Monday, May 31, 2021

CHED and REX Education recognize model HEIs’ flexible learning and innovations through Gawad Edukampyon Awards 2021


In a time of great difficulty and challenges not just for the education sector but for the whole country, many schools and educators rose to the task to continue providing holistic and enriching learning for students throughout the country. It’s time for these heroic efforts to take the spotlight and be acknowledged.

The Gawad Edukampyon Awards 2021 was created for this very purpose: to celebrate innovations and excellence by higher education institutions (HEIs) during the most challenging time in recent history, and bring together educators and institutions to create, refine, and implement innovative programs suited to create better and sustainable learning in the 21st century’s new normal of education.

Launched in January 30, 2021 by Rex Education and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in partnership with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the Gawad Edukampyon Awards 2021 is driven by CHED’s #WeLearnAsOne Bayanihan efforts and Rex Education’s Edukampyon advocacy.

“I encourage all HEIs to join the Gawad Edukampyon and showcase your innovations. It is during these challenging times that we must empower and inspire each other, draw strength and learn from one another,” said CHED Chairperson Prospero “Popoy” De Vera.


Flexible learning is here to stay


Rex Education has always rallied behind the Edukampyon advocacy, which calls for the involvement of the whole community and all education duty-bearers to ensure all students are Filipino Whole Learners—healthy, safe, engaged, supported, challenged, and values-oriented inside and outside their learning environments. This has become especially important and relevant given the context and changes in education in the new normal, where flexible learning has become a more viable modality for the years to come.

“[There is] no going back to the traditional, full-packed, face-to-face classrooms. The Commission has adopted a policy that flexible learning will continue in the school year 2021 and thereafter,” said De Vera. This statement comes after the release of CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 04, series 2020, “Guidelines on the Implementation of Flexible Learning,” which also presents flexible learning as a sustainable system that should be part of every school’s Learning Continuity Plan (LCP).

Given the new investments of many HEIs in technology, teacher training, and retrofitting of facilities to adapt with flexible learning, and with this modality already long-adapted by many universities across the globe, it only makes sense for institutions to embrace the new landscape that flexible learning brings. This adaptability and learner-centered approach to education has always been at the core of Edukampyon, which—through the many studies and real-world applications it draws from—argues that learning should not just be delivered from the classroom curriculum, but from the whole community and through every possible learning moment.

“The Edukampyon agenda lobbies that as members of the community, everyone is part of this learner-centered solution, and are thus duty bearers morally obliged to support initiatives that will benefit our learners. We acknowledge that the efforts to realize the vision of Edukampyon is continuously growing. We may be at the very first steps of this years-long movement. But taking the first step is always the most crucial moment in every revolution. With the help of every HEI and of everyone, we hope that this first step leads to a march where we create more programs and campaigns that would allow us to be champions for the Whole Filipino Learner. And we hope Gawad Edukampyon Awards 2021 will lead that way,” said Don Timothy Buhain, CEO of Rex Education.




Award categories and prizes


There are four categories under the Gawad Edukampyon Awards. Each category will be awarded to the school who has implemented a project or initiative that best exemplifies excellence in the particular field and has been demonstrated during the pandemic.

The Gawad Edukampyon for Excellence in Flexible and Responsive Management is an award to be given to HEIs who created policies or specific projects and practices that ensured the continuity of education, as well as the health, safety, and well-being of students, faculty, staff and school-community during times of disruption. This includes efforts that set a clear framework and system for the transition and integration of flexible learning approaches, excellent and strategic leadership and management, and innovative management approaches that provided tangible support to the staff and students’ well-being especially during pandemic.


The Gawad Edukampyon for Excellence in Flexible Teaching and Learning Innovation is an award to be given to HEIs with exemplary innovative and adaptive learning approaches and solutions, including innovative platforms, tools, pedagogies, and appropriate learning assessments; efforts to promote learner-centered teaching; technology-enhanced or arts-based learning; setting up mobile open online courses (MOOCs); or creating significant reforms in the curriculum to accommodate the changes in the delivery of learning.


