CMU Development Plan

The management, in pursuance of its objective of providing the best IT service to its clientele, had envisaged a Computer Maintenance Unit (CMU) for the whole organization. The CMU will be an extension of the Computer Services Section (CSS), and its main responsibility will be to repair, upgrade, and maintain computer machines and other peripherals including, but not limited to, printers, cabling structure, and other network devices.

Inasmuch as the CMU will exist to complement the tasks and activities of the CSS, the following development plan proposal encompasses both entities and will cover an important part in the development of the whole learning development centre from which they are a part.

The Computer Maintenance Unit addresses several primary problems which are:

1. Lack of qualified and competent technicians that are specifically assigned only to repair and upgrade defective computer machines for the organization and its stakeholders.

2. Lack of adequate facilities and tools to properly and efficiently do the required repair and upgrades.

3. Inadequacy of CSS staff to regularly monitor and manage the network infrastructure of the organization for optimum performance.

In order to address these problems, the project is committed to the following objectives:

1. To build up competent manpower to provide efficient services to the stakeholders through computer repair and upgrades;

2. To constantly maintain above 95% computer systems utilization in terms of hardware operation; this means that less than 5% of hardware should not be operating properly at any given point in time;

3. To reduce network / server downtime to less than 2%;

4. To increase the number of other services to stakeholders annually by more than 10% and reduce computer repair services to the minimum.

Since its inception, the CSS – from which the CMU will be a part – has recorded numerous achievements which include among others:

1. Configuration and setup of various servers and domains, such as the organizational domain, the learning resources domain, the SMS server, the Moodle server, and others;

2. Setup and management of the organization's Internet and Intranet infrastructure;

3. Establishment of various computer learning laboratories and maintenance of hardware components inside these laboratories;

4. Formulation of various policies and guidelines with respect to the utilization and management of IT assets of the organization.

However, due to limitations and constraints in its resources, the CSS had always felt that it can improve further the services it provides to its clientele and in the process make the operation of the Section more efficient. Thus, the development of the CMU is proposed, along with the objectives identified in the earlier section of this paper.

Over the next three (3) years, and through the development of the Computer Maintenance Unit, the CSS is hoping to achieve the following goals:

1. Increase the computer machines used by learners/trainees by 5-7% every year, and reduce the percentage utilization of computer laboratories from 75-80% to a manageable 50%; this will in turn give trainees more time to use the labs for other learning activities such as research, assignments, projects, and the like;

2. Increase the number of computer laboratories by at least one (1) new lab per year;

3. Achieve 100% provision of computer machines to all staff – trainors and technicians – in which these machines should be at least the second latest models;

4. Establish a bigger space for computer maintenance workshop for all repair and upgrades of learners and staff computers, as well as computers from other stakeholders such as those coming from the immediate community;

5. Procure a complete collection of computer repair and upgrade tools, as well as network monitoring and management tools for the use of technicians in various computer repair and upgrades;

6. Achieve 100% license for all software used in various learning activities;

7. Put in place a formal refresh cycle for computer hardware as well as implement a regular software upgrade cycle for application packages for the whole institution.

8. Reduce the Technician to Learner ratio from the current 1:500 to an adequate 1:100; this will entail having additional 15-20 technicians after three years, in which 10% of the total will serve full time as repair and upgrade technicians in the workshop.

To be able to expand in this way, we have some organizational and resource requirements and challenges to overcome, which include:

1. Organizational stability in the area of well-trained personnel in their areas of expertise. This is important in regards to project realization.

2. Expansion would mean increase and improvement in the Centre’s (ETC) equipment and furniture.

3. Procurement, starting next fiscal year, of the following equipment and tools which are necessary to realize the goals of this development plan:

a. 25-35 new computers for trainees use each year

b. 20-25 new computers for staff use each year

c. at least 3 complete computer repair tool kits each year

d. at least 1 network monitoring and management tool/software each year

4. Establishment of additional computer laboratories (1 per year) and expansion and/or establishment of a computer maintenance workshop

5. Implementation and finalization of the operational guidelines of the three-year refresh cycle for computer machines for both trainees and staff

6. Buying of necessary licenses for all software (for those currently without license and those with expired license), and adopting a formal guideline for the license acquisition and renewal which can be similar to the hardware cycle or as the immediate needs arise

7. Hiring of additional 7 or 8 computer technicians per year in the areas of computer and network engineering.

The establishment of the Computer Maintenance Unit will help in improving the efficiency of operation of the CSS in particular and the ETC in general. Moreover, it can contribute to the improvement of the Centre’s production which will be beneficial not only to the Centre personnel but to the whole organizational community in the long run. As such, it is hoped that this proposal will be considered and will be given priority action.

Education is the Thing

I got this article from one of my friends through email, and I think this is an interesting read for everybody...

