Sunday, January 31, 2010

UP College of Medicine Alumni write President Roman on Student Regent Charisse B. Bañez's eligibility to vote for UP PGH Executive Director selection and other issues

The Diliman Diary is posting below a copy of an email sent to U.P. President Emerlinda R. Roman on Sunday, January 31, 2010 by Dr. Silverio Cabellon, Jr., Chairman of The University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society of America (UPMASA) on the issue of the eligibility of the U.P. Student Regent Charisse B. Bañez to vote last December 18, 2009 in the U.P. Board of Regents meeting and subsequent BOR meetings thereafter.

Copies of this email were also furnished by Dr. Cabellon to the Diliman Diary, Senator Mar Roxas, Alumni Regent Fred Pascual, Faculty Regent Judy Taguiwalo, and Student Regent Charisse B. Bañez, among others.

To highlight or even dramatize the importance of the presence of the Student Regent in the affairs of the U.P. Board of Regents, we are also embedding below a video from http://www.youtube.com made in 2009:



THE LETTER TO PRESIDENT ROMAN DATED JANUARY 31, 2010


Honorable Emerlinda R. Roman
President
University of the Philippines

Dear President Roman,

May I share the following observations regarding the "Statement on the Status of the Student Regent published in the University of the Philippines Website dated Friday, January 29, 2010. http://www.up.edu.ph/features.php?i=171

I believe that Ms. Charisse Bernadine Bañez is qualified and is the bonafide Student Regent at this time. Her leave of absence status still needs to be determined. Before I put forth my argument that her leave status needs still to be determined may I observe that there are two sentences in the "Status Statement" that are inconsistent. These statements are:

Statement 1 - "No application for leave of absence was actually filed by Ms. Banez, pursuant to University rules.

Statement 2 - "On 21 January 2010, the Dean of the UPLB CAS wrote to the lawyer of Ms. Banez disapproving the application for LOA of Ms. Banez because:

  • it was filed well beyond the period for such applications, which ended on November 17, 2009;
  • it was not accompanied by the approval of her adviser or parents, nor by clearance from her College;
  • the reason for LOA was not clear nor adequately explained. "
The second statement is inconsistent with the first statement because if there is no application for a leave of absence how can the Dean of the UPLB CAS write the lawyer of Ms. Banez disapproving an "application". Is there or is there no "application". We need a clarification on this point.

Say that there was an application filed after the 17th of November, what rule or policy of the University promulgates that such a leave of absence should be filed strictly on or before the 17th of November. To stick to a 17th of November deadline is contrary to the statement in the website states and I quote"

"Article IX, section 7 provides for grounds to consider the position of SR-elect or the incumbent SR vacant, to wit:

  • permanent disqualification from the university;
  • incapacity to enroll or file an LOA the following semester;
  • death, illness or any other cause which prevents him/her from discharging functions.

The "following semester" is still extant because on the current UP academic calendar the "following semester" ends March 2010. Student Regent Banez has all the time to file a leave of absence until March 2010 and does not have to meet a 17th of November deadline.

On the statement that "it was not accompanied by the approval of her adviser or parents, nor by clearance from her College; " Article 400 of the University of the Philippines Code (2006) states that "Leave of absence shall be applied in writing. The application, indicating the reason for the leave and the period which must not exceed one academic year, shall be presented to the faculty member concerned for appropriate action and shall be subject to approval by the Dean. The Dean shall notify the University Registrar and the parents or guardian of every student granted leave of absence.

There was no need to present it to a faculty member as she was not attending classes and it is the Dean who needs to approve or disapprove it.

There is no requirement per Article 400 that the student regent's request for a leave of absence be accompanied by the approval of her adviser or parents, nor by clearance from her College. The requirement is "The Dean shall notify the University Registrar and the parents or guardian of every student granted leave of absence." according to Article 400 of the University Code.

As to the issue of reason for leave, let me cite the obvious reason why she needs to go on a leave of absence. They are found in Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection

"ARTICLE IX. General Provisions

Section 1. The Student Regent-select must resign from any position of responsibility in any student or community organization and/or student council and student publication.


Section 2. The Student Regent-select must not be permanently disqualified from the University. However, the Student Regent-select is advised to file a leave of absence (LOA) to devote his/her time in the fulfillment of his/her duties and responsibilities.

