REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE – CITY Shoe Ave., Sta. Elena, Marikina City +63 (02) 682-2472 / 682-3989 (CID) / 508-6113 (SGOD) https://depedmarikina.ph / (email) [email protected]

August 18, 2021

MEMORANDUM TO:

OIC, Office of the Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Chief Education Supervisors, CID and SGOD Secondary School Principals/Officers-In-Charge Public Schools only

PHILIPPINE BUSINESS FOR EDUCATION BULLETIN (AUGUST 2021): REACHING BEYOND

Attached is the communication from the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) dated August 9, 2021, re: Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Bulletin (August 2021): Reaching Beyond, the content of which is self- explanatory, for information.

Immediate and wide dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.

SHERYLL T. GAYOLA Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Officer-In-Charge Office of the Schools Division Superintendent

Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan at Makabansa ------Forwarded message ------From: Communications PBEd Date: Mon, Aug 9, 2021, 3:13 PM Subject: PBEd Bulletin [August 2021]: Reaching Beyond To:

Reaching Beyond

Dear Colleagues and Partners,

We hope you are all staying safe and healthy through these different times.

As we enter the second half of 2021, Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) continues to reach further beyond education—as problems and solutions are multi-sectoral and multi-player. This year, the learning crisis campaign was launched to spark conversations and call forth action from different sectors of society. We can all take part in addressing the problems through smart-voting and supporting different key reforms, especially in the upcoming 2022 polls.

PBEd also continues to stay committed to workforce development through government, industry and academe partnerships. Through our projects, we have organized learning sessions and workshops for our youth to prepare them for the world of work and to help them lead productive lives.

We thank you for your unwavering support and for being our strong allies.

Enjoy reading!

Truly yours,

PBEd Communications

Communications and Learning Crisis Campaign

PBEd presents the devastating state of Philippine education

Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) held a virtual press conference on the state of education in the country last July 5 via Zoom. The PBEd Board, representatives from partner foundations, and media attended the virtual event.

PBEd Policy and Advocacy Manager Mr. Marco De Los Reyes presented facts and figures, giving emphasis on the lack of investment in education and how the pandemic exacerbated the crisis in education. PBEd Executive Director Ms. Love Basillote revealed the policy reform agenda centered on foundational reforms, public-private complementarity in education governance, and lifelong learning.

The event was covered by ABS-CBN News Online, Rappler, Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Business World, and several other media organizations.

Watch it again here

EdukNaman! highlights the need for quality education for all

PBEd launched its EdukNaman! social media campaign. Its goal is to amplify the cry of every Filipino to bring back the quality of education with relatable and interactive content on digital platforms.

PBEd hopes to drive more conversations on the importance of better education for the nation with relevant stories and tapping into the voice of influencers, communities and the media, as well as to drive action to achieve better education for the nation. With the upcoming elections, EdukNaman! encourages people to take steps in acquiring quality education for all through smart-voting and supporting different key reforms.

Follow EdukNaman! on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Policy and Advocacy

TEACH Bill and Jobs Next Bill now in Congress

PBEd has successfully filed two bills in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Teacher Education for Achievers (TEACH) Bill aims to provide a merit-based selection process, training in Centers of Excellence schools, and generous financial support to aspiring teachers in the country. The said bill was filed by Senators and Sonny Angara in the Senate and Rep. Kiko Benitez in the House of Representatives. PBEd is hopeful that the scholarship for future teachers will be implemented by 2022.

The Jobs Next Bill aims to provide a skills voucher program for . The bill prioritizes the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce in jobs that are at risk of displacement due to technological disruptions. It also aims to support companies in their upskilling programs. The bill was filed by Sen. in the Senate and Rep. Benitez in the House of Representatives.

Teaching and Learning

Shown in photo are (top row, L-R): Elvin Uy, Executive Director, PBSP; Fr. Anton Pascual, Executive Director, Caritas Manila; and Lovelaine Basillote, Executive Director, PBEd. Representing Accenture in the Philippines (bottom row) are Country Managing Director Lito Tayag and Corporate Citizenship Executive Sponsor Louise Sabariaga.

PBEd partners with Accenture Philippines to help 1,000 kids catch up in reading and math

As part of the initiative to bridge the learning gaps brought about by the pandemic, PBEd launched the Kiddie Learning Train. It is a volunteer-based community program that aims to teach 1,000 Kinder to Grade 3 public school students and bring them up to speed with reading and math. The program includes distributing a total of 1,000 tablets to students and engaging volunteers with Education backgrounds to ensure continued learning even remotely.

A Future that Works

PBEd hosts learning session on institutionalizing and sustaining sector skills councils

On April 29, PBEd hosted a webinar for 42 participants to learn about Australia’s skills system. The webinar was a key activity of the Australian Government supported initiative, the ‘A Future that Works’ (AFW) project. The project fosters greater industry collaboration to address the skills challenges and opportunities brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and enhances the competitiveness of Philippine industries. Participants from the semiconductor & electronics, food manufacturing, and analytics sectors, other Philippines business leaders, together with the PBEd National Industrial and Academe Council, joined Australian Embassy representatives to learn about the Australian approach to building the skills sector and their Skills Organizations.

Representatives of the three AFW Sector Skills Councils reported high satisfaction with the webinar as it offered a workable system and sector models for the Philippines to consider.