The Gawad Edukampyon for Responsive Research and Development is an award to be given to HEIs with outstanding research and development of products that significantly contributed to the community through research and materials dissemination to other LGUs or other HEIs, as well as researches that have been used as an input to public policy or adopted into a local community project, and case assessments or action-research that can improve the government’s COVID-19 response.





The Gawad Edukampyon for Public Service and Community Engagement is an award given to HEIs with outstanding outreach projects that alleviated challenges experienced by their community because of COVID-19. This includes those that have increased community resilience or improved response to the pandemic and communication campaigns that have engaged the community or resulted to transformative decision-making.

Two winners will be awarded for each category—one from the public sector and another from the private sector. Each award category winner will receive a cash prize and an educational resources package worth P200,000. The narratives of all winners will be featured in the Rex Education-led publication, Padayon.



How to join


All HEIs who wish to participate in the Gawad Edukampyon Awards can now submit their letter of intent (LOI) signed by the HEI head or authorized representative to edukampyonsecretariat@gmail.com with the subject heading “The Screening Committee, Gawad Edukampyon 2021”. The deadline of submission of LOI is on June 4, 2021.



For the full mechanics on how to join, and to access the forms, application information, and other updates, you may visit Gawad Edukampyon on Facebook, head to the link bit.ly/GawadEdukampyon, or contact the Gawad Edukampyon secretariat at edukampyonsecretariat@gmail.com or 0956-812-3896.

 







Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Big Crunch Digital pave the way for the Philippines' fusion of TV and mobile game entertainment - Wil to Play to be launched under Perya Perya gaming platform

Mobile gaming in the Philippines will grow even more significantly in the coming years. In recent Statista.com reports, Philippine mobile gaming revenues will reach US$1,032m in 2021 and push to US$1,522m by 2025. More than 70 million mobile phone users are driving these gains, with 80 percent of those users playing mobile games on a regular basis.


The Philippines is now one of the emerging Southeast Asian markets primed for the launch of new games and the expansion of new mobile game platforms. It's one of the reasons Big Crunch Digital Pte. Limited (Big Crunch Digital) is at the forefront of developing local games to help drive the mobile gaming market forward via its gaming platform. - Perya Perya (from the Filipino term amusement park). 


Under Perya Perya, Big Crunch Digital has been busy developing mobile games for Wil to Play, a soon-to-be-launched mobile game for Android. Willie Revillame, a well-known local celebrity, hosts and creates the TV show that inspired the app. The tight integration with its TV game show counterpart, as well as the ability to win real-world prizes, distinguishes Wil to Play from other games.



While most mobile games allow you to earn prestige and bragging rights, Wil to Play's hyper-casual mobile games allow users to bring home digital gadgets, food items, and more at any time and from any location. Since there are still limits to the sizes of local events and gatherings in the country, Wil to Play may well be the first game show that allows its online fans to win prizes even if they don't get to be in the TV studio. 


Big Crunch Digital's Managing Director, Jackie Chua, stated that the company has always aimed to develop a highly disruptive mass-market mobile entertainment offering for Southeast Asia.The company has vast experience in content, anime, and game production and development, working with big gaming studios such as Microsoft's first-party studio The Coalition and Synergy 88 Digital Inc.



Chua sees more opportunities as the Philippines' average revenue per user (ARPU) stands at US$33.69 and is expected to rise. As a result, Big Digital Crunch is looking for developers to expand into and partner with the Philippine market. 


"With Wil to Play and other currently-developing mobile gaming platforms, we've achieved distribution to more than 10 million users within the 2021 calendar year alone. We expect those numbers to increase exponentially in the coming years."


Wil To Play is set to have its open beta release this June 2021.


