AT THE TOUGH SPOT

The training was tough but San Jay Maghanoy was tougher. What drove this 22-year-old Zamboangeño to top this year’s summer training or STOP for incoming first year was nothing short of amazing.

San Jay was on his third year in Electrical Engineering at Mindanao State University when he was forced to quit due to financial problems. He ended up running errands for his parents in their small tailoring shop in Pagadian City.

His desire to go back to school crossed his mind when a relative in Cebu took him in where he is now working after class hours to earn his keep. San Jay is taking up Electromechanics Technology and loves getting a big dose of Mathematics, a personal favorite.

“The course allows me to learn three trades. I could also enhance what I learned in college before,” San Jay said.

Adjustment with CITE life seemed like a breeze for this bookworm. Said he: “I read a lot, mostly Christian books such as God’s General and Prayer of Jabez. My tiyo told me it’s important to read to be able to communicate with anyone.”

Having skipped the school for two years, this chess and takraw enthusiast knows how to stay at the top. “I wanted to get good grades and learn skills which I can use when I’ll be working. I don’t want to disappoint my tiyo who is supporting my studies,” he added.

Knowing a good future is just three years away, San Jay is counting on CITE to prepare him for a tougher battle outside. “I’m always amazed at our tutorial system. I love the feeling that I can now have a teacher to talk to and give me advice when things don’t turn out well. It is different here,” he ended.]

LEADERS' TURN

First year class officers gathered at OK Coral, Busay for Leadership Seminar on June 28-29.

Student Affairs Officer Jun Langahin and staff Mr. Benjie Wong facilitated.

The seminar proper delved on the roles and responsibilities of a class officer, use of school forms, and issues concerning the students.

“Leadership is the cheapest success in life,” according to Sir Jun during his presentation. “Leadership is managing people and letting them cooperate with you even if you have different status,” he told the officers. The discussion on leading by example was very interesting and everybody was paying attention to it.

The cozy venue allowed spontaneity among the participants. A small get-together was held to break the ice.

It was not just a leadership seminar but also a personality development session. The activities were an eye-opener and made a great impact on their lives.

During the break, others spent their time studying their handouts while others enjoyed the view through binoculars.

MASTER IN THE MAKING

He is no Kung Fu Kid, but Junrey Limotan can definitely pick his way with a stick.

At 16, Junrey is a junior division arnis champ of the Philippine Team. Last March, he trained under his uncle, George Borces. He is also a protégé of Grandmaster Dionesio Cañete who is helping him with his monthly pledge in CITE.

He is a first year MECH student, a class secretary, an acolyte, and the eldest of eight siblings.

He won the silver medal in the “Quest for The Best” tournament in SM. He was fascinated with arnis and two of his younger brothers were also eskrimadors. Junrey said it requires discipline but still he continues playing

because he loves playing it and he looks forward to becoming a blackbelter.

Junrey is on a rigorous training for July 22-25 World Eskrima Kali Arnis Championship in SM. He will be competing against more than ten countries in the junior division. How does he prepare? “Pull-ups...I never liked push ups because it’s tiring. Don't force yourself if you didn't like to do it,” he answered.

Junrey strikes a balance between his practice and studies. “I write down my schedules and set my goal on my studies,” he said.

On his upcoming fight, he said, “I don't expect to win but I will do all my best to win.” ]

ACE OF ALL TRADE

While most students go to school before they learn the trade, Ace Balingit did otherwise.

Ace landed a job in Universal Robina Corporation as a machine operator after high school. Five months later, he was laid off. He applied as operator at Monde Nissin. When his contract expired, he worked as picker for tool department at Fairchild Semiconductors. Due to downsizing, Ace, now 20, lost his job. International Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPI) opened its door for him. Ace was hired as a machine operator in the F &B Department.

Unlike his previous jobs, IPI made him realize the importance of education to be competent in one’s job. He took a closer look at his life and made a decision one day—get out of IPI and go back to school.

So it happened. Ace is now in CITE taking up Industrial Electronics. He loves sharing his stories with his classmates hoping that they too would realize how important education is to secure a job and prepare for the future.]

IN THE HANDS OF THE SAMARITANS

Rey Adrian Batiansila, 17, always reminds us of one thing---that the world is still full of good Samaritans. True enough, he finds that goodness in people he least expected.

Adrian’s mother died of cancer when he was in high school. Escaping from mountains of bills, his father left him and his younger sister under the watch of a relative in Carmen. Adrian worked as a houseboy to earn his keep as he continued his schooling though a scholarship from Sec. Ace Durano.

