The Summer is Back - and Blackouts in The Philippines!

One of my previous columns in Mindanao Daily Mirror was entitled "Summer is back". Yes, summer is back in the Philippines - and the daily blackouts - or "brownouts"... .

After being able to avoid the rotating power outages for the past two months, Davao Light and Power company may now be forced to implement rotating brownouts within its franchise as the national Grid Cooperation of the Philippines has announced an increase in the Mindanao-wide power curtailment at a level of 320 MW.

While other areas in Mindanao have reportedly been experiencing long durations of brownouts, Davao Light customers may only experience 30-minutes rotating outages due to reserve power supply that it has contracted from Independent Power producers as part of its contingency plans to address power shortages.

Allow me to quote Florencio A. Ranido, Mindanao Daily Mirror Editorial Consultant: 

"Dabawenyos from all walks of life should be thankful for the far sightedness of Davao Light and Power company in particular and the Aboitiz Power Corp., its mother firm, in general. For quite a while, some areas in Mindanao, especially General Santos City, Sarangani provinces and the adjacent municipalities of Polomok and Tupi in South Cotabato have been experiencing one and a half hours of rotation brownouts daily."

Very well said, Sir. And, it's true, I just experienced during my stays in this area last week... .

Science Information Officers Trained on Basic Communication Research

Information Officers of the Department of Science and Technology from different regional offices gathered in Davao City for a 3-day Basic Communication Research Workshop for the DOST Regional Information and Promotions Managers held at Crown Regency Residences on February 28 to March 1, 2012. The training workshop was jointly organized by the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office XI, Science and Technology Information Insitute and Technlogy Application and promotion Institute.

The theories and basic concepts of communication research were presented by Ms. Ruby R. Cristobal of the S&T Manpower education Research and Promotion division of DOST's Science and Education Institute. One of the major outputs of the seminar workshop was a draft proposal o participants on how to improve the visibility of the department. The proposals will be incorporated in the Strategic Communication Plan of DOST Regional Office.

Dr. Anthony C. Sales, DOST Regional Director, presented the Strategic Communication Plan of the DOST Regional Offices as well as the DOST Corporate Identity Manual. The Strategic Communication Plan will guide and provide a framework to all DOST Regional Offices in creating a culture of science and advancing the S&T agenda for national development.

Bye bye Jessica....?

Yes, I was (and I am still!) one of her fans. Filipino-Mexican-American contestant Jessica Sanchez unfortunately has slipped from the top spot on the weekly "American rankings of a U.S. magazin. In the latest "Power Rankings" of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY Sanchez has fallen to the No. 3 spot after spending two weeks at the top.

Despite this Sanchez was still safe and will now join the "American Idol" tour this summer as part of the Top 10. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY expects Sanchez to bounce back after last week's stumble. I got the same opinion... .

Aquino Inspires German Business Leaders to Invest in The Philippines

German business leaders led by honorary consuls who compose part of the so-called "2012 Team Philippines-Germany" were inspired by President Benigno Aquino sincerity to effect the necessary reforms that will make the country more investment-friendly, thus preventing again past mistakes, including the controversial Fraport issue that has affected for a while relations between both countries.

Despite his busy schedule, President Aquino took time last March 21, 2012 to meet the German delegates, who in turn, cancelled at the last-minute their bookings for a long-scheduled trip to Bohol to sample the kind of tourism in the country, or "Why It's More Fun in Philippines" as the new tourism slogan goes.

The members of the "2012 Team Philippines-Germany" led by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Maria Cleofe Natividad and four German honorary consuls for the Philippines were commended and recognized by President Aquino for their initiatives and sacrifices to hurdle difficulties and mis-impressions on the Philippines by still showing interests in the country.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario expressed high regard for the team "Philippines-Germany". Also with the delegation from the business sectors were -among many others - Harald Penner, managing director of Asia-Pacific Forum and Berlin Partner GmbH, whom I will be meeting next week to discuss on how "People's College International" may assist in providing an intellectual basis for a comprehensive understanding of education as a life long learning process.

I strongly agree with Ambassador Natividad, who "hailed the unwavering support of the German group, despite the difficulties, adversities and challenges they face!"

Relax With Classical Music... Here is More About von Weber and von Webern

Anton von Webern

Carl Maria von Weber

Add caption

(It's me, while enjoying the last classical concert in Davao City...)

Classical music, my best solution to relax and unwind from the daily stress and hectic...

