Lunar eclipse, meteor shower to illuminate PH skies this weekend

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The penumbral lunar eclipse will last for four hours, 21 minutes, and 36 seconds, and will be visible in the Philippines between 11:12 p.m. on May 5, and 3:34 a.m. on May 6.
• The maximum eclipse will occur at 1:23 a.m. on Saturday.
• The η-Aquariid meteor shower can be observed from April 19 to May 28. It will reach its peak activity on May 6.

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A lunar eclipse and meteor shower will both be visible in the Philippines this weekend, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

A lunar eclipse will take place from the evening of May 5 to the early morning of May 6, according to PAGASA’s astronomical diary for May.

“The moon will pass through 95 percent of the penumbral shadow and cause a minor darkening of the lunar surface, thus creating a penumbral lunar eclipse,” PAGASA said.

Anywhere where the moon is above the horizon will be able to see the penumbral lunar eclipse, including Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Antarctica.

PAGASA said the astronomical event, which will last for four hours, 21 minutes, and 36 seconds, will be visible in the country between 11:12 p.m. on Friday and 3:34 a.m. on Saturday.

The maximum eclipse will occur at 1:23 a.m. on Saturday.

“Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to watch and do not require the use of any kind of protective filter for the eyes. A pair of binoculars may also be used to help magnify the view,” PAGASA said.

Predicted comparison of the Moon’s image before the eclipse and the maximum eclipse on May 5-6, 2023. (Earthsky/PAGASA)

Sky-dazzling meteor shower

Another noteworthy celestial occurrence is the η-Aquariid meteor shower, which can be observed from April 19 to May 28.

PAGASA said it is a significant meteor shower produced by Comet Halley’s debris and will reach its peak on May 6.

“This meteor shower may produce about 40 meteors per hour in a very dark and cloudless condition,” PAGASA said.

“η-Aquariids is best observed shortly before dawn when their radiant is at its highest point in the sky. [However], the presence of a waning gibbous Moon, in the constellation Libra at the shower’s peak, will cause significant interference with the shower observation,” it added.

Another meteor shower that can be seen in May is called the η-Lyrids, which is active from May 3 to 14.

Its peak activity will happen on May 9, producing up to three meteors per hour.

“The finest shower display for observing η-Lyrids occurs around 4 a.m., when the radiant is at its highest point in the sky. This can be observed just before daybreak,” PAGASA said.

“[However], the waning gibbous moon in Sagittarius presents significant interference with the observation,” it pointed out.

La Salle clips UST, returns to UAAP finals

BY NIKOLE JAVIER

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The Lady Spikers needed an extra set to exact revenge against their lone elimination round tormentor Golden Tigresses and, in turn, book their 20th finals appearance.

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De La Salle downed University of Santo Tomas, 26-24, 25-22, 20-25, 25-19, to advance to the finals of the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday, May 3, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Spikers needed an extra set to exact revenge against their lone elimination round tormentor Golden Tigresses and, in turn, book their 20th finals appearance.

Angel Canino pumped in a team-high 19 points on 18 attacks and a service ace, while Jolina dela Cruz chipped in 10 points.

Justine Jazareno took care of La Salle’s floor defense after tallying 22 excellent digs and 16 receptions.

The De La Salle Lady Spikers book their 20th finals appearance after a four-set win against the UST Golden Tigresses. (UAAP Media)

La Salle crawled back from its early 3-0 deficit in the opening set and kept itself beside UST in the scoreboard after the 12th deadlock of the game.

Dela Cruz and Laput then scored back-to-back points to put the Lady Spikers at set point, 24-22, but Eya Laure rushed back in action with two successive crosscourt attacks to tie the set once more at 24-all.

Canino untangled La Salle from the deadlock after going for an off-the-block kill before a triple block was put up to deny Laure at the net.

The second set was no different as both teams continued to exchange attacks, with the Lady Spikers pulling away late, 24-20, after a Canino point.

UST managed to inch closer within two, but Milena Alessandrini’s service error ultimately ended the set, giving La Salle a two sets to none lead.

La Salle couldn’t ride the momentum of the previous sets as its 6-3 advantage turned into a 16-8 deficit following UST’s huge 13-2 run.

