A New Perspective

Brian James Lu

Upholding solo parents’ welfare

(2nd of 2 parts)

THISlaw is beneficial to solo parents and their children. Parents and children usually bond on weekends, given their work and study schedules. At the Quezon Memorial Circle, for example, parents and their kids usually spend time together, and the restaurants there are full of families. Solo parents can now enjoy these with their children since most of them contend with economic hardships when nurturing their kids.

Mayor Belmonte is very firm on the implementation of the ordinance. She urged the solo parents to file a complaint against erring restaurant establishments that failed to provide discounts to them.

Quezon City solo parent residents are more fortunate than their counterparts in other cities. The LGU has lined up a number of projects and programs for them in addition to those that the national government already offers. They are provided with PHP20,000 in cash aid through “Pangkabuhayang QC” if they want to start their own business. There is also the Small Income Generating Assistance (SIGA) program that provides additional capital to entrepreneurs like existing sari-sari store owners.

Also, through the city’s social welfare assistance program, indigent solo parents can receive financial assistance amounting to PHP1,000 monthly.

Data from the Social Services and Development Department of Quezon City show that

Politics II: Short form content and politics

ing population with extremely short attention spans.

Having each candidate give speeches is a standard practice in political activities.

(2nd of 2 parts)

IN the world of politics, recent elections worldwide have shown the rising impact of short form content especially in political short videos or reels.

Social media was full of these short political reels all over the world in all its various forms.

Many are now predicting that short form content in politics will also affect other aspects of political campaigning.

In particular, face to face political campaigning will now have to adjust to the new realities of engaging a vot-

Sometimes, the candidates follow time limit rules for their speeches.

Unfortunately, most of the times many politicians give lengthy speeches. One of the longest political speeches I heard was from a gubernatorial candidate in North Luzon who was able to talk for six hours straight.

At the Center for Alternative Election Reforms (CAER), a political strategy think tank group, a research team is experimenting on several models of town hall meetings using short form content- related techniques.

In these sessions, multiple speakers with short and lively speeches using there are 11,069 registered solo parents as of 2021. It is a small percentage of the 2.9 million people in the city. By providing several programs to solo parents, their situation is alleviated, and their children are given a chance to aspire for a bright future.

The Quezon City Council also passed Ordinance No. SP-3049, Series of 2021, providing housing benefits to solo parents and their children. The Ordinance states that "any solo parent whose income in the place of domicile falls below the poverty threshold as set by the National Economic and Development Authority and subject to the assessment of the SSDD worker in the area shall be eligible for assistance."

Under this program, 10 percent of the city’s social housing program should come from the ranks of solo parents. Providing a roof and shelter to marginalized solo parents is very heartening. Our taxes are being used to fund developmental programs that benefit the marginalized sector of Quezon City. The business sector where I come from welcomes such beneficial programs.

The participants whom I have talked to during the holding of the National Solo Parents Week expressed their gratitude to Mayor Belmonte and the city council for giving attention to their situation. The concrete benefits they will now enjoy address their peculiar situation and give them strength in their daily struggle to provide education, food and other needs for their children. (PNA) video, music and other tools combined with short message chunks are being employed to test message penetration and staying power.

In essence, there are common elements which are apparently needed for the new type of short form political speeches. Other than speeches being short, they must: a) have a starting hook; 2) appeal to emotion; 3) use video and entertainment; 4) stick to one central message; 5) use narratives; 6) sound plausibly true; and 7) use simple language.

With this rise of short form content in campaigning, election operators must still remember that the core message within any short form platform is still very important. How do you craft messages that can still be effectively conveyed through short form content? Ah! That is a story that can be tackled another day.

This is my short form oblique observation. (PNA)

613 jobs up for grab for LDCU graduating students

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

– The Department of Labor and Employment-10 (DOLE10) through the Cagayan de Oro City Field Office (CDOFO) headed by its Provincial Director Emmanuel Toledo in collaboration with the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) facilitated a job fair at the Liceo de Cagayan University, this city, on April 26.

Toledo highlighted in his message by encouraging readiness as a key to success when an opportunity comes as such jobseekers are encouraged to give their bests as the opportunity to land good jobs.

Six hired on the spot (HOTS) jobseekers emerged out of the 351 registered applicants during the job fair.

Camille Janolino, one of the graduating students of Bachelor of Science in Psychology, shared how she managed her way for becoming the first HOTS.

Janolino said that the job fair has helped her choose an ideal work matching her credentials.

She aims to apply what she learned from school and will do her best as she is about to become part of the Oro Graphics Incorporated as an Assistant Human Resource staff.

The job fair aimed to assist the Licean graduating students land a reputable job after their school year ends.

As part of the Department’s aim to help the future workers, the job fair is geared towards empowering Oro youths to secure employment opportunities.

It is with great sense of accomplishment that the Department was able to assist academic institutions in placing their graduates in the workforce – ensuring that years of guidance and teaching are utilized for greater service of others and the society. (DOLE-10)