Proud Dabawenya!

Proud Dabawenya!
Sa milabay nga katuigan, dungan kita mipalambo sa atong dakbayan... Diin atong gipasibaw ang tiunay nga serbisyo sa Dabawenyo. Kana tungod nagkanunayang kita NUMBER 1 sa inyong kasing-kasing (sa tulo ka termino) ug kamo usab kanako. Busa mapasalamatan kita og dako sa inyong pag salig. Ug karon, gikan sa konseho, ang muluop pangandoy sa Dabawenyo, dalhun nato ngadto sa KONGRESO... Hinaut, duyog gihapon kita sa pag abot sa panahon... MABEL SUNGA ACOSTA PO, AT YOUR SERVICE...

Proud Team Mabel

Proud Team Mabel
Happy Araw ng Dabaw!

Friday, March 12, 2010

Mabel Sunga Acosta, One of the Ten Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines


Sa milabay nga katuigan,
dungan kita mipalambo sa atong dakbayan...

Diin atong gipasibaw ang tiunay
nga serbisyo sa Dabawenyo....
Kana tungod nagkanunayang kita
NUMBER 1 sa inyong kasing-kasing
(sa tulo ka termino) ug kamo usab kanako.

Busa mapasalamatan kita og
dako sa inyong pag salig.

Ug karon, gikan sa konseho,
ang mulo ug pangandoy sa Dabawenyo,
dalhun nato ngadto sa KONGRESO...
Hinaut, duyog gihapon kita sa pag abot sa panahon...

MABEL SUNGA ACOSTA PO, AT YOUR SERVICE...

Monday, March 01, 2010

A RESOLUTION URGING THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIs) IN DAVAO CITY TO CONSIDER THE APPEAL OF THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED) IN AL

A Resolution Proposed by Coun. Mabel Sunga Acosta

during February 23, 2010 Regular Session of the 15th City Council

A RESOLUTION URGING THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIs)

IN DAVAO CITY TO CONSIDER THE APPEAL OF THE

COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION (CHED) IN ALLOWING

STUDENTS WITH DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS TO TAKE THEIR EXAMS

WHEREAS, higher education institutions (HEIs) in the city have imposed an increase in tuition and school fees every passing school year;

WHEREAS, Batas Pambansa Blg. 232 (Education Act of 1982), and Republic Act 7722 (Higher Education Act of 1994) grant the authority to the HEIs to impose these increases, subject to certain rules and regulations;

WHEREAS, CHED Memo Order No. 07, Series of 2007, which amended Section 8 of CHED Memo Order No. 14, Series of 2005, further provides that any increase in the tuition and other fees in all levels to be made by private HEIs shall be subject to consultation with stakeholders and approval of the CHED;

WHEREAS, it has been the practice of HEIs to proscribe students who have outstanding financial obligations with the school from taking their examinations unless and until they have fully settled their accounts;

WHEREAS, due to financial constraints and because of the escalating school fees, many students often delay the payment of their towering school obligations and consequently, they are not able to take their mandatory tests on time;

WHEREAS, recognizing the present economic downturn and the burden of swelling school fees to parents and students alike, CHED issued Memorandum Order No. 02 on January 22, 2010, calling to all private HEIs for flexibility in the implementation of the “No Permit, No Examination” policy or any such policy that prohibits students from taking their periodic or final examinations due to unpaid tuition and other school fees;

WHEREAS, we understand that HEIs are not without reasons for the imposition of increases in the school fees, given that they have to pay the salaries of their teaching and non-teaching personnel, and for the upgrade of their facilities, among others;

WHEREAS, we believe that solutions other than the “No Permit, No Examination” policy can be formed which would address both the need of the HEIs to collect payment from their students and the need of the students to take their exams in compliance with their school requirements;

WHEREAS, the cost of living nowadays has soared dramatically and the cost of education has become too expensive a commodity for ordinary Filipinos;

WHEREAS, it would be a tragedy when the education of our youth becomes a casualty to the economic demands of our educational institutions;

WHEREFORE, premises considered, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that a resolution be passed urging the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Davao City to consider the appeal of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in allowing students with delinquent accounts to take their exams;

RESOLVED FURTHER, that copies of this resolution be furnished to Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Davao Association of Colleges and Universities, the City Mayor’s Office, the City Legal Office, and to all others concerned for their information and guidance.


MABEL SUNGA ACOSTA

City Councilor, 1st District

Congratulations to ABS-CBN TV 4 DAVAO for Conducting the 1st Interschool Newscasting Competition in Davao City

A Resolution Proposed by Coun. Mabel Sunga Acosta

during February 23, 2010 Regular Session of the 15th City Council


A RESOLUTION COMMENDING ABS-CBN TV 4 DAVAO FOR CONDUCTING

THE 1ST INTERSCHOOL NEWSCASTING COMPETITION IN DAVAO CITY INTENDED TO DISCOVER AND HARNESS YOUNG TALENTS

WHO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME FUTURE BROADCASTERS

WHEREAS, ABS-CBN TV 4 Davao, located at located at Shrine Hills, Matina, Davao City, is a television station that is part of the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation;

WHEREAS, ABS-CBN TV 4 Davao has been bringing service to the Davaoenos and the entire Davao region by broadcasting quality news and entertainment programs since the 1980’s;

WHEREAS, in order to discover and harness young talents in the field of broadcasting, ABS-CBN TV 4 Davao commenced the conduct of the 1st Interschool Newscasting Competition in Davao City on November 2009, which was participated by more than 10 schools and around 400 students from all over the city;

WHEREAS, the participating students were tried in their skill of delivering news in three languages, namely: English, Filipino, and Bisaya, and were judged according to the following criteria: Delivery – 35%, Pronunciation and Diction – 30%, Voice Quality – 15%, Appearance on Cam – 15% and Overall Impact – 5%;

WHEREAS, on February 20, 2010, the finals of 1st Interschool Newscasting Competition was culminated at SM Davao, with Ms. Diana Grace Juaban from AdDU, declared as the Champion, Mr. Cirilo Corminal, Jr. from UM, declared as 1st Runner-up, and Ms. Christine Mae Camus from HCDC, declared as 2nd Runner-up;

WHEREAS, the act of ABS-CBN TV 4 Davao of discovering young talents who have the potential to become future broadcasters, through the conduct of its 1st Interschool Newcasting Competition, is truly a laudable and commendable act;

WHEREAS, this pro-active project provides a very valuable contribution in upgrading the academic skills and perspectives of the academe;

WHEREAS, it also provides an important social contribution as it sends a strong message to society that professionalism and idealism in the youth can start in the university and could be furthered through journalism even after they have finished their studies;

WHEREFORE, premises considered, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that a resolution be passed and approved, commending ABS-CBN TV 4 Davao for conducting the 1st Interschool Newscasting Competition in Davao City to discover and harness young talents who have the potential to become future broadcasters;

RESOLVED FURTHER, that copies of this resolution be furnished to the ABS-CBN TV4 Davao, Ateneo de Davao University, Holy Cross of Davao College, University of Mindanao, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), National Union of Journalist in the Philippines (NUJP), City Mayor’s Office and all others concerned for their information and guidance.


MABEL SUNGA ACOSTA

Councilor, 1st District, Davao City


No Permit, No Exam

Privilege Speech of Coun. Mabel Sunga Acosta

Re: NO PERMIT, NO EXAM

Delivered during February 23, 2010 Regular Session of the 15th City Council


Madam President, my colleagues in the City Council, friends from the media, ladies and gentlemen, Maayong buntag.

I rise on a personal and collective privilege to take up the “No Permit, No Exam” policy of some higher educational institutions (HEIs) in connection with the CHED Memorandum Order No. 02, issued by Mr. Emmanuel Y. Angeles, Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), last January 22, 2010. Said CHED Memo essentially appeals to HEIs for flexibility in the implementation of “No Permit, No Examination Policy” or any such policy that prohibits students from taking their periodic or final examinations due to unpaid tuition and other school fees.

As a background Madam President, the provisions of Batas Pambansa Blg. 232 (Education Act of 1982), and Republic Act 7722 (Higher Education Act of 1994) grant the authority to the HEIs to impose increase in the tuition and other school fees, subject to rules and regulations. However,CHED Memo Order No. 07, series of 2007, which amended Section 8 of CHED Memo Order No. 14, series of 2005, provides that any increases in the tuition and other fees in all levels to be made by private HEIs shall be subject to consultation with stakeholders… and approval of the CHED.

In sum, the HEIs, Madam President, can therefore increase their tuition and other school fees provided they comply with the provisions and guidelines contained under the existing laws and issuances of the CHED. It is for this reason, Madam President, why increases in tuition and other school fees have become a perennial concern of our parents and students whenever the opening of classes would come.

Madam President, it is a known fact that increases in tuition and other school fees have continue to become unabated every school year. Thus, considering the economic difficulties by many of our fellow Filipinos, the yearly increases in the said school fees have obviously become too much a burden for our parents and students to bear.

Generally, Madam President, due to economic hardship, many students often delay the payment of their towering school obligations. Thus, many HEIs often impose the “No Permit, No Exam Policy” to forbid students from taking their periodic or final examinations unless they pay the balances of their unpaid tuition fees and other school charges. That is precisely why, Madam President, CHED Memorandum Order No. 02, series of 2010, was issued – to provide a momentary yet welcome relief to parents and students who are financially hard-up in life.

Madam President, the rationale for the issuance of Memo No. 02, series of 2010, is contained in Section 1 thereof which provides, if I may read:

“Section 1. Rationale and Background

The recent economic recession has greatly affected most of the countries in the world, including the Philippines, As prices in the world market rise, the cost of basic commodities and services in the country becomes prohibitive. Education is one of the basic services that are often affected in times of economic recession. Filipino families value education in view of its role in poverty alleviation and total human capital formation. The government likewise recognizes that this is vital to the attainment of the nation’s development goals. Consequently, the unabated increases in tuition and other school fees has unduly burned affected families and students enrolled in HEIs across the nation.”

Madam President, we understand that our HEIs are not without reasons for the imposition of increases in the school fees. We understand that for the most part, a huge percentage of the money collected from the increases go to the salaries of the HEIs’ teaching and non-teaching personnel, and for the upgrade of the HEIs facilities. We understand that the law allows HEIs to determine their rate of tuition and other school fees, subject to rules and regulations. And the government, particularly the CHED, can only do very little to prevent the proposed increases in tuition and other school fees. CHED for the most part can only appeal to HEIs to not impose increases, postpone such increases, and in the case of CHED Memo Order No. 02, series of 2010, allow students to take their exams despite the outstanding school fees and obligations.

Time has greatly changed, Madam President, and the cost of living has soared dramatically for ordinary people to afford; wages have not really increased substantially, and the cost of education has become too expensive a commodity for the ordinary Filipinos. Madam President, I feel for our parents and students, and I feel for our HEIs as well.

However, I believe that education should not be deprived for financial/economic reasons alone. In this regard, Madam President, I urge our HEIs to consider the appeal of CHED in Memo Order No. 02, series of 2010, and allow students with delinquent account to take their exams.

Thank you, Madam President.