The Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) commitment to embrace “internationalization” of the colleges and universities under its supervision as well as the vibrant student exchange program in the country’s higher learning institutions seems to be aligned with my plan for my youngest son on the course he’s to take in college.Jin Lorenz and I have different choices on what course he’s going to enroll in. He wanted to be a pilot while I insisted for him to take up AB Political Science and become a lawyer someday.
When I noticed that I can’t convince him and I also have to consider his own opinion being already of age, I advised him to take up the 4-year AB pol sci first and a pilot course later.
I was told that a student pilot needs about P5 million in the first year of the four-year course – tuition, board and lodging, and actual flight demonstration. The amount is quite a fortune even to rich people.
One of the best flying schools in the country is Clark Airbase in Pampanga in Central Luzon where Jin Lorenz intents to enroll.
Our differences in opinion didn’t end there until one day, when we were preparing for his senior high school graduation in Ateneo on April 1, he asked me to sign a parent’s consent form allowing him to take up AB International Studies program at the Ateneo de Davao University. It offers a limited number of qualified students for the 1st Semester, School Year 2019-2020. The school accepted him to the program.
What else would I say! My wish for him to be a lawyer someday, to familiarize himself on the laws of the land and government function, or in a diplomatic mission for his country aligned with the course Ateneo is offering now.
Jin Lorenz’s dream of flying a plane by himself is still there. You can’t just ignore what an innocent child wrote in his grade school’s graduation book – “I want to be a pilot!”
Lawyer Lily Freida Milla, CHED officer in charge for international affairs cited United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) data that the national government through CHED also provides assistance in developing and sustaining internationalization program through the grant of academic exchange program for students, faculty, and school officials.
“Internationalization is a driver of quality institutions and internalization can contribute to the economic and national competitiveness,” she said.
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President Duterte officially announced before members and guests in the 122nd Philippine Army (PA) founding anniversary in Fort Bonifacio the permanent termination of the peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’ Army (CPP-NPA-NDF).
“My sense is that you can maybe talk to the next president of the Republic one day,” said Duterte whose term will end in 2022.
The President has finally conceded that his effort to end the more than five decades the NPA fighting the government will not be achieved.
But the announcement of the President seemed not clear to some of his commanders in the field as after he had terminated the appointments of government peace negotiators holding talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), a military official in Mindanao said that they will push for the implementation of localized peace talks in a bid to address the root cause of conflict in the areas perceived to be stronghold of the communists.
His military commanders in the fields who want to continue a localized peace talks despite the President’s announcement might not lose hope yet as being face-to-face with the enemy in the battle field they have firsthand knowledge of why these people are revolting against this government.
We speak the same language with the rebels and we can easily understand each other. Just remember the saying, let’s give peace a chance!
Congratulations to all graduates in public and private schools!
