Saturday, October 29, 2011

...the marksmen

Army marksmen bag medals in Asean rifle meet

10/29/2011
 
Victory dedicated to fallen comrades in Basilan
 



MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Army marksmen bagged 4 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze medals in the recently concluded 21st ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) held in Indonesia from October 8 to October 27.

Lieutenant Colonel Ricky Bunayog, the Commander of the Army's Marksmanship Unit, said that the 42-man contingent of Army marksmen finished in the Top 3 among the 10 competing countries.

"We fared well in the Pistol, Rifle, Machine Gun, and Carbine Categories. We also won two Perpetual Trophies. Our hard work, especially during trainings, paid off. Once again, we have shown our capabilities to our fellow Armies in the ASEAN region," Bunayog said in a statement.

Corporal Rodney Rizano, a 10-year veteran of the AARM, was declared as the Best Rifle Shooter in the whole of the ASEAN region bringing home two individual Gold medals in the rifle category.

Sergeant Allan Lao, another veteran marksman, was adjudged as the second best among the 100 strong rifle shooters.

Sergeant Williard Carrera, a 6-year veteran in the Pistol matches, captured a silver and bronze medal in the said event.

Private First Class Jumar Cenas likewise added another 2 bronze medals in the Carbine Match.

The Machine Gun Team also placed second in the Machine Gun Falling Plates event bringing home four Silver medals for the Philippine Army contingent.

Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz personally commended the Army soldiers for showing their worth in the competition.

"Marksmanship is one of the most important skills of an Army soldier. As champion shooters, you must impart this skill to the other soldiers in the field," said Ortiz.

Ortiz also reminded the soldiers about the bravery of their fallen comrades in the tragic encounters in Basilan Island.

"We will dedicate this achievement in honor to our fallen soldiers who offered the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the nation," Ortiz said.

...the center of center of biodiversity

PHL biodiversity in ‘The Great Expedition’ wows American TV viewers


A recently aired US television special on the world's richest and endangered biological hotspots – which was also posted online – has viewers saying “wow" to the Philippines’ rich biodiversity from rainforest up in the mountains to reefs underwater.

US-based ABC7 KGO-TV aired “Reefs to Rainforests: The Great Expedition," where Philippine and San Francisco Bay Area scientists discovered 300 new species.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8404396


“The one-hour telecast highlighted the largest expedition of the California Academy of Sciences (CAS), a state-of-the-art natural history museum with an aquarium and planetarium. CAS chose the Philippines as the country was believed to be the 'center of the center' of global biodiversity," the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco reported.

Consul General Marciano Paynor Jr. said: “This video presentation left me with a greater appreciation of the richness of our country. I encourage our Kababayans to watch, promote and share this telecast with friends and family to discover the immense biodiversity of animal and plant life in the Philippines."

“The expedition made ground-breaking developments and discoveries, and recommended new protected areas for the preservation of the Philippines’ ecosystem," the Consulate General said.

The Consulate General also provided a link to the documentary available online, which also highlights how aquarium biologists maintain environmentally sustainable exhibits, including a living model of a Philippine coral reef at CAS.

Historic survey of PHL bio-diversity

Aside from being the largest expedition undertaken by CAS, the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition was promoted as the most historic and comprehensive study of terrestrial and marine biodiversity in the Philippines’ mega-diverse 7,100-island archipelago.

From April 26 to June 10 this year, the expedition team – whose members included 31 Americans with scores of Filipino botanists, entomologists, herpetologists, mammalogists and marine biologists – explored the shallow-water reefs, deep sea, and terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems of the country, looking for new life-forms never been recorded.

The local scientists in the expedition were from the University of the Philippines (UP), as well as from the De La Salle University, University of Batangas, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture, and the National Museum of the Philippines.

Among the places included in the expedition are Lake Taal, Anilao, the Verde Island Passage in Batangas, Mt. Makiling in Laguna, Mt. Banahaw in Quezon, Mt. Malarayat in Batangas, and Mt. Isarog in the Bicol region.