By: Dr Farrukh Saleem
The writer is an Islamabad-based freelance columnist

There are only 14 million Jews in the world; seven million in the Americas , five million in Asia , two million in Europe and 100,000 in Africa. For every single Jew in the world there are 100 Muslims. Yet, Jews are more than a hundred times more powerful than all the Muslims put together. Ever wondered why?

Jesus of Nazareth was Jewish. Albert Einstein, the most influential scientist of all time and TIME magazine's 'Person of the Century', was a Jew. Sigmund Freud - id, ego, superego -- the father of psychoanalysis was a Jew. So were Karl Marx, Paul Samuelson and Milton Friedman.

Here are a few other Jews whose intellectual output has enriched the whole humanity:

Benjamin Rubin gave humanity the vaccinating needle. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine. Alert Sabin developed the improved live polio vaccine. Gertrude Elion gave us a leukaemia fighting drug. Baruch Blumberg developed the vaccination for Hepatitis B. Paul Ehrlich discovered a treatment for syphilis (a sexually transmitted disease).

Elie Metchnikoff won a Nobel Prize in infectious diseases. Bernard Katz won a Nobel Prize in neuromuscular transmission. Andrew Schally won a Nobel in endocrinology (disorders of the endocrine system; diabetes, hyperthyroidism). Aaron Beck founded Cognitive Therapy (psychotherapy to treat mental disorders, depression and phobias). Gregory Pincus developed the first oral contraceptive pill. George Wald won a Nobel for furthering our understanding of the human eye. Stanley Cohen won a Nobel in embryology (study of embryos and their
development). Willem Kolff came up with the kidney dialysis machine.

Over the past 105 years, 14 million Jews have won 15-dozen Nobel Prizes while only three Nobel Prizes have been won by 1.4 billion Muslims (other than Peace Prizes).

Why are Jews so powerful?

Stanley Mezor invented the first micro-processing chip. Leo Szilard developed the first nuclear chain reactor. Peter Schultz, optical fibre cable; Cha rles Adler, traffic lights; Benno Strauss, stainless steel; Isador Kisee, sound movies; Emile Berliner, telephone microphone and Charles Ginsburg, videotape recorder.

Famous financiers in the business world who belong to Jewish faith include Ralph Lauren (Polo), Levis Strauss (Levi's Jeans), Howard Schultz (Starbuck's), Sergey Brin (Google), Michael Dell (Dell Computers), Larry Ellison (Oracle), Donna Karan (DKNY), Irv Robbins (Baskins & Robbins) and Bill Rosenberg (Dunkin Donuts)

Richard Levin, President of Yale University, is a Jew. So are Henry Kissinger (American secretary of state), Alan Greenspan (fed chairman under Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush), Joseph Lieberman, Madeleine Albright (American secretary of state), Casper Weinberger (American secretary of defence), Maxim Litvinov (USSR foreign Minister), David Marshal (Singapore's first chief minister), Issac Isaacs (governor-general of Australia), Benjamin Disraeli (British statesman
and author), Yevgeny Primakov (Russian PM), Barry Goldwater, Jorge Sampaio (president of Portugal), John Deutsch (CIA director), Herb Gray (Canadian deputy PM), Pierre Mendes (French PM), Michael Howard (British home secretary), Bruno Kreisky (chancellor of Austria) and Robert Rubin (American secretary of treasury).

In the media, famous Jews include Wolf Blitzer (CNN), Barbara Walters (ABC News), Eugene Meyer (Washington Post), Henry Grunwald (editor-in-chief Time), Katherine Graham (publisher of The Washington Post), Joseph Lelyyeld (Executive editor, The New York Times), and Max Frankel (New York Times).

Can you name the most beneficent philanthropist in the history of the world?

The name is George Soros, a Jew, who has so far donated a colossal $4 billion most of which has gone as aid to scientists and universities around the world. Second to George Soros is Walter Annenberg, another Jew, who has built a hundred libraries by donating an estimated $2 billion.

At the Olympics, Mark Spitz set a record of sorts by winning seven gold medals. Lenny Krayzelburg is a three-time Olympic gold medalist. Spitz, Krayzelburg and Boris Becker are all Jewish.

Did you know that Harrison Ford, George Burns, Tony Curtis, Charles Bronson, Sandra Bullock, Billy Crystal, Woody Allen, Paul Newman, Peter Sellers, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Douglas, Ben Kingsley, Kirk Douglas, Goldie Hawn, Cary Grant, William Shatner, Jerry Lewis and Peter Falk are all Jewish?

