School: Antique National School
    San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, Philippines

3 students, ages 15-16 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on March 5, 2006. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2003, 2004, 2006

Classes and Teachers: Maxinne Marie B. Sentina, Nico N. Encarnacion, Ena Faye J. Galopo, Mrs. Jocelyn E. Remonte

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://ans-online.ph.tc

1. Description of Our Community

The arrival and settlement of ten Bornean Datus made Antique the “The Cradle of Philippine Civilization.” Our province is endowed with nature’s exquisiteness, and is popular for its worth exploring tourist destinations, but Antique is not just all that. Our province is also gifted with sumptuous delicacies and world-class products, Antiqueño products that can be really called “Antique’s Pride.” Our province is a tempt to explorers and nature lovers for Antique is a home for lush green forests, verdant mountains and pristine waters. Antique offers a wide array of adventure ranging from weaving handicrafts and patadyong to mountain climbing and snorkeling Fascinate your eyes with the rare beauties of wild flora and fauna endemic found only in Antique’s mountain ranges together with the sighting of precious gemstones and endangered species of wild animals, and amaze yourselves with our world-class hand-made products worth exporting internationally. Antique is a province full of fun, excitements, and adventure, the home of creative and gifted individuals and a place blessed with God’s gifts, a paradise worth-staying in forever.

2. Summary of Our Project

Produkto Antiqueño features the finest local products made by people of Antique. However, some of Antique’s finest products were forgotten as time passed, not realizing their worth and what would it bring to our community. The technologies that they are using are far behind from the technologies that are being used in other cities in the country. Time modernization is also considered a threat in the total extinction of some of the products of Antique because the youth now are craving for adventure, fun and excitement and not to sit and tire their hands, eyes and backs in doing what they think is laborious and complicated tasks. It is because of the above that this projecct was done. The once unknown was now explored, identified and introduced to the locality. Advocacy and promotion of social unity and action for the development of Antique’s finest products was taken one step closer.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:less than 20

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:none

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:1

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

Now that our school has 52 computers, it is enough to accommodate both the Special Science Class (SP) and the regular class students with Computer Education as their elective subject. Students who do not take Computer Education as their elective can also use the computers. The Internet connection in our school used to be operational, but due to some problems with the dial-up server, there is now no internet available in the school. Activities in relation to the Cyberfair Competition were usually done at home.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Obstacles have always been a part of man’s life and making this project is not an exemption to that. We went through hardships, a pile of research work and hours of thinking, trying to match ideas together. We visited all the 18 towns of Antique, from Anini-y up to Caluya. It was very tiring to travel from one place to another. We have to walk for hours under the heat of the sun, ride several jeeps, buses and other forms of transportation both in land and sea from here to there, wait for hours and sacrificing some meals just to get the job done. Since the project consists mainly of interviews, appointments have to consider the convenience and availability of the interviewees and the team's class schedules. Communication barriers had to be overcome since students have to deal with managers of companies, local producers and respectable people of the society. Communication skills in write-ups, research works, and designing calls for extra time and effort.

Nevertheless, cooperation and teamwork in any undertaking are guarantees for accomplishments such as the activities to support required course work and curriculum requirements. For goals to be reached - harmony, cooperation, and leadership must be developed among participants. Team building, once in a while, during meetings, helped in organizing the participants. Discussion, updates, problem discussions were done on regular meetings with the advisers.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

'We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.'

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

Through the Cyberfair, we applied our skills and knowledge that we have learned in school. We investigate and communicate with government and non-government organizations and apply our knowledge in Research, Science, Journalism and Computer Education. We interviewed credible sources such as the proprietors as well as their workers to gather our needed information. We also went town to town to witness and document various products each town in Antique makes. What we have learned in Computer Education really helped us a lot in designing our web page and photo editing. Using our skills in journalism, we were able to communicate very well and present our ideas clearly. In the activities done in connection to the Cyberfair we learned the real essence of hard work, teamwork and cooperation. Aside from that, Cyberfair related activities that we performed gave as the chance to explore Antique’s beauty in search for its finest products.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

Aside from different books, journals, magazines and brochures from our school, the Provincial Tourism Office and the Provincial Library, the participants also made use of other significant information gathered through personal interviews.