The above considerations, for the sake of fairness, need to be considered in determining the status of the student regent.

Therefore her leave of absence status still needs to be determined and that she is the bona fide occupant of the position of Student Regent of the University of the Philippines.


Yours Respectfully ,


Silverio Cabellon, Jr., M.D.
Class 72A, UP College of Medicine
Chair, Board of Governors
UPMASA

Friday, January 29, 2010

U.P. Dictates the Script on Student Regent's Vote Eligibility, Preempts its own Board of Regents Meeting on January 29, 2010

                                                   (Artwork by: Pam Liban)

By Chanda Shahani

In its own version of writing on the wall, the University of the Philippines (U.P.) top administration has effectively signalled its objections to the appointment of Dr. Jose C. Gonzales who was selected by the Board of Regents last December 18, 2009 as the new Director of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) over the then incumbent director, Dr. Carmelo Alifiler, who was going for a third term, by emasculating the vote of Student Regent Ms. Charisse B. Bañez who voted in favour of Dr. Gonzales; thus throwing into doubt the validity of a closely-won contest where Gonzales garnered only six (6) votes and Alfiler five (5) votes.

The U.P. administration has tilted the balance of votes away from Dr. Gonzales when it already announced on its own website at http://www.up.edu.ph/ on January 29, 2010 that Student Regent Bañez was not eligible to vote in the appointment of the new PGH Director; thus preempting its own Board of Regents (BOR) meeting set at 8:00 a.m. on the same day at Quezon Hall in U.P. Diliman to discuss objections set forth by Regent Abraham Sarmiento last December 18, 2009 on Bañez's eligibility to vote on the selection of Dr. Gonzales. The issues of Sarmiento's objections regarding Regent Bañez's eligibility to vote in the selection of Dr. Gonzales, Gonzales's binding appointment thereof, and other issues were set to be discussed at the January 29 BOR meeting.

The proceedings of the January 29 BOR meeting were disrupted by a walkout by the Faculty Regent, U.P. Professor Judy M. Taguiwalo, Staff Regent Clolualdo E. Cabrera, Alumni Regent Alfredo E. Pascual, and Student Regent Bañez, said Arnulfo Anoos of the All-UP Workers Union in a text message. The walkout occurred because the Student Regent was not allowed to participate and had the resulting effect of a lack of quorum, said U.P. Professor Danilo Arao,a member of CONTEND UP in another text message. This was confirmed by Regent Nelia Gonzalez in a telephone interview with the Diliman Diary who said that the lack of a quorum led to a postponement of the BOR meeting. Regent Gonzales also said that Dr. Gonzales remained as Executive Director of PGH thus far.

“Nagkaroon ng principled walkout ang sectoral regents (faculty, staff, students regents) at yung alumni regent, so no quorum kaya hindi natuloy evil plan ni Roman to nullify Dec. 18 BOR decisions, partcularly PGH directorship,” said Prof. Mykel Andrada of the All-UP Academic Employees Union in a text to the Diliman Diary.

With the possible elimination of Bañez as a voting Regent, the jury still remains out on the eligibility of Dr. Gonzales to continue on as UP PGH Director if a new vote was taken and the Regents still vote the same way they did on December 18 as there would now be a division of the vote with five (5) votes for Gonzales and five (5) votes for Alfiler compared to the alignment of the votes on December 18, 2009 where six (6) Regents, including Regent Bañez voted for Dr. Gonzales and five (5) Regents voted for Dr. Alfiler.

Observers state that with Quezon Hall's unilateral splitting of the vote of the BOR, an interim measure such as President Roman's memorandum appointing of an OIC for PGH will take place until more votes are available in the BOR to reinstall Dr. Alfiler as Executive Director for a third term.

The January 29 walkout has forestalled any plans for both the pro and anti Gonzales supporters to make their respective moves until the next BOR meeting however. This date of the next meeting has not yet been announced, however.

According to the Manila Times.Net (http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/8673-new-pgh-director-takes-oath-of-office) , those who voted for Dr. Gonzales were Student Regent Charisse Bañez, Faculty Regent Judy Taguiwalo, Alumni Regent Alfredo Pascual and Admin Staff Regent Cabrera. Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas 2nd also sent a written vote in favor of Gonzales.

Alfiler, however, received votes from U.P. President Emerlinda Roman, as well as Regents Abraham Sarmiento, Nelia Gonzales and Francis Chua and Rep. Cynthia Villar of Las Piñas City through a letter.

