(Photo from Letran Official)
Another development in Colegio de San Juan de Letran for the academic year 2018-2019 is the appointment of Asst. Prof. Henry Pahilanga, last June 1, as the director of Letran Information, Systems, Technology, and Networking (LISTeN), or formerly known as Information Techonology and Media Services (ITMS).
Pahilanga shared that he has been offered the position several times and it took him more than a week to finally grab it. The new director admits that IT is not his field of expertise, however, he believes that he was conferred the position because of his management skills.
He notes that it is after all the duty of the director to take charge in the overall management along with planning and implementation.
“Most likely they want somebody [who] will look from the inside [of LISTeN] with other views na hindi naman technical para yung approach is to really manage,” shared Pahilanga.
Alongside his leadership with LISTeN, he will still be teaching Economics courses under the College of Business Administration and Accountancy. Before accepting the position, the new director used to teach Operations Research, Management, and Marketing courses all under the CBAA.
Under the leadership of the new director, the department will be focusing on finding ways to improve the enrollment system of the Colegio which heeds one to two years to be fully operational.
Pahilanga also shared that LISTeN will continue implementing projects which will be anchored to the strategic plans of the Colegio.
During the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Grace Hilario, PhD., multiple streaming websites including YouTube were blocked in the Letran Wi-Fis.
Students have been wondering what move will the new leadership do with this limitation of access. Pahilanga personally said that he finds YouTube, even social media, not fully educational. He also admits wthat he has no knowledge that YouTube was blocked in the Letran Wi-Fi.
LISTeN’s Data Quality and Application Support InCharge Alfie Bigornia explained to The LANCE and Asst. Prof. Pahilanga during the interview that streaming websites like YouTube were blocked because it was taxing on the 60mbps bandwidth of the Wi-Fi, which slows down the internet that will affect the browsing of other students.
“We hope to increase the 60mbps bandwidth. I hope that [finance] will approve it. Pero yearly naman tumataas budget namin,” Pahilanga shared.
The new director shared that LISTeN is hearing out the students’ clamor and is seeking out ways to improve.
Yet, it is not easy as the upgrades in technological equipment is very costly. However, with an annual budget raise, Pahilanga claims that in future, students should expect satisfaction and less worry as LISTeN plans to upgrade some technological systems and equipment in the Colegio.
(With reports from Angelo Gamalindo)