Opportunity 2.0

Opportunity 2.0 engages over 128 private sector partners

From January to July 2021, Opportunity 2.0 has been engaging private sector partners across the project sites to support out-of-school youth and their local youth development alliances. With the Education Development Center, the private sector team of Opportunity 2.0 has engaged 128 private sector partners as of June 2021.

YouthWorks PH

Youthworks PH stages webinar series focused on youth-employment despite the pandemic

YouthWorks PH stages a series of webinars tackling issues concerning the youth NEET. This replaces the face- to-face sessions which were held before the pandemic. The series ran from October 2020 until April 2021. It aired five KTalk episodes which focused on employment, socio-political matters, and COVID-19 related discussions. The webinar series was successful in providing a platform for the project, helping the youth become socially-aware citizens and preparing them to become part of the workforce.

Antipolo City gov’t, Youthworks PH to provide free skills training to out-of-school youth

At least 100 out-of-school and unemployed youth stand to benefit from free skills training and employment opportunities after the Antipolo City government signed an agreement with Youthworks PH. Both will share resources in the implementation of skills training programs for the city’s youth. Instructors from the Antipolo Institute of Technology will be working as mentors providing online mentoring and employability skills training to Youthworks PH trainees.

Youthworks PH, Permex, and PCTA ink P37-M partnerships to open doors for at least 1,000 youth trainees

USAID Philippines and PBEd signed Php 37 million worth of partnerships with the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association, Inc. (PCTA) and Permex Producer and Exporter Corporation. This will provide training and employment opportunities for more than a thousand unemployed and out-of-school youth in CALABARZON region and Zamboanga. The partnership is part of YouthWorks PH, USAID’s private sector- driven youth employability program with PBEd. PCTA will provide cable television and internet service-related technical vocational training programs to 100 unemployed and out-of-school youth residing in Region IV-A, covering the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and . Permex, Zamboanga’s leading producer and exporter of canned goods, guaranteed 1,000 on-the-job training slots under its food processing department.

Youthworks PH and SJDM LGU join forces on Labor Day, back training and employment for the youth

In a virtual launch in May, San Jose Del Monte Mayor Arthur Robes and PBEd Executive Director and YouthWorks Chief of Party Love Basillote formalized the collaboration of the city and its local industries to reach out to more youth in the area. The city of San Jose del Monte will facilitate the implementation of YouthWorks PH’s Flexible Training for Work in their communities by recruiting qualified youth into the program and encouraging the private sector to provide training and training subsidies to beneficiaries. It also taps the assistance of the Public Employment Services Office to ensure employment opportunities after the trainees have successfully completed the program.

Youthworks PH Live successfully wraps up first season

The YouthWorks PH team premiered the first episode of YouthWorks PH Live last May 7, 2021 and ended its first season in July. The weekly live stream intends to accommodate questions from current trainees and prospect applicants for the Flexible Training for Work program. All 8 episodes have garnered 52,640 in reach and 95,037 overall IEC reach and 11,234 all-time views, with 1608 reactions, 926 comments, and 231 shares.

Youthworks PH inks a P 2.7 million partnership with Plan International, Habitat for Humanity to boost youth training and employment

Almost 700 youth trainees under YouthWorks PH’s Flexible Training for Work program will be provided training and financial support as USAID and PBEd joined forces with Plan International and Habitat for Humanity.

In a live partnership launch via Facebook on May 27, 2021, Plan International formalized its commitment to provide training and employment support to youth trainees through their programs, Wired for Work and Youth Connect. These initiatives both work on scalable innovations and access to full-time employment in the trades of construction, automotive, manufacturing, and energy.

Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit dedicated to transforming lives through housing, will allot Php 500,000 worth of leverage to further recruitment efforts tapping its beneficiary communities by profiling its youth constituents and facilitating engagement with potential partners, schools, and training institutions that can help YouthWorks PH broaden its training components.

Youthworks PH produces online news bulletin

NewsFeed is a two-minute magazine/feature content that serves as the video bulletin of YouthWorks PH. The first episode premiered last June 9, 2021. This presents a bimonthly round-up of events, onboarding sessions, trainings, and YouthWorks PH-related activities premiered on Facebook.

First Future 2.0

PBEd and Citi Foundation launch First Future 2.0

PBEd together with Citi Foundation launched the First Future 2.0 Project on February 2, 2021. The project aims to help youths without college degrees get into the workplace and subsequently move up the career ladder by developing industry-vetted and recognized training programs.

The project launch and website relaunch was attended by a total of 72 participants from the PBEd board, contact center companies, industry and professional associations, non-government organizations, government agencies, academe, media, and the youth.

First Future 2.0 conducts capacity building activities for 118

First Future 2.0 conducted a series of online capacity building activities from March to June of 2021. The online capacity building was attended by a total of 118 participants from contact center companies, industry and professional associations, TESDA, and DepEd schools. The online activity aimed to capacitate project partners and DepEd teachers for the use and implementation of the First Future 2.0 project training programs.

First Future 2.0 turns over training materials to DepEd, TESDA, UPOU

First Future 2.0’s training programs were mainstreamed to DepEd, TESDA, and the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). An online ceremonial turnover of materials was held on June 15.

UPOU, DepEd, and TESDA were also co-developers of First Future 2.0 training programs.

First Future conducts 3-day career talk series for the youth

As part of the First Future 2.0 initiatives, industry experts shared their expertise to help the youth get into the workplace and advance in their careers through a three-day career talk series streamed live on Facebook last June 16-18. Youth participants were from various parts of the country.

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