“Our country is remarkably rich in biodiversity, from coral reefs to forests, rivers and lakes. Conservation of these resources is most critical to species survival, stable ecosystems and economic development on the Philippines and the world as well," said UP Institute of Biology director Perry Ong, who co-chaired of the UP Steering Committee of the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition, on the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity website. — Marlon Anthony R. Tonson /LBG, GMA News

...the X-factor

Pinay's group enters 'The X Factor' finals

10/29/2011
 
 
 
MANILA, Philippines – InTENsity, which has Filipina singer Ellona Santiago as a member, has made its way to the finals of "The X Factor" US singing competition.
 
 
 
Santiago led the way for InTENsity to be among the top 12 finalists since she was the lead female vocalist for the night.

The other contestants joining Santiago’s group in the top 12 are Melanie Amaro, Rachel Crow and Drew for the girls; Astro, Marcus Canty and Chris Rene for the boys; LeRoy Bell, Stacy Francis and Josh Krajcik for the over 30s; and Lakoda Rayne and The Stereo Hogzz for the Groups.

The finalists will compete for America's votes starting on Thursday, November 3, during the first live performance night airing at 7 p.m. via satellite on Studio 23.

This will be followed by “The X Factor’s” first results night on Friday, November 4.

Friday, October 28, 2011

...the heroes of Fukushima

4 caregivers cited for Japan heroism


By ROY C. MABASA
October 28, 2011
Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — Four Filipino caregivers working at the Social Welfare Juridical Seihoukai in Komine-en, Shirakawa City, in the southern portion of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, were chosen to receive the 2011 Bagong Bayani Award (New Heroes Award) for Community and Social Service by the Bagong Bayani Foundation in Manila.President Benigno Aquino III is expected to give the award to the four Filipino caregivers in fitting ceremonies at Malacañang on Dec. 1.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel M. Lopez commended Filipino caregivers Gemma F. Juanay, Juliet C. Tobay, Sandra S. Otacan and Mercedes Joie G. Aquino for the recognition bestowed on them.
According to Lopez, despite imminent danger from the nuclear accident that struck Japan last March, the four Filipinos chose to remain in their jobs and continued to provide care and companionship to their Japanese elderly patients.

The four Filipino caregivers are working in the institution for the elderly located in Fukushima Prefecture, some distance away from a no-go zone declared by the Japanese government as an aftermath of the East Japan earthquake and the devastation wrought by the tsunami last March 11.

Lopez said this was not the first time that the four Filipino caregivers were given recognition.

He said they were also bestowed recognition and honor by the Japanese people through the kind words and rewards that have been expressed and heartily given them, including the attention that local media has provided which, he said, serve as true testaments to their heroism.

In fact, last May 11, the four Filipinos were invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by the Japan Foreign Minister at the Iikura House in Tokyo.

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Tokyo headed by Labor Attaché Clifford A. Paragua has nominated the four caregivers for the 2011 Bagong Bayani Award after they showed utmost compassion, even downplaying the significant personal risks they faced at that time, to ensure the safety and survival of their patients.

The award is part of the national search for the Philippines’ outstanding and exemplary overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The award seeks to recognize and pay tribute to OFWs for their significant efforts in fostering goodwill among peoples of the world, enhancing and promoting the image of the Filipino as a competent, responsible and dignified worker, and for greatly contributing to the socio-economic development of their communities and the Philippines as a whole.


...the Universal Studio's animator

Passion, perseverance spell success for Philippine-based animator


By Rima Jessamine M. Granali
Philippine Daily Inquirer
 

Like the characters in his animated works, Fernan Lagran has proved that following one’s heart can lead to success.

Animator/director Lagran is one of the artists behind globally successful cartoons like Walt Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch,” Universal Studio’s “Land Before Time” and Emmy award winning series “Curious George.”

Lagran is currently a project director for Toon City Animation Inc. based in Mandaluyong City.
“I oversee everything, the entire production from layout, animation, clean-up, among others, and handle an average of 25 artists,” said the artist, a licensed nurse by profession.

After a client sends the story board, Lagran instructs his artists on how the scenes should be created. When their work passes his standards, the drawings are digitally processed.

Before shipping the scenes, Lagran views the first runs with Toon City’s creative director Russ Mooney and sometimes, with the client in a digital room run by software Avid, where the black and white drawings come to life.

The consummate animator had always loved drawing and painting. When he was still in grade school, his father enrolled him at Arts Instruction Schools (AIS), a correspondence school-based in Minnesota.

