Sandugo Regional Trade Fair

Come July 20-23, 2006 the region's top producers will again converge in an annual Visayan trade exhibition, this time at the Island City Mall in Tagbilaran City. Timed with Bohol's Sandugo festival, the Sandugo Regional Product Showcase is one of the highlights during the historic Boholano event.

With the theme: "Pride of the Islands...Beyond Boundaries", our very own nine handicraft and accessories producers will showcase the best of Oriental Negros together with the over 60 exhibitors from the Visayas. Our pride comprise: Oriental Arts and Heritage (NOAH); Janet's Kitchen; Generations toys, gifts & housewares; Gifts Fashion; DJD Hand Crafted Gifts, Orient Gifts, and Hikaban Community Development Coop. of SOMEONE; Liptong Virgin Coconut Oil; and Momsie's Hand Crafts.

After the 4:00 pm opening on July 20, exhibition hours will be from 9:00 am - 9:00 pm beginning July 21 up to 23.

DTI launches "Bantay Bilihan Award"

At the end of the month DTI will be launching a nation-wide competition for private and public markets. Billed the “Bantay Bilihan Award”, the competition will cover selected areas of a maximum of 20 towns and cities of every province.

Starting at the local level judges will choose their top 3 choices, which will automatically vie for the regional competition. The top 3 in the region will then represent the region in the national level. In all levels, the judges will comprise representatives from the DTI, DILG, DA, a consumer group, and selected members of the Press.

Technical Seminars aligned for July

The Department of Trade & Industry collaborates with the Technical Education & Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on a training series on “Retro Fitting, Recycling & Recovery of Refrigerants”. The training begins July 16 at the Negros Maritime College in Sibulan, the TESDA-accredited institution, and will run for five consecutive Sundays.

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Still in collaboration with TESDA, DTI and the Techno-Industry Association of Negros Inc. (TIANI) will be conducting a seminar-orientation on “Capacitative Discharge Ignition & Electronic Injection (EFI) System” on July 22 at the Plaza Maria Luisa Hotel along Bishop Surban St., Dumaguete City.

For more information please see Mr. Jojo Sumido at DTI or call 225-7211 or 422-1764.

Personal Computers for Public Schools (PCPS)

The Department of Trade & Industry recently approved the release of 10 personal computers each to some 22 public high schools in Oriental Negros under the third phase of the PCs for Public Schools (PCPS) Project, a government program that grants PCs with printer and other computer paraphernalia to selected public high schools all over the country.

The PCPS project is “DTI’s response to the compelling challenges posed by the fast-emerging Knowledge Economy.” The project aims to enhance the IT skills of young Filipinos as future knowledge workers as well as promote IT culture in Philippine classrooms as a way of developing the skills of young Filipinos to keep up with global standards.

The delivery of the computers is set for this month of July, to be followed by inspection and installation of the units by DTI and DepEd personnel. A training has also been set for at least five teachers assigned to the program by the recipient schools, immediately after the installation, with a more intensive training to be sponsored by STI coming up sometime in October.

So far, some 62 public high schools in the Province of Oriental Negros have benefited from the program through the 1^st (2002), 2^nd (2004) and 3^rd (2006) phases of PCPS, receiving a total of 740 computer units in all. Incidentally, th second phase package included 5 units each for two LGU recipients, namely: Basay and San Jose.

Recognized for its competitive advantage in the IT services sector, being the second largest producer of computer services in Asia, next to India, the Philippines has been ranked number 4 worldwide in the “Knowledge Jobs” category in the 2002 Global New Economy Index by US-based Meta Group Research. To maintain this edge and to continuously provide manpower to the IT sector, DTI, through the PCPS Project, promotes the need to incorporate IT in the basic levels of education by providing computers to public high schools.