The computers donated by the Department of Trade and Industry were used to make write-ups, imaging, designing and uploading. Computer softwares Adobe Photoshop 7 and MS NotePad were used in making the web pages. Digital cameras, video cameras and a camera, owned by different participating students, made it easier to capture and document events and sceneries. Brochures, record books and maps were also used as tools to gather information for the content. The transportation around the province of Antique was provided by one of the students.

The most important component is ourselves, who teamed-up, bonded, interacted, and shared ideas. It was fun as well as educational going through Antique and getting to know its people and the wonders of art and gastronomic delights they have created. With the teamwork of the students, cooperation of the teachers, the community and the government, it was proven that nothing is impossible.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

Antique is a province full of hidden treasures, a place endowed with many sumptuous delicacies and world class products, which the government failed to give much attention to and which other people fail to see and patronized. Through our project, we will be able to help promote our province’s industry, not just locally but also internationally and we can help make the government realize the importance of Antique’s local specialties in mending our under employment problem.

We visited Antique’s towns and interviewed Antiqueños who are engage in craft making, pottery making, candle making and much more. We were amazed by their products, most of which were hand-made, but we were a little bit dismayed when some barrio folks told us that they have a lot of orders from businessmen but they failed to accept these because they lack manpower and facilities. Through our Cyberfair project, we can help encourage more Antiqueños to engage in this business and the same through, we can attract more investors and businessmen.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

The researchers aimed to endorse the products, specifically the specialties from Caluya down to Anini-y here in the province of Antique.

Each town has their own local products, which they are proud of. This project will be a great help to the Antiqueños were they can advertise their products whether it’s a small or a big business. What matters most is that the unique identity of their products with their corresponding background information. Antique workers or businessmen can gain bigger amounts of profit whenever this project will be selected. If time comes that these products will be discovered by other countries that will be the time when Antiqueños will start to export with the help of the government. That will also be the beginning for the development of living here in our province. A stepping-stone to reach the dream of every Antiqueño, to have a productive land and successful life.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Unity is the key to success. With the help of people such as our Computer Education teacher, Mrs. Jocelyn E. Remonte and our computer technician, Mr. Leonil Gallano, we succeeded in making our project. Our teacher taught us, she motivated our whole being so that surrendering to failure will not be an option and she helped us with regards to some technical problems that we have to overcome. The best individuals that gave us permission to join the Cyberfair with all their support were Mr. Rodolfo J. Caberoy, Principal II/Officer-in-charge of Antique National School, Mr. Orlando P. Gallano, Administrative Officer and Mr. Teodoro Marzoña, OIC and Department Head of Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE). The people of the concerned towns welcomed us and willingly answered our questions, they gave us the necessary information we needed and accepted us whole heartedly and the people in the Department of Tourism and Antique Development Foundation willing shared their knowledge and gave us more information by lending us their brochures and books about Antique’s industry.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

We discovered so many things about Antique’s local industry, we learned that our province has a lot of products and specialties that can compete globally with the products of the other countries not just in Asia but in the other continents as well. Yet, these products are under developed because of lack of manpower, facilities, money, and support from the government.

We were surprised that most of these world-class products, like the Diclum Buri products, Salvacion Handicraft, Bari Pots, Chavez Candles, Buenavista Bamboo Crafts, Muscuvado Sugar, Patadyong Hankies, hats, Weaved piña and weaved mat (“banig”) are mostly hand-made.

We realized that if only the local government and the Antiqueños work hand-in-hand, our province can excel in the field of business, we can create more jobs and solve the province’s underemployment problem.