Put in the work, law prof urges PCU HS graduates

LAW professor Tranquil Salvador told senior and junior high school graduating students of the Philippine Christian University to “pour in hours and hours of committed work” to achieve the level of competence in their chosen business or profession.

“In this digital age, there is this notion that everything can be accessed by browsing using your fingers, and this includes access to information,” he told 1,400 graduating students at their commencement exercises at the bayside Philippine International Convention Center.

“It may even lead you to believe that what you can perceive you can achieve (but) this is only partly true. In between perceiving and achieving are hours, days, months, years, and decades of dedication, hard work, and sacrifices to achieve your goals,” Salvador, who writes a column in the Manila Standard, said in his speech.

He shared with the graduates, led by senior high valedictorian Dhenzo Tyler Montojo and junior high valedictorian Judiel Charl Del Rosario, lessons he learned as a teenager from his misadventures.

“I thoroughly believe there is as much to gain from misadventures as there are from achievements,” said Salvador, listed among the Top 100 Lawyers in the Philippines for 2021 and 2022 by the Asia Business Law Journal.

But he said: “Misadventures, mistakes, and slips are instrumental in the formation of a young mind. I am by no means encouraging you to make mistakes or engage in adventurism. All we are saying is that missteps can offer wisdom in retrospect or what we know as 20/20 hindsight vision.”

Salvador, who teaches law at the Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and the University of Makati, then told his audience some lessons he said could help them.

“I learned early in life that there is a God who I can depend on—for those who have a different religion but believe in a Divine Being you know what I mean.

“Challenges are mere stepping stones... find what you love to do and work hard to achieve it.”

He quoted his father as saying there is no substitute for preparation, stressing “We have to persevere and work to achieve our goals in life.” Honor Blanco Cabie in the Bangsamoro and the decision of former rebels to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law, among others.

“This is the reason why the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) is employing cross-cutting strategies to implement an integrated, transparent, people-centered, and human rights-based peace and security policy,” Purisima said.

He also added that all of OPAPRU’s peacebuilding interventions, particularly in conflict-vulnerable and conflict-affected areas in Mindanao, are dovetailed to the current administration’s Philippine Development Plan 2023 – 2028.

In the implementation of the Bangsamoro peace process, he said the agency is focused on ensuring that former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants are able to successfully reintegrate into mainstream society.

Vince Lopez

Consumer group urges gov’t to set up connectivity rating for internet

CONSUMER advocacy group CitizenWatch

Philippines said the government should work with the private sector in establishing an easy-to-understand connectivity rating system that will serve as a benchmark for property owners and government institutions in providing the right level of connectivity to the volume of their user traffic.

“We have long suffered a mismatch between demand for internet services in public spaces and the quality provided by those in charge of these spaces,” said Atty.

Tim Abejo, co-convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines.

“The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., given its avowed commitment to digitally transform the country, should engage in a public-private collaboration that would establish a Connectivity Index Rating in all public and private buildings.”

According to Abejo, the Connectivity Index should be easy to understand and should be displayed prominently in public spaces to give people an idea of the quality of the Internet connection inside the premises.

“Good connectivity is always an asset for any building, including malls, libraries, hotels, coffee shops, even airports. It is a necessity for communications and work productivity,” Abejo said.

“Having a connectivity index rating of an establishment publicly displayed or available online will affect the image of an institution and will force building owners to take steps to ensure high-quality digital connectivity for their users.”

There is currently no means to ascertain the quality of connectivity on any given building anywhere in the Philippines.

As a result, Abejo said, building tenants, customers, and the general public have no way of knowing whether they could even go online when they are out in these places.

LTO imposes max rates for med exam for driver’s license

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has set the cost of medical examination for driver’s license and student permit applications to a maximum rate of P300 in its accredited medical clinics.

In a statement Monday, outgoing LTO chief Assistant Secretary Jay Art Tugade said the move is in response to complaints about the high prices of medical exams which cost between P500 and P700.

Mabigat na ang halaga na ito para sa ating mga ordinaryong mamamayan (This is a huge amount for ordinary citizens),” Tugade said. Health facilities and medical clinics found violating the order face suspension of their accreditation for 90 days and fine of P10,000 for the first offense.

For the second offense, violators face a 180day suspension and P15,000 fine and perpetual disqualification for the third offense.

Under Memorandum Circular 2018-2157 signed on Nov. 27, 2018, the agency can regulate medical examination fees although the maximum amount is not stated.

“Accredited medical clinics have several variances of fees and charges causing discrepancy of rates. For standardization, the LTO deemed it proper and necessary to set the specific maximum medical examination fees to be charged from driver-applicant by accredited medical clinics,” the circular read.

The new memorandum circular signed by Tugade takes effect 15 days after its national publication.