(Note: One of the Greatest Hollywood producers in the !950s was Cecil B. DeMill, a Jew)

As a matter of fact, Hollywood itself was founded by a Jew. Among directors and producers, Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks, Oliver Stone, Aaron Spelling (Beverly Hills 90210), Neil Simon (The Odd Couple), Andrew Vaina (Rambo 1/2/3 ), Michael Man (Starsky and Hutch), Milos Forman (One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest), Douglas Fairbanks (The thief of Baghdad ) and Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) are all Jewish.

To be certain, Washington is the capital that matters and in Washington the lobby that matters is The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC. Washington knows that if PM Ehud Olmert were to discover that the earth is flat, AIPAC will make the 109th Congress pass a resolution congratulating Olmert on his discovery.

William James Sidis, with an IQ of 250-300, is the brightest human who ever existed. Guess what faith did he belong to?

Question:
So, why are Jews so powerful?
Answer: Education.

Why are Muslims so powerless?

There are an estimated 1,476,233,470 Muslims on the face of the planet: one billion in Asia , 400 million in Africa, 44 million in Europe and six million in the Americas .

Every fifth human being is a Muslim; for every single Hindu there are two Muslims, for every Buddhist there are two Muslims and for every Jew there are one hundred Muslims.

Ever wondered why Muslims are so powerless? Here is why:

There are 57 member-countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), and all of them put together have around 500 universities; one university for every three million Muslims. The United States has 5,758 universities and India has 8,407.

In 2004, Shanghai Jiao Tong University compiled an 'Academic Ranking of World Universities ', and intriguingly, not one university from Muslim-majority states was in the top-500. As per data collected by the UNDP, literacy in the Christian world stands at nearly 90 per cent and 15 Christian-majority states have a literacy rate of 100 per cent.

A Muslim-majority state, as a sharp contrast, has an average literacy rate of around 40 per cent and there is no Muslim-majority state with a literacy rate of 100 per cent.

Some 98 per cent of the 'literates' in the Christian world had completed primary school, while less than 50 per cent of the 'literates' in the Muslim world did the same. Around 40 per cent of the 'literates' in the Christian world attended university while no more than two per cent of the 'literates' in the Muslim world did the same.

Muslim-majority countries have 230 scientists per one million Muslims. The US has 4,000 scientists per million and Japan has 5,000 per million. In the entire Arab world, the total number of full-time researchers is 35,000 and there are only 50 technicians per one million Arabs (in the Christian world there are up to 1,000 technicians per one million). Furthermore, the Muslim world spends 0.2 per cent of its GDP on research and development, while the Christian world spends around five per cent of its GDP.

Conclusion: The Muslim world lacks the capacity to produce knowledge.

Daily newspapers per 1,000 people and number of book titles per million are two indicators of whether knowledge is being diffused in a society. In Pakistan , there are 23 daily newspapers per 1,000 Pakistanis while the same ratio in Singapore is 360. In the UK , the number of book titles per million stands at 2,000 while the same in Egypt is 20.

Conclusion: The Muslim world is failing to diffuse knowledge.

Exports of high technology products as a percentage of total exports are an important indicator of knowledge application. Pakistan’s exports of high technology products as a percentage of total exports stands at one per cent. The same for Saudi Arabia is 0.3 per cent; Kuwait, Morocco, and Algeria are all at 0.3 per cent while Singapore is at 58 per cent.

Conclusion: The Muslim world is failing to apply knowledge.

Why are Muslims powerless?
Because we aren't producing knowledge.

Why are Muslims powerless?
Because we aren't diffusing knowledge.

Why are Muslims powerless?
Because we aren't applying knowledge.

And the future belongs to knowledge-based societies.

Interestingly, the combined annual GDP of 57 OIC-countries is under $2 trillion. America , just by herself, produces goods and services worth $12 trillion; China $8 trillion, Japan $3.8 trillion and Germany $2.4 trillion (purchasing power parity basis).

Oil rich Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar collectively produce goods and services (mostly oil) worth $500 billion; Spain alone produces goods and services worth over $1 trillion, Catholic Poland $489 billion and Buddhist Thailand $545 billion (Muslim GDP as a percentage of world GDP is fast declining).

So, why are Muslims so powerless?
Answer: Lack of education.
Quality education to be exact.
Uncontaminated education to be precise.

The Greatest Advice

this is an email forwarded to me by my cousin Alan...this is from Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life

Don't date because you are desperate.
Don't marry because you are miserable.
Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior.

Don't philander because you think you are irresistible.
Don't associate with people you can't trust.
Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend.
Don't dictate because you are smarter.

Don't demand because you are stronger.
Don't sleep around because you think you are old enough & know better.
Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder.
Don' t sell yourself, your family, or your ideals.

Don't stagnate!
Don't regress.
Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back.
Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right.
Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking.

Learn a new skill.
Find a new friend.
Start a new career.
Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life's more hasty decisions.

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.
To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy.
To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy.
Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons.

