I was preparing to attend this awarding in Switzerland from May 2-6, 2016. But something horrible and personal came up. I was driving myself to the office when a motorcycle with two passengers riding in tandem fired their guns at me. With God’s power and might I was unscathed and came out of it very much alive. As a result, I am now on leave and working on my papers for retirement. I have to cancel travelling to Switzerland to receive the award. I would have wanted to break the good news to our CeC friends with me holding the trophy and in Switzerland, but I am sure God has better plans for me.
Following is the story of how CeC Malvar won the award as WSIS Prizes 2016 Champion and as finalist to the WSIS Prizes 2016.
Three months back in January, I submitted a paper to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2016. The project I submitted on behalf of the Malvar Community eCenter, was about our centrepiece project – FREE Basic Digital Literacy Training (FBDLT)- under Action Line No. 4 which is Capacity Building. (WSIS have 18 different action lines and therefore 18 winners). Out of about 250 projects submitted in Action Line No. 4, CeC Malvar’s Project was chosen as one of the 33 nominated for the Prize. These nominated projects went through a global voting process and voila! CeC Malvar’s Project FBDLT was chosen as one of the five finalists whose winner will be announced in May 3 in Switzerland.
For a more comprehensive information about this, I would like to share with you the letter emailed to me by Ms. Sarah Amaya, Junior Project Officer of the International Telecommunication Union
Dear WSIS Prizes 2016 Champion, congratulations!
We have reached the moment of announcing the finalist of the WSIS Prizes 2016 with the most online votes generated. Your project was among those first five most voted and we would like to congratulate you on this amazing achievement and to share the excitement of promoting your recognition. In addition, we would like to invite you to also promote your success story with your colleagues, partners and networks.
As a result of the Open Consultation Process for WSIS in 2016, we have decided to recognize the efforts and great work of WSIS project runner-ups as WSIS Prizes 2016 Champions, additional to the WSIS Prizes 2016 Winners.
Important information: during the Selection Phase the Expert Group has selected the WSIS Prize 2016 Winners, while your project “Free Basic Digital Literacy Training”, as the runner-up project in the category “Capacity Building” is to be recognized as one of the WSIS Prize 2016 Champions. Kindly note that WSIS Prize 2016 Winners will be announced to the public during the WSIS Prize 2016 Ceremony at the WSIS Forum 2016 on 3 May 2016.
Besides the highlighted relevance of the project to the respective WSIS Action Line as referenced in the Geneva Plan of Action, the selection process was based on the project’s generated impact on the community, and elaboration on the linkages with the Sustainable Development Goals (as listed in the Rules and Guidelines on the WSIS Prizes 2016 website), amongst the others.
As a WSIS Prize Champion during the WSIS Forum 2016:
• You will be awarded with a Champion certificate during the special ceremony at the Knowledge Café on Wednesday 4 May 2016 entitled as Implementing Best Practices and Addressing Challenges: Meet the Winners and Champions, where you will be participating and addressing the opportunities and challenges of replicating best practices.
• You are also invited to take active participation in the WSIS Stocktaking and Prizes Interactive Session on Friday 6 May 2016. You can find the detailed agenda in the WSIS Forum 2016 internet page.
• As the WSIS Prizes Champion project, your story will be published in the “WSIS Stocktaking: Success Stories 2016” to be released also during the WSIS Forum 2016 and promoted during the aforementioned WSIS Stocktaking and Prizes Interactive Session on Friday 6 May.
At this moment, please, kindly inform us if you are planning to attend the WSIS Forum 2016, if so kindly register all attendees here and send us the list of attendees, particularly for visa purposes.
By the end of this week 8 April, please send us confirmation of your attendance together with the list of your delegation planning to attend.
Once again, congratulations on this remarkable achievement and please keep in touch!
With best regards,
Sarah Amaya
International Telecommunication Union
Junior Project Officer
+41 227 305 294
At this point, I wish to thank our beloved Mayor, Carlito dP. Reyes for the undivided support given to the operation and maintenance of our 4 stationary CeCs and one Mobile CeC. This total support has made our CeCs what it is today. I also give credit to the full cooperation and concern given by Vice Mayor Tita Reyes and the Sangguniang Bayan.
A big thanks to our partners-PHILCECNET, Telecentre.org, ICTO DOST, Dep Ed Malvar District, Dep Ed ALS, and to our local partners – U&I CLUB, MALVARENOS USA, Barangay San Fernando and Barangay San Isidro.
It was a privilege to have worked with some of the most industrious and talented people in the municipality – Malin, the ALS Mobile Teacher and Assistant CeC Manager and my staff, Jeric, Dominic, Vince, Evan, Mila, Ana, JR, and Archie and to our knowledge workers in Barangays San Fernando and San Isidro, Racel and Randy respectively, for staying in the CeCs and teaching our constituents how to use the computers. I have shared a special relationship with all of you and have beautiful memories of the time we spent together.
I will miss everyone of you guys! You don’t have to laugh at my jokes anymore! God bless everyone!
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