“My father knew I had talent. When I was young, we used to draw together. My mom would be the judge. Of course, my mom would let me win,” he said with a laugh.

Throughout high school, Lagran juggled academics and sessions at AIS, and joined every art contest in town.

“Winning in drawing and painting contests helped me gain exposure, experience and confidence,” he said. His achievements include the Blue Ribbon Art Award, which is given to the best AIS students from all over the world.

A chance encounter with a friend proved to be his ticket to the world of animation. “I once tried selling computer packages in Parañaque after college. A colleague who happened to see my portfolio introduced me to his sibling working for an animation company,” Lagran said.

But he appeared to have been prepared for the calling all his life.


The nursing graduate from the University of Santo Tomas recalled that while in college, he would spend time at the university’s central library to read art books. “I was curious and hungry for information,” he said.

Taking up nursing to please his mother who wanted him to become a doctor, Lagran later took an expected detour. “I had intended to follow my mom but I felt I would do better if I were in the field of the arts, so I asked her to let me choose the career I wanted after finishing college,” he said.

“If you want to excel, you have to work hard for it. You have to be passionate and knowledgeable,” he added.

When he was Mooney’s assistant, he recalled a time when he retouched piles of rejected drawings reaching almost 4-feet high.

Sensing his perseverance and a great attention to details, Mooney deemed him ripe for promotion as project director at Toon City.

Today, Lagran shares his passion and expertise with aspiring animators to help raise the standards in the country’s thriving animation industry.

Lagran gives inspirational talks to students and trains some of Toon City’s entrants, passing on what he learned from AIS and from reference tools at the Toon City library. Phinma has also tapped him to teach professors, who will pass on the fundamentals of the art to their students in Araullo University, Cagayan de Oro University, University of Pangasinan and University of Iloilo.

Apart from Mooney, he also draws inspiration from former bosses Ric Jamlig and Zaldy Zuno who served as his mentors when he was just starting out.

“The country is blessed with talented artists,” Lagran said. “My proposal is to teach Drawing 101 (basic principles of Arts) as early as in grade school to help gifted students hone their talents at an early age.”

The lack of animators who are skilled in both 2D and 3D services is one of the challenges faced by the industry, he said.

“Changing times call for adaptability. What’s ‘in’ today may not be useful tomorrow. Right now, technology challenges the traditional 2D animation medium and somehow dictates the trend,” Lagran added.

India, one of the Philippines’ closest competitors in the creative outsourcing arena, is ahead in terms of 3D animation technology, he said.

Filipino 2D animators are just starting to learn the intricacies of 3D, but their knack for humor and their great attitude towards work will always be an advantage, he said.

Big animation studios like Walt Disney and Warner Brothers prefer Filipino animators because “we understand American comedy,” Lagran added.

But if he were to create an original concept, it would highlight “the Filipino brand of comedy – funny yet heartwarming,” he said. “Definitely not slapstick and violence. As animators, we are accountable to our viewers, mostly children. It should reflect the aspirations of the Filipino community and should be a good influence on children.”

Thursday, October 27, 2011

..the Chairman on subterranean river

Bernard Weber’s visit boosts underground river’s hopes

 

Philippine Daily Inquirer



Puerto Princesa Underground River


The surprise visit over the weekend of Bernard Weber, president and founder of the New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7WN), to Puerto Princesa City has buoyed the chances of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) to win a spot in the online listing of the world’s natural wonders.

In fact, Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn believes the underground river is a cinch to take top spot in the global contest, according to the city’s information office.

Weber, who spearheads the Switzerland-based N7WN, has been waging a campaign for years to promote environmental consciousness and inculcate a culture of ecological preservation worldwide. He visited the Puerto Princesa’s entry, the world’s longest navigable underground river,

Weber described the underground river as ‘‘masterpiece of nature,” the information office said.

Aquino’s vote


Hagedorn said the feverish campaign for votes through e-mail and text messages for the PPUR secured political significance when President Benigno Aquino III himself voted for the unique 8.2-kilometer underground river and urged all Filipino citizens to vote.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through Secretary Ramon Paje, has called on all citizens to vote for PPUR, which is competing against a number of natural sites in Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Europe.