To make yourself happy, pursue your passions & be the best of what you can be.
Simplify your life. Take away the clutter.
Get rid of destructive elements: abusive friends, nasty habits, and dangerous liaisons.

Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty.
Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family.
Be true to yourself.
Don't commit when you are not ready.

Don't keep others waiting needlessly.

Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.
Say those words. Don't let the moment pass.
Do what you have to, even at society's scorn.

Write poetry.

Love Deeply.
Walk barefoot.
Dance with wild abandon.
Cry at the movies.

Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you.
You light up your life.
You drive yourself to your destination.

No one completes you - except YOU.

It isn't true that life does not get easier with age.
It only gets more challenging.
Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love.
Pursue your passions.

Live your dreams.
Don't lose faith in God.
Don't grow old. Just grow YOU!

When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back.

Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give to someone is your time.

Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others, but how much we give of ourselves.

God is good all the time!

On Being a True Bambinian

This is River's contribution to the editorial section of their school paper... he sent it to me thru email for checking...

On Being a True Bambinian

What does it take to be a true Bambinian?

We are studying at the Casa del Bambino Emmanuel Montessori. Our parents chose this school because they believe in its vision of complete development of their children. Some of us had been staying in this school for a long time already, while some of us have just started. Either way, our stay here gives us our own idea of what a student of CBEM should be like.

During our stay here, we learned how to read and how to write. We had been molded in various areas of learning, be it practical, sensorial, cultural and religious. We learned different things at different levels - mathematics, geography, science, and many others. One of the most important things we learned is to be bilingual, that is, we can speak English very well but at the same time, our teachers taught us not to forget how to speak Filipino properly. These are our traits which set us apart from the others. More importantly, we also learned things apart from our subjects in the classroom. We learned how to participate in competitions, some of us become good in sports, still others become very good in cultural activities like dancing, singing, and reciting poems. Others become budding journalists and writers. Indeed, as we stay here longer, we learn and discover more, and in result, we become more developed children.

As we progress in our learning at CBEM, we have to ask ourselves, are all these enough to become a good pupil, a true Bambinian?

I believe we have to think about it more deeply. While as we learn more in our subjects and become better singers, dancers, quizzers, or writers, we have to think also that more than that, we become not only more complete students, but more a part of a big family that is the school. And we should not forget that. For being a true Bambinian is to be a true member of this family. In this way, we should give back what we have learned to our little brothers and sisters in the school by helping them learn what we have learned and understood. We should give back to our teachers by being polite and respectful to them, and obeying them. Most importantly, we should give back to our parents by appreciating what they have done for us and giving them back the love they always give us. And we should be thankful for all the things they provided us. I believe that aside from learning, sharing and giving back what we have make us true Bambinians. We should always remember it and try doing it everyday.

Pwede na siguro yan...
Love,
River Arliss M. Lontok

Happiness

Alice forwarded this email to me, and i guess it really struck some emotional chords...

The happiest people in the world are not those who have no problems,

but those who learn to live with things that are less than perfect.

John Gokongwei's Inspiring Speech

This is John Gokongwei's speech before the Ateneo graduates... it's an inspiring read for everyone...


I wish I were one of you today, instead of a 77-year-old man, giving a speech you will probably forget when you wake up from your hangover tomorrow.

You may be surprised I feel this way. Many of you are feeling fearful and apprehensive about your future. You are thinking that, perhaps, your Ateneo diploma will not mean a whole lot in the future in a country with too many problems. And you are probably right. You are thinking that our country is slipping - no, sliding. Again, you may be right.

Twenty years ago, we were at par with countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Today, we are left way behind. You know the facts. Twenty years ago, the per capita income of the Filipino was 1,000 US dollars. Today, it's 1,100 dollars. That's a growth of only ten percent in twenty years. Meanwhile, Thailand 's per capita income today is double ours; Malaysia, triple ours; and Singapore, almost twenty times ours.

With globalization coming, you know it is even more urgent to wake up. Trade barriers are falling, which means we will have to compete harder. In the new world, entrepreneurs will be forced to invest their money where it is most efficient. And that is not necessarily in the Philippines. Even for Filipino entrepreneurs, that can be the case.
For example, a Filipino brand like Maxx candy can be manufactured in Bangkok - where labor, taxes, power and financing are cheaper and more efficient - and then exported to other ASEAN countries. This will be a common scenario if things do not change.

Pretty soon, we will become a nation that buys everything and produces practically nothing. We will be like the prodigal son who took his father's money and spent it all. The difference is that we do not have a generous father to run back to. But despite this, I am still very excited about the future. I will tell you why later.

You have been taught at the Ateneo to be "a person for others." Of course, that is noble: To serve your countrymen. Question is: How?

And my answer is: Be an entrepreneur!

