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!

SOPA of Governor Uy

Governor Arturo Uy delivered his State of the Provincial Address (SOPA) on February 29, 2012 at the ComVal Capitol.

Topping his achievements for the past year is the TOP 10 Best performing provinces in the Philippines by the DILG. It was attended by local officials, national agencies and new private sector people.

SMART Continues to Support Sendong-affected Schools

After providing uninterrupted mobile service, post-disaster free calls, and over three million Pesos in donations to help survivors of Tropical Storm SENDONG rebuild their lives, SMART Communications, inc. (Smart) recently turned over additional equipment, school supplies and slippers to affcetd schools and partners in Cagayan de Oro City.

To benefit are some 6,300 students and 245 teachers from seven public high schools and two public elementary schools that are SMART partners in the Dynamic learning Program and communication Teach.

Smart also turned over life straws or portable water filters to three CDO schools, that are still suffering from shortage of potable drinking water after flood-triggered landslides damaged major water distributions lines. 

These are such some of many other helping projects of SMART. Thank you and God speed. 

Davao del Sur's Coco-Sugar Business Epitomizes Countryside Development

DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo commended the Lao Integrated Farms Inc. based in Barangay Eman, Bansalan, Davao del Sur, for bringing in improvements at the rural areas in the part of this province, using appropraite technology innovations - as one could learn in an article by carina L. Cayon of the PIA 11.

Montejo said that the inventor and producer of the Donnabelle coconut sugar and syrup products made from coconut sap. epitomizes DOST's countryside development program as an effective and equitable strategy in realizing President Benigno Aquino's goal for an inclusive economic growth.

he explained that the countryside development covers the program of developing appropriate technology, improving existing products to be world-class products and generating jobs around the area. 

He said that the enterprise "clearly exemplifies' this, citing particularly the present employment that the firm has provided for the rural folks in its surroundings.

"We hope that the company would permit to become a model of the program," the dost official said during his visit at the farm recently to see the impact of the DOST-assisted projects under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Prpgram (SETUP). The DOST-SETUP provided the Lao Integrated Farms a financial assistance of 660,000 Pesos with no interest and payable for three years.

During the visit, Lao Integrated Farms owner and chei executive officer Benjamin Lao informed the DOST Secretary of how the business has improved a lot starting ten years ago from a barren land in Barangay Eman.

Lao recalled that he started developing about one-hectare coconut farm and introduced organic farming, until currently its Donnabelle coco sugar and syrup products are being exported to Australia, Germany and Japan. The business  has also expanded to other coco sugar-based products such as ginger tea, moringa, lemon grass and seasoning.

Lao (right) is a national awardee as Outstanding Farmer and Magsasakang Syentista.

First Cruise Ship to Dock in Davao

This city will welcome the first cruise ship to dock on March 30, 2012, carrying 371 French nationals to visit Davao City.

It is the NDS Voyages Princess Danae from France. It will dock after visiting Papua New Guinea. The French nationals as soon as they arrive on the 30th of March will be toured in selected tourist destinations in the city. The Department of Tourism also allotted a budget to show them around. 

Visitors then will be brought to Davao's newest and largest park, the "People's Park, and a personal encounter with the eagles at the Philippine Eagle.

Other areas where the visitors are set to visit are Davao's shopping havens like Aldevinco and the newest mall in the city, Abreeza. Princess Danae passengers are given an entire day to tour around the city. They will also set foot in Cebu and Manila as part of the regular stop overs.

Hopefully. Princess Danae will be the part of more cruise ships to include Davao in their destinations.

USEP Launches Campus Tree Planting Project

A tree planting activity inside the six-hectare campus of the University of Southeastern Philippines, Obrero, Davao City (where I am also teaching since 4 years), kicked off the launch of the university's sustainable campus project last February 14, 2012. The project is in partnership with the international environmental group Greenpeace.

The launch, highlighted by a forum on energy conservation and efficiency, was participated in by the USEP administrators and employees headed by USEP President Dr. Perfecto A. Alibin., and some students led by the Obrero Campus Student Council.

Alibin said that the program is really essential and timely nowadays. He mentioned the recent calamities that happened in different parts of the Philippines as well as the flodding in Davao City, that even didn't spare the USEP Obrero campus.

The administration led by Dr. Alibin signified their commitment to the program by affixing heir signature in the freedom tarp that bears the challenging questions and statement: "Do you love our Mother Earth? What can USEP do? Conserve energy?"

The project bears the Philippine slogan "Simple lang". "Simple lang - unplug!" "Simple lang - switch off!" "Simple lang - light up efficiently!" 

Music For Relaxing Hours: Carl Zeller and Riccardo Zandonai

(Riccardo Zandonai)

(Carl Zeller)

Here is more about them:

www.klausdoringclassicalmusic.webs.com

"Unofficially Yours" - the First Movie Team-Up Cruz/Locsin

Star Cinema's "Unofficial Yours". the first movie teamup of John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin, earned already 18.5 million Pesos on its first day.

Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina, this movie tells the story of a casual relationship. The opening numbers bode well for the film, especially since "No Other Woman" went on to become the second most successful movie last year with total gross revenue of 282.5 million Pesos for its entire run. 

The success of "Unofficially Yours" also cements Cruz's strong appeal at the box office. 

Relax - and enjoy a movie. Enjoy: "Unofficially Yours".

Young Leaders In ComVal

The First Sangguniang Kabataan Congress was held in ComVal with the theme "Super Kabataan para sa Kalikasan" on February 11 - 12, 2012 at the Lorenzo Sarmiento Sr. National High School.

Almost 1,000 youths from the eleven municipalities had a chance to get together and enhance their leadership skills as the second day event took place. 

The young leaders also launch  "War on Waste Program" and the Search for Most Outstanding SK 2012.

Governor Uy was very thankful for the dynamism and management  the batch of youth showed in his administration. Uy was challenging everyone to serve their constituents honestly with huminity.

Food Safety in The Philippines

Since living in the Philippines for good, I have tried many times food also offered by street vendors. No problems at all!

Since the last study of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST Regional Office XI) and its director Dr. Anthony Sales, street vendors seem to remain unaffected by this study. Several street vendors here in Davao said they are still enjoying the patronage of the locals. 

Meanwhile Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said banning in any parts of the city is not an option. Of course, go slow on street food, experts said after tests show germ traces. Authorities here cautioned the public against consuming street food in te wake of the results. People were told to wait until efforts to make street safe have been completed.

Already on January 12, 2012 food safety practitioners gathered for the multi-stakeholders forum of Promoting Food Industry Competitiveness Training  Program held at the Mariott Hotel in Pasay City.

During the forum, DOST XI Regional Director Dr. Anthony C. Sales was given the opportunity to discuss food safety initiatives in the region. Dr. Sales emphasized that there are three steps that must be pursued in dealing with food safety :

1. To have a Good Manufacturing Practices. The main issue here is that quality must be built in to a product not just tested in a product.

2. To conduct Hazard Analysis Critical Control points. This step deals with the safety of each product.

3. To have a food Safety Management System. This step is creating a food safety culture. 

After the forum Dr. Sales was optimistic, that the inputs of the stakeholders would be o great help in harmonizing initiatives towards achieving food safety in the whole Philippines. 

Dr. Sales also said, DOST would also lobby for the passage of an ordinance that would require vendors to submit samples of their food products before there are sold. He said a draft ordinance had been crafted with Davao councilor Pilar Praga, chair of the city's council's committee on trade, commerce and industry.]

Vendors, Sales said, should also be provided carts to keep their food safe. Each cart would cost from 10,000 till 20,000 Pesos and would be part of the DOST's assistancew program for street vendors.

German Consul Klaus Muller Visits DOST Regional Office XI

First Secretary and Consul Mr. Klaus Muller  from the German Embassy in Manila visited again Davao City during the  annual  German Consulars Day, held again in the University of Southeastern Philippines.

Consul Klaus Muller (Photo above extreme left) followed also an invitation of DOST (Department of Science and Technology) Regional Office XI Director Dr. Sales (second from right) together with Benjamin V.D. Estrelladao, Jr., Metrology and Metals Testing Lab-in-Charge and this writer.

"Certificate of Appreciation" (in this photo together with Ms. Elsie Mae A. Solidum, Assistant Regional Director Technical Services Division).

Bad Weather in The Philippines

A friend of mine, living in the U.S., emailed me this morning and asked, if it is true, that Mindanao is expecting another taifun.

An active low pressure area will bring widespread rains over Visayas and Eastern Mindanao, according to the Philippine Atmosphere, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). And, I must confess, while writing this piece, it's starting again raining here in Davao City.

PAGASA, in its weather synopsis, said that the ALPA was estimated based on satellite and surfaced data at 350 kilometers east of Southern Mindanao. The APLA is now diminishing its chances to become a tropical cyclone as it approaches land. 

For its wind and sea alert, the weather bureau said moderate to strong winds blowing from the east  will prevail over Luzon and coming from the east to northeast over Visayas and Mindanao. 

Guys, where ever you are located, please be safe.

Philippine Film Industry in Decline

As one could learn from AFP, the number of films produced in the Philippine movie industry has halved over the past decade in the face or privacy and Hollywood competition, a government study showed.

Only the rise of independent film-makers has saved the industry from declining further, with "Indie" movies now accounting for more than the half the total made in the Philippines.

"There are many factors causing the fall. There is piracy and competition from foreign movies. Local movies are also not given as much support from the oublic", said government statistical  coordination officer Gerald Clarino.

No wonder, the top-grossing movies in the Philippines were typically US-made films with multi-million-dollar  budgets that the local movie industry could not afford.

Filipino "indie" directors, such as Brillante Mendoza (check out here http://www.germaninthephilippines.tropicalpenpals.com) and others, have won awards at prestigious foreign film festivals.