical assistance, consultancy services, among others, said Tambago.
As a Christian organization with the mission to develop caring communities for children at risk, LCPFI has ventured into processed meat production as a micro-enterprise activity for children and parents who are living in a low-income community.
The institution will use the monetary assistance to purchase meat processing equipment such as heavy duty meat grinder, meat sausage stuffing machine, chest freezer, and hand dryer.
This technological intervention is expected to raise the enterprise’s productivity and the beneficiaries’ income.
Established in 1989, LCPFI has about 4,000 member-beneficiaries in 14 communities within Dumaguete City and surrounding municipalities.
Tambago said in exchange for scholarships and social welfare assistance from LCP, members render 10 hours of community service weekly. Others work at the LCPFI’s meat processing project to avail of income generating opportunities.
Other interested SMEs may avail of DOST SETUP by inquiring at the DOST Neg.Or. Provincial S & T Center located in Daro, Dumaguete City. (mbcn/JCT-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)
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AusAID, Silliman to ink agreement on Masbate project
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 7 (PIA) -- Silliman University (SU) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) will sign an agreement on a project that will help improve the development planning capacity of the local government unit of the province of Masbate.
According to Office of Information and Publication director Mark Raygan Garcia of SU, a formal launch of the project “Participatory, Evidence-Based Research and Learning Partnership (PERL) in Masbate Province” is scheduled early this month with Silliman President Dr. Ben Malayang III and AusAID Counselor Andrew Egan.
AusAID will provide the grant to run the project for an initial period of two years. Tapped as lead unit for Silliman is the School of Public Affairs and Governance (SPAG) under its Director, Dr. Reynaldo Rivera, said Garcia.
The project uses the PERL program of which implementation SPAG will design, manage and coordinate.
Garcia said the PERL approach will provide opportunities to the LGU staff and key stakeholders in Masbate to collaborate with partners coming from different areas of specialization in the University. This facilitates better identification of development opportunities, constraints and interventions.
Utilizing consultative and participatory processes, among others, the PERL program is directed at bringing about results that could be integrated into local development plans, including Masbate’s Provincial Development Plan.
Four main components will guide the implementation of the PERL program: Stakeholder Consultation and Participatory Research, Capacity Development and Learning, Communication for Development, and Program Management.
Masbate is classified a first class province but has been consistently ranked as among the country’s ten poorest provinces. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)
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Silliman IT grad is outstanding student in CV
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 7 (PIA) -- A fresh graduate in Information Technology of Silliman University was adjudged one of the Ten Outstanding Students in Central Visayas.
Athena Gene Duran was selected with nine others on May 1 at the Negros Oriental Convention Center, giving her the chance at being named one of Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP).
The TOSP had a total of 20 regional finalists.
TOSP is a prestigious search for the country’s top young minds with proven academic merit and leadership skills.
The ten awardees will be honored at the Malacañang Palace (no date given as yet) and is usually graced by the President of the Philippines.
Duran is the Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson of Dumaguete. She graduated cum laude in March 2011 and was the recipient of the University Leadership Award.
Her achievements and involvements on campus, along with her winning project, “F-ExSys: An Anura Morphometric Classification Expert System”, also earned her the Bank of the Philippine Islands-Department of Science and Technology Science Award in February 2012. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)