You may think I am just a foolish man talking mundane stuff when the question before him is almost philosophical. But I am being very thoughtful here, and if I may presume this about myself, being patriotic as well. Entrepreneurship is the answer. We need young people who will find the idea, grab the opportunity, take risk, and set aside comfort to set up businesses that will provide jobs.

But why? What are jobs?

Jobs are what allow people to feel useful and build their self-esteem. Jobs make people productive members of the community. Jobs make people feel they are worthy citizens. And jobs make a country worthy players in the world market. In that order of things, it is the entrepreneurs who have the power to harness the creativity and talents of others to achieve a common good. This should leave the world a better place than it was.

Let me make it clear: Job creation is a priority for any nation to move forward. For example, it is the young entrepreneurs of Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore who created the dynamic businesses that have propelled their countries to the top. Young people like yourselves. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, progress is slow. Very little is new. Hardly anything is fresh. With a few exceptions, the biggest companies before the war - PLDT, Ayala, and San Miguel - are still the biggest companies today.

All right, being from the Ateneo, many of you probably have offers from these corporations already. You may even have offers from JG Summit. I say: Great! Take these offers, work as hard as you can, learn everything these companies can teach - and then leave! If you dream of creating something great, do not let a 9-to-5 job - even a high-paying one - lull you into a complacent, comfortable life. Let that high-paying job propel you toward entrepreneurship instead.

When I speak of the hardship ahead, I do not mean to be skeptical but realistic. Even you Ateneans, who are famous for your eloquence, you cannot talk your way out of this one. There is nothing to do but to deal with it. I learned this lesson when, as a 13-year-old, I lost my dad. Before that, I was like many of you: a privileged kid. I went to Cebu 's best school; lived in a big house; and got free entrance to the Vision, the largest movie house in Cebu , which my father owned. Then my dad died, and I lost all these. My family had become poor - poor enough to split my family. My mother and five siblings moved to China where the cost of living was lower. I was placed under the care of my Grand Uncle Manuel Gotianuy, who put me through school. But just two years later, the war broke out, and even my Uncle Manuel could no longer see me through. I was out in the streets - literally.

Looking back, this time was one of the best times of my life. We lost everything, true, but so did everybody! War was the great equalizer. In that setting, anyone who was willing to seize up the situation, use his wits, and work hard, could make it! It was every man for himself, and I had to find a way to support myself and my family. I decided to be a market vendor. Why? Because it was something that I, a 15-year-old boy in short pants, could do. I started by selling simple products in the palengke half an hour by bike from the city. I had a bicycle. I would wake up at five in the morning, load thread, soap and candles into my bike, and rush to the palengke. I would rent a stall for one peso a day, lay out my goods on a table as big as this podium, and begin selling. I did that the whole day. I sold about twenty pesos of goods every day. Today, twenty pesos will only allow you to send twenty text messages to y our crush, but 63 years ago, it was enough to support my family. And it left me enough to plow back into my small, but growing, business. I was the youngest vendor in the palengke, but that didn't faze me. In fact, I rather saw it as an opportunity. Remember, that was 63 years and 100 pounds ago, so I could move faster, stay under the sun more, and keep selling longer than everyone else.

Then, when I had enough money and more confidence, I decided to travel to Manila from Cebu to sell all kinds of goods like rubber tires. Instead of my bike, I now traveled on a batel - a boat so small that on windless days, we would just float there. On bad days, the trip could take two weeks! During one trip, our batel sank! We would have all perished in the sea were it not for my inventory of tires. The viajeros were happy because my tires saved their lives, and I was happy because the viajeros, by hanging on to them, saved my tires. On these long and lonely trips I had to entertain myself with books, like Gone With The Wind.

After the war, I had saved up 50,000 pesos. That was when you could buy a chicken for 20 centavos and a car for 2,000 pesos. I was 19 years old.

Now I had enough money to bring my family home from China . Once they were all here, they helped me expand our trading business to include imports. Remember that the war had left the Philippines with very few goods. So we imported whatever was needed and imported them from everywhere - including used clothes and textile remnants from the United States. We were probably the first ukay-ukay dealers here.

Then, when I had gained more experience and built my reputation, I borrowed money from the bank and got into manufacturing. I saw that coffee was abundant, and Nescafe of Nestle was too expensive for a country still rebuilding from the war, so my company created Blend 45. That was our first branded hit. And from there, we had enough profits to launch Jack and Jill. From one market stall, we are now in nine core businesses - including retail, real estate, publishing, petrochemicals, textiles, banking, food manufacturing, Cebu Pacific Air and Sun Cellular.

When we had shown success in the smaller businesses, we were able to raise money in the capital markets - through IPOs and bond offerings - and then get into more complex, capital-intensive enterprises. We did it slow, but sure.