Even the country’s top three telecommunications firms have united in an effort to boost PPUR’s chances of bagging the top spot by launching  “Pera sa Kweba” text promo where a  lucky winner will have a chance to win P25 million in the grand draw on Dec. 30, 2011.

PPUR is bidding to be in the top spot of the final batch of natural wonders to be enshrined among the list of sites that deserve to be preserved, protected and defended from despoliation.

PPUR moved up to the top 7 circle of winners after beating the top 28 contestants several months ago.

Weber is said to have been impressed during his visit by the underground river’s magnificence, featuring spectacular limestone and karst formations, and the recently discovered prehistoric sea cow imbedded on limestone, several feet above sea level.

Weber was quoted as saying ‘‘it was a diamond experience for him to travel inside the underground river.”
Asked to describe the underground river, Weber said: ‘‘It’s a masterpiece of nature.” He said he would vote for the site, if he were allowed to vote.

Hagedorn said Weber’s visit to the underground river was a ‘‘very positive sign” of the outcome of the contest.

‘‘But as far as I am concerned, PPUR already won,” he added.

...the Trailblazer of Democracy awardee

Fil-Am leader gives back to community

10/27/2011
 
 
 
NEW YORK CITY, NY - Inspired by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s First Lady, The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy aims to build a new generation of pro-choice democratic women candidates, informed voters and political activists throughout New York.
 
 
 
Filipino community leader Loida Nicolas Lewis received the “Trailblazer of Democracy Award” for her great contribution to then Senator Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2008.
 
Judith Hope founder of The Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy said, “We honored Lewis today because she’s a great inspiration to so many of us. She’s an outstanding woman of great accomplishment, great compassion. She’s a wonderful example for young women and old women all over the State.”
 
Lewis said, “As a Filipina, I am very very proud to receive it so that the rest of the Filipinos can say, Yes we can do it!”
 
Other honorees include US Congresswoman Kathleen Hochul and Citi Foundation’s President and CEO Pamela Flaherty. 
 
New York Senator Charles Schumer said there are now thousands of Filipino nurses in the US saving people’s lives and contributing to the US, thanks to Lewis. 
 
Senator Schumer said, “Loida Lewis is one of the country’s leading Filipino women and 15 years ago when there was a desperate shortage of nurses in this country and the talent of Philippine women to come here and be nurses was being blocked by the same kind of non-thinking approach to immigration that too many exhibit in Washington today, Loida led the charge to change it”.
 
A graduate of UP Law School in the early 60’s, Lewis was the first Asian, Filipino at that, to pass the New York Bar without attending law school in the US. 
 
After the unexpected death of her husband, Reginald F. Lewis in 1993, Loida stepped into the leadership role of the company he built, as Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice - where she turned the company around into what it is today. 
 
Lewis ranked number 1 among the "Top 50 Women Business Owners in America" by Working Woman Magazine in 1994.
 
She also served as the General Attorney in the US Immigration and Naturalization Service and co-authored “How to Get a Greencard,” now on its 9th edition, it continues to be a bestseller on Amazon.com.
 
In her hometown in Sorsogon, Bicol in the Philippines she founded the Lewis College - offering pre-K through college education.
 
She also funded the microfinance “People’s Alternative Livelihood of Sorsogon,’ uplifting at least 20,000 families out of poverty. 
 
“God has been so good to me, he has given me so many benefits and advantages, we have to give back, we have to share and that’s what I’m doing," Lewis said. 
  
An amazing community leader today, Lewis has focused her energies on many issues and advocacies concerning the Filipino community - including overseas absentee voting, the Philippine’s claim to the Spratly Islands and the US Pinoys for Good Governance.
 
For being a successful Filipino businesswoman, a socially responsible community leader and a trailblazer, Loida Nicolas Lewis is a Filipino Champion.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

...the Photo Walk winner

Pinoy from Surigao wins Photo Walk grand prize

 
A 32-year-old educator from Surigao del Norte, Jaime Cesar Tibe, was named as the grand prize winner of the 2011 Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk.

Jaime Cesar Tibe's winning photo (From www.scottkelby.com)
Tibe's winning photo — showing a naked boy leaping into the water with his arms outstretched— stood out among nearly a thousand entries from various Photo Walk locations around the world.