The Diliman Diary could not immediately confirm over the weekend the statement of Regent Gonzalez that Dr. Gonzales remained officially as Executive Director of UP PGH in view of Quezon Hall's January 29 website statement questioning Regent Bañez's eligibility to vote and Memorandum No. PERR-2010-001, issued by U.P. President Emerlinda R. Roman dated January 5, 2010, appointing Chancellor Ramon L. Arcadio as Officer-in-Charge of PGH.

However, despite the January 5, 2010 memo of Roman, the website of the PGH (http://www.pgh.gov.ph/ ) confirms that Dr. Jose C. Gonzales assumed his new post as PGH Director last January 7, 2010 after being voted into office last December 18, 2009 by the UP Board of Regents. During his first flag ceremony as Director last January 11, he was even introduced by UP Manila Chancellor Ramon Arcadio. Gonzales has already announced the members of his cabinet, namely Dr. Charlotte Chiong as the Deputy Director for Health Operations, Dr. Rey Ang as the Deputy Director for Administration, and Dr. Virgilio Novero as the Deputy Director for Fiscal Services. Ms. Ma. Rita Tamse remains as the Deputy Director for Nursing.

Dr. Gonzales is a renowned thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon and was the former Chair of the PGH Department of Surgery in 2001-2004. He is a member of the UP College of Medicine Alumni Class of 1972. He was former Director of the Regionalization Program of the UP College of Medicine.

Quezon Hall's attempts to rewrite the entire script on the eligibility of the Student Regent to vote after the vote had already been cast by the BOR; and possibly rescind the official appointment of Dr. Gonzales by creating a hung jury among the BOR is also being met with stiff resistance from U.P. PGH alumni in the Philippines and overseas.

An online petition authored by William H.E. Romero, M.D., a U.P. graduate (B.S. Zoology 1977, Medicine 1981) who practices medicine in the United States, with the name, The INSTALL DR. JOSE GONZALES NOW! Petition to ALL FILIPINOS (http://www.petitiononline.com/JOEGON72/petition.html) that was formed by U.P. College of Medicine Alumni and PGH personnel, asked Roman “to protect the welfare of its underpaid and overworked personnel and strengthen the education of our future doctors, by immediately implementing the decision of the Board of Regents to appoint Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the new PGH Director and rescind the above mentioned memorandum.” The petition now has more than 1100 online signatures.

Roman's memorandum comes at the heels of another controversial decision involving Roman at U.P. Diliman where U.P. Diliman Sociology Professor Sarah Raymundo appealed to Roman to overturn a decision by U.P. Diliman Chancelor Sergio Cao denying her tenure due to a minority protest vote (Please see Diliman Diary, December 10, 2009) despite the fact that the majority of faculty in her department had voted to grant her tenure.

Raymundo's appeal for tenure was denied by Roman in a copy of a resolution of Roman she received last January 4, 2010, according to Raymundo, writing in an update she posted on an online website, Tenure for Prof. Sarah Raymundo (http://tenureforsarahraymundo.blogspot.com/).

On January 15, 2010 Raymundo submitted an appeal to the BOR, asking them to overturn Roman's decision. There has been no decision yet by the BOR, in view of the postponed January 29 BOR meeting.

In a statement dated January 29, 2010 on U.P.'s own website at: (http://www.up.edu.ph/), the date of the BOR meeting, the U.P. administration stated that:

“The Charter of the University of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9500, provides that there shall be one Student Regent chosen by the students from their ranks in accordance with the rules and qualifications approved in a referendum by the students (sec. 12[g], RA 9500). In 2009, the students overwhelmingly ratified the Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection (CRSRS) through a referendum called for the purpose.”

“Article I, section 6 of the CRSRS defines a bona fide student as one who is “taking up academic units for bachelor’s degree, masters’ degree, doctorate degree, non-degree (sic), or certificate courses in the university, including those who are on residency status or on leave of absence (LOA).” Article III, section 1 provides, as part of the qualifications to be nominated, current enrollment at the time of his/her nomination. Article IX, section 7 provides for grounds to consider the position of SR-elect or the incumbent SR vacant, to wit:

  • permanent disqualification from the university
  • incapacity to enroll or file an LOA the following semester
  • death, illness or any other cause which prevents him/her from discharging functions.”
Regent Bañez admitted to the BOR that she was not currently enrolled at the time of the date of voting by the BOR on December 18, 2009. However, U.P. also admits in its own website that:

“On 18 December 2009, the Board of Regents met for the 1252nd time. Before discussing the items in the agenda, the President brought Ms. Bañez’s status to the attention of the Board.”

