Why The Sun Shines More Brightly Than The Moon...

A Philippine Fairytale...

Long, long ago there lived a fairy with two beautiful daughters. Araw, the elder daughter, was very amiable and had a kindly disposition; but Buwan, unlike her sister, was disobedient, cruel and harsh. She was always finding fault with Araw. One night, when the fairy came home from her nocturnal rambles and saw Buwan badly mistreating her elder sister, she asked God for help against her unruly daughter.

Before this time, God had prepared very valuable gifts for the two sisters. These gifts were two enormous diamonds that could light the whole universe. When God heard the prayer of the fairy, he descended to earth disguised as a beggar. On learning for himself how bad-tempered Buwan was, and how sweet and kind-hearted Araw, God gave the older sister her diamond as an reward. Buwan was greatly angered by this favoritism of the Almighty, so she went to the heavenly kingdom  and stole one of God's diamonds. Then she returned to the earth with the precious stone, but there she found that her jewel was not so brilliant as Araw's.

When God went back to Heaven and learned what Buwan had done, he sent two angels to punish her. But the angels abused their commission: they seized both sisters and hurled them into the sea. Then they threw the two stones upward into the sky, and there they stuck. But Araw's diamond was bigger and brighter than the one Buwan stole. Thereafter the bigger jewel was called Araw ('day' or 'sun'), and the smaller one Buwan ('moon').

Power Crisis in Mindanao - And No Ending?

It's summer again. Temperatures are still rising. Rain is seldom. Especially in Mindanao we have to live with several power interruptions - or, as it is called here "brownouts" (blackouts)! This is not new. I am living in Davao City since 1999...

Now we all have been informed, that the Mindanao Development Authority said that President Benigo Aquino has taken decisive action on the Mindanao power problem.

The first step was that President Aquino was set to meet with power industry stakeholders in Mindanao, including key local leaders in the island, to firm up parallel tracks of immediate and medium to long term solutions to the Mindanao power problem. The President wanted to personally convey specific measures taken by the government and the proposed steps needed to secure a reliable and sustainable Mindanao power generation. 

Also Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III is calling on his fellow legislators from Mindanao to gather and act as one in coming up with solutions to the ongoing power crisis. The worsening power outages in Mindanao could lead to eight-hours  power interruptions for a year or two.. Of course, it is leading already to a sharp decline in economy activities that might lead to losses of jobs and livelihood. And, this will heighten poverty in some Mindanao provinces and may create indeed pressures that may spark disruptions in Mindanao's peace and order. 

The Mindanao power problem is very known since long time. We need to see deeds. But I am afraid, that the daily rotation brownouts like those we experienced from February to June in 2010 and also 2011 are expected to be implemented any time next month.

It's Vacation Time - Es ist Ferienzeit!

YONNEX TRANSLATION AND DOCUMENTATION SERVICE, Davao:

CLOSED UNTIL APRIL 10, 2012.

WE ARE BACK ON SERVICE ON APRIL 11, 2012.

GESCHLOSSEN BIS 10. APRIL 2012.

WIR SIND WIEDER DA FUER SIE AM 11. APRIL 2012.

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NO GERMAN COURSE AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN PHILIPPINES UNTIL APRIL 10, 2012. NEW COURSE STARTS ON APRIL 11, 2012 9 AM. ENROLMENTS ARE STILL ONGOING! SCHEDULE M-W-SAT 9 TO 11 AM AND FRIDAYS 8 TO 10 AM.

KEIN DEUTSCHKURS AN DER UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHEASTERN PHILIPPINES BIS 10. APRIL 2012. DER NEUE KURS STARTET AM 11. APRIL 2012 UM 9 UHR. EINSCHREIBUNGEN SIND NOCH MOEGLICH! KURSZEITEN WIE BISHER: MONTAGS, MITTWOCHS UND SAMSTAGS VON 9 BIS 11 UHR UND FREITAGS VON 8 BIS 10 UHR!

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NO CONSULTATION HOURS IN DOST DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REGIONAL OFFICE XI IN BAJADA, DAVAO CITY IN COOPERATION WITH DAAD GERMAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SERVICE DEUTSCHER AKADEMISCHER AUSTAUSCHDIENST UNTIL APRIL 10, 2012. NEW OFFICE HOURS TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS 9:30 UNTIL 11 AM STARTING TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2012.

KEINE BERATUNGSSTUNDEN IN DOST DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REGIONAL OFFICE XI IN BAJADA, DAVAO CITY IN ZUSAMMENARBEIT MIT DEM DAAD DEUTSCHER AKADEMISCHER AUSTAUSCHDIENST GERMAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SERVICE UNTIL APRIL 10, 2012. NEUE BERATUNGSZEITEN DIENSTAGS UND DONNERSTAGS VON 9:30 BIS 11 UHR AB DIENSTAG, 10. APRIL 2012.

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A BLESSED LENTEN SEASON AND A HAPPY HAPPY EASTER!

EINE GESEGNETE KARWOCHE UND FROHE OSTERN FUER SIE ALL!

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.