The Worldwide Photo Walk was started by Kelby, an American photographer and post-processing trainer who heads the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP).

In the announcement he made on his blog Friday, Kelby lauded the shot's "sense of balance" and said it "makes me smile."

"As soon as I saw it, I smiled, and I'm still smiling," the award-winning photographer wrote. "Just looks like a beautiful summer's day, and a wonderful scene along the walk route... Great capture, moment, emotion, processing, and composition."

According to its website, a Photo Walk “is a social photography event where photographers get together in any public area to walk around, shoot photos, and generally have fun with other photographers."

Tibe, a first-time participant at the Worldwide level, will receive a number of technology-savvy prizes which include:


  • a collection of books authored by Kelby;

  • a 32-gigabyte iPad;

  • a one-year membership at the NAPP; and

  • a one-year subscription to Kelby Training.

    Aside from the grand prize, Kelby also named 10 honorable mentions. A People’s Choice award will also be given to the photo with the most number of online votes.

    ‘Overwhelmed’

    In an e-mail to GMA News Online, Tibe admitted that he "was overwhelmed" to have won the photography contest because he is only a hobbyist.

    A dean at the Northeastern Mindanao Colleges in Surigao City, Tibe shared that he has only been into photography for more than a year who only bought his own camera two months ago.

    Before getting his own gadget, he said he borrowed from his photographer friends, who influenced him to dip into the craft as well.

    “Pahiram hiram lang ako noon. I started last year sa hobby na ito, and I know marami pa akong bigas na kakainin. [I’m] still in the process para maging professional photographer," he said.

    "I can't believe na nanalo ako. Imagine out of 20,000 walkers, ako ang napiling grand prize winner," he wrote.

    Tibe, a member of the Surigao Photo Club, said he was among the 40 photography enthusiasts who joined the Walk in Surigao City last October 2.

    He shared that his entry was taken by the end of the two-kilometer walk at the Surigao City Blvd., when a group of young boys on the rooftop of a waiting shed called his attention.

    “Pagkadaan ko, sabi ng isang bata, ‘Uncle, magtapon ka ng limang piso sa dagat, kukunin namin.’ Doon nag-start ang composition ko. Every time my girlfriend [would] throw [a] five-peso [coin] sa dagat, tumatalon sila [para kunin ‘yun]," he told GMA News Online.

    Tibe decided to use his photo of the second coin diver, which he believed was his winning shot out of 195 captures that day.

    Two Filipinos have previously made the Honorable Mentions list—Minella Rivera of Malolos, Bulacan in 2009 and Ronald Suello of Cebu City in 2008.

    For this year, two other Filipinos made the list that Kelby made for entries that did not make the winning cut:

  • Victor Kintanar of Cebu City for “Best Shot That Gets Better Once You Spot The Subject"; and

  • RJ Palad of Manila for “Best Shot That Tells a Story".
    - with Justin Joyas, VVP, GMA News

  • Tuesday, October 25, 2011

    ...the PH rank in Lucknow Math Olympiad

    PH wins 2nd place in int'l math tilt

     
    By JONATHAN M. HICAP
    October 24, 2011
    Manila Bulletin
     
     
    MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines placed second in the overall ranking in the Wizards at Mathematics International Competition (WIZMIC) held in Lucknow, India, on Oct. 21-24. Filipino students reaped awards in the individual and team contests, Dr. Simon Chua, president of the Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines (MTG), said Monday.

    In the overall ranking, Philippines Team B emerged second. The team was composed of Xavier Jefferson Ray Go of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School; Miko Johnson Ong Co of St. Stephen’s High School; Jasper John Segismundo of Pasig Catholic College, and Cristiana Marie Calderon of Falcon Learning Center. Indonesia Math Ed Clinic Team D came first.

    In the individual contest, Filipino students bagged six gold, four silver, and four bronze medals.

    The Filipino gold medalists are Gene Go Jr. and Xavier Jefferson Ray Go of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School; Raphael Villaluz of San Beda College, Alabang in Muntinlupa City, Cary Albert Chan of St. Jude Catholic School, Miko Johnson Ong Co of St. Stephen’s High School, and Jasper John Segismundo of Pasig Catholic College.

