Gubat town launches reading program for kids

SORSOGON CITY, April 23 (PIA) -- Gubat municipal government, the Sangguniang Kabataan, the Department of Education and the Gubat Parents Teachers Association Federation have launched a reading program for children.

Named after one of Gubat’s famous writers, the Delfin Fresnosa Reading Recovery Program was conceptualized by the local government of Gubat which started on the third week of April and which will end on May this year.

“We would like to make the program sustainable, targeting as our clientele those non-reader children and those children who would want to enhance further their reading skills,” said Gubat Municipal Mayor Ronnel Lim.

“Reading skills are very important. Without a solid ability to read, children will be unable to make use of whatever improvements in our local school system,” he said.

According to Lim, selected incoming Grade 2 pupils will each be assigned a reading partner. The reading partners are volunteer Gubatnons who have intended to spend laudably their vacation in Gubat town this summer by volunteering as tutors to the children in their respective barangays. The reading partner will visit the pupil at his own home three times a week, 30 minutes to one hour per meeting, during the entire duration of summer vacation.

“The municipality provided the training and instructional materials to be used for the program,” he added.

The young local chief executive also said that they have opened the reading recovery and enhancement program not only for Gubatnons who are currently residents of the town, but even to those Gubatnons who plan to spend their summer vacation in the town and are willing to voluntary render their services and tutorial skills for free in order to help develop the reading abilities of children in their respective areas.

Lim said that the program is also part of giving tribute and recognition to the contributions made by one of Gubat famous writers, Delfin fresnosa. Born on May 23, 1915 in Barangay Bulacao, Fresnosa taught at the National Teachers College and at the University of the East, and served as the editor of “Boy's World,” the official organ of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines.

Fresnosa was part of the group of thirteen writers who called themselves the Veronicans (named after Veronica who mirrored the true face of Christ). Fresnosa's short stories regularly appear in anthologies of the Best Philippine short stories. He died on December 19, 1988.

Mayor Lim further said that they still welcome more volunteers and that interested Gubatnons may just visit his office at the Gubat Municipal Building. (MAL/BAR-PIA5 Sorsogon)

Bicolano leaders urged to avail of AAD scholarship

LEGAZPI CITY, April 23 (PIA) -- Bicolano leaders are urged to apply for the Australia Awards for Development for 2013 available for Masters and PhD levels in Australia to contribute to the accelerated and equitable growth of the various regions of the country.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell said, "the Development Awards, through extensive scholarship programs, aim to contribute to the long term development of the Philippines, and to promote knowledge, education links and enduring ties between Australia and the Philippines."

"Through its aid program, the Australian Government places a high premium on improving the human capital of the Philippines by increasing access to quality education and training for people," he added.

Deadline for application is April 30, 2012.

Interested applicants are encouraged to take English proficiency tests immediately with TOEFL or IELTS as passing these tests are prerequisite for the scholarship.

One hundred twenty (120) scholarship slots are available, half of which are allocated to Australia's key partner agencies delivering priority development initiatives, with the remainder open to the public.

Australia Awards for Development covers travel, study and living expenses for study at Australia's world-class universities. Awardees will also join the Philippines Australia Alumni Association upon their return.

Many of the Australia Awards scholars are from various regions of the country who are now undertaking groundbreaking development projects, upgrading educational curricula in universities, pursuing biosecurity and agricultural productivity programs, initiating enterprise building projects for local governments and a host of other outstanding development efforts.

Highly encouraged to apply are people with disabilities, women leaders, ethnic communities, aspiring young leaders, members of the academe and other development pacesetters.

Australia Awards for Development include the Australian Development Scholarships and the Australian Leadership Awards administered by AusAID. These awards aim to develop capacity and leadership skills so that individuals can contribute to development in their home country.

In the Philippines, the Australia Awards for Development is part of the Australia-Philippines development cooperation program and are targeted at priority development needs in the areas of basic education, social protection and welfare, peace and development, public financial management, disaster risk reduction and management, climate change adaptation, organizational development, trade, foreign relations, and pandemics.

Australian Development Scholarship applicants who demonstrate the most potential to impact development in the Philippines will be considered for the additional prestigious Australian Leadership Award.

"Awardees will experience and benefit from cutting-edge and high-quality Australian education. Australian universities are consistently ranked among the top educational institutions in the world for teaching and research, offering a complete range of programs and courses that lead to highly regarded and internationally-recognised qualifications. In 2011, eight Australian Universities were among the world's top 100 Universities." Ambassador Tweddle said. (MAL-PIA V/Albay)

Bicol inflation rate slides down at 0.4% in February

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, April 23 (PIA) -- Annual inflation rate in the Bicol region further decreased at 0.4 percent in February owing to the slowdown registered in six of the 11 major commodity and services groups according to the report released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Consumer Price Index for All Income Households in the region for February 2012.

Compared with the 3.2 percent inflation rate in January, the 2.8 percent rate recorded for February is also lower by 1.5 percent alongside with the inflation rate in the same period last year.

Among the six major groups contributing to the slowdown are clothing and footwear from 3.0 percent in January to 1.9 percent in February; food and non-alcoholic beverages from 2.7 percent to 2.0 percent; and furnishings, household equipment, and routine maintenance of the house from 2.2 percent to 1.8 percent. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco also dipped by 0.3 percent along with recreation and culture, restaurants, and other miscellaneous goods and services by 1 percent.

In contrast, increase in prices were registered in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels from 2.6 percent in January to 3.1 percent in February. The same is true for the health commodities and services from 2.3 percent to 2.6 percent

Retaining the rate for the past two months this year are communication, transport, and education groups.

Across provinces, increase in inflation rate at 4.6 percent from 4.2 percent was recorded in Camarines Sur only. The rest of the provinces posted slower inflation rate with Sorsogon remarkably posting the lowest rate at 2.3 percent from 3.8 percent in January to 1.5 percent in the following month.

In general, average prices of commodities in the region for the first two months remained the same at 130.8 Consumer Price Index (CPI). Average price in food and non-alcoholic beverages, the biggest group comprising the market basket in the region inched down at 0.2 percent along with the 0.1 percent drop in Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other fuels. Market basket is the total number of goods and services in constant amounts and qualities.

For the non-food category, NSO-5 noted increase in the transport group owing to the surge of prices in operation of personal transport equipment at 0.3 points.

The Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) in the region likewise remained at 76 centavos with Catanduanes and Sorsogon with P.01 increase and the rest at the same rate for January and February this year. (MAL/SAA-PIA 5, Albay)