Success doesn't happen overnight. It's the small successes achieved day by day that build a company. So, don't be impatient or focused on immediate financial rewards. I only started flying business class when I got too fat to fit in the economy seats. And I even wore a used overcoat while courting my wife - it came from my ukay-ukay business. Thank God Elizabeth didn't mind the mothball smell of my coat or maybe she wouldn't have married me.

Save what you earn and plow it back.

And never forget your families! Your parents denied themselves many things to send you here. They could have traveled around the world a couple of times with the money they set aside for your education, and your social life, and your comforts. Remember them - and thank them.

When you have families of your own, you must be home with them for at least one meal everyday. I did that while I was building my company. Now, with all my six children married, I ask that we spend every Sunday lunch together, when everything under the sun is discussed. As it is with business, so it is with family.

There are no short cuts for building either one. Remember, no short cuts.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, your patron saint, and founder of this 450-year old organization I admire, described an ideal Jesuit as one who "lives with one foot raised." I believe that means someone who is always ready to respond to opportunities. Saint Ignatius knew that, to build a successful organization, he needed to recruit and educate men who were not afraid of change but were in fact excited by it. In fact, the Jesuits were one of the earliest practitioners of globalization. As early as the 16th century, upon reaching a foreign country, they compiled dictionaries in local languages, like Tamil and Vietnamese, so that they could spread their message in the local language. In a few centuries, they have been able to spread their mission in many countries through education.

The Jesuits have another quote. "Make the whole world your house" which means that the ideal Jesuit must be at home everywhere. By adapting to change , but at the same time staying true to their beliefs, the Society of Jesus has become the long-lasting and successful organization it is today and has made the world their house. So, let's live with one foot raised in facing the next big opportunity: globalization.

Globalization can be your greatest enemy. It will be your downfall if you are too afraid and too weak to fight it out. But it can also be your biggest ally. With the Asian Free Trade agreement and tariffs near zero, your market has grown from 80 million Filipinos to half a billion Southeast Asians. Imagine what that means to you as an entrepreneur if you are able to find a need and fill it. And imagine, too, what that will do f or the economy of our country!

Yes, our government may not be perfect, and our economic environment not ideal, but true entrepreneurs will find opportunities anywhere. Look at the young Filipino entrepreneurs who made it. When I say young - and I'm 77, remember - I am talking about those in their 50s and below . Tony Tan of Jollibee, Ben Chan of Bench, Rolando Hortaleza of Splash, and Wilson Lim of Abensons.

They're the guys who weren't content with the 9-to-5 job, who were willing to delay their gratification and comfort, and who created something new, something fresh. Something Filipinos are now very proud of. They all started small but now sell their hamburgers, T-shirts and cosmetics in Asia, America , and the Middle East. In doing so, these young Filipino entrepreneurs created jobs while doing something they were passionate about.

Globalization is an opportunity of a lifetime - for you. And that is why I want to be out there with you instead of here behind this podium - perhaps too old and too slow to seize the opportunities you can.

Let me leave you with one last thought. Trade barriers have fallen. The only barriers left are the barriers you have in your mind.

So, Ateneans, heed the call of entrepreneurship. With a little bit of will and a little bit of imagination, you can turn this crisis into your patriotic moment - and truly become a person for others. "Live with one foot raised and make the world your house."

To this great University, my sincerest thanks for this singular honor conferred on me today.

To the graduates, congratulations and Godspeed.

"Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam".

Thank you.

Educational Technology Strategic Plan

This is a proposed strategic plan which I presented to the heads of departments regarding my application as manager/supervisor of the center for educational technology...

Introduction

The Educational Technology Center (ETC) requires a stable and secure system of unique identifiers if it is to serve efficiently and reliably its client base who are various stakeholders in the institution. On this light, a set of sound policies will ensure effectiveness of the Center’s various operations, and this will only be successful if equally sound guidelines are drafted to serve as framework from which various policies, processes, methods and systems could be developed.

In this regard, this five-year strategic plan is proposed by the author to help the management design the appropriate framework by which policies for the different plans of action could be based towards further improving the Center in the next five years and make it an indispensable component in the improvement of services provided in the institution, not only to the trainees/learners, but more importantly also to other stakeholders including the staff and the immediate community.

Situation Analysis

Strengths Infrastructure already in place Facilities, equipment, holdings are adequate Support of management Staff are supportive and hard-working	Weaknesses 1. Infrastructure and equipment not optimally utilized 2. No policies in place for proper management of facilities, equipment and holdings 3. Inadequate number of staff
Threats 1. Increasing number of users and connectivity 2. New technology may render infrastructure and systems obsolete 3. Staff turnover	Opportunities Continuously upgrade facilities, equipment/holdings and staff competencies Introduction, documentation & implementation of policies and guidelines for use and management of facilities, equipment and holdings

Core Values

This plan is anchored on the core values of Quality, Excellence, and Service. On this light, this plan is committed to nurture the culture of the Center through these three values serving as the foundation. That is, all its operations – its activities and its functions – will center on the values mentioned.