    Silver medalists are Terence Brian Tsai of Chiang Kai Shek College, Cristiana Marie Calderon of Falcon Learning Center, Mikhaela Marie Diaz of Special Education Center for the Gifted, and Ezzekiel Young of Jubilee Christian Academy.

    Winners of bronze medals are Lou Irish Gonzales of Pasig Catholic School, Anica Clarice Antonella Galano of St. Paul College-Pasig, Angelika Joie Tagupa of Colegio San Agustin-Makati, and Andrew Vince Lee of Xavier School.

    In the team contest, Philippines Team B won first place and Philippines Teams C and D won second place and Philippines Team A won third place. RP Team D included Tofelle John Jipos of Pasig Catholic College, and Neil Joshua Patiag of Special Education Center for the Gifted.

    Dr. Chua said 39 teams from nine countries joined the contest. Participating countries are China, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, South Africa, Sri Lanka, host India, and the Philippines.

    The WIZMIC was organized by the City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, with the support of the Lucknow government.

     

    Monday, October 24, 2011

    ...the Ten Commandments building

    Prayer building earns Guinness record

    By Vincent Cabreza
    Inquirer Central Luzon


    WORLD’S FIRST This 12-meter-high building shaped like the Ten Commandments tablets in Baguio City’s Dominican Hill earned a Guinness World Record. RICHARD BALONGLONG/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON


    BAGUIO CITY—A 12.19-meter-high building painted like stone tablets containing the biblical Ten Commandments has earned for the summer capital a Guinness World Record, thanks to a businesswoman who also funded the unveiling of a giant Philippine flag here earlier this year.

    Grace Galindez-Gupana seems to have a penchant for setting world records. Her company claims she now holds seven records, including being the creator of the biggest national flag and organizer of the biggest clinical sessions for diabetics and cholesterol watchers.

    Gupana, chief executive officer of ABS Gen Herbs International Corp., turned over to the city government a P5.5-million, A-shaped “prayer building” featuring the Ten Commandments in July.

    Gupana commissioned Nueva Ecija contractors in March to design and rush work on the structure located within the Diplomat Hotel compound, said Rafael Talokoy, executive secretary of Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan.

    The fully furnished building has inclined 12-meter (40-foot) walls. One wall bears inscriptions of the Ten Commandments, portraying the two slabs of stone that were borne by Moses as described in the Bible.

    Domogan on Friday said his office had confirmed the Guinness citation and that a representative from the organization would be coming here this week with the official document. “We were assured that the building is a world-record holder,” he said.

    The mayor recalled that Gupana, who he said “considers Baguio the Philippine city of worship,” offered to build the facility in February. This was after she led the unveiling of a giant Philippine flag for a second time at the Baguio Athletic Bowl.

    “After turning over the building, Gupana went on her own to apply and earn a certification from the Guinness organization that this is the world’s first and tallest facility (that features the) Ten Commandments,” Talokoy said.

    Other records


    According to ABS Gen’s website, Gupana holds seven Guinness World Records, among them the feat of developing the world’s largest national flag, an 18,847-square meter Israeli banner which can cover an area of two football fields.

    The site claimed that Gupana earned world record citations for producing the longest banner (composed of giant flags representing the Philippines, Israel and the two Koreas), the longest drawing of the Biblical serpent, dragon and beast mentioned in the Book of Revelations (5 kilometers long and 7 m wide), and the largest blood pressure checkup session that gathered 2,302 people.

    The site also credited Gupana for organizing the largest diabetes screening session for 503 people, the largest blood identification session involving 260 people, and the largest cholesterol test session for 527 people.

    The Inquirer could not independently confirm the authenticity of the world records.

    The Ten Commandments building will be officially unveiled on Oct. 26 in the presence of Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Menashe Bar-On and the Guinness representative.

    Domogan said the building would remain open to the public until the city council decides how the local government can regulate its use, Domogan said.


    3-way land dispute

    The location of Gupana’s facility earlier figured in a property dispute, after the 17-hectare Diplomat Hotel compound was relinquished to the city by the national government during the Arroyo administration in April 2004.

    The property became the subject of a three-way tug-of-war. The Sandiganbayan antigraft court maintained that it was promised a portion of the compound for its summer courthouse, the city’s evangelical community wanted the facility turned into a “prayer mountain,” while another group planned to convert the old hotel into a mining museum.

