We are Number One:

Informatics Lecturers Bag Gold in TESDA IT Skills Competition

Informatics is the Philippines’ Number One IT School. The country’s governing and regulating body on technical skills, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) confirmed that last year when their Job Absorption Rate Review attested that Informatics IT training graduates have the highest employability among all computer school students.

This year, TESDA has confirmed this locally with their District Skills Competition. In the Pasay-Makati District (PasMak), two Informatics lecturers bagged the Gold medals in the IT skills competitions: Marichu Zafe for Software Applications and Ernesto “Jun” Resullar Jr. for PC Networking. Both hail from the Informatics Makati campus. In a showdown of various computer schools present in the PasMak district, Informatics proved its mettle.

For Software Applications, competitors would be given various tasks to accomplish using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access. PC Networking competitors would need to disassemble and assemble a computer, and set up a computer network. All tasks must be accomplished within the time limit. Marichu Zafe, the Software competition winner, shares: “The competition felt different from a classroom setting – there’s so much pressure so I really needed a lot of focus. Sinamahan ko na lang ng prayers. I tried to do everything as fast as possible.” Despite the pressure, Informatics proved to be the best computer school in PasMak.

Several lecturers from Informatics Makati were also called in to serve as subject matter Experts for the IT events: Vanessa Jose and Maynard Flaminiano for PC Networking and Joey Villota for Software Applications. The skills Experts would help to adjudicate the various events and evaluate each competitor. Experts will evaluate scores of all competitors, except for their own schools – so not only TESDA but experts from other computer schools can attest to the superior IT skills of Informatics!

The winners and experts were recognized at the awarding ceremonies which TESDA held at the SM Mall of Asia on September 23, 2011. Marichu and Jun will be competing at the regional level (NCR) in November. “I’m super excited for the NCR event,” Marichu enthuses. “This is our chance to be known as the best IT school.”

If you want to learn Basic and Advanced Office Applications, and Computer Troubleshooting and Networking, please contact your nearest Informatics – you’re sure to get the best skills in the field!

Modern technology has opened many doors for the blind and the visually impaired, allowing them to read and write efficiently, and even to surf the Internet or use GPS devices. Now, even the visually impaired can become IT experts, with advances in programming tools and applications tailor-fit for their special needs.

Japanese philanthropist Teruko Ikeda takes this one level higher by funding annual IT training specifically for the visually impaired in the Asia Pacific region. The training is conducted by the Japan Braille Library at St. Nicholas Home in Penang, Malaysia. The 2011 training was held from August 1 to 20, conducted by David Hathaway, an IT expert who is visually impaired himself.

Informatics BS Computer Science student Rhea Guntalilib.

The Philippines was represented by Informatics’ own Rhea Guntalilib, a third year student taking up BS Computer Science at the Diliman campus. Rhea, who hails from Nueva Vizcaya, suffered from retinal disease at age 18. She was to pursue a career in nursing, but her failing vision forced her to look for a different field where she could excel. She chose to take up IT at Informatics, and has not regretted her choice. Her IT education and experience at the Teruko Ikeda training has provided new opportunities for her future – as an IT professional, a leader, and an inspiration to other visually impaired youth. She shares her experience in an essay below:

—–

I am Rhea Althea T. Guntalilib, a visually impaired student of Informatics International College, Diliman campus. I am currently in my third year taking up Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and an Advanced Diploma in Computing Science major in Programming.

Losing a good pair of eyes has seemingly been my life’s toughest battle. My eyesight was robbed away from me when I had a retinal disease last 2006. Those were the times where I felt like I’ve reached the end of the road. But then, life proved me wrong, as one door closed, several windows opened. Little by little, I managed to get back on my feet. Countless opportunities came my way. An opportunity for a college education was granted to me, and together with it are endless chances of proving myself and proving to the world that I can still bring out what’s best in me despite of my disability.

