National Wellness Day 2013: A Big Success

Some of the organizations which participated in the National Wellness Day (from top left): Petron Corporation, PMAP Secretariat, SGS Gulf Limited, Canon Philippines and UCPB, the lead site of the activities in NCR.

Filipino workers from all over the country and even overseas participated in the National Wellness Day activities last June 21.

The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), the premier organization of HR practitioners and people managers, successfully held the nationwide activity that promotes health and wellness in the workplace as one of the most important issues that companies need to address today. Almost 100 member companies from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have organized different wellness activities in their respective workplaces on the said day. The highlight of the celebration is the 7-Minute PMAP Wellness Moment, a quick wellness activity that involves stretching and meditation to be done simultaneously across the nation by employees at exactly 3:00 pm.

This PMAP initiative, in Partnership with Healthway Medical, even reached workers from the Guam office of one of their members, SGS Gulf Limited, who performed the activity along with their colleagues based in the three offices of the company in the Philippines. With the success of the event, PMAP is pushing for the National Wellness Day to be done annually every third Friday of June.

Furthermore, on October 2013, PMAP will hold a fun run at CCP Grounds, Pasay City as the culminating event of the organization’s efforts in promoting workplace wellness this year. Aside from targeting more than 1,500 participants in the fun run, the event also aims to provide a venue for different organizations to showcase their respective wellness initiatives. 

Evercool Automotive at Industrial Radiators, Matatag at maaasahan sa Hanapbuhay

Para kay Eleuterio Manankil, isang taga-angkat ng sari-saring gulay, ang pagpatak ng buwan ng Marso ay hudyat ng mahigit na dalawang buwang kalbaryo—kalbaryo laban sa init ng araw na siyang nagpapalanta ng kanyang kalakal.

Hanggang sa natuklasan niya ang solusyon sa kanyang problema—ang Evercool line ng automotive at industrial radiators.

“Ang mga unang taon ko sa negosyo ay kalbaryo tuwing tag-araw. Ang mga kalakal kong gulay na galing sa iba’t ibang parte ng Luzon ay nalalanta dahil sa init ng biyahe,” ani Manankil, tubong Laguna pero nakakarating sa Vigan sa Ilocos hanggang sa Baguio at Legaspi sa Albay para umangkat ng halos lahat ng uri ng gulay.

“Ang isandaang porsyento ng kalakal na gulay ay parang animnapung porsyento na lang pagdating sa Maynila,” dagdag ni Manankil. “Gusto ko nang sumuko noon pero nakaraan na ‘yun. Ngayon, nakakahinga na ako ng maluwag at magaan na ang takbo ng negosyo ko.”

Ang dahilan ay ang kanyang walang palyang mga sasakyang trak—mga 10-wheeler na talo pa ang kalabaw sa pag-aararo ng highway mula Laoag hanggang Legaspi at pabalik ng Balintawak sa lungsod ng Quezon kung saan binabagsak niya ang sako-sakong paninda. Walang palya ang mga trak dahil sa Evercool radiator, na natuklasan niya mula sa isang kanegosyo na taga Lucena sa Quezon.

“Mula noong pinayuhan niya ako na gumamit ng Evercool, walang nang palya ang biyahe namin. Kahit gaano pa kainit ang biyahe, tiyak, makakarating ang mga trak ko sa takdang oras at sariwa pa din ang mga gulay ko,” diin ni Manankil.

“Mahigit na siyento porsyento ang performance ng Evercool products. Walang palya,” ani Mike Gonzalez, ang general manager ng Roberts Automotive and Industrial Parts Manufacturing Corporation (Roberts AIPMC), ang kumpanya na nakabase sa Cabuyao, Laguna, na gumagawa ng matatag na Evercool line ng radiator.

“Ngayon, pwede nang kalimutan ni Mang Eleuterio ang takot na titirik sa daan ang kanyang mga trak dahil ni minsan, hindi siya binigo ng Evercool. Nakakarating sa destinasyon ang mga kalakal sa takdang oras, o mabilis pa.”