    Domogan said he was called to Malacañang recently because the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) wanted an explanation as to why Gupana’s building was built there although there was still conflict over the compound’s use.

    The conflict arose from a proposal made to the city council by former Foreign Secretary Delia Albert and civic leader Maria Isabel Ongpin to convert Diplomat Hotel into an interactive mining museum and library.

    The plan would exclude from the project a prayer facility being proposed by former Councilor Galo Weygan, an evangelical pastor. Weygan, who had been holding monthly religious assemblies in the compound, opposed the museum project.

    Palace wants it back

    Former Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. said the PMS sent a deed of reconveyance to the city in 2008, indicating that Malacañang intended to take back the Diplomat compound because the city government had reneged on its obligation to develop it in five years.

    “Malacañang was ready to take it back because it was convinced by officials backing the mining museum project that it would be better for them to transact with the Palace instead of the city government. But at the end of her term last year, Arroyo urged all parties to present their case before the new set of officials instead,” said Domogan, who was Baguio’s representative at the time.

    Cordelia Lacsamana, a city environment officer who oversees the compound, noted that the Sandiganbayan had started building its summer compound on portions of the property.

    Domogan said the city government had urged Albert to present her group’s plans again to the city council “so we can finally develop that property.”

    But last week, proponents of the mining museum reportedly agreed to an alternative proposal to secure one of the three sequestered Baguio properties of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos as their project site, Domogan said.

    “I endorsed that proposal also,” he said. “This means that the government can offer the Diplomat Hotel as a Public-Private Partnership project. We need to develop a hotel there because the [Ten Commandments building] will start drawing tourists soon.”

    Sunday, October 23, 2011

    ...the best currency series

    Like it or not, new peso bills star in currency award



    By: Michelle V. Remo
    Philippine Daily Inquirer




    Photo taken from http://www.bsp.gov.ph/


    What matter a mislocated map here or a wrong-colored beak there?

    The series of new peso bills, which was vilified after its launch last December for those two design errors, has been judged as one of the best currency series in the world in an international design competition.

    The set of new peso notes, called the “New Generation Currency (NGC)” series, was one of two finalists for best new currencies in the world in a worldwide contest organized by the International Association of Currency Affairs (Iaca).

    Iaca is an international organization of central banks, currency-issuing authorities, currency producers and suppliers.

    The winner of the Best Currency Award was the new series of shilling notes from Uganda. The other finalist for best new currencies was the new series of rupee notes from Sri Lanka.

    The contest is aimed at recognizing the best currencies that have been issued within the last 18 months. The currencies were evaluated on the basis of their design, including innovativeness and security features.

    ‘Best security features’


    Besides landing as a finalist, the Philippines’ NGC was also given a special award for best security features. The new series of peso notes was cited for its optically variable device patch, a feature of the new P500 and P1,000 bills.

    This feature, which counterfeiters would find hard to imitate, is the reflective foil that bears the image of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) logo with a parrot in the P500 bill and the South Sea pearl inside a clam in the P1,000 bill.

    The awards given to the Philippine currency were received by BSP Monetary Board Member Armando Suratos and BSP Deputy Governor Juan de Zuñiga at the award ceremony held earlier this month.

    Diwa Guinigundo, the deputy governor who headed the committee in charge of the design of the new peso bank notes, said the BSP is proud of the new series of peso notes because of its sophisticated features.

    The recognition of the new peso notes as one of the best in the world came after they were roundly criticized when they were launched in December last year.

    The critics said the new peso notes had errors in design, and urged the BSP to recall the series.

    Some of the errors cited were the allegedly inaccurately designed Philippine map and the wrong color used for the beak of the blue-naped parrot featured in the P500 note.

    The BSP said what the critics are pointing out are not errors.

    Sophistication of design

    The map, which critics said mislocated the Tubbataha Reef by 400 kilometers and did not clearly show Batanes, was simply an artist’s rendition, the central bank said. The map need not be 100-percent accurate because it is an artistic depiction and not meant to be a navigational tool, it said.