Last August 1 to August 20, 2011, I was sent to Malaysia to attend an intensive training that will deepen and enhance my programming skills. I joined the Teruko Ikeda ICT Advanced course on Python programming. This said training was organized and conducted by the Japan Braille Library. We were trained by Mr. David Hathaway, a visually impaired professional programmer. The basic programming constructs were taught, as well as database related matters. The best part of it was that we were introduced to Common Gateway Interface (CGI). We developed our own websites using template engines which we designed ourselves, and techniques on how to maintain the visual appeal of our websites were also fed to us.

The most important thing I learned in this course was on how to run my program in spite of the unavoidable circumstances of applications that are currently not yet blind-friendly. In this training, E-marketing or internet marketing was also introduced. This is something crucial for persons who are physically impaired like me. Job opportunities for blind persons are very rare, and online employment is the most suited. For this reason, a group of advocates called the PECC generously offered their time and resources to help us put up our own income generating tools in the cyber world. As soon as I finish the most hectic moments of my schooling, I will grab this opportunity and try my best to learn E-marketing. Internet publishing is what I intend to do. Given my additional skills in putting up a website plus my passion for writing, will surely help me find a precious slot in this venture. In the event that I succeed, the first thing that I would do is to echo this to my fellow visually impaired persons here in the Philippines, for in reality, aside from the chance to attain education, employment opportunity is what we truly seek.

This whole thing became a great learning experience for me. It helped me not just on the technical aspect of ICT, but it helped me grow as a mature independent person. I was fortunate enough that my God-given skills in the complexity of programming gave me the opportunity to be of help to my fellow trainees. In the end of every session, before we go to bed, I was the one tasked to help my fellow trainees cope up with the lessons. After the evening remedial and everyone catches up, we then begin to brainstorm and all-together develop and accomplish the assigned tasks. Those experiences taught me the real essence of teamwork, and my patience was greatly stretched.

At present, I am now back in the Philippines to continue my studies and to continue my life with the goal of making a difference. I will try my best to share every single fruitful thing that I learned with my fellow blind persons; to continue helping them realize that life has lots to offer and most of all, to alter the perception of all persons with sight. I greatly thirst for their attention, not in the sense of gaining glory for myself, but I yearn to be a living proof in my own little ways – that persons with impairment like me are not actually disabled. We still have our abilities, they were never lost nor have been disabled, and people have just to realize that we have our own special ways in making the best out of our skills and capabilities.

—–

Sources:

http://thestar.com.my ; http://terukoikeda.wordpress.com; http://www.informaticsdiliman.com

The Thesis Competition was joined by six schools schools (Informatics Computer Institute Uptown Cebu, University of Cebu, University of San Jose Recoletos, Cebu Institute of Technology, Southwestern University, and Systems Technology Institute), won by University of San Jose Recoletos.

The Computer Quiz Bowl was a battle of eight schools (Informatics Computer Institute Uptown Cebu, University of Cebu, University of San Jose Recoletos, Cebu Institute of Technology, Southwestern University, Systems Technology Institute, Brytech Interface College, and Asian College of Technology). Despite stiff competition, the Computer Quiz Bowl was won by “wizards and witches” Informatics Uptown Cebu, with Southwestern University as runner-up.

The Informatics Uptown Cebu Quiz Bowl Team is composed of students Caesar Ian Belza, Maria Angelie Oro, and Rex Zalavarria, coached by Rhea Dela Rama of Informatics faculty.

(in photo, left to right: Master of Ceremonies William Hubahib; Event Judge Eng’r. Blaine Dondi Lapitan; Informatics Computer Institute Uptown Cebu students Caesar Ian Belza, Maria Angelie Oro, and Rex Zalavarria; team coach Rhea Dela Rama; Event Judge Engr. William Cris Artajo; EZWare IT Solutions President Josephus Uy Dy)

Signatories from left to right: Mr. Sansaluna A. Pinagayao, Administrator, Mactan Economic Zone representing PEZA, Sec. Joel Villanueva, Director General, TESDA, Hon. Michael L. Rama, Mayor, Cebu City, and Mr. Leonardo Riingen, President, Informatics.

