Computer group celebrates 5th anniversary

 The Saipan Building and Fixing Computer Users Group marked its fifth anniversary with a get-together among its officers and members at the Chalan Kanoa Beach Club last Dec. 3.

Established in Dec. 8, 2006, the group is comprised of some 200 members who have graduated from the Building and Fixing Computer Class offered by the Philippine Consulate General through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office.

Over 50 members attended the annual celebration which served as an opportunity to recognize the group’s most recent members to become certified computer technicians, said group founder Mar V. Masilungan of White Coconut Computer Services.

The 2011 Saipan Building and Fixing Computer Users Group officers are chairman Zaldy Quebral; vice chair Edmin Elayda, secretary Angel Deliva, assistant secretary Chu Calinahan, treasurer Marilyn Quebral, assistant treasurer Rolan Conde, auditor Carlos Cortez, web administrator Jun Florentino, liaison officer Alex Racoma, and advisers Cris Hilario, Jousel Regilme, Amado Tumbaga, and Masilungan.

Masilungan, who is a test administrator for the Electronics Technicians Association out of Indiana, said 13 members of Batch 8 took and passed the certification exam last May.

According to Masilungan, a total of 47 members of their group who did not take up a computer course in college are now certified technicians.

“Some of them are my competitors already and I’m proud of that. They were all under my classes,” said the POLO volunteer instructor.

This year, Masilungan said, was challenging for the group as many of the members had to deal with and were affected by the immigration issues in the CNMI.

He noted, though, that some members of the Batch 9 class will review for the certification exam next year.

“The purpose of the group is to help those who want to be certified technicians through review classes and practice tests. Once they pass the practice test, they’re most likely to pass the actual certification exam,” Masilungan told Saipan Tribune.

Masilungan said the group has a lot of things to look forward to in 2012, including an instructional video and a conference that will discuss modern technology in related industries.

He disclosed that the group plans by next year to work on an instructional video in Filipino about troubleshooting computer problems, which will then be uploaded to YouTube.

Masilungan said the video will be beneficial to former and future students of the Building and Fixing Computers course.

The group founder also revealed about their plans to host a conference which will feature IT experts discussing the latest technology and will serve as another learning tool for the group.

“I thank all our members for staying connected even after they finished the course and for being focused on what the group would like to accomplish. We are grateful to the many certified technicians who are now willing to train new members. Their untiring support is overwhelming,” said Masilungan.

The anniversary celebration coincided with the farewell party for another POLO volunteer computer instructor and the group’s treasurer, Marilyn Quebral, who moved to Pohnpei on Dec. 4 to work as IT manager for the Federated States of Micronesia Social Security Office.

“We are very proud to say that she is one of the product of our group whose vision is to produce more IT professionals from among our members,” said Masilungan.