DepEd activates info center to assist students, parents

May 31, 2011

MANILA, Philippines – Students and parents will get assistance from the reactivated Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) Information and Action Center of the Department of Education (DepEd) when schools open on June 6.
Education Assistant Secretary Jesus Mateo said OBE Information and Action Centers will also be set up in the 17 DepEd regional offices.
“This is a yearly effort of DepEd to help our students and their parents get information and also make their complaints on various issues,” he said.
The OBE Command Center will remain open at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig until June 10.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that the focus of DepEd in school year 2011-2012 is the influx of more than 1.2 million five-year-old pupils in public kindergartens.
“The Oplan Balik Eskwela is part of our commitment to EFA (Education for All) goals,” he said.
“This project will ensure smooth opening of classes so that the school children are properly enrolled and all school children are in school on June 6, the first day of school year 2011-2012.”
Luistro said DepEd is looking into filling up the essential learning resource gaps in public schools this year.
“These shortages have been the perennial problem,” he said.
“While interventions are now in place, we cannot stop from there. We will continue to explore different avenues to make ends meet.”
Participating in the OBE Inter-Agency Task Force are the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police (PNP), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services and Administration (PAGASA).
Private corporations involved in the delivery of services for the education sector will also be invited.
Luistro urged DepEd regional directors and schools division superintendents to set up their own command centers to encourage parents and communities to bring school-aged children to public elementary and secondary schools.
“We are urging our local counterparts to do a massive door-to-door campaign at least one week before the school opening,” he said.
“We also seek partnerships with local government units, private individuals and groups and non-government organizations.
“These efforts will surely achieve a significant increase in the number of enrollees this coming school year.”
The DepEd will start the K (Kindergarten) + 12 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) program this school year.
It will establish kindergartens in public schools nationwide.
The K+12 BEC plan seeks to make kindergarten mandatory and to add two years in the current 10-year basic education curriculum, which has only six years of elementary and four years of high school.
Under the K+12 plan, a two-year senior high school level will be added to the current four years of high school, which will become junior high school.
DepEd expects more than 22 million preschool, elementary and high school students to return to school on June 6.
Police ready for school opening
Policemen will be more visible in school zones when classes open next week.
PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo has ordered policemen nationwide to prevent criminals from taking advantage of the school opening.
Police must arrest drug pushers to prevent them from selling illegal drugs to students, he added.
Bacalzo said territorial police units will check the need to implement the “Pulis ko titser ko” program.
It calls for police officers to serve as teachers in areas without civilian teachers due to security concerns, he added.
Metro Manila police commander Chief Superintendent Alan Purisima has mapped out a program to ensure the safety and protection of students when they return to school on June 6.
He has designed safety measures to prevent petty thieves from victimizing students, he added. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe
Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=63&articleId=691490

Although the Philippines is not known for being the wine capital of Asia, Clark Pampanga is the most frequently visited destination for wine lovers in Cebu, Angeles City and Manila to shop for some good vintage wine. The famous wine shop outside Manila called Clark Wine Center is the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.

This wine shop in Clark is highly recommended as one of the best places to buy wine in Pampanga. Clark Freeport is just outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center. Visitors buy wine in Manila and Pampanga should not miss stopping at this wine shop for a few bottles of fine vintage wines to bring home.

Established in 2002, YATS WINE CELLARS is a wholly-owned business unit of Hong Kong-based Yats International which owns and operates resort, wine shops, wine bars and fine-dining restaurant properties in Clark Freeport in The Philippines. YATS WINE CELLARS caters to a clientele of discerning wine lovers from all over the world. Besides a good selection of wine for everyday enjoyment, YATS offers a unique selection of aged vintage wines made available to wine enthusiasts at remarkably affordable prices. Vintages span over a century and the selection of old- and new-world wines covers all major wine regions.

Yats Wine Cellars Philippines
3003C East Tower, Philippines Stock Exchange Center (Tektite)
Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, Metro Manila, Philippines
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Kristine

http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

For inquiries and orders, Click here to for inquiries and orders

For wine lovers in Hong Kong, Macau and China:

Yats International HK Sales Office,
Room 1302, 13/F., The Centre Mark
287-299 Queen’s Road Central Sheung Wan,
Hong Kong SAR

Tel: (852) 2788-0738 ask for Miss Eva Leung

Wine@Yats-International.com

If Philippines is part of an upcoming travel and holiday plan, wine lovers might want to visit Clark Freeport Zone just 70 minutes from Manila. This bustling new city that is slated to replace Manila as the new capital of the Philippines has the largest wine shop called Clark Wine Center. For more information, log on to

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

If you are traveling to Pampanga, Subic, Angeles City, Clark Freeport, Philippines, you can get assistance to hotel and resort booking by logging on to
http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com