To realize this, the Center must specifically aspire to:

1. Preserve and enhance the operational stability, reliability, security, and interoperability of its Sections;
2. Seek and support broad and informed participation from its staff, reflecting the functional diversity of the Center at all levels of policy-development and decision-making;
3. Make decisions by applying documented policies neutrally and objectively, with integrity and timeliness;
4. Act with a speed that is responsive to the needs of the community while, as part of the decision-making process, obtaining informed input from those entities that it serves;
5. Remain accountable to the management through mechanisms that enhance the Center’s effectiveness.

Key Challenges and Opportunities for the ETC

Any strategic plan is – by its nature – setting a course through an unknown future. In considering the issues that will face the Center over the next five years, the following list of major challenges and opportunities was developed. It is not in any way an exhaustive list and issues are not necessarily in priority order. The list is a summary of the author’s observations and short experience in the organization which he believes will shape the future concerning the ETC and they are therefore the issues that have shaped this plan.

1. The continued rise of new forms of learning, particularly those of the constructivist and constructionist approaches that use new technologies in the delivery of materials and the general teaching-learning experience, and the need for the Center to truly meet the needs of self-access, more responsible, independent, and empowered learners.

2. Maintaining speed, reliability and security in access to all technologies provided, particularly computer networks, given the increases in scale driven by the number of devices connected to the network and the number of users.

3. Ensuring stability and security in an environment of increased threats brought about by the fast-paced interconnectivity of processes and systems, as well as the sharp increase of client-base.

4. Multiple complicated changes to the Center’s operations or protocols that need to be managed in parallel, including possible paradigm changes not yet anticipated.

5. Continuous evolution of educational business models and applications that can be used in the Center, particularly in the computer and other education/learning services.

Strategic Action Programs

Having considered the challenges and opportunities that are most likely to present themselves over the next five years, the following plans have been identified for the Center:

1. Operations

a. Operational Performance Targets for the Computer Services Section

The Computer Services Section is responsible for all the hardware, software, and networks that are relevant for teaching and learning. As such, the following priorities in its operations are identified:

a. Year 1

§ There will be an exhaustive analysis and evaluation of the organization’s Internet connectivity to recommend possible upgrades in access speed. Ideally, the organization should have a T1 or an E1 data connectivity to provide satisfactory service to both staff and trainees given the current number of users and the current number of Internet terminals. If this situation cannot be provided in the existing environment, clusters of DSL-grade connections combined with wireless connectivity can be utilized to provide satisfactory service.

§ Responsibility and accountability with regards the hardware parts/components, tools, machines, and equipment will be developed for the CSS staff, hence the following will be implemented:

o There will be a “Memory Receipt” of all the tools, equipment, and components/parts issued to all staff and they will be responsible for these;

o A standard inventory of all hardware and software will be put in place through the “memory receipt” scheme and reports for the same will be submitted by the staff on a regular basis to properly monitor and manage all equipment of the Section.

§ Documentation of all the processes and methods will be initiated and started; this could culminate in manuals of operations of all servers, systems, and other processes normally provided by the Section.

§ A standard procedure for all computer services/assistance will be drafted, finalized and implemented to ensure quick response to all calls for technical assistance and service, as well as proper dissemination of information to all users. Scheduled maintenance not clashing with class hours will also be planned; this will require scheduling the technicians for different shifts/timings in their work.

§ The development of an improved website for the institution will be initiated.

b. Years 2 and 3

§ Evaluation of all currently implemented inventory, documentation, and standard service procedures will be done to further improve these processes. With regards the documentation process, initial drafts of server operation manuals/guidelines will be started so that staff can have an easy access to various routine processes whenever there is a need for such.

§ Initial interaction with the heads of departments will be undertaken to determine technical trainings and workshops that can be facilitated by the Center that will be relevant to the needs of their staff/lecturers. This will be done in cooperation with the Educational Services Section.

§ The development towards a more dynamic and interactive website for the institution will be started. This could include integrating basic services of the institution in the Website such as downloading of basic forms, virtual tour of facilities for guests and new trainees, etc.

c. Years 4 and 5

§ To maximize the utilization of the Center’s equipment, initial exploration towards specific training for selected staff will be done to make them certified trainers of various technologies. This could result in the application of the Center as an authorized testing center for various industry certifications, which will in turn be utilized by the trainees for them to be more competitive when they leave the institution.

