The
RPG Foundation plans to continue to provide scholarship
grants with stipends for their basic living allowance
to students in College, Masteral and Doctorate level.
These individuals will also undergo training seminars
on leadership and value formation to direct them to a
career in public service. It is not necessary that they
become Government employees but they should serve the
public at large with their chosen professions. They can
be instructors or professors in private and public schools.
They can serve in local government units as public officials
with an objective to provide public accountability and
service for his/her constituents. They can work in private
enterprises helping create equal opportunities for others
to earn a living by providing them the basic benefits
of their work contributions like Social Security, health
plans and other employee benefits. It is also the hope
of the Foundation that they develop a persona of providing
philanthropic work to benefit others that are less fortunate.
SCREENING COMMITTEES for SCHOLARSHIPS
Monitoring Secretariat
It
is also the plan of the RPGF to seek out the best, qualified
individuals for the program. It plans to set-up Screening
Committees (SC) in the different regions of the country
to help solicit and qualify applicants who have shown
great promise to commit to career in public service. Through
a Secretariat it will also continue to monitor the progress
of the scholars to insure that they are in compliance
with the educational and basic conduct requirements of
the program. The SC will also assess the requirements
of the individual to complete his/ her coursework. If
the initial funds committed for the program is insufficient
for the coursework then it will source out the funds to
complete the requirements. A common requirement is the
completion of a thesis or dissertation where the student
has to do extensive research and documentation to make
an honest defense of his/her thesis/ dissertation.
The SC will also assist
the student if he/she will need to do practicum training
so as to provide them invaluable experiences. The Secretariat
will prepare all vouchers, receive all supporting documents
and make all disbursements for the foundation. The SC
will award or disqualify the applicants based on the criteria
set forth by the RPGF.
The
RPGF has already funded scholarships that benefit students
of the University of the Philippines. In his capacity
as Chairman of the Muslim Youth Foundation, Dr Raul P
de Guzman oversaw the granting of scholarships to Muslim
Youths in U.P. Mindanao, Mindanao State University and
other State run universities. As President of the San
Nicolas Gapan Foundation, he also has provided the impetus
to award educational and livelihood scholarships to deserving
but economically disadvantaged individuals in rural communities.
It
is the goal of the RPG Foundation to provide scholarship
grants to at least 10,000 deserving but economically marginalized
students of society within the next 3 years. The beneficiaries
will not only received the necessary funds to complete
their education but will be motivated through seminars
and specially organized activities to develop careers
in public service and to promote goodwill for the development
of our local communities. Masteral and Doctorate studies
will be strongly encouraged. The beneficiaries will also
be asked to serve the country for at least 3 years prior
to considering work opportunities in other countries.
It
is necessary to maintain a Trust Fund that will be managed
and invested by fund managers to insure that the benefits
will be awarded in perpetuity. This will allow more individuals
to avail of the educational grants aside from the initial
10,000. Part of the fund’s proceeds will be reinvested
to allow the fund to grow and hedge against inflation.
Fund allocation: US$ 240,000,000.
RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTERS
(RTC)
The
RPGF also plans to set-up Research and Training Centers
(RTC) that the students can visit to allow them to complete
their coursework. The RTCs will provide reading materials
like books and periodicals that cater to particular subjects
matters. It will also have computer units that will have
internet access and that can run programs needed by the
students to help complete their coursework. The RTCs will
also conduct job-training seminars and help solicit and
post job opportunities for government agencies and for
private companies both local and international.
To
assist the RPGF set-up the facility, the National College
of Public Administration and Government (NCPAG) of the
University of the Philippines will be tasked to help source
the materials; books, periodicals and software that will
be used in the RTC. The center will focus on Public Administration,
Education, Social and Political Science subject matters.
It will also hold occasional training and seminars on
related subject matters.
The Pan Xenia Foundation
will be tasked by the RPGF to help source materials; books,
periodicals, programs and softwares that will focus on
Business Administration, Accounting, Economics, International
Trade and International Business and Entrepreneurship.
It will also hold occasional training and seminars on
related subject matters. It may be a one-stop shop for
information for those setting up business enterprises.
It will coordinate with University of the Philippines
Institute for Small-Scale Industries (UP ISSI), the Department
of Trade and Industry and the Technology and Livelihood
Resource Center (TLRC) to make the center one of their
hubs for their information dissemination campaigns.
The
computer units in the RTCs will be set-up with internet
access to allow the students to search the web for information
not available in the center. A facility custodian will
manage the operation of the facility to insure equal time
is allocated to each visitor. A minimal usage fee will
be assessed each visitor for the maintenance, staffing,
upgrade and utility consumption of the center.
IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM
The
Foundation plans to put up about 30 RTCs in some of the
major cities and educational centers within the Philippine
Archipelago. Some of the locations included will be Manila,
Makati, Quezon City, Angeles and San Fernando Pampanga,
Baguio, San Fernando L.U., Los Banos Laguna, Cabanatuanand
Gapan, N. Ecija; San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan; Dagupan,
Pangasinan; Laoag, Ilocos Norte; Naga City; General Santos,
Davao City, Cebu City, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, Ormoc
City, Tacloban City.
A.
Infrastructure. Each RTC will have an area between 80
to 160 square meters depending on the location and the
space availability. A training room will be partitioned
from the available space measuring 30 to 60 sqms. The
remaining area will be the library for books and periodicals,
tables and chairs and the computer area with internet;
DSL and Wifi connectivity. The computers will be connected
through a Local Area Network (LAN). There will be at least
be 8 computer terminals available. Printing and photocopying
services will be made available. Audio-visual components,
overhead projectors, TV/VHS/DVD players will be available
for training purposes. Cost allocation:
US$ 520,000.
B.
Operational Expenses: to include staff salaries for the
Center Custodian and 2 assistants. Subscription for periodicals
local and international, broadsheet papers, internet (DSL),
and cable TV. Maintenance and upgrade of equipment and
facilities.
Cost allocation: US$ 120,000.
C.
Trust Fund: to fund major material and equipment acquisition;
future expansion of the facility; pay honorariums to trainers
and resource person for seminars; cover additional operational
expenses; facility upkeep and maintenance.
Fund allocation: US$ 400,000.
Total
Cost/ Funds Required per Center: US$
1,040,000.
EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURES
The RPGF has already helped fund
the construction of school buildings and facilities for
an elementary public school in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. The
original school facilities having been constructed before
World War II were in a very poor structural condition
due to age and poor maintenance. The school’s official
decided to condemn at least 4 classrooms and cordon off
a portion of the “Gabaldon-type” school building
since it was considered structurally unsafe.
It
is the plan of the Foundation to extend its participation
in the Adopt-a-School Program of the Department of Education
to help bring hope and encouragement to elementary pupils
of public schools. The Foundation not only plans to help
construct new classrooms and facilities but also provided
educational tools derived from technological advances
to try at least level the playing field of students compared
to their counterparts in the private sector. The use of
computers with connectivity to the internet and other
audio-visual mediums are necessary to expand the horizons
of the pupils. A Trust Fund will also be necessary to
fund improvements and upgrades from the proceeds of its
investments and/or placements. There is a need in some
schools to improve toilet facilities, the water system,
and other facilities. And due to yearly increases in enrollments,
classrooms have to be added every year.
THE
PLAN
Construct
a minimum of 6 new classrooms and renovate at least 6
classrooms to bring them up to safe and comfortable standards.
Cost Allocation (New Construction) US$
150,000
Cost
Allocation (Renovation) US$
75,000
Computer/
Audio-visual Room : 30 Terminals US$ 100,000
Total
Cost/ Fund Allocation per School US$ 325,000
The plan of the Foundation
is to help improve the facilities and increase the number
of classrooms in at least 2,400 schools in the next 5
years. It is the objective of the foundation to uplift
the conditions of some of the poorest provinces in 14
selected regions. The selection of the provinces will
be based on their Cohort Survival Rate. The lower, the
more chances of being selected to be part of the program.
(Attached is The Philippine Countryside in Figures, 2005
Edition: Education, indicating Province, No. of Public
Schools and reported CSR. Highlighted are the provinces
likely to be considered for the program)
MANAGEMENT
OF THE FOUNDATION
In
order to proper manage the operations of the foundation
to insure the proper implementation of its plans and objectives,
the Foundation Center Central Office will be established
and provided an operational budget. The Board of Trustees
will approve all actions to implement the programs. An
Investment Council will be formed to insure that the funds
of the foundation are properly managed through sound investments
and accountable disbursements according to the requirements
of the programs.
Operational Budget: US$ 600,000.
A Project Management Office will be organized with professional
project managers, engineers, materials surveyors and purchasers
to insure the infrastructure projects are properly valued
and actual construction is accomplished within a reasonable
time & cost.
Operational Budget: US$ 2,200,000.
The Screening Committees for the Scholarships with functional
Secretariats will be organized and provided an operational
budget to insure the Quality of the Scholars meet the
criteria set forth by the Foundation.
Operational Budget : US$ 800,000.