pinay<3pinoy

(Asia Pacific Report) Higher Education Minister Don Polye has condemned a decision by the administration of the University of Papua New Guinea to treat a PNG-born and bred grade 12 school leaver as an “international” student.

Roselyn Alog, 19, whose parents are Filipinos, was born and raised in PNG.

On Monday, she was turned away from registering at the university by the School of Natural and Physical Sciences on the grounds that she is a Filipino by nationality.

She was asked to pay K19,638 (almost NZ$9000) and not K3115 (NZ$1400) as per the acceptance letter from UPNG.

Alog completed her grade 12 last year at the Paradise Private School and was selected through the National Online System to study under the SNPS programme.

“I have considered that those students who have come through PNG’s education system, regardless of nationality over the years, have a right to be given the same treatment as everyone else for enrolment,” Polye said.

“PNG is a member of the global community and our universities are institutions of learning for all international students who live within or live outside our shores… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The recent agreements between the United States and the Philippines are not directed at any country, as these only aim to help in terms of defense capability and disaster resilience, said Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez.

“Every country has its own interpretation. To us, we are only doing what is rightfully our right to defend ourselves. None of these moves are being directed to any country,” Romualdez told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Friday.

This was his response when asked about the Chinese Embassy’s statement against the announcements made by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III regarding Washington’s commitment to help “address destabilizing activities” in Philippine waters.

Beijing said Austin “smeared China on the issue of the South China Sea to advance the anti-China political agenda of the US.”.. Read More

(Radio Free Asia) The Philippines has given the United States access to four new military sites where the U.S. can build facilities as part of the defense agreement between the two nations and amid warnings a Chinese attack on Taiwan is imminent.

The announcement was made by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and his Philippine counterpart Carlito Galvez Jr. as they met for a meeting to boost defense ties between the allies bound by a Mutual Defense Treaty dating back to 1951.

The Philippine defense department has refused to identify the four sites, pending consultation with local government units. The additional four areas now put the total number of sites accessible to the U.S. to nine… Read More

(Interaksyon) Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea are a few of the most popular destinations for Filipino travelers.

If you have already visited these countries and looking for new places to visit, here’s a rundown of underrated tourist destinations, according to travel experts.

One of the recommendations of Philippine Travel Agents Association (PTAA) president Michelle Taylan is Nepal. This is where the world’s tallest mountain is located.

If you don’t have the guts to climb Mount Everest’s peak, travelers can instead do the popular Everest Base Camp Trek.

Apart from the icy mountains, there are also UNESCO world heritage sites in this country that travelers may enjoy. These include Sagarmatha National Park, Chitwan National Park, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and Patan Durbar Square.. Read More

(Radio Free Asia) The Philippine president is willing to cooperate on infrastructure projects with a Chinese state-owned giant, his office said, although the U.S. has blacklisted the firm over its links to the militarization of Beijing’s outposts in the South China Sea.

In 2020, the United States put China Communications Construction Co. Ltd (CCCC) on a list of companies involved in projects that were part of Beijing’s “expansionist agenda” in the contested waterway.

On Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with CCCC officials during their courtesy call at Malacañang Palace, the palace said in a statement.

CCCC “has committed more investments to the Philippines particularly through public-private partnership (PPP),” the statement said.

“The president said the central part of his government’s economic policy is the establishment, endorsement, and promotion of PPPs, in which the CCCC could participate,” the statement added… Read More

(SunStar) EDUCATION Secretary Vice President Sara Duterte bared on Monday, January 30, 2023 several findings of the review of the Kinder to Grade 12 (K to 12) curriculum.

In her speech during the Basic Education Report 2023, Duterte said the curriculum, which is the core of basic education of the K to 12 program, is “congested.”. She said some prerequisites of identified learning competencies are missing or misplaced in the curriculum and that the significant number of learning competencies cater to higher cognitive demands.

She said that while the work immersion program for senior high school has contributed to a high passing rate of 90 based on the National Certificate Assessment administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, industry partners expressed concern that the time allotment for the program is only for familiarization and not for actual skills acquisition… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila – Following the gruesome death of a Filipina domestic helper in Kuwait last week, Senator Raffy Tulfo on Saturday proposed a total labor deployment ban in the Gulf state.

Tulfo wants to gradually pull out overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Kuwait and send them instead to work in places where they are properly compensated and treated with respect, like Guam.

“Guam is a new market for OFWs currently needing thousands of skilled workers. In fact, Guam, a United States Territory, reportedly prefers to hire more Filipino workers,” he said in a statement.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople earlier dismissed calls for a deployment ban, saying it might hurt international relations with other countries.

“If you impose a deployment ban, you are sending a message that Kuwait is not suitable for workers,” she said in a press briefing on Saturday… Read More

(Seattle Times) MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine government said Saturday it will take steps to assess and prevent abuses including rape and maltreatment of Filipino workers in Kuwait, after a housemaid was killed and dumped in a desert in the oil-rich emirate.

The remains of Jullebee Ranara were flown home Friday night from Kuwait, where the 35-year-old was reportedly killed by her employer’s son then dumped with burn marks, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said.

Filipino officials were trying to confirm news reports that she was raped and was pregnant when she was killed by the 17-year-old suspect, who has been taken into custody by Kuwaiti police, she said. The Philippine government would do everything to ensure justice for the victim, she said… Read More