35 WOUNDED IN EXPLOSION OUTSIDE DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY
MANILA, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 (STAR) By Non Alquitran and Edu Punay - At least 35 people were hurt as an explosion marred the last day of Bar examinations at the De la Salle University (DLSU) on Taft Avenue, Manila yesterday afternoon.
Police said a loud explosion occurred just as examinees were leaving the DLSU building at around 5 p.m.
Of those hurt, 17 were taken to Ospital ng Maynila, five to the Manila Medical Center, three to the Manila Doctors Hospital, nine to Philippine General Hospital, and one to the Manila Adventist Medical Center.
The names of the victims were not immediately available.
Manila Police District (MPD) investigator Police Officer 3 Clarmen Dimatulac said the incident created panic as hundreds of students scampered away from the scene.
Dimatulac said they were investigating whether a pillbox was thrown into the crowd by unidentified persons or fireworks caused the explosion in front of the DLSU.
Initial reports at the National Capital Region Police Office said the incident stemmed from a conflict between the Tau Gamma Phi and the Alpha Phi Omega fraternities. But other reports said there was a celebration outside the DLSU campus and some supporters of examinees used fireworks.
NCRPO chief Director Leocadio Santiago ordered MPD�s Explosive and Ordnance Division and Scene of the Crime Operatives to determine whether an improvised explosive device was used.
Santiago directed MPD officer Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla to check hospitals where the victims were taken and gather evidence like metallic substance or bottle parts taken by the doctors from the victims.
The explosion happened at the end of the four-weekend Bar exams which 5,012 law graduates took.
The Supreme Court earlier had assured the examinees that ample security was in place.
Tesda to shut down non-performing vocational schools By Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star) Updated September 27, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (1) View comments
MANILA, Philippines - Several schools offering technical and vocational courses might be shut down for failure to produce skilled graduates.
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general Joel Villanueva said they are now completing the review of the performance of these schools, which he declined to identify.
He said the graduates of these schools fail to get jobs because of the poor quality of modules used.
It was also discovered that despite the inferior quality of instruction provided and non-compliance with TESDA standards, these schools have been charging exorbitant fees.
�We will exercise the power to shut down bogus schools, as well as tech-voc schools offering TESDA accredited programs but not following TESDA standards,� Villanueva said.
�Our goal is to produce quality, globally-competitive graduates; to make sure that our tech-voc graduates will be employed whether here or abroad after their trainings that we have to take action against these kinds of tech-voc schools and institutions and close them down,� he added.
Villanueva said they will closely coordinate with local government units and the association of technical and vocational schools in going after these erring institutions. - With Mayen Jaymalin
----------------------------------------------------------
� Copyright, 2010 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
----------------------------------------------------------
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------