For more information on Wil to Play, please visit wiltoplay.com or wiltoplay.ph 


Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Learning how to Care for our Hearts on World Hypertension Day

PRESS RELEASE

Over 12 million Filipinos are suffering from hypertension. As the country’s leading cause of death, along with other cardiovascular diseases, hypertension remains to be a top problem among Filipinos. Over 70% of cases are uncontrolled, and 38.6% of patient populations in hospitals are attributed to hypertension. On World Hypertension Day, Sanofi together with TheAsianParent organized a FamHealthy episode via Facebook live to raise awareness about managing this lifestyle disease especially in this time of a pandemic.

With over 230 live viewers, mom vlogger Ara Casas-Tumuran moderated the session with cardiologist  Dr. Eduardo Tin Hay, and Sanofi Philippines Country lead Dr. Amal Makhloufi.

Among the topics covered is how to properly measure one’s blood pressure, which is a necessity to manage hypertension. Dr. Tin Hay shared a few tips that should be adapted for proper blood pressure measurement including not drinking caffeine and not smoking 30 minutes prior to the measurement. He also stressed the importance of getting an accurate reading, preferably as an average of two separate measurements, before getting diagnosed with hypertension.

Dr. Tin Hay also answered questions from the audience about the risks of getting vaccinated for COVID-19 when one is hypertensive. He explained the importance of referring to one’s primary care physician because cases may vary from person to person. “Having hypertension is not a contraindication for getting vaccinated. If you have hypertension, but are taking maintenance medicine, you can get vaccinated, as long as you check up with your doctor first,” said Dr. Tin Hay.

Several moms asked about risk factors, and how to properly manage hypertension. Dr. Tin Hay mentioned that the heat, especially during the summer months can greatly affect one’s blood pressure. He emphasized the need to limit the intake of salty foods and alcohol, and to exercise regularly. “Limiting your salt intake and exercising regularly can lower your blood pressure. It’s not perfect, but it could help. These small things, if you add them together, can greatly help in managing hypertension.”

Dr. Makhloufi, Country Lead for Sanofi Philippines, opened the discussion with a brief overview on hypertension, highlighting that in the Philippines, over 12 million Filipinos people are suffering from the disease. “As a global healthcare company, we are not only promoting the consistent adherence to hypertension medicines. We are also encouraging that patients and their family members adopt a more holistic approach to disease management,” shares Dr. Makhloufi. 

She also shared the programs that Sanofi has in place for hypertensive patients, like the EMPOWER Patient Support Program, where patients are provided with personalized coaching sessions by nurse educators. Additional coaching modules are also available through the BioMark app that can be downloaded by patients in Playstore or Applestore for free.

Moms from the audience were eager to ask questions about common misconceptions about hypertension and were grateful to have their questions answered by Dr. Amal Makhloufi and Dr. Tin Hay. 

Watch the replay of the webisode here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=1230483180739424&ref=watch_permalink

About Sanofi Philippines

Committed to helping Filipino families in building a healthier Philippines, Sanofi is a multinational healthcare company that promotes a holistic approach to patient care. With top of the line products innovated to provide the best for patients, and health programs that empower and educate, Sanofi continues to be the thought leader in managing lifestyle diseases and improving access to medicine.



Friday, May 21, 2021

Project Karinderya Sparks New Hope to Help Feed Vulnerable Families during the Pandemic

Helping Address Hunger- Through Project Karinderya, civil society and private sector organizations banded together to make food immediately available to an increasing number of families who suffer hunger because of the lockdown, while helping karinderyas to survive and recover their source of income.

Agnes Gabatbat cooks for a living. She has been operating a karinderya in Batasan, Quezon City for six years now. Her husband lost his job because of the pandemic, and the family of 12 had to rely on Agnes and her karinderya for their daily needs.
“’Yung mga anak ko patuloy na nag-aaral kahit pandemic kaya patuloy din ako sa paghahanap-buhay. Nagtulungan kami ng mister ko sa karinderya (My children have to continue with their studies despite the pandemic, which is why I have to continue earning. My husband and I worked together at the karinderya),” she said. Like Agnes, many small businesses were greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Agnes used to make around Php 6,000 to 7,000 per day, but due to strict quarantine protocols and financial challenges brought about by the pandemic, her sales were halved, and she eventually lost some of her customers.