Three hundred female out of school youth from Cebu were granted Information and Communications Technology (ICT) vocational training in a deal signed between Cebu Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Informatics Philippines.

Based on their profile, the scholars may take either a call center or a computer hardware course. Informatics will provide facilities for education and make graduates available for assessment by TESDA in this 1.2M project set to be completed third to fourth quarter of 2011.

“This project aims to equip women OSYs with sufficient skills to increase their employability in the IT industry and enable them to build a better future for themselves and their families,” said Sec. Joel Villanueva of TESDA.

TESDA has agreed to provide 50% financial assistance from their Training from Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), while PEZA agreed to handle the rest of the 50% financial assistance under their Gender and Development Program (GAD), to pay for a discounted tuition fee at Informatics.

PEZA is also tasked to identify suitable training candidates and recommend them to accredited ICT companies for employment. Apart from which, PEZA will also monitor job placements of graduates.

Trainees will be endorsed to top BPO players in a job fair this February and given National Certificates by TESDA.

“Access to a high-value industry, such as Information Technology, has already been presented to us Filipinos. With merging expertise and combined efforts, we will be able to heighten the productivity and success of our workforce,” says Leo Riingen, CEO of Informatics Philippines.

Informatics graduates enjoy the highest employment success rate at 70% in the country, according to the 2010 TESDA Job Absorption Rate Review.

Official logo of SHIFT: Society for Higher Information Technology Education

Fueled by the immense growth potential in the Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry, SHIFT hopes to enable NGO’s, LGU’s, GU’s, BPO-member companies, students and other volunteers to invest in overall IT education and take advantage of the high demand in the industry.

The IT-BPO industry is expected to bring in $20-$25 billion in revenues and provide employment to 900,000 to 1.3 million individuals by 2016 as long as proper measures are taken, one of which is to ensure that heightened talent development exercises are put in place, according to the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P).

“The current mismatch of what is being taught in schools and what the industry is looking for hinders us from realizing our true potential as a leader in the offshore sector. There is a need to adjust to the rapid growth that the IT-BPO industry is posing. It all starts with quality education,“ says Leo Riingen, CEO, Informatics Philippines.

Informatics graduates enjoy the highest employment success rate in getting IT jobs in the country at 70%, according to the 2010 TESDA Job Absorption Rate Review.

An IT employee in the country earns an above-average annual salary of US$8,448 (Php363,264), according to the ZDNet Asia IT Salary Benchmark Survey 2009. This far exceeds the average family income, estimated at Php172,000 in 2006.

“It’s all about a shift in the way we view things. Access to a high-value industry, such as Information Technology, has already been presented to us Filipinos. With merging expertise and combined efforts, we will be able to heighten the productivity and success of our workforce,” stresses Leo Riingen.

SHIFT has already secured the partnership and support of both TESDA Director General, Joel Villanueva, and BPA/P CEO, Oscar Sañez.

Through a training fund under SHIFT, TESDA has pledged to allocate P20M, which BPA/P shall use to train qualified near-hires. Graduates from this program will be referred by BPA/P to its BPO-member companies. BPAP will come up with a reimbursement system to sustain the scholarships.

SHIFT is looking at facilitating financial donations for scholarships, IT equipment and infrastructure, as well as software and educational materials. It also hopes to inspire volunteerism to teach IT classes to children and a cooperation between partners to provide continuous training and make competitive jobs more accessible.

SHIFT encourages the participation of NGO’s, LGU’s, GU’s, BPO-member companies, students and other individuals to join the alliance for the effective development of a competitive workforce in the Philippines. For more information on how to help, call the SHIFT Information Desk at +63922 8839658 or visit and leave a post at the Informatics Facebook page.

SHIFT Leaders put their initials on the contract for the revolving fund.      L-R: BPAP President Oscar Sañez, TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva, Informatics President Leo Riingen

Vindication:

When they started out two years ago, Informatics Icons Seniors basketball team seemed not to attract attention. This season, things would apparently start the same – the team would grab some respectable wins, but would probably not make it to the play-offs. People saw Informatics as “just the other computer school” in the league.