After staring at the biggest deficit of the match at nine, the Lady Spikers slowly picked up their pace and got within two, 22-20, but the Golden Tigresses went on a conclusive 3-0 run capped by Hernandez’s solo block on dela Cruz to avert a sweep.

The Lady Spikers got over their third-set stumble and doubled on the Golden Tigresses midway through the set, 14-7, after Malaluan hammered down a crosscourt attack.

Laure then scored three straight points all on her own to put UST within three, 14-11.

Before the Golden Tigresses could stage a complete comeback, the Lady Spikers went on a telling 6-0 run for a comfortable 14-22 advantage.

From then on, La Salle never looked back as Thea Gagate’s solo block on Alessandrini put UST away for good.

Laure and Hernandez paced the Lady Tigresses with 15 and 12 points, respectively.

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PH airspace to be shut down on May 3, 17 for system repair – CAAP

BY MARTIN SADONGDONG

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Corrective maintenance activity will be conducted at the country's Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) on May 3 and May 17.
• This will prompt the suspension of its operations for several hours which also means the shut down of the country's airspace.
• The corrective maintenance activity will mainly affect flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CRK), and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), and several flights at the other 42 CAAP commercially operated airports.

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The entire Philippine airspace will be shut down for several hours on May 3 and 17 as necessary repairs and upgrades will be conducted by the government to fix the issues hounding the country’s air traffic management system (ATMS), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) announced.

(File photo via Manila Bulletin

In a statement Tuesday, May 2, the CAAP said that a corrective maintenance activity will be carried out at the Philippine Air Traffic Management Center (ATMC) which will result to the suspension of its operations from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. on May 3; and from 12 midnight to 6 a.m. on May 17.

“However, if the activity is finished earlier, the issued Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) will be lifted, and operations at the ATMC will resume as normal,” the CAAP said.

The ATMC is a facility which houses the Communications, Navigations, Surveillance / Air Traffic Management System (CNS/ATMS) that manages and supervises the air traffic activities within the Philippine Flight Information Region (FIR).

“The corrective maintenance activity is necessary to repair the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR), replace the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), and upgrade the Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) A/B power supply,” the CAAP said.

The AVR refers to an electronic device which functions as a protection against surges as it regulates the voltage delivered to devices. The UPS, on the other hand, ensures that an equipment has a backup power supply in case of power failure.

The ATMS repair and upgrade will enable the UPS and AVR to serve as “each other’s backup in case the other power supply encounters a problem,” the CAAP noted.

The CAAP said that the corrective maintenance activity will affect flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Clark International Airport (CRK), and Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), and several flights at the other 42 CAAP commercially-operated airports.

“The CAAP has already coordinated with and advised concerned stakeholders such as air carriers and airport operators Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corp. (LIPAD), and GMR–Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) in advance regarding the intended corrective maintenance activity,” the CAAP said.

“Mitigating measures and flight schedule adjustments have been discussed with stakeholders to ensure the smooth conduct of the imperative maintenance activity,” it added.

It can be recalled that the Philippine airspace was shut down on New Year’s Day, January 1, when the ATMC was hit by a power outage due to the malfunctioning of its equipment. The incident affected nearly 300 flights and around 65,000 passengers. 

This was followed by a power outage at NAIA Terminal 3 on Labor Day, May 1, from 1:05 a.m. to 8:46 a.m. which affected around 50 flights and 9,000 passengers.

The CAAP assured the public that operations at the ATMC will resume as normal once the maintenance activity is completed.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and cooperation in ensuring the safety and efficiency of our air traffic management system,” it said.

'It's Showtime' opens in high spirits as it returns to 12NN timeslot

The favorite noontime show trends worldwide...

BY MANILA BULLETIN ENTERTAINMENT

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Vice Ganda thanked the viewers for their continuous support and prayers as their wish was granted. She said,"Hindi lang naman tayo ang nagwish at nagdasal para dumating ang araw na ito. Ang daming madlang people ang nagdasal to make this happen. Ang dami sa kanilang nagrerequest at nagsasabi ng kanilang damdamin na sana mas mahaba yung oras. Namimiss namin yung dati nilang ginagawa. Sana hindi kami mabitin. So ito na iyong dinasal ninyo, ibinigay na sa atin."

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'It's Showtime'

The hosts of "It's Showtime" prepared explosive numbers as the noontime show returned to its 12NN timeslot last Monday (May 1).

