The PCPS program is implemented in line with the national government's efforts to significantly increase the educational system's capacity to achieve quality education reform. DepEd has recently implemented the Cyber Education Project that uses satellite technology to provide an efficient and cost-effective solution to the need to deliver educational services to public elementary and secondary schools throughout the country.

The Catulayan National High School in Siquijor province is a recipient of another 10 more personal computers under the PCs for Public Schools program of the Department of Trade and Industry in the province.

Now on its third phase, the PCPS is a government program granting PCs complete with printer and peripherals to selected public high schools nationwide. The formal turnover was made June 22 with the Department of Education, the representative of the lone district of Siquijor Congressman Orlando 'Shane' Fua Jr., Gov. Orlando B. Fua, and Mayor Edwin Quimno.

In July to August last year, five high schools also received 10 PCs each with printers and peripherals while two LGUs received five PCs each with printers and peripherals under Phase III of the same program. These are Lazi National Agricultural School, the Candaping High School in Maria town, Basac High School in Larena, Ponong High School and Cang-alwang National High School in the capital town of Siquijor.

Under PCPS Phase 2 in April 2004, Banban High School of Siquijor, Siquijor received 10 computers with two printers and peripherals while under PCPS Phase I in April 2002, Siquijor Provincial High School and Campalanas National High School got 20 PCs each with two printers and peripherals.

The PCPS program is implemented in line with the national government's efforts to significantly increase the educational system's capacity to achieve quality education reform. DepEd has recently implemented the Cyber Education Project that uses satellite technology to provide an efficient and cost-effective solution to the need to deliver educational services to public elementary and secondary schools throughout the country. It links these schools to a nationwide network that provides 12 video channels, wireless wide area networking, local area networking and wireless Internet connectivity.

Under this project, a total of 37,794 schools, or 90 percent of all public schools nationwide, will be connected in the next three years. These schools will receive live broadcasts featuring lectures and presentations from master teachers as well as coursewares on demand and other valuable resource materials.

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Four U.S. Peace Corps volunteers arrived in Siquijor recently for volunteer work in the province's coastal resource management.

Peace Corps volunteers Michelle Elizabeth Moravec, Joseph "Brit" Britton Hill, David Walker Liemeden, and Carly Jasmine Hursh have been assigned in the municipalities of San Juan, Lazi, Maria and Larena, said Pilar P. Macalino of the Provincial Agriculture Office in Siquijor. Macalino said that prior to their deployment, the volunteers underwent an orientation in Siquijor's neighboring province of Negros Oriental on the dialect, local culture and understanding of the different profile of the localities and people in the community in Siquijor. Accompanied by the different municipal agricultural officers, the four volunteers paid a courtesy call on the local chief executives and later went on a site visit to familiarize themselves with their assigned localities as well as get to know the local government units and other line agencies that they will be working closely with. These organizations include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and other non government organizations, like the Coastal Conservation Education Foundation which is headed by Maribel Inao.

Macalino added that the two-year work volunteer work officially starts on August 2007. The four volunteers are looking forward to a better and strong working relationship with their counterparts in the province.

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The Agricultural Training Institute in Region 7 held a special lecture and workshop training on social mobillization from July 3 to July 5. Held at Blue Wave Beach Resort in Dumanhog, Siquijor, the three-day training was participated in by technicians and agricultural extension workers of the local government units in the province and the Department of Agriculture's attached agencies.

The training was held is in line with the department's efforts on enhancing sense of responsibilities towards public service, said Macalino. "The seminar aimed to capacitate and upgrade the knowledge and skills of the technicians most particularly on the concept of social or people mobilization," Macalino said.

The training was spearheaded and supported by the ATI, Regional Center Director Caroline May Daquio and Region 7 Training Officer Engr. Samuel Gallardo who facilitated the seminar.

The activity aimed to make the bureaucracy effective as it tackles concerns and issues relevant to extending effective public services.