Category: General

Remember the honest NAIA janitor?

Ellen Leave a comment

Ronald Gadayan

Ronald Gadayan

If you are intelligent and rich, there is no problem about getting the education you desire.

If you are poor but intelligent and have good grades, there are opportunities to higher education given by the government and private institutions.

But if you are poor and do not have good grades (there are many factors involved why many children do not do well in school), getting on to higher education would really be a problem.

If your educational record is not impressive, you would have a difficult time getting a good job. If you don’t have a good job, escaping from the cycle of poverty would be hard.

That’s the problem of Ronald Gadayan for his children.

Do you still remember Ronald Gadayan, the janitor at NAIA2 who returned a pouch left by Cebu-bound Philippine Air Lines passenger Francis Lloyd Chua Ty containing P634,807.96 in cash and jewelry wristwatches and expensive sunglasses valued at P1.8 million?
This happened in September 2012.

Gadayan is a contractual employee at NAIA earning P481.00 a day. He could have kept Ty’s pouch and use the money. (Ty was already in Cebu when he was informed that Gadayan found his bag. He sent his executive assistant to claim it.)

But he said: “Ang turo po ng aking magulang ay wag kunin ang bagay na hindi sa iyo. Lumaki po akong naghihikahos, pero kailan man hindi ko pinag-interesan ang mga bagay na napupulot ko sa trabaho (My parents taught me never to get what is not mine. I grew up poor but I never took any interest in the things I found while at work).”

For such an honest deed, Gadayan was commended and awarded. Ty gave him a cash reward.

Gadayan was held up as a role model for government employees. Gadayan was featured on TV and newspapers.

Gadayan was featured in CNN Philippines

Gadayan was featured in CNN Philippines


Gadayan is humbled by all the praises heaped on him. He just wish that all those who promised to help him with the education of his children would make good their promise.

Gadayan, 39, has three children: Harold, 12 (Grade 6); Hazel Anne, 10 (Grade 5) at Hannah Maria, 6 (Grade 1).His wife, Rosalie, takes care of their children in Bulacan, where they are renting a house. He is renting a room near NAIA to cut travel time and save on transportation expenses.

Gadayan said his children go to a public school which offers free education. What he is worried about is when time comes for them to go to college. There were public officials who promised scholarship to his children. But he has not heard from them anymore.
Gadayan said he approached Education Secretary Armin Luistro and he was told, “hindi qualified and mga anak mo sa scholarship dahil hindi matalino.”

Hurtful the reality is, Luistro has a point. Scholarship grants, be it in public or private schools, require that the applicant pass an academic exam. To get into the University of the Philippines or any State University where tuition is not as high as in private schools, one has to pass an exam.

Gadayan’s problem for his children is the problem of many young people coming from poor families, who could only afford to go to public schools in the provinces where the quality of education is substandard. When they move on to higher education and they have to compete with others, the cards are stacked against them.

It has been three years since Gadayan was the flavor of the season. He is still a contractual employee at NAIA earning P481.00 a day. His wife is looking for a job to augment their income Can somebody help?

That would be a wonderful Christmas gift for this honest person.

Remember the honest NAIA janitor?

Ellen Leave a comment

Ronald Gadayan

Ronald Gadayan

If you are intelligent and rich, there is no problem about getting the education you desire.

If you are poor but intelligent and have good grades, there are opportunities to higher education given by the government and private institutions.

But if you are poor and do not have good grades (there are many factors involved why many children do not do well in school), getting on to higher education would really be a problem.

If your educational record is not impressive, you would have a difficult time getting a good job. If you don’t have a good job, escaping from the cycle of poverty would be hard.

That’s the problem of Ronald Gadayan for his children.

Do you still remember Ronald Gadayan, the janitor at NAIA2 who returned a pouch left by Cebu-bound Philippine Air Lines passenger Francis Lloyd Chua Ty containing P634,807.96 in cash and jewelry wristwatches and expensive sunglasses valued at P1.8 million?
This happened in September 2012.