Helping Revive Livelihood. Agnes Gabatbat, one of the karinderya owners that have benefitted from Project Karinderya, serves a customer in Batasan, Quezon City. Project Karinderya helps karinderya owners like Agnes to revive their small businesses after the financial challenges they suffered from COVID-19 pandemic. Project Karinderya helped revive Agnes’ livelihood. “Gumanda po ang kita dahil dumami ang customers. Yung regular benta ko na Php 4,000 ngayong pandemic, nadagdagan ng isang libo (My sales improved because the customers are increasing. There is also a thousand increase on my Php 4,000 regular sales during this pandemic),” she said. Reviving livelihoods. To help small business owners like Agnes weather the effects of the global health crisis, Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF) has partnered with Kasagana-Ka Development Center (KDCI) and Kabuhayan sa Ganap na Kasarinlan Credit and Savings Cooperative (KCoop) to assist and re-establish the operations of karinderyas from low-income communities in NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal. Every karinderya that is that is part of the program serves meals to 20 families in their community for a period of 30 days.
JGF, KDCI, and K-Coop are all part of the COVID-19 Civil Society Sector Organizations & Private Sector Coalition (or NGO Collab), a group of civil society and private sector organizations that have banded together to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on varying issues in the Philippines.

“Sinabihan po ako ng Kasagana-Ka tungkol sa Project Karinderya. Ako po ay nagpapasalamat dahil napabilang ako sa proyektong ito. Hindi po biro na makasali dito kaya malaking biyaya po ito sa akin (Kasagana-Ka told me about Project Karinderya. I’m very grateful to be included in this project, and this is a huge blessing for me),” said Agnes. Singapore-based Temasek Foundation and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the DEG (German Investment Corporation) also recognized the impact of the project and provided grants for the meal subsidy of family beneficiaries. Helping Ensure Food Safety and Quality. To help karinderya owners recover from the effects of the pandemic, as well as keep their sustainable even after the program, the Jollibee Group Foundation provided t with trainings on food preparation, food safety, and customer service. Food Safety Training

JGF provided karinderya owners with trainings on food preparation, food safety, and customer service. “All livelihood programs that we undertake in Jollibee Group Foundation are aimed at addressing the felt-need in communities and empowering beneficiaries so that they become self-sustaining. We have the same goal for Project Karinderya—we aim to help karinderya owners upskill themselves and develop the right mindset of persevering amid this pandemic,” said Jollibee Group Foundation Executive Director Gisela Tiongson. Under the program, karinderya owners and their personnel were also required to wear face masks, face shields, hairnets, and aprons for safety. Karinderyas also used plastic coverings for the dishes and posted a daily menu to help customers choose their preferred food faster and to prevent overcrowding. To ensure that the protocols and practices shared with the karinderya owners were being practiced, Health Cadet volunteers of KDCI visited karinderyas weekly during the project’s implementation to monitor the karinderyas’ compliance to the project guidelines. “Ngayon pa lang po ako naka-attend ng ganoong seminar. Malaking bagay po ito sa akin dahil marami po akong natutunan dito. Importante po na malinis ang mga pagkain. Kailangan din nating sumunod sa mga protocol tulad ng social distancing (It was my first time attending this kind of seminar and I learned a lot from it, like the importance of food safety and following safety protocols like social distancing),” shared Agnes. Financial help for families in need Just like Agnes, Lilia Albario was struggling to make ends meet because her children also lost their jobs during the pandemic. She and her grandchildren are making doormats to earn. But like everyone else, the pandemic made it hard for them to sell and continue with the business. “Wala po kaming masakyan. Naglalakad pa po kami ng malayo para makarating sa palengke at makapagtinda (There was no available transportation. We even walk long miles so we could go the market and sell),” she shared. Through Project Karinderya, financial subsidy in the form of vouchers were given to vulnerable families like Lilia’s. Beneficiaries were given vouchers for 30 days, which they used to claim food from the participating karinderya in their area. To reach the families most deserving of financial help, KDCI, K-Coop, and JGF prioritized families with pregnant and lactating women, those with five kids under 15 years of age, and those with senior citizens and/or disabilities. “We were systematic in choosing the families who would be part of the project because wanted the project to be effective in targeting those most in need of help in the communities,” said K-Coop General Manager Maria Ana de Rosas-Ignacio. “Kaya malaking tulong po sa amin ‘yung Project Karinderya kasi ‘yung naibibigay nila na pang-ulam namin araw-araw ay hindi na po nanggagaling sa aming bulsa (Project Karinderya is a big help because the food given to us every day does not come from our own pockets anymore),” Lilia said, adding that the food served is nutritious, with a mix of vegetables and meat. 