“When asked by the Board if she is enrolled, Ms. Bañez admitted that she is not (Minutes, 1252nd BOR Meeting, 18 December 2009, p. 3). During an executive session, the President moved that Ms. Bañez be allowed to sit during the 1252nd BOR meeting but only as an observer because she was no longer a student and therefore cannot discharge the duties of a student regent. This resulted in a division of the Board.”

“Before the vote, however, one of the regents moved that Ms. Bañez be allowed to vote, in effect, on her own fate. The vote went against the President’s motion, 5-4 (with Ms. Bañez voting for herself instead of abstaining). Thus Ms. Bañez was allowed to “sit as a regular member of the Board until the issue on enrollment is resolved.” ”

“The BOR then proceeded to take up its agenda items with Ms. Bañez participating and voting. Part of the agenda included the appointment of the PGH Director, where the voting was decided by a tie breaker vote cast by the Chairman of the CHED, as Co-Chair and Presiding Officer.”

Thus, by its own admission, the U.P. administration has stated in its own website that Student Regent Bañez was allowed not just to sit as an observer but as a regular voting member of the BOR where her own eligibility to vote was agreed upon by the majority of the BOR and in that same meeting, Dr. Gonzales was selected as the new Executive Director of PGH.

The petition authored by Dr. Romero states that given the fact that Regent Sarmiento protested the eligibility of Student Regent Bañez to vote after voting had already taken place on December 18 and at the very end of the meeting; and that Bañez's eligibility to vote had already been discussed prior to voting, but that she was allowed to vote anyway; that Sarmiento's protest, formalized through an official letter dated December 23, 2009 was scheduled to be taken up in the next BOR meeting scheduled on January 29 in Los Baños; Roman's memo “unilaterally decided the outcome of the protest of a single Regent, before this protest could be acted upon by the full Board”

“The question is why is Dr. Gonzales being removed even before the protest of Regent Sarmiento is discussed in the next BOR meeting?” Romero asked the Diliman Diary.

Monday, January 18, 2010

U.P. President Roman appoints Philippine General Hospital OIC Director amidst BOR voting controversy


By Chanda Shahani

The President of the University of the Philippines, Emerlinda Roman, is facing pressure from several quarters to rescind a January 5, 2010 memorandum she issued effectively reversing a Board of Regents (BOR) decision approving the appointment of Dr. Jose C. Gonzales who was elected the new Director of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) over the incumbent director, Dr. Carmelo Alifiler, who was going for a third term.

According to Faculty Regent Judy Taguiwalo, Gonzales received 6 votes while Dr. Alfiler, who has already served two terms, received 5 votes. The BOR met during its regular meeting on December 18, 2009 at Quezon Hall, U.P. Diliman.

Sources informed the Diliman Diary that one of the key issues considered was whether to extend the term of Dr. Alfiler, as University policy limits the appointment of directors, deans and chancellors to a maximum of two consecutive 3-year terms, except in highly exceptional cases. But the majority of regents, numbering 6, did not think there was a basis for considering an exception for the incumbent and Dr. Gonzales got the majority of the vote.

Regent Abraham Sarmiento, a former Supreme Court justice, who did not vote for Dr. Gonzales voiced a protest and questioned the election because the Student Regent, Ms. Charisse B. Bañez who voted for Dr. Gonzales was not enrolled at the time, putting into question her status as a regent as well as her right to vote. Bañez admitted she was not enrolled at the time of voting, on December 18 and registration ended mid November.

Sarmiento, who protested Bañez' vote for Dr. Gonzales at the tail-end of the December 18 meeting nevertheless participated and voted in the entire proceedings of the BOR, according to reliable sources. It has not been confirmed by the Diliman Diary if Sarmiento has also questioned Bañez's eligibility to vote on the other issues deliberated upon by the BOR on December 18, or is only challenging her right to vote in favour of Dr. Gonzales.