Vice Ganda thanked the viewers for their continuous support and prayers as their wish was granted. She said,"Hindi lang naman tayo ang nagwish at nagdasal para dumating ang araw na ito. Ang daming madlang people ang nagdasal to make this happen. Ang dami sa kanilang nagrerequest at nagsasabi ng kanilang damdamin na sana mas mahaba yung oras. Namimiss namin yung dati nilang ginagawa. Sana hindi kami mabitin. So ito na iyong dinasal ninyo, ibinigay na sa atin."

In the same episode, Anne Curtis, Vhong Navarro, Jhong Hilario, Karylle, Kim Chiu, Ogie Alcasid, Ryan Bang, Amy Perez, Ion Perez, Jackie Gonzaga, Jugs Jugueta, Teddy Corpuz, Cianne Dominguez, MC, and Lassy were joined by the past contestants, and winners of its hit segments, "Miss Q &A," "Reina ng Tahanan," "Showtime Sexy Babe," "Tawag ng Tanghalan" as well as the 'Batang Cute-po' of "Isip Bata" and members of Hashtags.

Vice Ganda

Aside from the new timeslot, the show also announced changes in "Isip Bata," wherein P25,000 will be added to the pot money of the next game if the contestant fails to win the current jackpot prize.

The Unkabogable star also launched her new single, "Rampa," while the semifinals of the country's longest-running singing competition, "Tawag ng Tanghalan," has also started. See who among the 12 semifinalists will reach the 'Huling Tapatan' on Saturday (May 6).

Meanwhile, netizens expressed their delight over the show's new timeslot the hashtag #ItsTimeforShowtimetrended worldwide.

Don't miss the excitement and fun on "It'sShowtime," 12 NN on A2Z, Kapamilya Channel,TV5, Kapamilya Online Live, ABS-CBN Entertainment's YouTube channel, and Facebook page, iWantTFC, and TFC IPTV. Catch its online show, "Showtime Online U," 11:45 AM on Kapamilya Online Live.

Gasoline price cut by P1.50/liter; diesel by P1.30/liter

LPG prices rise by P0.85/kg

BY MYRNA M. VELASCO

May 1, 2023 02:34 PM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• Consumers will have a mixed spending cargo this week as the price of petroleum products at the pumps will be on rollback; while cooking fuel LPG will be increased by P0.85 per kilogram.

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Motorists can rest easy this week, as the price of gasoline products will be on rollback by P1.50 per liter, while diesel prices will also go down by P1.30 per liter, based on the announcement by oil companies.

Industry players also sent notices for a price cut of P1.40 per liter for kerosene, an essential commodity support to key industries, primarily the aviation sector.

As of this writing, the oil firms that already advised on their price cuts had been Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Seaoil, Cleanfuel and Chevron Philippines effective May 2 (Tuesday); while their competitor-firms are all anticipated to follow.

The domestic oil companies will be trimming their prices this week based on the costs swing of the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS), the pricing index for fuel commodities being traded in the regional market.

Conversely, for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which is the preferred cooking fuel of most Filipino households, this will rise by P0.82 to P0.85 per kilogram (kg) or aggregate P9.02 to P9.35 for the standard 11-kilogram cylinder.

The LPG firms that already announced price hikes include Petron Corporation, Phoenix Petroleum at P0.85 per kg; while Solane has a leaner increase of P0.82 per kg - all effective on May 1 and that pricing adjustment will stay for the rest of the month.

Additionally, Petron and Phoenix Petroleum advised that the prices of their autoLPG products for vehicles will go higher by P0.48 per liter this month.

For the oil products at the pumps, experts noted that the softening of prices in the world market last week had been generally anchored on reinforced sentiment of global economic slowdown – which was strongly manifested by reported decline in capital goods spending of the United States, a mammoth oil consumer.

Fears of economic recession have been a recurring theme igniting downward pressure on global oil prices since last year; and until this time, there are no concrete projections yet that markets can steadily lean on to when it comes to the world’s overall economic health.

The downswing in international oil prices has been permeating in recent weeks despite earlier announcement by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and ally-producers (OPEC+) that they will be cutting down production starting this May.

Flights cancelled, more flight delays expected as power outage hits NAIA anew

BY AARON RECUENCO

May 1, 2023 08:25 AM

  

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The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) was hit with another power outage early morning of Monday, May 1, which is reminiscent of the New Year’s Day technical glitch that caused blackout and led to hundreds of thousands of passengers being stranded due to flight cancellations.

