China and Philippines Ended Standoff

China and the Philippines have4 reportedly ended their week-long standoff in area in the South China Sea to which both countries lay claim.

The standoff last Sunday, when Filipino authorities reportedly intercepted eight Chinese poacher boats and demanded they hand over their catch.

Chinese officials saw the encounter as harassment to its nationals and responded by dispatching three larger surveillance vessels to Scarborough Shoal - located 230 kilometres from the Filipino Zambales Province, which the Philippines claims as its territory.

Manila, in turn deployed its largest navy ship.

There is concern over clashes in the region prompted by what may consider to China's growing assertiveness in its claims to territories. The last major standoff happened between China and Vietnam and claimed the lives of 70 Vietnamese sailors in 1988.

Climate Change in Mindanao

It's summer again in the Philippines. It's hot - also here in Mindanao. It rains. Sometimes it pours cats and dogs. Yes, we can feel the climate change also here. Especially Region XII is highly at risk in a changing climate condition with increased rainfall and rising sea levels.

Herlita G. Caraan, National Statistical coordinator Board Region XII chief, said that more rainfall, an increase in temperature and rising sea levels would hit the area in the medium term 2020 - 2050.

In a fact sheet, NSCB Region XII warned of worse flooding, landslide and storm surges affecting hundreds of villages in the region as a result of climate change. Based on a mid-range scenario simulations by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), rainfall in Region XII was predicted to increase in 2020 by as much as 14.8 percent and 15.6 percent by 2050.

The increased rainfall was projected to happen during the north-east monsoon season (December to February) and during transition of seasons from September to November. These period will be wetter and with potential for increased flooding.

Temperatures are also expected to increase across the whole year. This is what people experience right now - and not only in Mindanao. Warmer temperatures would also result to increase risks to infectious diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis. 

The NCSB XII report says, that areas mostly likely to be affected are coastal areas  in Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City and especially Cotabato City as 70 percent of the city's total land area is below sea level. 

Philippine Press Institute Goes Live Streaming

For the first time since 1997 when the first press forum was organized, the Philippine Press Institute will cover live its 16th National Press forum on Media Accountability and Public engagement via video streaming on April 23 and 24 at Traders Hotel manila.

This is made possible by the Information Technology Ventures (ICTV) which offered its services and technical resources for free. Considered as one of the most anticipated annual gathering of publishers and editors from the 71-member newspaper of the institute, the Press forum will be accessed via Internet TV, to specifically cater to audiences who will not be able to attend the conference.

This year's exclusive broadcast partner TV 5, will also cover the vent from start to finish. Speeches from the main forum and industry forum will be made available in the PPI website www.philpressinstitute.com .

President Benigno Aquino is keynote speaker in the opening ceremonies. He is the first head of state to grace the annual event. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales is guest of honour in the Civic Journalism Community Press Awards which will honour outstanding community newspapers for excellence in various categories.

The PPI is celebrating its 48th founding year and 25th year since reactivation in 1987. Dubbed as "PPI: Legacy of a Free Press', the celebration recognizes the restoration of democracy in the country through the historic People power that eventually reinstated social institutions, the media included.

Hans Pfitzner and Siegfried Ochs - Classical Music Masters... .

(Hans Pfitzner)

(Siegfried Ochs)

Check out more about these two fantastic classical composers here:

http://www.klausdoringclassicalmusic.webs.com

And don't miss listening my radio show "Classics with Klaus Doring", Sundays from 2 to 4 pm on 104.3 FM "The Edge Radio Davao" (Philippine Standard Time) or via live stream:

http://www.livestream.com/theedgeradiodavao

DOST to Strengthen Teachers on Disaster Management

As we are experiencing climate change, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) deemed it necessary to increase awareness and strengthen the capability of Science and Mathematics teachers on disaster risk reduction and management. Although one seldom experience strong earthquakes in Southern Mindanao, the disaster risk reduction and management awareness will guide teachers as well as students on how to effectively respond when such phenomenon occurs.

Fifty Science and Mathematics teachers from elementary and secondary schools as well as State Universities and Colleges in the region will gather on April 24-27, 2012 for the seminar workshop on "Strengthen the Capacity of Science and Mathematics Teachers on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management". The Science Education Insitute (SEI) of DOST recognizes that it is one of the fundamental functions of teachers to take part in educating students spend more hours in school, it is crucial for the teachers to understand the concepts on disasters and climate change to effectively and accurately transfer information to students. Students can then transfer the information to their family members causing a multiplier effect.

Experts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geogrpahical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS), Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-MGB), and the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) will be invited as resource speakers during the said seminar workshop.

Participants, aside from being trained and capacitated to teach disaster risk reduction and management to students, are expected to come up with a disaster risk reduction and management plan for their respective schools.

 

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.