RIYADH, 15 June — So which of the two main groups of Filipino computer specialists in this great capital has the best lineup of instructors?

Only time will tell but the ICE-R, or the Institute of Computer Engineers - International in Riyadh, is not taking any chances.

In a sign of healthy rivalry with the better known Computer Society of Filipinos) or ComSoFil, ICE-R has signed a joint venture with Borland Software Corporation (BSC) of Middle East, in which for BSC’s programming experts will teach the institute’s instructors the latest in programming.

“Our instructors have begun their training on programming with Borland experts two weeks back,” Ariel Gaan, Jr., president of ICE-R, said.

BSC is considered to be the biggest company of programming languages (software) in the US such as Pascal, C++, and the latest J2EE java programming.

“In order for us to give the best training, we are exerting all our efforts to learn the latest in computer programming which we will teach later on to our students,” Gaan assured.

ICE-R is currently training its third batch of students, composed of more than 200 Overseas Filipino Workers in Riyadh, in computer hardware engineering — the first of its three-module courses. The second module is Networking and the third is Programming with Logic Formulation.

Gaan, who has a master’s degree in Computer Engineering, designed the three modules being offered.

He also confirmed that the institute would continue to conduct training on networking for the third batch on the first week of July. This decision was made to give in to the request of the current batch of trainees who wanted to complete the series of trainings up to programming.

Gaan likewise revealed that simultaneous with the networking training for Batch 3, Batches 1 and 2 would also start their programming courses. All the trainings will take place at the Second Philippine International School (SPIS) on weekends.

However, Gaan said that the institute has not decided yet when they would open training for Batch 4.

“In as much as we want to serve more compatriots, we cannot do so due to limited number of educators we have right now. We really did not expect to have such a big turn out of enrollees,” Gaan admitted.

In another development, Filipino computer engineers in the Eastern and the Western regions had also organized ICE-I Dammam and ICE-I Jeddah, respectively.

OFWs interested in future trainings of the two ICE-I chapters can contact Bibit dela Torre in Jeddah at 054657844 and Darwin Souza in Dammam at 056994696.

And for those who think computer specialists are good only at armchair games, the ICE-R is also preparing for its basketball league tentatively set on June 26.

Various groups like the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, Integrated Institute of Electrical Engineers, civil engineers and other computer engineers have been invited to participate. The person to get in touch with is Rudy Argel at 054-296160 or Ariel Gaan at 052-924339.

ICE-R is an accredited member of the Philippine Institute of Computer Engineers, Inc. (PhICEs).

The institute is also certified by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and registered under Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Philippine Embassy.