When getting a college edu-cation seemed impossible for this teenager, a high school teacher came to his rescue. A certain Mr. Jian stood in for his parents to support his transportation and meal needs in CITE. As time went by, support had come few and far between. Adrian had to work as a motorcycle driver on weekends to support his sister and himself. With a little over P160 every week, he was always in a tight corner. “I tried to quit. I had some difficult times adjusting to being a student and the man of the house,” Adrian revealed. What he lacked in some aspects was compensated with his people skills. Adrian was a star player of a basketball team which he organized back home. He gets his share when his team wins a competition. Much of his time was devoted to organizing sports activities for the youth in Carmen. He almost won as Sangguniang Kabataan chairman last election. “I considered my pastime as the best way to forget about my own problems and help others because I am the adviser of our SK Chairman,” said he.

Now on his second year in EM Technology, Adrian receives support from Charity Fund Drive of the school, a program which he said has helped him get through his day-to-day ordeal. Though times are still tough, he believes that with CITE and some true friends around, he is definitely in good hands.]

WE ARE BEARERS OF CITE SPIRIT

“….And our tutees have to see concrete models in us,” emphasized Executive Director Ruben Laraya as he opened the Seminar for Tutors on June 6-7 at the Mountain View Nature’s Park in Busay.

As a “distinctive flavor” to the program, said Laraya, the tutorial performance needed a shot in the arm to reach a 100% target every month: a tutors’ seminar every month. Said he: “The tutorial is what makes our program effective...we have to be true to what we say we are.”

The tutorial system allows formation to take root in a personal level. During regular chats, the student discloses himself in confidence to his tutor who in return, actively listens and gives options to his tutee to go about his problems or concerns. “The tutor establishes the link between CITE and the student,” Laraya added.

The seminar included a talk on how to chat, which Academic Director Carlos Cornejo summed up in three words: “Be a friend.”

Formation Director Mars Hamoy in his talk on Character Formation underscored on the importance to form what is inside. Student Affairs Officer Jun Langahin reminded those in attendance on “professionalizing the tutorial” and gave a workshop on active listening.

Finally, CITE chaplain Fr. Roy Cimagala wrapped up the two-day seminar on Spiritual Direction as he reminds the tutors of life’s rule of the thumb: “We have to put order in our lives first before we can attempt to put order in the lives of others.” In so doing, one can truly keep the CITE spirit alive. ]

SPEECH OF TESDA RD MA. ROSANNA URDANETA

Here's the full transcript of the speech given by Regional Director Ma. Rosanna Urdaneta of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority during CITE's 4th Commencement Exercises for Industry Skills Training Program graduates on May 25, 2008.

Executive Director, Ruben Laraya, PESO Manager, Bonifacio Mercado Jr., graduates, guests, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

I feel privileged to be with you today to share in this exciitng occasion of your graduation.

This is a defining moment for all of you who now stand at the crossroads of your future. Whichever road you decide to take, the fate that awiats you at the end is a choice that is entirely yours to make.

If you care to look around you, you see a world full of people with great potentials, incredible skills, and unique talents. Yet sadly, many of these so called promising individuals have become a burden to their communities, their friends, and their families. Reputation and credentials alone by itself does not guarantee a bright future. You've gotta work!

And to prepare you to be in a position to compete for work in this competitive world is the business of this institution! I tell you, you couldn't be in a better place than to be here right now!

I think you know what I mean. Outside of the confines of this training center are a myriad of temptations that can cause you to slip and slide if you are not careful.

Your mentors, instructors, and this veritable institution have brought you to a position where you can make a name for yourself. They have taught you the skills, the discipline, and the ability to discern maturely which path to pursue.

WHat you will become in the future serves as a mirror to this institution, a gauge whether we have succeeded or failed in our mandate.

Maybe it has not yet sunk into your minds but I tell you, all of you are now vastly different from who and what you were when your first set foot in this premises. You have been transformed, empowered and given wings to fly by the virtue of the Industy Skills Training Program under the auspices and collaboration of CITE and TESDA.

You are a product of an educational system that smartly combines the theories learned from a classroom environment and the application of those learned theories by exposing each one of you to "actual and live" scenarios in the various industries who unselfishly extended their facilities as training ground.

The distinct advantage of this kind of educational system is that it allows students to experience work in a real setting. It gives a student a foretaste of the actual world so that when the time comes whent they are hired as "real" workers, they assimilate and adapt to the work environment much faster.

More than that, the actual experience, (with the guidance of the mentor or supervisor) allows the student to identify what areas he is strong and what areas he is weak in. Then the trainer supervisor prescribes remedial action to make him or her a more competent worker.

Your graduation today is a certification that each one of you is now equipped with an acceptable level of competence needed in your particular field of industry to produce an acceptable level of proficiency. The skills you have acquired are very powerful tools. They are in fact assets that can never be taken away from you! Yet those are transferable skills as well that you can pass on from one generation to another.

You are our new breed of ambassadors. Wherever you go you wear the "brand" of this institution and I am sure you will make us proud someday. Go then and fulfill your destiny and make your family and your country proud of you.

In closing, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to those who in one way or another contributed to the success of this endeavor, your families and loved ones, for the individual support they have given you.

Kudos too to the officers, staff, and faculty members of CITE! May God bless you and continue to prosper the work of your hands!