As of February 2021, the partnership has served 30-day meal subsidies in the form of meal vouchers to 4,600 families through 230 karinderyas in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. 

Organizations who would like to support or replicate the project may get in touch with the NGO Collab secretariat at covid19phresponse@gmail.com.

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

About Mom: Mega Prime and Prime Mom Club host a well-deserved Relaxation Workshop for Moms

If there’s anyone who deserves some overdue pampering, it will have to be the mothers of this world. Day in and day out, pandemic or not, moms are always juggling a thousand and one responsibilities, all for the sake of their families and loved ones.

To thank all moms for their tireless efforts, Mega Prime and the Prime Mom Club have organized a one-of-a-kind virtual glamping event that allowed moms to relax and bond with fellow moms. The session, entitled All About Mom, pampered moms by giving them some me-time to relax while learning alongside their peers who share their cares and interests.



Different from the past Prime Mom Club workshops, a virtual glamping session, the perfection relaxation hotspot for our Prime Moms was created. As a way to connect with one another while also reminding our moms that it's important to care for themselves, guests were encouraged to interact with all that was in store for them. They had a blast with trivia games and other interactive game booths, as well as learning home tablescape styling hosted by Pinky Tobiano topped off with a cooking segment using Mega Prime Oyster Sauce and Canned Fruits. The online event was attended by members of the Prime Mom Club, Mega Prime’s exclusive club for moms who want to continuously elevate their homemaking skills.


Leading the event was the Prime Mom Club’s honorary member and Mega Prime’s brand ambassador, Marian Rivera Dantes, who spoke about the importance of bonding with fellow moms through shared passions such as cooking, which are good for one’s well being especially during this pandemic. 

 

Chef Rosebud Benitez unveiled special recipes using Mega Prime Choices Oyster Sauce. She also whipped up scrumptious desserts using Mega Prime’s Canned Fruits. Together with Mommy Connh Cruz, the winner of The Search for the Next Prime Mom, both of them participated in an online cook-off and shared some practical cooking tips and ideas.

 

“Mega Prime deeply appreciates the efforts that all moms extend for their families and loved ones. We wanted to celebrate them and thank them for everything that they tirelessly do through Prime Mom Club. This shows our commitment to empower moms, not just through cooking workshops but also through events that focus on their overall well-being. We hope to have more of these events for Prime Mom Club members in the near future, said Marvin Tiu Lim, Mega Global Chief Growth and Development Officer.

The Prime Mom Club has been an avenue for moms to improve their skills as homemakers. Combining information and education with interactive and engaging events, Prime Moms are given exclusive access to enriching activities featuring experts and celebrities to guide them. Be sure to sign up for the Prime Mom Club at www.primemomclub.com to join the growing community of modern home-makers and receive exclusive information on future events and perks. For more information, be sure to follow @megaprimequality on Facebook and Instagram.

How to Keep Your Kids Hydrated In the Summer

During the summer, dehydration is a major concern for most parents. When children are having a nice time during the summer, they have a way of totally avoiding the need for liquid drinks. We, as parents, must essentially force the issue of hydration upon our children. Here are some of the most effective ways to keep your kids hydrated this summer.