In a statement, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said the power outage hit the NAIA Terminal 3 at 1:05 a.m. 

The power outage, according to the MIAA, forced the use of standby power in supplying electricity to critical facilities enabling computer systems of airlines and Immigration to function partially and enable processing of both inbound and outbound passengers.

“As a result, delayed flights shall be expected,” the statement read.

As of 8:10 a.m. at least 40 domestic flights were cancelled for the Cebu Pacific alone based on the latest flight advisory released at 8:10 a.m. They are:

5J 504/503 Manila-Tuguegarao-Manila
5J 325/326 Manila-Daraga-Manila
5J 383/384 Manila-Cagayan-Manila
5J 196/197 Manila- Cauayan-Manila
5J 703/704 Manila-Dipolog-Manila
5J 637/638 Manila- Puerto Princesa-Manila
5J 911/912 Manila- Caticlan-Manila
5J 553/554 Manila-Cebu-Manila
5J 617/618 Manila- Panglao-Manila
5J 483/484 Manila- Bacolod-Manila
5J 951/952 Manila-Davao-Manila
5J 793/794 Manila- Butuan-Manila
5J 859/860    Manila- Zamboanga-Manila
5J 993/994 Manila- General Santos-Manila
5J 781/782 Manila- Ozamiz-Manila
5J 909/910 Manila-Caticlan-Manila
5J 449/450 Manila-Iloilo-Manila
5J 659/660 Manila-Tacloban-Manila
5J 887/888 Manila- Cotabato-Manila
5J 773/774 Manila- Pagadian-Manila

But the MIAA said its Engineering team is now looking into the cause of power failure along with technical personnel from Meralco. 

“The MIAA Management apologizes to air travellers for the inconvenience that the situation may have brought to them,” the statement read.

“MIAA operations personnel are now continuously doing the rounds of Terminal 3 to provide assistance to passengers and answer inquiries they might have,” it added.

The dignity of work

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

ON the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker which is celebrated on May 1, we are reminded of this often-ignored dignity of our work, all kinds of work, big or small, as long as it is not sinful work. It is a matter that needs a lot of airing out and clarification, especially these days when a lot of confusion and error hound this very important aspect of our life.

Work is a gift of God for us. It is part of our human nature. It’s not a punishment due to our human limitations, let alone, our sins. As we learn from the Book of Job, “A man is born to labour, and a bird to flight.” (5,7) In fact, a man who refuses to work for no good reason would undermine his humanity.

Work is what we need for our human development, both personal and social. But more than that, given our dignity as image and likeness of God, children of his, sharers of his divine life and nature, our work is actually a participation in the ongoing providence and governance of God over all his creation.

In effect, our work, no matter how ordinary and small it is, is where we have our usual encounter with God. It’s where the drama of whether we are with God or not, whether we give glory to him or not, whether we truly love him or we simply are loving and indulging on ourselves, takes place.

Our work is meant to foster our dignity as persons and children of God. It’s never an enslaving element in our life. It is what would truly humanize and Christianize us. Wherever we are, we should see to it that everyone has the proper understanding of work and always has work to do. 

Whether one is at home doing the usual household chores or immersed in the different levels of the world of business or the farms, schools, etc., he should know the true nature and purpose of work and act accordingly.

That way, whatever one’s work is, he is certain that he is affirming and developing his human and Christian dignity while working. A certain sense of joy and fulfillment would fill his heart.

For those who have people working for them, they have to make sure that their workers are happy with their work. Business leaders, for example, should give due attention to their workers and make due investments for the proper human and Christian development of their workers. In this, they should not be passive, but should take the initiative to know their workers’ condition and see how they can be developed.

It is usually in the world of business that a lot of violations and abuses are committed in the area of work. Businessmen should not worry only about profits and market shares. They should actively look into the overall welfare of their workers who, with their inferior position in the organization, are usually prone to be taken advantage of.

Other than simply interested in the technical aspects of work, businessmen should see to it that their workers are properly motivated and remunerated. The relation and interaction between bosses and workers should be abiding, close and warm. Without compromising the professional aspect, the relationship should be family-like. Everyone should deal with everybody else as persons and not just as some kind of automatons.