Maniolas

Lt. Cmdr. Mike DeVito, left, Commander, Task Force 70, helicopter operations officer, embarked aboard the US Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington, helps a member of the Filipino Air Force carry a box of relief supplies in support of relief efforts in the aftermath of the Supertyphoon Yolanda, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, in Guinan. Foreign aid for Supertyphoon “Yolanda” survivors in Samar and Leyte as well as similarly devastated provinces now totals P10.6 billion, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported on Sunday. AP Photo/US Navy, PO 3rd Class Paolo Bayas Survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” are matching with initiative and diligence every donor dollar given to them. Helping the Philippines pays back big time as survivors themselves drive the response and early recovery efforts on the ground, putting their lives back together little by little every day, said Luiza Carvalho, the UN resident humanitarian coordinator in the country. Carvalho said such level of engagement on the ground should inspire the world to continue supporting typhoon-ravaged villages as the Philippines, the United Nations and other partners ease the transition from emergency relief to the long-term recovery and rehabilitation phase. Indeed, throughout the effort, one invaluable resource has emerged: the typhoon-hit residents themselves who are battling great odds to survive instead of remaining tragic victims. “In the Philippines, it’s a worthwhile investment because of this resilience aspect and the role they (survivors) play. It’s a resource that really pays,” Carvalho told the Inquirer in an interview. “It really pushes the response very Read More …

Manila, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) will introduce a subject that will teach business ethics and social responsibility to high school students. “Education actually is a social science,” said Undersecretary for Programs and Projects Dina Ocampo-Cristobal in a press briefing for the new K-to-12 curriculum. “It is a response to society [and]  it is a way that society uses and exploits to create the society it envisions,” she said, in explaining how Janet Napoles “inspired” the introduction of the subject called “Business Ethics and Social Responsibility” in the K-To-12 curriculum. The subject will be taught in the Academic Track or the Accountancy, Business and Management (ABM) for incoming Senior High School (SHS) students, or Grades 11 and 12. “Three months ago, there was no such thing as a Business Ethics and Social in this curriculum,” said Cristobal. “But in the age of Napoles, there is now that course… and that is a clear example that this K-to-12 curriculum is alive.” She said the new K-to-12 curriculum is designed to be “learner-centered, inclusive and research-based.” It is also designed to be “inclusive, culture-responsive and culture-sensitive, integrative and contextualized, relevant and responsive.” The curriculum is “standard and competence-based to make it seamless and decongested.” DepEd also wants to ensure that the new curriculum for Kinder to Grade 12 is “flexible, ICT-based and global.”

UNITED NATIONS – UN leader Ban Ki-moon arrives in Manila Friday for talks with top government leaders and will go to Tacloban on Saturday to assess super typhoon Yolanda damage and ascertain response needs. The United Nations this week launched a $791 million aid appeal to take care of the survivors’ needs over the next 12 months, an amount that UN said will complement the government’s rehabilitation plan. “2013 was another year of extreme weather — as we saw most recently with Typhoon Haiyan. On Thursday, I will depart for Manila and Tacloban for a first-hand assessment of the aftermath,” Ban said Monday as he announced the visit. Ban said he is organizing a major summit on climate change for September 23 next year, just ahead of the UN General Assembly. The UN leader will leave the Philippines on Sunday.  Last Wednesday, the Philippines launched an $8.17 billion plan to rebuild the lives of millions made homeless by Super Typhoon Haiyan and strengthen the disaster-prone nation’s defenses against future tempests. The government says that more than 6,000 people died in the November 8 typhoon — one of the strongest storms ever recorded — which badly hit Tacloban and surrounding regions. Almost 1,800 people are still missing.  President Benigno Aquino appealed for more foreign aid and private-sector pledges to revive hundreds of devastated communities. “The task immediately before us lies in ensuring that the communities that rise again do so stronger, better and more resilient than before,” he told foreign diplomats Read More …