In a January 10, 2010 email to Mina Datoc, a member of the Board of Governors of The University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society of America, Roman sided with Regent Sarmiento's stand that Bañez ceases to be a regent if she fails to enroll. The next possible period for enrollment for Bañez, a U.P. Los Baños student, will be during summer enrollment. Additionally, Roman claimed in her email that U.P. BOR Chairman Emmanuel Y. Angeles (who voted for Gonzales) asked her to withold the appointment of Dr. Gonzales as U.P. PGH Director. Roman issued Memorandum No. PERR-2010-001, dated January 5, 2010, appointing Chancellor Ramon L. Arcadio as Officer-in-Charge of PGH.

In her email to Datoc, Roman said  that, "I was ready to issue the appointment of JoeGon (Dr. Gonzales) on January 4, the first working day of the year. The Chairman of the Board (who incidentally voted for him) asked that I withhold the issuance of the appointment and also asked that Mon Arcadio (Dr. Mon Arcadio, Chancellor of U.P. Manila) be designated as OIC. This I did. But a day later after the Chairman and I talked, together with Mon and Dean Bert Roxas (Dr. Alberto B. Roxas, Dean of the U.P. College of Medicine), we decided to issue his appointment. We also agreed that JoeGon be formally informed about the protest. JoeGon knew about the protest even as early as after the December Board meeting. Mon informed him about the protest. The Board will discuss this matter during our January meeting."

"The protest from the complaining regent has been received and this will be taken up. The issue is not about one's qualifications. It is about a regent and her status."

Here is what happened next, according to Faculty Regent Judy Taguiwalo, who wrote in the blog of the All U.P. Workers Union (http://aupwu.blogspot.com/) that all of this happened despite the fact that on January 4, the University Secretary, Dr. Lourdes Abadingo, issued the announcement of new BOR appointments which included Dr. Gonzales' designation as PGH Director. Taguiwalo wrote that UP Manila Chancellor Ramon Arcadio then informed Dr. Gonzales and the appointed Dean of the College of Dentistry, Dr. Vicente O. Medina III, that they wouldl be sworn into office on the afternoon of January 4:

  • Another text message from the Chancellor soon followed informing Dr. Gonzales that "President Roman is calling for an urgent meet tomoro, Jan 4. Ur oath taking is postponsed for Tue, Jan. 5 at 2 pm."
  • Around noontime on January 5, President Roman issued a memo, her first memo for 2010 with the subject "Appointment of Officer-in Charge of the Philippine General" supposedly on the basis of a letter of protest from Regent Sarmiento.
An official statement signed by three of the regents, Faculty Regent Judy M. Taguiwalo, Staff Regent Clodualdo “Buboy” Cabrera and Student Regent Charisse Bernadine Bañez stated that although one regent “has expressed his intention to protest the election of Dr. Gonzales. The presence of such protest, however, cannot overturn the decision already made by the BOR. By refusing to implement a duly approved decision of the BOR, President Roman has prejudged by herself alone an issue that should also be decided by the BOR as a body at its regular meeting. She has no legal or practical justification to withhold implementation of a BOR decision as the term of the previous PGH Director has already expired.”

“We regard President Roman’s January 5 memorandum refusing to implement a BOR decision to appoint Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director as a very dangerous precedent. Here is one individual member of the Board, by the mere issuance of a memorandum, exercising a power that effectively frustrates the implementation of a duly authorized decision by the BOR.”

“We should not allow such autocratic actions to be exercised without resistance. We call for the immediate withdrawal of said memorandum and for the recognition of Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the duly elected PGH Director starting January 1, 2010.”

Roman's memo is unfortunate, because “it is to everyone's interest that PGH is run independently of political interests,” said William H.E. Romero, M.D. in an email to the Diliman Diary. Romero, a U.P. graduate (B.S. Zoology 1977, Medicine 1981) who practices medicine in the United States, authored an online petition, The INSTALL DR. JOSE GONZALES NOW! Petition to ALL FILIPINOS (http://www.petitiononline.com/JOEGON72/petition.html) that was formed by U.P. College of Medicine Alumni and PGH personnel, asked Roman “to protect the welfare of its underpaid and overworked personnel and strengthen the education of our future doctors, by immediately implementing the decision of the Board of Regents to appoint Dr. Jose C. Gonzales as the new PGH Director and rescind the above mentioned memorandum.”

