Student Websites Win

High school students from two Cebu schools were recognized as winners in an international website design contest participated by schools in 52 countries.

Fourth year students from the University of the Philippines (UP) in Cebu won second place and got the gold award for "Calles de Cebu: Gateway to a nation's history" (http://www.streets.philippines-online.com)

This was one of three sites to win the gold award in the historical landmarks category of the International Schools CyberFair 2006 competition-exhibition held May 17, 2006 in San Diego, California, USA. (The first place winners were given the platinum award.)

The student's website describes the history and location of Cebu City streets classified by the origin of their names. Streets are named after "rajahs, conquistadors, priests, national heroes, local fighters, and great events". An interactive map has information about each road which can be accessed by clicking on it.

The UP High School Cebu team was composed of 63 students aged 15 to 17. UP teachers Renante P. Manlunas and Louella L. Manlunas acted as their advisers.

Another Cebu-based school, the Center for International Education won the silver award in the local music and art category for their website "Cebu: A Self-Portrait" (cyberfair.cie.edu). The site aimed to give Cebuano art global exposure.

The CyberFair is currently on its 11th year, and can be viewed on the web at www.globalschoolnet.org or www.gsh.org/GSH/cf.

UP High School shared the gold award in the historical landmarks category with San Andrea Senior School of Mgarr, Malta and River Valley High School of Singapore.

The first prize or platinum award went to the Bancroft School of Haoddonfield, New Jersey, USA, and the Lu Chiang Primary School of Taipei, Taiwan.

- from Cebu Daily News, 25-May-2006

Board To Mandate Class Recitation Of "Cebuano Code Of Duties"

Aside from reciting the "Panunumpa sa Watawat" during the flag ceremony, students in Cebu will soon be required to recite in unison the "Code of Duties and Responsibilities for Cebuanos".

An ordinance which mandates all private and public schools to teach the code and to require students to "recite by heart" its 10 provisions was passed on first reading yesterday by the Provincial Board.

The provisions emphasize obedience to parents elders and government officials. It also tells students to value manual labor in all undertakings.

The ordinance authored by Provincial Board member Juan Bolo was reffered to the PB committee on laws headed by Antonio Almirante for review.

Bolo also drafted the code by himself.

According to Bolo, inherent in every Cebuano are the values "we uphold as a people, values that were handed down to us by our forefathers from generation to generation."

"These values of love for God and family, industry, modesty, simplicity, respect, and love for simple joys have helped identify and define us as especially unique and different from the people of other regions, yet, not losing our Filipino values as a whole," Bolo explained in his resolution.

He said the purpose of the ordinance is to re-introduce all the core values which have been neglected because of modern technology and other influences.

"There is an urgent need for us to re-introduce these values back into our system."

The Code of Duties and Responsibilities of Cebuanos is as follows:

"I am a Cebuano and as such I adhere to the following code of duties and responsibilities:

1. I acknowledge the presence of a loving and provident God.
2. I love my country for it is the land of my birth, the home of my people, the source of my happiness and well being.
3. I love and respect my parents, my teachers, officials, and elders. I will serve and gratefully serve them well.
4. I promise to keep my honor and integrity pure and clean.
5. I will be honest and truthful in all my thoughts and actions.
6. I will endeavor to live a simple, modest, and frugal life.
7. I will strive to be industrious and will not be ashamed to do manual labor.
8. I will develop and protect environment and natural resources.
9. I will contribute to the good of my community, promote social justice, and be law-abiding citizen.
10. I am proud of my heritage and my people."

from Cebu Daily News, 23-May-2006

Annual Trade Show Joins CBM Events

Leading Manila-based computer technology firms belonging to the Computer Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers Association of the Philippines (COMDDAP) will showcase the latest information and communications technology (ICT) products, solutions, services and consumer electronics at COMDDAP Cebu 2006.

The biggest biennial ICT exhibit and selling show in the Visayas returns to the Queen City of the South with "I.T.'s Happening in COMDDAP Cebu 2006!" on June 22-24, 2006 at the SM Trade Hall, according to a statement from COMDDAP.

COMDDAP's three-day exhibit-sale is part of the celebration of Cebu Business Month and is also its contribution to a series of ICT-related events spearheaded by the Commission on Information and Communication (CICT) in observing the National ICT month of June.

"Cebu has come a long way since 1994 when COMDDAP first staged its expo in the city, which was our first road show outside Manila in our effort to make ICT products and business solutions more accessible to our people," COMDDAP president Juan Chua said.

According to Chua, Cebu has high information technology consciousness among individual consumers and companies, especially the small-to-medium scale businesses.

This factor will help boost the growth of the city's ICT infrastructure.

"COMDDAP Cebu will also continue to benefit the local ICT industry through increased networking, business opportunities and renewal of ties among distributors and resellers," said Jefferson Plaza, head of organizing committee.

Media G8Way Corp. will also stage LinuxWorld Philippines 2006 covering various topics on free and open source solutions.