PhilAm's ABC scholars lead Lamitan graduates

Lamitan Central Elementary School held their graduation ceremonies on April 3, 2007. Leading the more than 300 graduating students are Beverly Samson (Valedictorian) and Krushiva Caroline Caimoy (Salutatorian). They are just two of the 178 ABC (Aid for Basilan Children) scholars that are being sponsored by the PhilAm Foundation for the last 5 years.

Since its inception in 2002, the ABC project has supported more than 530 public elementary students in Lamitan, providing their basic education requirements, scholarship assistance and enabling the teachers to provide support to the students. Five PhilAm scholars in this year's batch of graduates belong to the top 10 of their class, demonstrating how the implementation of the ABC project improve the academic performance of the student/beneficiaries.

The ABC project is being implemented in Lamitan, Basilan in partnership with the Missionary Dominican Sisters of the Rosary, the Parents, Teachers & Community Association (PTCA) and the local government units.

SMART signs MOA with DepEd to include more schools in ICT Program

PBSP, together with SMART Communications, Inc. (SMART) and the Department of Education (DepEd) signed an addendum to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) they signed on August 2005. The addendum was created to expand the ongoing SMART School Program to include 50 more public high schools and 30 public elementary schools nationwide.

Under DepEd's Adopt-a-School Program, SMART and PBSP implemented the SMART Schools Program to provide internet access, access to educational content and trainings to teachers of selected public high schools across the country. Computer laboratories are upgraded into SMART Teachers Learning Resource Centers. The SMART Schools website (www.smartschools.ph) was also launched to provide teachers with access to online content, which they can use for research, class presentations and interactions with their colleagues. Teachers are also trained in basic computer literacy, information and communication technology integration, basic troubleshooting and maintenance and basic web page design. To date, 100 public high schools nationwide are SMART School Program partners.

The decision to expand the program serves as a response to the request of the teachers currently involved as partners to extend the program benefits to their elementary counterparts.