K-12 Basic Education Program in Philippines

The Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program in the Philippines has been officially started. It has been initiated by the Aquino administration where students will have to undergo a new system of education. This program will require all incoming students to enroll into two more years of basic education. Thus, the K+12 System will basically include the Universal kindergarten, 6 years of elementary, 4 years of junior high school with an additional 2 years for senior high school. Moreover, the program aims to uplift the quality of education in the Philippines in order for graduates to be easily employed. The program also aims to meet the standards required for professionals who would want to work abroad. Most importantly, the system aims to fully enhance and develop the students in order for them to be well-prepared especially in emotional and cognitive aspects. Through this, graduates will be able to face the pressures of their future workplace. However, not all are in favor of the K+12 Education. There are students complaining of the additional years and there are parents who are not in favor of the additional expenses. But indeed, it is an undeniable fact that additional years in the education system will really require more budgets not just from the government but from the parents as well. Aside from this, students will need additional classrooms, school supplies and facilities. The program would need more qualified teachers as well. I personally believe that the K+12 Education in the Philippines would uplift the quality of lifestyle of the Filipino people. But, this could not be done without being prepared. And since the program has already been implemented, what is more important now is for students to do their best and study despite of the lack of facilities. Nothing is impossible when we persist. As for teachers, continue to teach with love and love what you teach despites of your own personal triumphs and economic crisis. Always remember that the future of the students depends upon you.

'Pilipinas Kay Ganda' logo lifted from Poland logo?

The new tourism brand of the Philippines, "Pilipinas Kay Ganda," hasn't even turned a week old, and yet criticisms have been thrown at the Department of Tourism left and right. The latest criticism--and accusation--making the rounds of social networking sites on the Internet is that the "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" logo was lifted from Poland's own tourism campaign, Polska. A check with the official travel website of Poland showed that indeed, their logo has a striking similarity to "Pilipinas Kay Ganda," from the font, the colors, and even the use of a tree (well, granted, that of the Philippines is a coconut tree, while that of Poland is, well, a generic tree). Blogger Spanky Hizon Enriquez in his blog "Manila Boy", has put the two logos side by side and called on someone from the Department of Tourism to resign over the alleged plagiarism committed. In true Pinoy fashion, Enriquez called on Pinoys to go the humorous route in this situation. He posted a link to an application on Facebook wherein users can type in their name--or any name, say Manila--in place of "Pilipinas" in "Pilipinas Kay Ganda", and voila! A personalized name logo with the tagline "Kay Ganda" comes out. The advertising agency Campaigns and Grey admitted it had a hand in the "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" tourism brand, but "only in an advisory capacity," said Campaigns and Grey Group Chairperson Yolly Ong. She told ABS-CBN's RG Cruz, in a text message, "We only did the logo and theme line as I had to leave for a business trip." Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim, in an interview with ABS-CBN News, admitted that there were some similarities with the "Polska" logo. "There are similarities, pero sa pagkakaalam ko...sa atin mas makulay," Lim said. Tourism Undersecretary Enteng Romano, in a text message forwarded by Palace Spokesperson Abi Valte, said, "There is no plagiarism. There are enough elements in the Pilipinas logo to differentiate it from that of Poland. The color scheme and visual elements are markedly different."

Aquino hints he is siding with UP Law on plagiarism issue

President Benigno Aquino III on Friday widely indicated that he is taking the side of the University of the Philippines College of Law faculty in its battle with the Supreme Court over the alleged plagiarized decision of one of the high court's justices. In his speech before the reunion of UP Law alumni, the president said he is hoping that UP Law will continue helping the government in correcting what is wrong, saying it is never right to resort to copying others' work. "Hindi laging madali ang pagtahak sa tuwid na landas. Pareho po ang pananaw natin ukol dito. Hindi dapat magsinungaling. Hindi dapat mangopya. At hindi dapat magnakaw o gumamit ng mga pagsusuring walang pahintulot o wastong pagkilala sa may akda nito," said Aquino before hundreds of UP Law alumni who cheered wildly, interrupting his speech with applause several times. The president said those who are in power should also not threaten those who only express their opinions, again apparently referring to the SCs threat to discipline the 37 UP Law faculty who condemned the alleged plagiarism of a member of the SC. "Hindi rin dapat sinisindak o tinatakot ng mga nakakataas ang mga taong nais lang ipahayag nang malaya ang kanilang opinyon at ilantad ang katotohanan. Ang mga patakaran na nariyan na noon pang panahon ni Mahoma ay hindi dapat ginagamit para pagtakpan ang kasalanan sa mga naligaw sa baluktot na daan," he said.

Allegations that Del Castillo committed plagiarism broke out in July this year, when lawyer Harry Roque and an investigative publication noticed that the ruling on World War II sex slaves or "comfort women," which was written by the SC justice as ponente, contained material lifted from at least three foreign sources without the proper attributions. A month later, on August, the UP law faculty came out with a statement, with 37 signatories, calling for Del Castillo's resignation in order to restore the court's integrity. Last October 12, the court absolved Del Castillo from accusations of plagiarism, accepting his explanation that the attributions were unintentionally" deleted from the digital file containing the text of the ruling. A week later, the high tribunal ordered the 37 law professors to "show cause" or explain why they should not be disciplined for violating the Code of Professional Responsibility for lawyers. The code prohibits the airing of public statements that tend to influence public opinion while a case is pending.

Ethical Issues

Arnan Angelo S. Cruz IT22FA6