§ Exploratory talks with the heads of other Centers will be initiated for possible development of a Data Network.

b. Operational Performance Targets for Educational Services Section

The Educational Services Section is responsible for all the educational materials and other aids for teaching and learning. As such, the following priorities in its operations are identified:

a. Year 1

§ Responsibility and accountability with regards the hardware equipment, and educational aids will be developed for the ESS staff, hence the following will be implemented:

o There will be a “Memory Receipt” of all the hardware educational aids issued to all staff and they will be responsible for these;

o A standard inventory of all hardware and software will be put in place through the “memory receipt” scheme and reports for the same will be submitted by the staff on a regular basis to properly monitor and manage all equipment of the Section.

o A catalogue of all educational aids that can be used by the learners and staff will be developed and distributed to all departments. A staff will be assigned for this purpose.

§ Correspondingly, a standard form will be designed for the borrowing of educational technology tools by staff and/or trainees, and these activities will be formally logged by a staff designated for the purpose.

§ Maintenance, management and improvement of the e-Learning Facility will be transferred to the Section and initial exploration will be done with the heads of departments and heads of sections for collaborative works in the development of more courses/modules on e-Learning.

§ Meetings with various learners' clubs will be done for possible development of newsletters for each department both in print and for publishing in the website to chronicle activities done by different departments.

b. Years 2 and 3

§ Improvement to the e-Learning Facility will be done through making it available to the learners via the Internet.

§ Exploratory talks with the heads of the departments and the heads of sections will be initiated with regards the collaborative development of handouts/manuals for different courses; this will be participated by learning development specialists from each department and the Head of the Library Services so that these handouts/manuals will be made available in the Library.

§ In cooperation of the Computer Services Section, improved trainings and workshops of technologies relevant to teaching and learning both for staff and students will be planned and conducted.

c. Years 4 and 5

§ Management and operation of a fully-functional newsletter, in cooperation with the different departments will be initiated.

§ Assessment of evaluation of policy-development will be re-started, which will focus on improved and stronger loyalty on the part of the ESS staff.

c. Operational Performance Targets for Library Services

a. Years 1 and 2

§ Exhaustive identification and listing of library holdings (inventory)

§ Drafting of, and strict implementation of Library procedures for borrowing and returning of books for both the staff and the students; in this regard, classification of books as to Textbook, Reference Book, and Reserved Book will be done, and corresponding days will be allocated for each every time they will be borrowed/returned. Penalties such as suspension of borrowing privileges will be drafted and implemented for negligent borrowers.

§ Initial interaction with heads of departments will be done to draft possible list of needed text/references for recommendation to the Administration.

b. Years 3 to 5

§ Recommendation on possible list of online subscription to technical journals and magazines will be forwarded to the management for evaluation.

§ Design and development of an improved version of the automated system, the Online Public Access Cataloguing system for the Library, will be initiated in cooperation with the Computer Services Section and some staff from the IT Department.

§ Talks with other libraries will be initiated for possible sharing of resources and networking. Same will be done to provide linkages with nearby institutions.

d. Develop and implement a workforce planning methodology for the Educational Technology Center staff to attract and retain high quality staff.

a. Years 1 and 2

§ Peer and internal training for ETC staff to improve their skills and make them more relevant to their environment.

b. Years 3 to 5

§ Recommendations for certifications and external trainings to ETC staff to make them more competitive and improve quality of work in the Center.

2. Key Issues to be Addressed in this Plan

§ Development of a highly efficient and effective service unit.

§ Development of a high-moral, empowered, and competent group of technical staff that are able to work in a very dynamic and fast-paced environment.

§ Continuous and easy transfer of new technologies to various department staff and learners.

§ Adaptability of the various departments to the evolution of educational technologies in learning through proper implementation of these technologies by the Center.

§ Linkage of various stakeholders through the initiative of the Center.

3. Sustainability / Research

In order for the aforementioned operational performance targets to be analyzed and sustained, the following research are proposed, the results of which in turn, will serve as data for the improvement of existing operational policies of the Center:

§ Acceptability of the LMS Moodle as a Learning Supplement through e-Learning (currently on-going, being conducted by this author)

§ Perceived Utility Value of Educational Technology Tools to the Extent of Learning of Students

§ Evaluation of Impact of Using an LMS in the Learning Experience of Learners

Final Statement

The development of an efficient and effective unit cannot be done overnight. Aside from the commitment, political will, and vision of the manager, more importantly, it needs the full cooperation and sometimes blind obedience of subordinates. Nevertheless, if transparency and team spirit prevails in the unit, sooner than we expected, the goals can be achieved. For the proposals outlined in this plan to materialize, more than anything else, it requires the combination of a realistic vision of a committed manager. But more than that, as already intimated, it requires the team spirit and wholehearted support of the Center’s personnel.