Gadayan is a contractual employee at NAIA earning P481.00 a day. He could have kept Ty’s pouch and use the money. (Ty was already in Cebu when he was informed that Gadayan found his bag. He sent his executive assistant to claim it.)

But he said: “Ang turo po ng aking magulang ay wag kunin ang bagay na hindi sa iyo. Lumaki po akong naghihikahos, pero kailan man hindi ko pinag-interesan ang mga bagay na napupulot ko sa trabaho (My parents taught me never to get what is not mine. I grew up poor but I never took any interest in the things I found while at work).”

For such an honest deed, Gadayan was commended and awarded. Ty gave him a cash reward.

Gadayan was held up as a role model for government employees. Gadayan was featured on TV and newspapers.

Gadayan was featured in CNN Philippines

Gadayan was featured in CNN Philippines


Gadayan is humbled by all the praises heaped on him. He just wish that all those who promised to help him with the education of his children would make good their promise.

Gadayan, 39, has three children: Harold, 12 (Grade 6); Hazel Anne, 10 (Grade 5) at Hannah Maria, 6 (Grade 1).His wife, Rosalie, takes care of their children in Bulacan, where they are renting a house. He is renting a room near NAIA to cut travel time and save on transportation expenses.

Gadayan said his children go to a public school which offers free education. What he is worried about is when time comes for them to go to college. There were public officials who promised scholarship to his children. But he has not heard from them anymore.
Gadayan said he approached Education Secretary Armin Luistro and he was told, “hindi qualified and mga anak mo sa scholarship dahil hindi matalino.”

Hurtful the reality is, Luistro has a point. Scholarship grants, be it in public or private schools, require that the applicant pass an academic exam. To get into the University of the Philippines or any State University where tuition is not as high as in private schools, one has to pass an exam.

Gadayan’s problem for his children is the problem of many young people coming from poor families, who could only afford to go to public schools in the provinces where the quality of education is substandard. When they move on to higher education and they have to compete with others, the cards are stacked against them.

It has been three years since Gadayan was the flavor of the season. He is still a contractual employee at NAIA earning P481.00 a day. His wife is looking for a job to augment their income Can somebody help?

That would be a wonderful Christmas gift for this honest person.

Pagcor’s 12 days of Pamaskong Handog

Ellen Leave a comment

What better way to break the stressful stories in the political scene – the Comelec 2nd division disqualification of frontrunner Grace Poe as presidential candidate in the May 2016 elections and the cursing of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who has also filed his certificate of candidacy for president as substitute for a candidate that the Comelec was considering to declare a nuisance candidate – than stories that put a smile on the face of the poor, the orphans, the sick, and persons with disability?

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento (middle) and Assistant VP for Corporate Communications and Services Maricar Bautista (seated left) sign a Memorandum of Agreement with National Children's Hospital (NCH) Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul (seated right) for the P3-million funding that the state-run gaming firm granted to NCH for the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento (middle) and Assistant VP for Corporate Communications and Services Maricar Bautista (seated left) sign a Memorandum of Agreement with National Children’s Hospital (NCH) Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul (seated right) for the P3-million funding that the state-run gaming firm granted to NCH for the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

On the fourth day of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s 12 days of Pamaskong Handog, it was not one but two children diagnosed with congenital heart disease were given a better chance to overcome their health problems

Judy Ann Canlas 7, and Mark Kenneth Candes, 5, both patients at the National Children’s Hospital will be able to undergo the much needed heart operation, the expenses to be shouldered by PAGCOR.

To the parents of Judy Ann and Mar, Pagcor’s help is the miracle that they have been praying for.

Judy Ann was born with a hole in her heart. As she grows older, her condition worsens. Latest check-up showed the hole is now about three centimeters big. Surgery will cost about half a million pesos.

