On next practices and reading

About the series on Mega Global (Sept. 28, Oct. 5 and Oct 12, 2023), Tito Aliga of the University of the Philippines (UP) Engineering Research and Development Foundation writes:

“William Tiu Lim [Mega’s patriarch] is our UP Engineering colleague, and I had some discussions with him and his children on the adoption of leading practices, including artificial intelligence (AI), for their global fishing operations and plant productivity improvement. But as William would say, knowing [the] best practices and adopting them means you are always second best. He admonishes: Let’s create [the] next practices, no-box thinking, as these will make you lead.

“The company’s new modern cannery in Batangas requires well-organized efforts to ensure that their supply web is efficient to address market requirements. Pretty soon, we will have sardines in sachets, and that will require a lot of design thinking.

“But the family is ready for that. It is heartening to note that he and Marylou have organized their children into one cohesive team working together, with each one building on their interest and skills. Mabuhay, Mega Sardines!”

My reply

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Tito. Mega Global opened its P1-billion manufacturing plant in Santo Tomas, Batangas, in March 2023. To ensure product quality, this state-of-the-art facility complies with global standards such as FSSC: 22000, HACCP, EU and Halal. In a nod to sustainability, the plant includes environmentally friendly features such as zero-waste fishmeal system, energy-efficient lighting, green storage facilities.

The plant also serves as the company’s R&D hub, to create improvements in food manufacturing, canning, packaging and to ensure that products are nutritious and delicious while still remaining affordable for consumers.

Rapid technological developments, such as AI, make global headlines, and they need to be harnessed for the good. AI can definitely streamline productivity and improve product design when applied to manufacturing. Continuous learning and sustained cooperation will enable the Tiu Lim family and their people to keep on innovating and responding to customer needs.

ABCs of Reading

The Philippines regularly does poorly in international mathematics and science surveys, even as we are complacent about our perceived high literacy rate. Thus, our bottom ranking in reading in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment was a shocking eye-opener, as well as the World Bank’s dismal assessment of our learning poverty in 2022. Ironically, in an age when learning resources proliferate online and social media is ubiquitous, nine out of 10 Filipino fifth graders (aged 10) “struggle to read simple text.”

According to Anvil Publishing, which recently launched the book “ABCs of Reading”: “A solid reading foundation is vital for a child’s academic and personal success. Reading is essential in all subjects and fosters effective communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It opens doors to a wealth of information, boosting self-confidence and nurturing a lifelong passion for learning.”

“We wrote this book because we believe that reading is a fundamental right of all children, regardless of background,” says Rona Luisa Ermitaño, who founded Reading Specialists Center. “To achieve this, it must be grounded on the science of reading and be culturally relevant, ensuring accessibility for all to become valued members of society.”

Ermitaño and colleagues Cecilia Jocson, Joanna Montinola, Raquel Syquia-Ner and Lyra Vega-Pandy outlined 26 lesson plans in the book, which aims to increase literacy for everyone, including people with learning difficulties. The book covers essential reading components such as sound recognition (phonemic awareness), letter-sound connections (phonics), smoothness in reading (fluency), vocabulary and comprehension. The strategies in the book can help parents, educators and school administrators in mainstream and specialized settings.