That is why a lot of people were surprised when the team made a grueling uphill climb from seventh place to 3rd place at the end of the elimination rounds. During the season, the team asserted itself as a force to be reckoned with by doing something that no team has ever done in the league’s ten-year history: defeat the leaders! In back-to-back games, the Icons defeated the highest and second-highest-ranked teams, the University of Manila Hawks and the STI Olympians.

After losing their first game in the play-offs, the Icons again proved their worth by defeating the CEU Scorpions for the third place. It was a close fight all the way, but a basket by graduating student Lennard Castelo to end the first half gave the team a lead that they would not relinquish until the game’s dying seconds. With crucial baskets made to defend their lead despite foul trouble, Castelo, Mark Montuano, Mac Limpat, Mario Leonida and the rest of the Icons ended their 2010 season with a victory that makes a very clear statement: The Icons are here, and they are here to stay.

The season of vindication ended with Informatics at 3RD PLACE, Icons power forward Mark Montuano in the MYTHICAL FIVE, point guard Eric Acuña as ASSISTS SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR, and Lennard Castelo as the Battle for Third’s Player of the Game.

—–

“Battle for Third Place Senior Division”

Informatics (75)
Montuano 18, Castelo 18, Limpat 15, Leonida 7, J.Santos 6, Ubalde 4, K.Santos 3, Carlos 2, Acuña 2, Corpuz 0.

CEU (69)
Almario 14, Babad 10, Magbitang 9, Chua 6, Gallardo 6, Garcia 6, Flores 5, Banas 3, Taclas 2, Dela Cruz 1, Silvestre 0.

Scores by Quarter: 17–12 | 35–33 | 54–48 | 75–69 Final

(for the complete set of NAASCU 2010 basketball winners and awards, please visit the naascu.org 2010 blog)

Informatics made a good showing, with a MAC-powered registration system for interested students, and exciting freebies like pins, fans, lanyards, and baller IDs. The Informatics International Colleges also featured a seminar entitled: “IT and Computers: Your Road to a Successful and Rewarding Career” outlining the various career paths and opportunities in the world of Information Technology. Not to miss out on the youthful fun and spirit of the event, Informatics students Selina Romero and Ivan Anot showed off their cosplay skills, parading in a different costume each day while having photos taken with Informatics visitors and registrants.

If you’re a high school student still wondering what course and college is right for you, visit the Informatics school nearest you and be wowed too! Just click the locations link on the menu bar to find your nearest branch.

The excitement really starts on the second year. The students will get to choose their specialization in the most exciting, new-generation fields. There are ten courses to choose from: Biometric Systems, Business System Development, Database Engineering, Digital Media Technology, Forensic Computing, Gaming & Animation Technology, Information Technology, Mobile Engineering, Network & Computer Security, and Network Engineering. After graduating from their second year and taking their international exams, the students will receive an International Advanced Diploma for their chosen major, and move on to IT careers in the most modern and cutting edge industries. Some graduates can design games and applications for computers, and others can even do the same for mobile phones! Some will create and implement enterprise and business systems. Some can oversee cyber-security for a corporate network, while others can even design biometric systems to secure corporate offices and data. Some can make digital movies, while others can create visual and sound effects for films and commercials. Whichever course they choose, the new generation of Informatics students will definitely not fit the stereotype computer job: their careers will be exciting, rewarding, and have many opportunities for growth. Enrollment for freshmen and transferees begins on September for the second semester.

As an OWWA partner training institution, Informatics accepts and trains SESP beneficiaries in various Information Technology courses through its 32 Colleges and Institutes nationwide. OWWA shoulders the actual cost of training of up to P14,500 per course. The program allows scholars to have access to Informatics’ world-class IT education, giving them work skills which are globally competitive. OFWs and members of their families interested to avail of the training program may inquire and apply at the nearest Informatics branch or at their OWWA Regional Welfare Office. For more information, contact your nearest Informatics branch or view the e-flier below.