By Franklin P. Gumapon

Dipolog City (17 October) -- In order to make the students and teachers in the public high schools computer literate by integrating the use of computers in academic teaching, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Zamboanga del Norte provincial office has recently turned over a computer package consisting of 10 units of IBM personal computers, one printer and one networking equipment to 16 public high school.

DTI Provincial Director Engineer Noel Bazan said the computer package was part of the P393,464.00 allocation under the DTI's Personal Computers for Public Schools (PCPS) phase 3 program aimed at improving school instruction through the use of computers.

The recipient-schools were Dakak National High and Ilaya National High School of Dapitan City, Ubay Agro-tech Memorial Science High School and Punta National High School of Dipolog City, and Villaramos NHS in Manukan town, Sindangan NHS in Sindangan, Siayan NHS in Siayan, Salug NHS in Salug, Gutalac NHS in Gutalac, Sibuco NHS in Sibuco, Baliguian NHS in Baliguian, La Libertad NHS in La Libertad, Sebaca NHS in Rizal and Kipit Agro-Fishery School in Labason municipality. These schools will also receive a teacher training program on basic personal computer operations, trouble shooting and preventive maintenance.

PCPS was a pet project in 2001 of former trade secretary now Sen. Mar Roxas who initiated and presented the project to the Japanese government for funding.

With Japan's funding support, PCPS is now on phase 3 of its implementation under the collaborative efforts of the Government of Japan, Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST).