For TVL – BPP/Cookery Students only

Savoy Manila presents “Ilonggo Culinary Treasures”

by HOSPITALITY NEWS PHILIPPINES

Savoy Hotel Manila proudly introduces the inaugural Iloilo Food Festival slated from March 11 to 17,
2024. This landmark event will make history across Megaworld Hotels and Resorts’ 12 properties,
featuring the acclaimed Chef Ariel Castaneda from Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, who will take center stage in
the kitchen.

Chef Ariel will curate a week-long extravaganza dedicated to showcasing the vibrant flavors, diverse
cuisine, and rich culinary heritage of Iloilo. As Savoy Hotel Manila sets its sights on spotlighting the
culinary treasures of the southern regions of the Philippines, the Iloilo Food Festival promises to be a
celebration of flavors and traditions like no other. Renowned Chef Ariel Castaneda brings his expertise
and passion for authentic Ilonggo dishes to Savoy Hotel Manila, offering guests a unique opportunity to
savor the essence of Iloilo’s gastronomic delights.

Throughout March 11 to 17, guests can indulge in a delectable array of Ilonggo Heritage dishes
meticulously prepared by Chef Ariel and his team. Savoy Café will be transformed into a culinary haven,
featuring iconic favorites such as La Paz Batchoy, Chorizo Ilonggo Pudpud Pasta, Linutik Valenciana
Ilonggo, Kusahos na Tapa, and more. Additionally, guests can explore a specially curated menu of à la
carte Ilonggo dishes, ensuring a truly immersive dining experience.

The highlight of the Iloilo Food Festival will be two exclusive degustation dinners, where guests can
embark on a sensory journey through Iloilo’s culinary landscape. Indulge in exquisite creations such as
Sampaguita, Kusahos na Tapa, a USDA sun-dried beef tapa over a Sampaguita crostini with Sampaguita
cheese spread; Kinilaw, a fresh mahi-mahi fish tossed on creamy coconut and tangy tuba vinaigrette,
zesty libas oil, sweet Guimaras mango, pickled onions, calamansi caviar, spicy chili, crispy fish skin, and
delicate tobiko; Inasal Tacos, a one-of-a-kind creation of chicken nasal drizzled with Ilonggo barbecue
sauce in taco shell topped with pickled vegetables, soy pearls, leeks and calamansi aioli; and Linutik,
made of made of mashed pumpkin garnished with malunggay leaves, underneath is lechon Ilonggo
sprinkled with kalkag (tiny shrimps or krills); crispy meticulously crafted to entice the taste buds and
evoke the essence of Iloilo’s rich food culture.

But the culinary adventure doesn’t end there. Savoy Manila will delve deeper into the unique flavors and
textures of Iloilo with Pinaksiw na Linugaw (porridge infused with smoked pork and pork skin), Pinangat
(shrimp Thermidor paired with pinangat puree), Batuan Granita (citrusy icy treat as palate cleanser),
Karne Frita (sous-vide butter-aged ribeye with caramelized onions), Sampaguita Ice Cream, and
Sampaguita Polvoron. The grand finale awaits with Tablea, Pinasugbo, and Tultul that features a decadent
cheesecake complemented by toasted pinasugbo coulis, a promising a symphony of flavors and an
unforgettable culinary experience.

Experience the charm of Iloilo’s culinary identity at Savoy Hotel Manila’s Iloilo Food Festival. From
innovative culinary practices to a commitment to preserving traditional cooking methods, this event
promises a feast of delectable dishes and unforgettable tastes.

For HUMSS Students only

 Gatchalian: Lack of preferred SHS strand adds to students’ college costs
By HANA BORDEY, GMA Integrated News

Students who are forced to take a different senior high school (SHS) strand from the one they prefer due
to unavailability face more costs at the tertiary education level, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Tuesday.

The lawmaker raised this at a Senate hearing after the Department of Education presented a tracer study
that found that SHS graduates encounter challenges such as difficulty of the subjects, non-crediting of
SHS subjects, and rejection from the degree program in pursuing higher education.

Gatchalian focused on the non-crediting of subjects and rejection from the college degree program as he
noted the comments from SHS students which the DepEd included in their presentation which showed the
unavailability of their preferred strand.

In DepEd’s presentation, a student from the CARAGA region stated that he chose the General Academic
Strand (GAS) because it is the available track in his school. Another student in Pangasinan wanted to take
the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand but had to take GAS because it
was the only available track in her school.

Gatchalian said that the lack of available strands in schools was also pointed out in a research conducted
by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

PIDS President Aniceto Orbeta Jr., who was present in the hearing, presented their study which showed
the availability of SHS strands at the municipal and city level.

Orbeta said that 64 percent of the municipalities/cities have no Accountancy, Business and Management
(ABM) strand; 70 percent have no Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS) strand; 74 percent have no
STEM strand; 37 percent have no GAS; 99 percent have no maritime academic strand; and 99 percent
have no sports and arts strand.

“Sometimes the interest of the SHS is not in their area and they are forced to take something that is
available there but the problem is when they move to college, whatever they took in senior high school is
not accepted or not credited,” Gatchalian said.

“’Pag punta nila sa college, magbi-bridging program sila. Dagdag gastos, dagdag oras pa [When they get
to college, they have to take a bridging program, which is added time and cost]. My point here is we’re
penalizing our senior high school students or graduates by adding a bridging program, by adding more
time, and by not accepting them to a course that they want but it’s not available during their senior high
school,” Gatchalian said.

Asked the cost of a bridging program for students who want to pursue a degree that is not related to their
senior high school strand, Dr. Flordeliza Francisco of the Commission on Higher Education said the
average fee in private schools range from P3,000 to P5,000 as the program is equivalent to a three-unit
subject.

Francisco said students who take the bridging program will have to attend classes for a whole semester or
for four to five months.
The number of subjects for the bridging program will still depend on the higher education institutions’
assessment of the subjects that a student took in senior high school, she added.

Gatchalian then pointed out that it is the fault of the government that students are suffering from more
costs in college due to lack of available strands in schools.

“Kasalanan ng gobyerno na hindi available ‘yung gusto nila, but when they go to college hindi natin
tinatanggap ang kanilang degree program [It is the government's fault that their preferred strand is not
available, and when they get to college they are not accepted by their degree program]. If they are forced
to take a particular track or a particular strand because that is the only one available there but when they
go to college it is not accepted, kasalanan ng gobyerno ‘yan, ‘di ba? [it's the government's fault, isn't it?]”
he stressed.

For CHED’s part, Francisco said that they issued a memorandum instructing the higher education
institutions to accept any SHS graduate even if their strand is different from their preferred college
degree.

“The HEIs were instructed [that] you should accept any senior high school graduate—even if they are
applying for a STEM course and their track in senior high school is not STEM, that should not stop you
from accepting them but you should provide for necessary bridging that they need,” she said.

The Senate committee on basic education on Tuesday continued the deliberations of Senate Bill No. 2022
or the proposed Batang Magaling Act which seeks to ensure that K to 12 graduates are equipped with
knowledge, training and skills demanded in the labor market, regardless of their chosen curriculum exit.
— BM, GMA Integrated News
 For CSS Students only.

CSS droid: An android-based computer system servicing training app with

virtual computer hardware assembly
Albery Paytaren
Batangas State University ARASOF Nasugbu Campus,
Brgy. Bucana, Nasugbu 4231 Philippines

Abstract

Computer System Servicing (CSS) covers basic and common competencies such as installing,
maintaining, configuring, and diagnosing computer systems and networks. The main objective of the
study was to develop an android application for the students that would provide them a platform to
practice with the aid of virtual computer hardware assembly, at any given time. This application presented
a series of review questions designed to help students enhance their knowledge and abilities on the CSS
NCII assessment. Different forms, manuals, and reports relative to CSS, assessment, and certifications
were utilized. The study surveyed 119 respondents on their level of acceptance and satisfaction with the
android application. The project was programmed and organized based on the actual procedures of the
assembly of computer hardware and software installation. Recognizing the issues and challenges that
respondents had while completing the CSS NCII assessment, the android application received the highest
ratings of highly acceptable and highly satisfied from respondents. The paper recommends the adoption
and implementation of the developed android application in higher education institutions, as it highlights
the concerns and challenges that students encounter while pursuing CSS NCII certifications.