GSIS offers 200 slots for college scholarship grant
CEBU CITY, May 22 (PIA) -- The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is offering 200 slots for educational scholarships to children of low-salaried government workers through its ‘Enhanced College Scholarship Program.’
GSIS President and General Manager Robert G. Vergara said that since May 15, they have started accepting the applications of its members for the inclusion of their children to avail of the educational scholarship program for 2012-2013.
Unlike in the past scholarship programs, the selection of the scholars will no longer be done through an electronic raffle, this is said.
GSIS will accept scholarship nominees from members with a salary grade of 24 or below or its equivalent. But the nominee of parents with the lowest salary grades will be given priority in the scholarship grant.
Further, the nominee must be a child of the member and an incoming freshman accepted in the schools identified by the pension fund.
Under the program, a scholar will be entitled to the actual cost of tuition and miscellaneous fees not exceeding P20,000 and a monthly stipend of P2,000.The scholar may either take a four or five-year course but must meet the scholastic requirements set by the school for student retention under the program.
Distribution of the 200 scholarship slots nationwide per region are as follows: 60 scholars for the NCR; three for CAR; nine each for Region 1 and 2; 16 for Region 3; 10 for Region 4-A; one for Region 4-B; 11 for Region 5; 14 for Region 6; 10 for Region 7; 11 in Region 8; 12 in Region 9; 11 in Region 10; 9 for Region 11; 10 for Region 12 and lastly, four for Region 13.
The Pension fund has already awarded a total of 1,371 scholarship grants since the inception of its program.
Meanwhile, the GSIS is also offering its members P4,000 educational assistance loan which is payable in five yeas at six percent interest rate. (FCR/Ma. Mitchi Ablay/CNU communication intern/PIA 7, Cebu)
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Parents, teachers beautify schools under Brigada Eskwela in Cebu
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, May 22 (PIA) -- Volunteer parents and teachers of the biggest public high school in Mandaue City trooped to the school to devote their free services in painting classrooms and helping in the minor repairs in time for the opening of classes on June 4 as the Brigada Eskwela 2012 kicked off yesterday.
“We provided the manpower and the materials needed, we hope to finish everything in one week’s time,” said Vic Suliva, president of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) of Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School (MCCNHS)
The school’s PTA members divided the work - parents took turns in painting the walls while fathers helped hired carpenters in the repair of windows.
“This is my simple way of helping provide quality education to our children,” said Paz Byker, a mother of an incoming first year and 3rd year students who painted the walls of the classrooms.
Also on hand to help the parents and teachers were acting Mandaue City Mayor Glenn Bercede and acting Vice Mayor Jimmy Lumapas.
Education Assistant Secretary Elena Ruiz who was in Cebu yesterday to launch the Brigada Eskwela 2012 dropped by some public schools including the MCCNHS to personally see the implementation of the program.
DepEd 7 Acting Director Carmelita Dulangon also expressed satisfaction on the participation and involvement of volunteers including parents and other stakeholders in the program.
“Brigada Eskwela” is a school maintenance program of the Department of Education (DepEd) involving teachers, parents, students, and other stakeholders that undertakes beautification works every third week of May to prepare for school year opening.(FCR-PIA 7, Cebu)
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DPWH 7 sets repair for Marcelo Fernan Bridge on June 4‘schedule for bridge repair to last 88 days’
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, May 22 (PIA) -– The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 will start repairing the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge starting on June 4 in time for the opening of classes .
The DPWH 7 will repair 16 of the 18 expansion joints of the 2nd bridge and includes the removal of existing damage of rubber expansion joints. An installation of steel-finger type expansion joints, mobilization as well as demobilization will be done.
“Work repairs will be done 24/7 which includes weekends and holidays. We expect everything to be completed within 88 days or by August 30,” said Engr. Renault Ricardo, assistant district engineer of the Cebu 6th District Engineering Office of DPWH 7.
Ricardo asked for the public’s understanding and consideration as the bridge really needs urgent repairs.
An advisory on specific work schedules beginning on June 4 until August 30 has been released by the DPWH 7 for the public’s consumption and convenience.
The work schedules are as follows:
● Phase 1 – June 4 to June 17: Right lane from Lapulapu City to Mandaue City (beside the sidewalk)
● Phase 2-June 18 to July 1: Inner Lane from Lapu-Lapu to Mandaue (beside Center Island)
● Phase 3-July 2 to July 19: Right Lane from Mandaue to Lapu-Lapu (beside sidewalk)
● Phase 4-July 20 to August 2:Left Lane from Mandaue to Lapu-Lapu (beside center island)
● Phase 5-August 3 to August 16:Right Lane at viaduct Lapu-Lapu side
● Phase 6-August 17 to August 30:Left Lane at viaduct Lapu-Lapu side.
According to the DPWH 7, they will make the necessary traffic advisories to inform the public as it expressed hopes that motorists using the 2nd bridge will take note of the work schedules and exercise utmost patience if they encounter heavy traffic.
The Fernan Bridge was originally scheduled for repair on May 2 but was later postponed to give more time for public information dissemination.
Supported by 80-high tensile-strength cables, the P2.3 billion bridge has 15 pillars and two towers spanning 85 meters making it one of the longest cable-stayed bridge worldwide.
The bridge was inaugurated and opened on August 3, 1999. (FCR/Ma.Mitchi Ablay/CNU communication intern/PIA 7, Cebu)