Sadyang mainit ang klima sa Pilipinas, dahilan para madaling masira ang mga sasakyan o parte nito. Isama na rin ang mabigat na daloy ng trapiko sa buong Maynila at ang masamang lagay ng mga kalsada. Nakakadagdag ito sa tinatawag na “strain” o pagkapagod ng radiator ng sasakyan. Gaya ng ating katawan, alalahanin din natin na ang mga makina ay napapagod din kapag hindi inalagaan o ipinapahinga.

Kaya ang payo ni Gonzalez ay tiyakin na ang radiator ng inyong mga sasakyan ay gawang Evercool ng Roberts AIPMC na patuloy na gumagawa ng mataas na kalidad na produkto na puwedeng isabak sa anumang lagay ng kalsada o temperatura. Isang patunay ng galing ng Evercool ay ang patuloy na pagtangkilik ng mga pangunahing kumpanya ng sasakyan tulad ng Mitsubishi Motors, Isuzu, Columbian Motors, Pilipinas Hino at Suzuki.

Higit pa sa garantiya ni Gonzalez ang karanasan ni Manankil sa paggamit ng Evercool sa kanyang mga sasakyan. Para sa kanya, walang lantang gulay sa isang matatag at maaasahang alalay na Evercool sa paglalakbay.

Para sa iba pang kaalaman tungkol sa Evercool radiator na gawa ng Roberts AIPMC, tanungin ang inyong paboritong mekaniko o magtungo sa kanilang website, www.roberts.com.ph.

Blended learning solution for 21st century classrooms

Teaching and learning in today's educational landscape pose significant challenges to schools and institutions that are unable to keep up with the trends of the times. This is compounded even further by the introduction of a brand-new K to 12 curriculum that leaves students and teachers with more questions than answers. How can schools bridge the divide between old methods of instruction and new ways of learning? How can the K to 12 curriculum be made more responsive to this sweeping shift in teaching and learning?

Bearing these questions in mind, the Philippine Normal University (PNU) National Center for Teacher Education, together with Vibal Publishing House, Inc. and the Vibal Foundation, presented the "2nd Digital Education Conference: K to 12 & Teaching and Learning with Technology." The 2-day conference was held on May 20-21 at the PNU Center for Teaching Excellence Auditorium, HRD Building (across the main building of PNU), PNU campus in Taft Avenue, Manila, while the subsequent workshops on teaching and learning with technology using the K to 12 curriculum was conducted on May 22-23.

The conference featured talks by leading ICT and industry figures. The event also witnessed the launch of Vibal's pioneering line of innovative e-learning solutions meant to bolster the entry of Filipino classrooms into the age of digital learning.

Dr. Ester B. Ogena, president of PNU, delivered the welcome remarks for the conference. Salman Khan, creator of Khan Academy, kick started the series of lectures with his talk, "Education for Anyone, Anywhere," which he presented (fittingly) via Skype teleconference. Dr. Rosalina J. Villaneza, chief of curriculum of DepEd's Bureau of Elementary Education, presented on "K to 12 Curriculum and Technology Integration" while Dr. Marilyn U. Balagtas of PNU gave a talk on "Assessment and Technology." This was followed by a presentation on "The La Salle Green Hills and La Salle Zobel Experiences: Early Technology Adopters" by Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC of La Salle Zobel and Mrs. Amy Galang, High School Principal of La Salle Green Hills.

The highlight of the conference was the launch of V-Smart offline e-learning solution by Gaspar A. Vibal, president of Vibal Publishing House, Inc. V-Smart represents a leap from the traditional modes of instruction and learning, spawning an ecosystem for digital learning that presents a comprehensive suite of solutions including an integrated e-textbook reader, classroom learning management, social learning platform, and classroom and mobile device management system.

The second day of the event featured sessions on Media Literacy, Social Media in the Classroom, plus simultaneous digital classroom presentations by Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, and Vibal. Days 3 and 4 proceeded with the Summer Course on Technology Integration in the K to 12 Curriculum for selected participants.

The “K to 12 & Teaching and Learning with Technology” conference was organized by Vibal Publishing House, Inc., Vibal Foundation, and PNU, with support from Apple, Microsoft, and Samsung.