DATAL SALVAN, GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Basic computer operation, Word, Excel, Digital Caricature, Tarp Making were among the modules that were taught to the teaching staff and students of Datal Salvan Elementary School located in the mountainous sitio bordering T’boli in South Cotabato and Brgy. San Jose, General Santos City.

The immersion training is aimed to bring the program closer to the people as envisioned by the local chief executive. Three days and two nights were spent solely to maximize the time and the electricity generated from solar and wind energy. Presently, Datal Salvan has no available commercial electricity however with the ingenuity of the school head, William Moraca, he was able to innovate and convert the natural source of energy, ie, wind and solar, into consumable energy that fueled the operation of computers in the school.

Against the oddities  of distance from downtown General Santos, against the absence of running electricity, the residents of this sitio are given technological service to inspire and empower the teachers and students in information and communications technology.

Earlier in March 2013, Mayor Darlene Antonino Custodio officially turned-over 10 personal computers to Datal Salvan Elementary School. The local government through project SHEEP-CLP installed necessary software to complete the learning technology cycle.

Hardware is not enough to implement the computer literacy. Various applications need to be bundled in the program including the peopleware which is the most important of all the aspects. Five staff from the SHEEP Computer Literacy Program team shared their time and technological skills to transfer-technology in the school. June Quisay headed the delegation and also introduced the basic computer operation. Newton Delima and John Harold Hernando handled the Photoshop training while Shason Villanueva and Merben Awiten assisted in Microsoft Word and Excel training.

The group from the City Mayor’s Office SHEEP-CLP prioritized the seven teachers as the first trainees to train them how to fish – as they will be the one to continue what the local government has started. However there were around 25 students who attended the different modular trainings from April 29 to May 1, 2013.

Think GLOBAL Act LOCAL

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – In just one year and eight months, that is, from July 2011 to March 2013, the local government of General Santos City was able to provide 58 Speech and Computer Laboratories across the 26 barangays of the city. Around 790 personal computers were turned-over by Mayor Darlene to different school heads consisting from 10 to 20 computer units depending on the school’s population.

This advocacy started in 1999 where Labangal National High School identified having the poorest of the poor students were prioritized to receive the first twenty (20) sets of computers. In 2000, all the 16 public high schools that time were provided with 20 computer units per school.

In 2001, the legacy continues. Elementary schools received their computers for the establishment of their schools computer laboratories.

In 2011, with the demand for global competitiveness espicially the need to increase the human capital of the city, Mayor Darlene automatically strategized the implementation and distribution of computers to the aging units of the school. She reengineered the S.H.E.E.P. Computer Literacy Program by providing more training modules to meet the demand of the IT-Business Process Outsourcing needs.

At the grassroot level, basic computer trainings are being introduced. In high school, computer programming, basic robotics, multimedia art are now part of the training. AutoCAD, animation, call center trainings are given to interested participants for free.

With the increase number of population of a public school, not all students can avail of the basic computer operation. However, DepEd and LGU are in making sure that all Grade 6 graduates can undergo the basics of computer technology.

All these services are being promoted to increase the human capital of the city. Most importantly, in the years 2010 to 2012, the fault line separating the rich from the poor in terms of ICT knowledge and skills has been replaced with equal opportunity, a better chance for profitable livelihood, all moving in the direction towards the wholesome economic development of General Santos City.

BRGY. DADIANGAS WEST, GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Students in full B’laan-Maguindanaon-inspired costumes welcomed City Mayor Darlene Antonino Custodio with upbeat neo-ethnic, world music and rhythm in the morning of March 9, 2013 for the official launching of their 20 personal computers donated by the local government unit of General Santos City.

Hon. Edgar C. Acharon, Punong Barangay of Brgy. Dadiangas West with Hon. Margareth Rose Santos and Hon. Richard Atendido, commitjte chair and vice-chair in education respectively, assisted the city mayor during the turn-over of 20 computers to the school.

School Principal Luzviminda Icawalo  through Diosdado Ablanido, schools division superintendent. received the units intended for the student’s learning technology. School’s ICT coordinator Reagan Paraguas, in partnership with the trainers and consultants from the SHEEP Computer Literacy Program of the City Mayors Office, is continuously training the Grade 6 students to be globally competitive when they step up to high school next school year.

The mission of the lady mayor Hon. Darlene Antonino Custodio is to prepare the young ‘Generals’ to be ready with the fast-changing trend in information technology and in response to the need of the business process outsourcing industry. According to the mayor, there are basically two industries that need to be addressed namely the BPO and tourism industry. In order to be at par with the rest of the world, a need for OPENNESS, the willingness to learn irregardless of age, location, and financial status. Even senior citizens are given opportunity to learn new technologies here in General Santos City.

THINK GLOBAL ACT LOCAL

SINAWAL, GENERAL SANTOS CITY – It was in PaoPao High School in Brgy Sinawal where the 26 public high school computerization project of Mayor Darlene Antonino – Custodio was fully completed. The school located about 22 kilometers away from downtown General Santos City also received 10 personal computers from the local government unit on March 12, 2013 which were installed in their reconstructed speech and computer laboratory.

Mayor Darlene formally turned-over the 10 computers to the students through DepEd’s Schools Dvision Superintendent and School  Head. The ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremonies followed after the turn-over.

Meanwhile, it was in July 2011 when Hon Darlene Magnolia Antonino Custodio started giving personal computers to high schools with Datu Balunto High School in San Jose as the first recipient then followed by other public high schools in General Santos City. Following is the complete list of public high schools with speech and computer laboratories fully functional as of March 2013, to wit:

1. Datu Balunto High School in Brgy. San Jose
2. Lagao National High School  –  Annex in Brgy. San Isidro
3. Lagao National High School in Brgy. San Isidro
4. Dadiangas North High School  in Brgy. Dadiangas North
5. Irineo Santiago National High School of Metro Dadiangas
6. Tinagacan High School  in Brgy. Tinagacan             
7. AG Busano High School  in Brgy. Conel
8. Baluan National High School   in Brgy. Baluan
9. Bula School of Fisheries in Brgy. Bula with 20 units
10. Fatima National High School in Brgy. Fatima with 20 units
11. General Santos City National High School in Brgy. Calumpang with 20 units
12. General Santos Secondary School of Arts and Trade in Brgy. Lagao with 20 units
13. Labangal National High School in Brgy. Labangal with 20 units
14. Lanton High School in Brgy. Lanton with 10 units
15. New Society National High School in Brgy. Apopong with 20 units
16. Buayan National High School in Brgy. Buayan with 10 units
17. Ligaya High School Brgy. Ligaya with 10 units
18. Johnny Ang National High School  in Brgy. Katangawan with 10 units
19. Samboang Ngilay High School Brgy. Batomelong with 10 units
20. Upper Labay High School in Brgy. Upper Labay with 10 units
21. GSC SPED Integrated School in Brgy. San Isidro with 10 units
22. Valdomar National High School  in Brgy. Mabuhay with 10 units
23. E. Buscano High School in Brgy. Olympog with 10 units
24. Banisil National High School in Brgy. Tambler with 20 units
25. Bawing National High School in Brgy. Bawing with 10 units
26. Paopao High School  in Brgy. Sinawal  with 10 units

Although not a DepEd-operated high school, Mindanao State University College of Education Training Department (MSU-CETD) or the MSU High School was also given by the local government with 10 computers to upgrade their computer laboratories.

LABANGAL, GENERAL SANTOS CITY –Mayor Darlene presented 10 personal computers to Saavedra Saway Central Elementary School in Brgy. Labangal, this city on March 12, 2013 in a formal turn-over, ribbon-cutting, blessing and dedication ceremonies held in their school. Usage of these units will be maximized to provide basic computer operation to all students of the school.

In 2012, the S.H.E.E.P. Computer Literacy Program of the City Mayors Office started retraining all Grade-6 students in basic operations including Microsoft Word and Excel applications. The advocacy of Mayor Darlene to provide 100% literacy rate in computer learning technology was met. With the installation of ten more computers, Grades 1 to 5 can benefit from the program.

With these new computers, the school’s speech and computer laboratory can offer more trainings with the supervision of the SHEEP-CLP team. Basic computer operations will be continued. Advanced topics are ready and up for grab to the students, teachers and even PTA and Barangay officials and members.