The petition says that given the fact that Regent Sarmiento protested the eligibility of Student Regent Bañez to vote after voting had already taken place on December 18 and at the very end of the meeting; and that Bañez's eligibility to vote had already been discussed prior to voting, but that she was allowed to vote anyway; that Sarmiento's protest, formalized through an official letter dated December 23, 2009 was scheduled to be taken up in the next BOR meeting scheduled on January 29 in Los Baños; Roman's memo “unilaterally decided the outcome of the protest of a single Regent, before this protest could be acted upon by the full Board”

“The question is why is Dr. Gonzales being removed even before the protest of Regent Sarmiento is discussed in the next BOR meeting?” Romero asked the Diliman Diary.

The petition also points out that before the vote, the eligibility of the Student Regent, Ms. Charisse B. Bañez, to vote on Dr. Gonzales' appointment was deliberated by the Board in her absence and the decision was to allow her to vote. “This very issue is being protested by Regent Abraham Sarmiento, after the fact,” said the petition.

Roman's decision comes at the heels of another controversial decision involving Roman at U.P. Diliman where U.P. Diliman Sociology Professor Sarah Raymundo appealed to Roman to overturn a decision by U.P. Diliman Chancelor Sergio Cao denying her tenure due to a minority protest vote (Please see Diliman Diary, December 10, 2009) despite the fact that the majority of faculty in her department had voted to grant her tenure.

Raymundo's appeal for tenure was denied by Roman in a copy of a resolution of Roman she received last January 4, 2010, according to Raymundo, writing in an update she posted on an online website, Tenure for Prof. Sarah Raymundo (http://tenureforsarahraymundo.blogspot.com/).

On January 15, 2010 Raymundo submitted an appeal to the BOR, asking them to overturn Roman's decision. There has been no decision yet by the BOR.

(Coming soon in the Diliman Diary: More questions regarding the University of the Philippines Foundation and the U.P. Business Research Foundation)

Friday, January 15, 2010

Annular Solar Eclipse, Other Celestial Events in January





(Source: PAGASA)

An annular solar eclipse will occur on 15 January 2010 and will be the longest solar eclipse in duration since 1992. This eclipse will be visible from a track that goes across central Africa, the Indian Ocean and eastern Asia as seen in the picture above. The maximum eclipse occurs in the middle of the Indian Ocean, but the annular phase will still be seen from either Africa or Asia, according to Dr. Prisco D. Nilo, PAGASA Administrator.

In the Philippines, the event will be observed as a partial solar eclipse, and is best seen from the PAGASA Astronomical Observatory at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the eclipse will start at 3:49 p.m. The peak of the eclipse will occur at 4:53 p.m. and end at 5:51 p.m.

Metro Manilans will see 39.1 percent of the sun’s diameter covered by the moon, Pagasa said

The Terrestrial Planets

Mars, the Red Planet remains visible throughout the month. It increases its magnitude from the beginning to the end of the month, from -0.8 to -1.3 with a phase of 96 to 99 percent and a diameter from 12.68 to 14.09 arcseconds. Mercury appears in the evening sky during the month lying low in the eastern horizon before sunrise. Venus will be difficult to observe due to its proximity to the Sun.

The Outer Gas Giant Planets

Jupiter dominates the evening sky shining at magnitude -2.1 and it lies in the constellation of Aquarius, the Water Bearer. Through a modest size telescope, the Great Red Spot will be seen as a pale oval followed by a darker ‘barge’ in the south Equatorial Belt. Uranus and Neptune will remain glowing at magnitude +5.9 and +8.0 and they will be located among the background stars of the constellations Pisces and Capricornus, respectively. The Ringed Planet Saturn will be visible in the morning sky throughout the month. It will be glowing at magnitude +0.9 and will lie among the background stars of the constellation Virgo, the Virgin.

Blue Moon

In astronomical terms, a 'blue moon' has nothing to do with color. Instead, it is the term used to denote only the second full moon that occurs within a given calendar month. Because it takes the moon about 29.5 days to circle the Earth once in its orbit, it is possible that two full moons can occur within the same calendar month. Such was the case in August 2004, when the moon was full on the 1st and the 30th, making the full moon on the 30th a 'blue moon.' On the average, this takes place once every two and a half years. This year, another blue moon will appear this January, with the moon displaying its full-phase on the 1st and the 30th of January.