Judy Ann’s mother, Lorena said she was getting desperate. She didn’t know where in the world would she and her husband, a farm helper in Bulacan, get the P500,000. They still have four other children to take care of.

Like Judy Ann, five-year old Mark Kenneth Candes was also diagnosed with congenital heart disease. His mother Annalyn Bagispas discovered his condition when he was just three days old.

Annalyn said she had been storming the heaven with prayers. She has already lost her two other children. Her eldest son succumbed to death when he was six months old in 2009 due to dehydration caused by diarrhea, while her youngest son passed away when he was just five days old due to complication brought about by epilepsy.

“Si Kenneth na lang po ang natitira sa akin kaya inilalaban ko po talaga na humaba pa ang buhay niya. Gusto ko na po sana siya ma-operahan sa lalong madaling panahon,” Annalyn said.

This week, Lorena and Annalyn were informed by NCH that Judy Ann and Kenneth were among those chosen to be the recipient of Pagcor’s P3 million donation to NCH to fund the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

“We may be able to finally operate on Judy Ann and Kenneth who both have Ventricular Septal Defect or a hole in the heart as well as patients with Patent Ductus Arteriosus or those with an opening between two major blood vessels connected to the heart. Our goal is to extend the children’s lives and help them live normally,” NCH Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul said.

Simbul said the P3 million can help save the lives of around 30 children with congenital heart diseases.”

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento who attended the turnover ceremony of the donation to NCH said PAGCOR is thankful of the opportunity to help.

Established in 1945, NCH is a public hospital whose funding comes mainly from the government. Simbul, who has been with the institution for 30 years, said most of their patients come from indigent families who could not afford private hospitalization.

“Eighty-five percent of our patients here ay iyong mga masasabi mo na hikahos talaga sa buhay. Kaya napaka-gandang balita na makakasama kaming muli sa Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR,” she added.

The launching of this year’s Pamaskong Handog last Nov. 27 was at the Handicare, Inc.(Handiccaped Care Association Incorporated) where the state-run gaming corporation donated 15 wheelchairs. Pagcor’s 2015 Pamaskong Handog will run up to Dec. 17.

Pagcor’s 12 days of Pamaskong Handog

Ellen Leave a comment

What better way to break the stressful stories in the political scene – the Comelec 2nd division disqualification of frontrunner Grace Poe as presidential candidate in the May 2016 elections and the cursing of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who has also filed his certificate of candidacy for president as substitute for a candidate that the Comelec was considering to declare a nuisance candidate – than stories that put a smile on the face of the poor, the orphans, the sick, and persons with disability?

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento (middle) and Assistant VP for Corporate Communications and Services Maricar Bautista (seated left) sign a Memorandum of Agreement with National Children's Hospital (NCH) Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul (seated right) for the P3-million funding that the state-run gaming firm granted to NCH for the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento (middle) and Assistant VP for Corporate Communications and Services Maricar Bautista (seated left) sign a Memorandum of Agreement with National Children’s Hospital (NCH) Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul (seated right) for the P3-million funding that the state-run gaming firm granted to NCH for the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

On the fourth day of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s 12 days of Pamaskong Handog, it was not one but two children diagnosed with congenital heart disease were given a better chance to overcome their health problems

Judy Ann Canlas 7, and Mark Kenneth Candes, 5, both patients at the National Children’s Hospital will be able to undergo the much needed heart operation, the expenses to be shouldered by PAGCOR.

To the parents of Judy Ann and Mar, Pagcor’s help is the miracle that they have been praying for.

Judy Ann was born with a hole in her heart. As she grows older, her condition worsens. Latest check-up showed the hole is now about three centimeters big. Surgery will cost about half a million pesos.

Judy Ann’s mother, Lorena said she was getting desperate. She didn’t know where in the world would she and her husband, a farm helper in Bulacan, get the P500,000. They still have four other children to take care of.

Like Judy Ann, five-year old Mark Kenneth Candes was also diagnosed with congenital heart disease. His mother Annalyn Bagispas discovered his condition when he was just three days old.

