In order to address the problem of the growing number of students who cannot attend classes in traditional classrooms, the Department of Education is rolling out a tech tool, Virtual Campus, a first of its kind in the country which makes ready-to-use content to make learning and teaching more convenient for both students and teachers. According to DepEd, the Virtual Campus is an online community, e-learning and communication platform that allows the collaborative learning and activity sharing. The department said the Association of Private School Administrators of Muntinlupa (APSAM) has already tapped this technology tool to strengthen its educational service in their area.

The DepEd said recent studies have shown that the literacy rate in the Philippines is quite high compared to other Asian countries. The country, it noted, has succeeded in expanding its education in quantitative terms. However, the increase raises several questions especially with the quality of education in the country because even though the statistics in education is high, still the economic situation is not so good.

Statistical data from the DepEd reported that the completion rate for elementary schools stood at 72.18 percent in school year 2009-2010 and 72.11 percent in school year 2010-2011. For secondary schools, the completion rate  stood at 73.74 percent in school year 2009-2010 and 74.67 percent in school year 2010-2011.

This move announced by DepEd could have a positive effect to the i-café industry in the country if students would use the internet shops in accessing the Virtual Campus technology tool. It may not come easy because i-cafés are not currently seen as educational facilities. Majority are still into offering online games which are deemed to cause truancy among the students.

These are the slides we presented during the Ubertech-ULOP Eyeball held at Max’s Restaurant – Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City last November 4, 2011. Click the image to see the Powerpoint slides.

]]> http://www.icafepilipinas.org/index.php/2011/11/06/timeline-advocacy-work-for-the-i-cafe-industry/feed/ 0 http://www.icafepilipinas.org/index.php/2011/09/05/i-cafe-pilipinas-supports-project-angel-net/ http://www.icafepilipinas.org/index.php/2011/09/05/i-cafe-pilipinas-supports-project-angel-net/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 02:35:17 +0000 Admin http://www.icafepilipinas.org/?p=2196 I-Café Pilipinas as the national advocacy body of the internet café industry in the country was invited to a meeting by the officials of Project "Angel Net" last Friday, September 2, 2011. As entities providing affordable access to the public, i-cafés are enjoined to participate in the cause of the project. In the meeting, I-Café Pilipinas expressed its support to Project "Angel Net". [...]]]>

One month ago, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) launched its Project “Angel Net”, a 24/7 operation center and website that will serve as the take-off point to level up the PNP’s capability in fighting cybercrimes and protecting children from internet pornography and other abuses.

PNP-CIDG chief, Police Director Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr. said Project “Angel Net” is an innovation introduced by the CIDG in support of the advocacy to protect kids from internet addiction and cyber predators that are commonly involved in cyber sex, internet pornography, internet gambling and identity theft.

The CIDG internet child protection program’s website (www.cidgangelnet.ph) officially went online last August 4, 2011 simultaneous with the opening of the CIDG’s anti-cyber crime operation center. The website serves as the “Angel Net” online complaint center where people can directly report incidents of child abuses related to internet. The operation center, which will be equipped with computers and manned by trained technical operatives, will enhance the capability of the CIDG to monitor and track cyber predators for their eventual arrests and prosecution in court. The complaint desk, which will be run by the Women’s and Children Protection Division (WCPD) will also cater to walk-in complainants.

Led by by Police Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa of PNP-CIDG, Project “Angel Net” is established purposely to address Internet based-concerns and abuses and to promote internet safety and prevent its dangers among the children. The project will serve as clearinghouse for all information and data on Internet-based concerns and abuses, on-line interdiction activities, undercover investigations surveillance and monitoring operations, and conduct digital forensic examination on electronic evidence.

Project “Angel Net” is aimed to provide an effective vehicle for the other law enforcement agencies, both local and international, to coordinate and cooperate with other stakeholders, like the Media, Internet Service Providers, Schools and Colleges, Non-Governmental Organization, Rehabilitation Centers, Youth Organization, Social Welfare and Development Offices, Religious Groups, Telephone Companies, INTERPOL, and UNICEF for advocacy and public awareness campaign on the proper, safe and ethical usage, as well as the dangers brought by internet.

I-Café Pilipinas as the national advocacy body of the internet café industry in the country was invited to a meeting  by the officials of Project “Angel Net” last Friday, September 2, 2011. As entities providing affordable access to the public, i-cafés are enjoined to participate in the cause of the project. In the meeting, I-Café Pilipinas expressed its support to Project “Angel Net”.

In the organizational meetings held the past two (2) Fridays, I-Café Pilipinas,  as an appointed member of the Inter-Agency Technical Working Group (IATWG), decided to join two of the three Sub-Groups that will help the Task Force in the implementation of IPv6 in the country. The formation of the IATWG is in compliance with the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Executive Order (EO) No. 893 that mandates the adoption of IPv6 technology by government agencies within the next two (2) years .

The IATWG members present during the meeting last March 18, 2011 at CICT Audio-Visual Room  in UP-Diliman, Quezon City agreed to form three (3) Sub-Groups that will work on the tasks enumerated in EO893 and its IRR as follows:

1) Network, Network Security and Network Migration Strategies

2) Applications and Innovations

3) Promotion, Advocacy and Training

As the umbrella organization of the i-café industry, it is important that the stakeholders of the industry would be well-informed of the need to adopt IPv6 and the possible repercussions of the deployment of the technology on the business. In order for the i-café industry to have a smooth transition from current IPv4 to IPv6, I-Café Pilipinas will participate in the deliberations and activities of the Applications and Innovations Sub-Group and the Promotions, Advocacy and Training Sub-Group.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Executive Order (E.O.) No. 893 Promoting the Deployment and Use of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) was issued by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT). Covered by CICT Memorandum Circular No. 01 signed by Chairman Ivan John Uy, the E.O. and its IRR are necessary in light of the impending worldwide migration from Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) to IPv6. The memorandum circular instructed all government online services to be IPv6-compliant two years after E.O. takes effect and to have an IPv6 migration plan in their Information System Strategic Plans. Moreover, government agencies will be forbidden to procure IPv4-only equipment, software and services after 2013.

E.O. No. 893 was issued in the last days of the previous administration to encourage the use of IPv6 since exhaustion of IPv4 threatens to deter investments in Internet-based infrastructure, applications and services. IPv6 responds to the problem of IPv4 exhaustion. With IPv6, every mobile phone and computer that has access to the Internet can be given unique IP address. With the rise in the number of gadgets and users, the old system of addressing networked devices can no longer cope with the requirement.

In order to ensure the smooth implementation of E.O. No. 893, the IRR on the deployment of IPv6 provides for the creation of Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) which shall be composed of the Chairman of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) as Head and Senior Level Officials from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and private sector representatives as members.

Also, to assist the IATF in its functions, an Inter-Agency Technical Working Group (IATWG) was mandated to be organized as provided by the IRR. The IATWG will be composed of the of representatives from CICT, NTC, DOST, DBM, DTI, DND as well as representatives from the private sector, which includes among others Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP), Chief Information Officers Forum (CIOF), Federation of International Cable TV Association of the Philippines (FICAP), I-Café Pilipinas, Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP), Internet Society (ISOC) Philippines, Information Technology Association of the Philippines (ITAP), Philippine Cable TV Association (PCTA), Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Organization (PCTO) and Philippine Electronics and Telecommunications Federation (PETEF).