Contrary to the occurrence of 'blue moon', there have been times when the moon does seem to have a blue color. This can be caused by dust particles in the atmosphere, which scatter light. The effects of this dust on the light coming from the moon can cause it to appear bluish in color. Fine dust particles are ejected into the Earth's upper atmosphere after large volcanic eruptions, as an example. The eruption of the Krakatoa Volcano in 1883 gave us one such 'blue moon'. For about 24 months after this volcano erupted, the dust it spewed into the upper atmosphere caused the moon to appear green and blue when viewed from around the world.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Pinoy Movie Review: "ANG PANDAY"


(Source: http://www.youtube.com)

Ni Vida Llevares

Kilala sa kanyang makapangyarihang espada at lupon ng mga kaaway, isang naiibang Flavio ang naghihintay sa mga manunuod sa pelikulang Ang Panday, hatid ng GMA Films at Imus Productions bilang handog sa ika-35 Metro Manila Film Festival. Tampok si Bong Revilla, Jr. bilang si Flavio at si Philip Salvador bilang ang mortal na kaaway na si Lizardo, tiyak na ito ay isang pelikulang Pilipinong maipagmamalaki sa buong mundo. Ang klasikong komiks na ito ni Carlo J. Caparas ay binigyan ng bagong pag-atake sa mga karakter at istorya ng kilalang direktor na si Mac Alejandre. Talaga namang kasisiyahan ang pelikulang ito ng mga kababayan nating naghihintay ng ating sariling pelikulang makabago at naaayon sa ating makateknolohiyang panahon. Hindi nga naman sila binigo ni Alejandre sa kanyang pelikulang pinagmamalaki ang magagandang special effects na maihahalintulad sa Hollywood.

Sa pinakabagong interpretasyon ng komiks na nagsimula at naging popular noong dekada 70, ginampanan ni Bong Revilla, Jr. na isa sa pinakamatagumpay na aktor sa kanyang henerasyon ang mapanghamong papel ng isang panday na unang naging alamat sa pagganap ni Fernando Poe, Jr. noong 1981. Umiikot kay Flavio ang kwento at sa kanyang mga pagliligtas ng kanyang minamahal na si Maria mula sa masamang kamay ni Lizardo, kasama ang iilang mga kakamping sina Emelita, Bugoy at Marcos. Habang ginagawa nila ang lahat para mabawi si Maria, madaming paghihirap ang darating sa grupo. Si Flavio naman ay nahaharap sa pagsubok kung saan nakatali siya sa kanyang responsibilidad na protektahan ang mundo at sa kagustuhan niyang mailigtas ang kanyang babaeng iniibig.

Tunay ngang nabigyan ng hustisya ni Revilla ang pinakabagong hamon na ito sa kanyang karera. Sa katunayan, pinarangalan siya para sa pelikulang ito bilang ‘Pinakamahusay na Aktor’. Sa kanyang pag-atake sa isang matagal nang popular na karakter, nakagawa ng sariling interpretasyon si Revilla sa kanyang mga maaaksyon na eksena. Nasa tamang timpla rin ang pagganap ng ibang karakter sa pelikula, at katunayan dito ang pagka-panalo rin ni Salvador sa kanyang papel na Lizardo bilang ‘Pinakamahusay na Pangalawang Aktor’. Maliban sa dalawang panalong ito, nagkamit rin ang pelikulang Ang Panday sa Metro Manila Film Festival Awards bilang Pinakamagandang Pelikula, kaya hindi magkakamali ang mga taong manunuod nito.

Makakaasa din ang mga manunuod na ito ay isang pelikulang sulit na sulit sa kanilang bayad at sa pagpila sa mga sinehan. Narooon ang mga special effects na tanging sa pelikulang ito lamang naging possible. Pinatunayan dito na ang mga sariling atin ay pwede nating maipagmalaki at ang gawang Pinoy ay maipapareha sa mga napapanuod natin sa mga dayuhan. Ang computer-generated imagery (CGI) nito ay nakakamangha dahil makikitang pinaghandaan at hinusayan at walang sinakripisyong detalye ng istorya. Kapana-panabik din ang mga magagandang disenyo ng set at nakakaaliw naman ang mga bagong anggulo ng kwento. Hindi man maiiwasang maikumpara sa pinakaunang bersyon ng komiks tampok si Fernando Poe, Jr., isang malaking bagay ang sigurado. Hindi ito ikahihiya natin at bagkus ay dapat tayong matuwa na ang mga ganitong klase ng pelikula na ginagawang tunay ang imahinasyon at inakala nating imposible ay kaya pala nating gawin.

