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2010 Speeches (As delivered)

 

REMARKS

 

BY

 

MINISTER MOTOHIKO KATO

 

ON THE OCCASION OF THE

 

SITE VISIT TO A RECIPIENT SCHOOL OF THE JAPAN-FUNDED

“PCs FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROJECT”

 

27 April 20 10

Santa Barbara National High School, Iloilo City

 


Regional Director Dominic Abad

Department of Trade and Industry – Region VI

 

Director Elmer Guizano

Department of Education

 

Ms. Lydia Guevarra

Department of Trade and Industry

 

Mr. Rommel Herrera

Department of Finance

 

School Principal Rogelio Oscares

Santa Barbara National High School

 

Students of Santa Barbara National High School

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

It is a great pleasure for me to visit Santa Barbara High School, which is one of the recipient schools of the Japan-funded “PCs for Public Schools Project.” I am very pleased to see the students in Santa Barbara High School actually utilizing the PCs to enhance their IT skills, and to know that the Japanese assistance for the PCs is being appreciated by the students.

 

The Government of Japan has been giving strong support to IT education in the Philippines as we recognize its major role in global economy. IT has been a very promising industry and it will continue to be in the years to come as we have already entered the era of knowledge economy.

 

The Government of Japan has funded the “PCs for Public Schools Project” since its phase 1 in 2001. We are glad to know that the first three phases of the “PCs for Public Schools Project” has already enabled computer education to cover about 63 % of all public high schools nationwide in the Philippines. Furthermore, I am happy to mention that the Government of Japan decided to fund the Mindanao component of the phase 4 of the project in June last year. The total amount of Japan's contribution to the “PCs for Public Schools Project” is approximately 1.8 billion pesos. To help realize and maximize IT potentials in the Philippines, the Government of Japan is happy to continue giving its full support to the Government of the Philippines.

 

May I address our dear students of Santa Barbara High School. I hope you will be inspired and challenged to continuously improve the quality of your education and maximize the use of your PCs to hone your IT skills. I hope you will bear in mind the great potentials offered by IT to you as an individual and to your country as well.

 

Thank you very much for your attention .