There are hundreds of amazing classical music composers. Here are two more, Carl Maria von Weber and Anton von Webern:

http://www.klausdoringclassicalmusic.webs.com 

Plant Trees and Get Land Tax Discount

 

Amazing. I thought, it's a joke. No, it wasn't!

The news came from Malaybalay City in Mindanao. Provincial board member Jay Albarece has proposed an ordinance granting real property tax discounts with lots with high density of trees to serve as incentive to residence who have been planting and protecting trees in their own lots.

I am doing this since many years. Most of my expatriates and Filipino friends and neighbors do it the same way. 

"One of the  encouraging private individuals and entities to actively participate in the reforestation of the province is to grant real property tax to those who have been growing and protecting the trees in their respective lots!" Albarece said in his proposed ordinance. 

Great idea Sir!

PLDT Campaigns Win PANAta Awards for Promoting Filipino Values

Two PLDT communication campaigns bagged the bronze in the PANAta Awards held recently in Makati City. Conducted annually by the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), the PANAta Awards recognizes outstanding marketing communication materials or companies that promote positive Filipino values.

PLDT KaAsenso's omnibus campaign won in the Brand/Product Marketing category with its integrated approach, using four different typs of medium - print , radio, tv and social media. The theme of the campaign cewnters on the empowerment of the hard working Filipino micro-entrepeneurs or minigosyantes - highlighting that the true meaning of success is defined not by how big and successful one's business has become, but by how one is able to strike balance and find for the family as well.

With PLDT KaAsenso, micro business or minigosyantes are enable thru a holistic strategy that caters to the five areas critical for their growth: connectivity, financing, education, networking, and extra income.

Broadway's Best in Davao City

 

Broadway's Best in Davao City? Really? Yes. Many times Davao City seems to remain as cultural fallow field. But there are exemptions.

The Voiceworks Theater Company, Inc. invited all of us officially to watch its upcoming show 

BROADWAY'S BEST: VCTI 2ND ANNIVERSARY MUSICAL CONCERT

on April 14, 2012 at the CAP Auditorium 6 - 8 p.m.

The Voiceworks Theater will be giving away scholarships in Performing Arts. For ticket reservations and queries please call/text 0920-6119482 and look for Direk Richard or log on to

www.vtci.weebly.com 

SEE YOU THERE!

Side by Side - A Piano Duet Concert in Davao City

 (Daphne C. Jocson)

(Mary Anne Espina)

It was (again!) an enchanting evening. Hundreds of classical music lovers (including me!) experienced a wonderful concert with the two concert pianist ladies Daphne C. Jocson (member of the quintet "The Five Davao Lady Pianists and very good friend of mine!) and Mary Anne Espina.

Daphne Cabaguio Jocson is a dynamic collaborating artist in local and foreign classical music circles. She performs with professional artists in Manila, Davao City and the United States. She is indeed an advocate of honing promising young artists in the country thus, takes precedence in collaborating with young and upcoming musicians.

Daphne was a featured soloist of the Manila Symphony Orchestra then known as the Manila Youth Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Professor Basilio Manalo and Professor Arturo Molina where she performed the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor and the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - both my favourite piano concertos as well.

Recently Daphne was engaged as pianist/repititeur for several productions, among others, Dulaang U.P.'s "Noli Me Tangere" and Ryan Cayabyab's musical "Ageless Passion". 

A 2007 Aliw Awardee for the Best Instrumentalist category, Mary Anne Espina has been featured in the Filipino Artists Series at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. In 2010, she was presented by the GSIS Museo ng Sining in cooperation woth the embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany  in a solo concert in celebration of Robert Schumann's 200th birthyear. In 2011, Mary Anne collaborated with pianist Jonathan Coo in an all Liszt repertoire , as a tribute to Franz Liszt's 200th birthyear. 

Known for her excellence in chamber music, Mary Anne is one of the most sought after collaborating artists in the Philippines today.

The classical music evening in the Apo View Hotel brought us compositions from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gabriel Faure (one of the greatest french composers of the 19th century), Johannes Brahms (with one of my favourite Hungarian Dances, the No. 5), Johann Sebastian Bach, Fritz Kreisler  (an Austrian born violinist and composer), and Agot Espino (born 1957), Philippine pianist, pedagogue and christian songwriter.

Thank you so very much Daphne and Mary Anne for a wonderful evening with classical music.

Tree Planting: Comval Shines at 14 - Going Green

 

Compostela Valley marks the second day of the 5th Bulawan festival with a synchronized tree planting activity with more then or less 500,000 seedlings planted province wide on March 6, 2012.

KUDOS and daghan salamat po for taking care of our Mother Nature!