(Coming soon in the Diliman Diary: More questions regarding the University of the Philippines Foundation and the U.P. Business Research Foundation)

Thursday, January 7, 2010

2010 Official Philippine Holidays: Regular and Special Non-Working


                                                     (Artwork by Rodel Tagos)


For those planning their year in advance, here are the national regular holidays and special non-working holidays for 2010, as compiled by the Diliman Diary:

New Year’s Day — 1 January 2010

EDSA People Power (All SCHOOLS Only) — 22 February 2010 (Special holiday)

Maundy Thursday — 1 April 2010

Good Friday — 2 April 2010

Araw ng Kagitingan (Bataaan and Corregidor Day) — 9 April 2010 (Friday)

Labor Day — 1 May 2010 (Saturday)

Independence Day — 14 June 2010 (Monday nearest June 12)

Ninoy Aquino Day — 23 August 2010 (Monday nearest August 21)

National Heroes Day — 30 August 2010 (Last Monday of August)

Eid’l Fitr (Feast of Ramadhan) — Movable date

All Saints Day — 1 November 2010 (Monday)

Additional Non-working day — 24 November 2010 (Friday)

Bonifacio Day — 29 November 2010 (Monday nearest November 30)

Christmas Day – 25 December 2010 (Saturday)

Rizal Day — 27 December 2010 (Monday nearest December 30)

Last Day of the Year — 31 December 2010 (Friday)

New Year’s Day — 1 January 2011

Not included here but with a very high probability of being declared as non-working holidays are:

Elections Day — 10 May 2010 (Monday)

Founding Anniversary of Iglesia ni Cristo — 27 July 2010 (Tuesday)

Special Working Days

Quezon City Day — 12 October 2010 (Tuesday)

This list shall be updated should special holidays be declared.

(Sources: Republic Act 9492; Proclamation 1841)

(Coming soon in the Diliman Diary: More questions regarding the University of the Philippines Foundation and the U.P. Business Research Foundation)

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development director keynotes Caraga's 1st regional economic briefing in Butuan City.


Dr. Cielito F. Habito was the keynote speaker in the recent regional economic briefing held in Butuan City on January 4, 2009. An economics professor, former socioeconomic planning secretary and director of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development [ACERD] of the Ateneo Manila University, he talked on the global crisis, its effect on the Asian economies, and the recent key trends, outlook and imperatives of both the Philippine and Caraga economy.

His presentation was entitled: “Struggling through Global Crisis: Philippine Economic Performance & Outlook, 2009-2010 and Beyond.” In his presentation, Habito made special note of how the growth in the Philippine economy came from domestic investments mainly composed of government construction or what we may call as massive pump priming. Habito also shared how “the link between economic growth and poverty reduction has been stronger in Asia for every 1% of GDP growth... but not in the Philippines where poverty actually rose even as the economy saw a supposed record growth..."

In his consideration of the Caraga economy, the former NEDA Director General cited several positive developments such as increasing investments, tourist arrivals, mining output and tax collection among others, side by side with some disappointments [decreasing agricultural production and exports, elementary school participation rate, and high inflation rate] & challenges. He made particular mention on the challenge for the region to work for a much broader-based growth i.e. beyond mining & quarrying.

He also repeatedly emphasized the importance of good governance and the vigilance of the private sector to battle constraints to long term and sustainable economic development.

Habito was joined by NEDA Caraga Assistant Regional Director Cecilia Lopez who presented the Updated Caraga Regional Development Plan and Ms. Belinda Ato of the Father Saturnino Urios University with her talk on Caraga's Perspectives & Challenges for Peace and Development, DTI Caraga Regional Director Brielgo Pagaran who welcomed the participants and the members of the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center or NERBAC Caraga board of advisors in the panel.

The December 7 briefing was the first economic briefing organized by NERBAC Caraga. The half-day activity as attended by more than 100 participants – officials and representatives from the government, business, academe and banking sectors.

(Source: Philippine Information Agency)

(Coming soon in the Diliman Diary: More questions regarding the University of the Philippines Foundation and the U.P. Business Research Foundation)