Annalyn said she had been storming the heaven with prayers. She has already lost her two other children. Her eldest son succumbed to death when he was six months old in 2009 due to dehydration caused by diarrhea, while her youngest son passed away when he was just five days old due to complication brought about by epilepsy.

“Si Kenneth na lang po ang natitira sa akin kaya inilalaban ko po talaga na humaba pa ang buhay niya. Gusto ko na po sana siya ma-operahan sa lalong madaling panahon,” Annalyn said.

This week, Lorena and Annalyn were informed by NCH that Judy Ann and Kenneth were among those chosen to be the recipient of Pagcor’s P3 million donation to NCH to fund the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

“We may be able to finally operate on Judy Ann and Kenneth who both have Ventricular Septal Defect or a hole in the heart as well as patients with Patent Ductus Arteriosus or those with an opening between two major blood vessels connected to the heart. Our goal is to extend the children’s lives and help them live normally,” NCH Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul said.

Simbul said the P3 million can help save the lives of around 30 children with congenital heart diseases.”

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento who attended the turnover ceremony of the donation to NCH said PAGCOR is thankful of the opportunity to help.

Established in 1945, NCH is a public hospital whose funding comes mainly from the government. Simbul, who has been with the institution for 30 years, said most of their patients come from indigent families who could not afford private hospitalization.

“Eighty-five percent of our patients here ay iyong mga masasabi mo na hikahos talaga sa buhay. Kaya napaka-gandang balita na makakasama kaming muli sa Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR,” she added.

The launching of this year’s Pamaskong Handog last Nov. 27 was at the Handicare, Inc.(Handiccaped Care Association Incorporated) where the state-run gaming corporation donated 15 wheelchairs. Pagcor’s 2015 Pamaskong Handog will run up to Dec. 17.

DSWD clarifies points on PCIJ article

pcijwebadmin Leave a comment

Reprinted from The Manila Times.

-

THIS has reference to the article written by Ms. Malou Mangahas, and Misters Fernando Cabigao and Vino Lucero entitled, “Tesda’s Billions: Rules don’t apply in PDAF-funded seminars” published in your paper on August 28.

We are writing to explain the issue raised in the article which said that, “Another P1.31 billion came just as the year was ending in December 2012, from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the implementation of TESDA-DSWD Cash-for­ Training Project (C4TP), though this was not used in 2012.”

We appreciate your concern on the implementation of the DSWD-TESDA partnership project.

While the information is true, we would like to clarify that the project was launched in the latter part of 2012 and the core implementation ran from 2013-2014.

C4TP is a partnership program with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). It is a training program which teaches participants employable skills and sustainable employment opportunities.

The program was implemented in January 2013, wherein 65,730 beneficiaries were targeted and entitled to P20,000 each to cover the training cost including transportation assistance, tool kits and tuition fees.

A total of 62,069 graduated out of the 64,299 students who were enrolled in the program. From the 64,155 assessments done on graduates, 54,729 were given TESDA certifications, and out of this, 43,661 were employed in different local companies and agencies. Please note that 64,155 assessments were done even if only 62,069 graduated because some graduates were assessed twice through “bundled courses,” e.g., Automotive Servicing NC I and Driving NC II.

Arnel Baldos, a person with disability from San Miguel, Leyte, was one of the recipients of the program. Arnel thanked the DSWD and TESDA for the joint program where he completed a two- month Consumer Electronic Servicing course.

There are several success stories of beneficiaries in various regions where the program was implemented and where our out-of-school youths benefited. Therefore, the fund was used for its intended purpose.

The Department believes that the program was implemented according to the principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability. The beneficiaries themselves can attest that the program helped and provided them a better chance of earning livelihood.

Assistant Secretary Javier R. Jimenez
DSWD Spokesperson
Department of Social Welfare and
Development
Republic of the Philippines
(This letter is dated Sept. 8, 2015)