The best way to keep hydrated has always been and will always be water. When trying to prevent dehydration, water can always be the first thing you look for, but it isn't always a favorite. One main reason is- it is tasteless. Kids prefer sweet and with taste when it comes to fluid drinks. They are very dependent on their tastebuds and when their drinks have color. One best trick or idea you can do is to get the water bottles with times to drink.


This is somehow a motivational water container that they can use when playing outdoors, it has a timer level indicator to remind them that they need to drink water. It comes in varieties of colors they can choose from.


Other fluid drinks or beverages you can put inside these bottles are: 

Fruit flavored water. You can flavor plain water with a variety of fruits available on the market, including lemon, grape, apples, and many others. These fruits are excellent for keeping you and your children hydrated throughout the summer. Watermelons, mangoes, and pineapples may also be used to make fruit shakes or fruit smoothies.


Fruit Juices. 100% fruit juices are the next best thing for keeping your kids hydrated this summer. We all know that fruit juices aren't quite as good as the real thing, but when it comes to hydration, 100% fruit juices are an excellent substitute for water. To make it easier for your kids to drink their juices, keep them cold and on hand. And, always know what is their favorite fruit to have when it comes to fruit juices.



Children dehydrate even more quickly than adults. Children may not sweat as readily as adults, and the sensation of thirst can be delayed compared to the body's actual need for fluids. As a result, by the time your child complains of hunger, they can already be dehydrated. So don't put off giving your kids fluids until then. It may be too late, and dehydration has already set in. 

So, when you and your children are out enjoying the summer months, make sure you have plenty of fluids on hand.

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Get Record Labels to Listen to Your Music

 

Photo by Elina Sazonova from Pexels

Music is a talent that you pursue with commitment and dedication. The music business is a creative startup. Making music for a living has never served anybody to achieve that goal, you must create songs and sounds that you are confident. You must put your heart and soul into the song. Have a good idea of what you expect your record label to do. Choose music accordingly, then go about forming a legitimate corporate company. Also, time is the essence when it comes to preparation and work.

It's a daunting task to master how to get spotted by record labels, but the prospects open now are much greater than those that have come previously. To get in front of the big players in the old days, you had to build a regional following and expect to grow large enough to spread. Though this is still true to some extent, independent record labels benefit from digital streaming. The Internet's influence has potentially made it possible to upload a sound file on iTunes or a video on YouTube and get in front of a major record label executive like Benjy Grinberg. Use social media to promote yourself. Make connections with people in the music business that you respect. You never know when an accidental meeting with another music professional will lead to a vital touch that will get the act in front of the right set of eyes.

Photo by Benjamin Lehman from Pexels

Concentrate on finding new music after finishing the legal formalities of a record label. There are circumstances that composers who can't find a simple way to record their music have started their record labels. Great music bands are only waiting for their chance to shine. The quality of music you want to market determines the popularity of your music label. If you have a product that you are proud of, the next step is to ensure that it is delivered using the best sound mixing and recording levels possible. Attitude and showmanship will also complement the music. Steps to music success are to create a solid product and show it in the best way possible, but it is also important to use all of the handy resources that bands did not have access to years ago.

Photo by Elina Sazonova from Pexels


Physical distribution is more on leg work than digital distribution. You will use a generating music service to distribute the music directly to different websites. It is preferable to work with producers who would vigorously promote the music label. If you have enough money, you can spread your music on your own. Alternatively, If you're not sure where, to begin with, the promotion facets of your music career, there are experienced professionals ready to assist you. You should employ public relations firms to market the album label.


As a recording business, setting your budget is a bit crucial when it comes to earning profits. Establishing a good deal with the talent and everything that comes with it; record label and recording costs to be exact.  


Overall, a recording artist and a record label, in general, can be lucrative in so many aspects. It is important to understand all of the pros and cons. It is not a one-time contract. The importance of timing cannot be overstated.