    As for the color of the parrot’s beak, which is rendered yellow in the P500 note when the actual color is red, the BSP said the inaccuracy was a consequence of printing-capability limitations. The printing of bank notes, unlike ordinary paper materials, have limited colors and the limitation did not allow the beak to be printed red, it said.

    Instead of criticizing the peso notes, people should recognize the sophistication of the design, especially as far as security features are concerned, the BSP said.

    For instance, the holograms and the embossed prints of monetary value in the peso notes make them difficult, if not impossible, to be imitated by counterfeiters, it said.

    Fusion of substance, form


    “NGC notes are beautiful. It is an elegant fusion of substance—the theme being what is the best and the brightest in the Philippines—and form rendered in a most artistic and tasteful fashion,” Guinigundo said.

    “The jurors must have been impressed by the careful choice and use of cutting-edge security features that actually enhanced the color and thematic dimensions of our currency,” he said.

    He said that besides being colorful, the new peso notes are durable (with 20-percent abaca and durability features embedded in the paper manufacture) and clean (it has bioguard properties that resist bacteria and other microorganisms).

    So far between 400 and 500 million of the new peso notes are already in circulation.

    Guinigundo said that despite this, there seems to be a scarcity of the new bank notes. He said this was because some people, when they get hold of a new bank note, tend to want to keep it rather than spend it.

    ...the Flash

    Donaire wins via unanimous decision vs Narvaez

    Agence France-Presse
     
    Philippine boxer Nonito Donaire connects with a left to Omar Narvaez of Argentina in the WBC, WBO World Bantamweight Titles bout at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 22, 2011. CHRIS TROTMAN/AFP
    Philippine boxer Nonito Donaire connects with a left to Omar Narvaez of Argentina in the WBC, WBO World Bantamweight Titles bout at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 22, 2011. CHRIS TROTMAN/AFP


    NEW YORK – Filipino fighter Nonito Donaire retained his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization bantamweight titles Saturday with a 12-round unanimous decision over Argentina’s Omar Navarez.

    Donaire improved to 27-1 and stretched his nine-year winning streak to 26 fights.

    The three judges at ringside at the Theater at Madison Square Garden all scored it 120-108 in favor of Donaire, who dealt Navarez the first defeat of his 11-year pro career.

    However, the crowd of 4,425 was unhappy with the lack of action and Donaire’s inability to break through the challenger’s defenses for the knockout.

    Donaire won the title with a convincing second-round knockout of Fernando Montiel in Las Vegas in February.


    Philippine boxer Nonito Donaire connects with a left to Omar Narvaez of Argentina in the WBC, WBO World Bantamweight Titles bout at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 22, 2011. CHRIS TROTMAN/AFP
    Philippine boxer Nonito Donaire connects with a left to Omar Narvaez of Argentina in the WBC, WBO World Bantamweight Titles bout at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 22, 2011. CHRIS TROTMAN/AFP


    The 28-year-old southpaw, fighting in New York for the first time, was looking comfortable by the fourth round, when he began landing more punches and backed Navarez into the ropes with a combination.

    Navarez, also a southpaw, went into a defensive shell, keeping his clenched hands in front of his face as he seemed happy to let the bout go the distance.

    When Donaire managed to land some uppercuts late in the 10th round, the crowd went wild but they reverted to jeers as the pace dropped off in the 11th.

    Donaire was not too happy either.

    “I don’t know what’s going on in his head,” he said of Navarez’ passive stance. “He didn’t want to fight.”
    In Manila, Malacanang immediately congratulated Donaire for his victory.


    Philippine boxer Nonito Donaire celebrates defeating Omar Narvaez of Argentina and defending his WBC, WBO World Bantamweight Titles at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 22, 2011. CHRIS TROTMAN/AFP
    Philippine boxer Nonito Donaire celebrates defeating Omar Narvaez of Argentina and defending his WBC, WBO World Bantamweight Titles at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 22, 2011. CHRIS TROTMAN/AFP


    “Congratulations to the Filipino Flash…We’re all very proud of you,” said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

    Valte said Donaire’s win showed that “it’s not only the (people’s champ) Cong. Manny Pacquiao who does us proud when it comes to the boxing arena.”

    She said the country has many good boxers and underscored the need for the country to continue to support them. With report from Christine  Avendano, Philippine Daily Inquirer