The House at the End of Time

If you like scary movies, you would not want to miss The House at the End of Time, the highest grossing thriller of all time in Venezuela. It is the best horror movie I've seen in quite a while. If you happen to like great horror movies, you know how they are so few and far between . Don't miss this one.

Lecture on the Philippines and asylum

Opportunity for electrical engineers and ECEs at the NGCP

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines is looking for engineering cadets. This is a good opportunity to work and learn for fresh graduates. 

Imelda Marcos musical

Some of you might be interested to check out the songs on the Imelda Marcos musical "Here Lies Love" by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim. I found out the songs are all freely available on Spotify. For those not familiar with the show (which is now currently playing in London), this is the musical for which Mark Bautista temporarily left Philippine show business in order to play Ferdinand Marcos.


The all-song musical has gotten rather good reviews both in New York and London (read the New York Times, The Telegraph and The Hollywood Reporter). Check out the songs Here Lies Love, Every Drop of Rain, Pretty Face, and When She Passed By.

Essay writing contest for college and high school students

A. Eligibility
Essay Contest Rules on Overseas Filipinos


This contest is open to all Filipino students or of Filipino descent who are studying in the Philippines or overseas, ages 10 to 25 years old who are currently enrolled in high school and college.


B. Theme
The theme of the essay is “The Overseas Filipinos and their impact in the Philippines.”
The essay should focus on:

1. The contributions of overseas Filipinos to the economy of the Philippines. The importance of the participation of overseas Filipinos in the Philippine elections.
2. What are the social risks that the children and families of overseas Filipinos face due to long years of separation or long distance relationships?
3. Why are the overseas Filipinos called to be the “new heroes” of the Philippines? Please describe the traits of overseas Filipinos which make them unique as global immigrants and Overseas Filipino Workers.

Contestants are encouraged to read books, publications, and the Internet on various articles regarding the theme.


C. Content and Format

1. It must be original;
2. It must not be previously published in print or online nor in any visual and/or auditory recording; and
3. The essay must not be more than 1,500 typed words in English and in MS word format. It should be submitted by email only.

D. Submission

1. Every student entry must contain the confirmation of the School Principal, College/University Dean or President that the essay is written by and originated from the student. (Click here to download the Official Entry Form)

Only one entry per person will be accepted and limited to one author. The entry must have the following:

A. Title Page which includes the Name, Date and Place of Birth; Email address if applicable. B. The Essay
C. Entry Form which is available at www.uspgg.orgD. Parental Consent, Authorization and Liability Waiver Form (for minor student)

E. Student Consent, Authorization and Liability Waiver Form (for adult student)

2. Entry will be submitted as attachments via email to overseasfilipinosessay@yahoo.com with the Subject:

3. Only valid entries (completion and submission of Entry Form and Essay) will be accepted and reviewed. Submissions will be open from December 31, 2014 to February 1, 2015. Applicants will receive an acknowledgment of submission by email. Late and incomplete entries will be disqualified.

E. Criteria for Judging

1. A panel of judges, selected by the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG) Ad Hoc Committee for Essay Contest on Overseas Filipinos, will make the final decision.
2. The following criteria for judging are as follows: Substance – 60% * Writing style/Composition/Organization – 40%

F. Awards and Prizes
The winning essays will be announced in the newspapers and at USP4GG website by February 15, 2015. Winners will be notified by email. Awards ceremony will be held during the Third Global Summit of Filipinos in the Diaspora on February 26, 2015, at Manila Hotel, Manila, Philippines. The winners will be awarded a Certificate of Recognition and cash prizes in the different categories as follows:


High School:

• First Prize – P12,000.00
• Second Prize – P6,000.00
• Third Prize -P 3,000.00

College:

• First Prize – P25,000.00
• Second Prize – P12,000.00
• Third Prize – P6,000.00

There will be 10 Consolation Prizes of P1,000.00 each and a Certificate of Appreciation. Winners under this category do not need to be in the awards ceremony.


The school/college/university of the First Prize winning essays will receive a Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize of P10,000.00 each.


Expenses to be incurred in attending the awards ceremony such as transportation, food and lodging will be the winner’s responsibility. Winners will be contacted for the details of the awards ceremony. Winners who will not be able to attend the awards ceremony will be notified by email on how to claim the prizes.


G. Others
1. The USP4GG may use or publish in part or in whole the essays submitted by the applicants consistent with its mandate and objectives.

F. Signature of the School Principal, College or University President or Dean, address, email address and telephone number to authenticate the student entry.

Please direct any questions or inquiries regarding this contest to:

Dr. Celia Lamkin, Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson, USP4GG Essay Contest on Overseas Filipinos
E-mail: celialamkin@yahoo.com


Charmaine Calamiong, Secretariat, USP4GG Essay Contest on Overseas Filipinos
Telephone Number: (+ 632) 899-7938 or (632) 899-7939 * Fax Number: (632) 899 -2426
Norman Silvestre, Assistant Secretariat, USP4GG Essay Contest on Overseas Filipinos
Cellphone Number: (+ 63) 927-223-6804 * E-mail: norman.silvestre@yahoo.com.ph

The Cebu Pacific fiasco was partly because of EDSA trafiic

That services suffer during the holidays is nothing unusual anywhere in the world. When people shop, dine and travel all at the same time, it is but natural and, quite frankly, to be expected that infrastructure and services  built and maintained to address everyday, normal business become congested and overstretched. Still, something has to be said about how bad things have turned out in Manila in December 2014.


For example, I was unfortunate to have travelled from Legazpi to Manila middle week of December. The flight was okay, but upon arriving at the NAIA 3, I had to spend six long hours just queuing for a taxi. I arrived 3 PM at the airport; it was half past 9 when I got out. The airport guard said that the it was past midnight when the queues let up the night before. One lady beside me who came all the way from Davao to give a talk at the University of the Philippines missed her talk altogether waiting for a taxi. So her flight all the way from Mindanao was for nought.


I gathered from the driver of the taxi airport that the reason for the interminable queues was that the taxis were all caught up in the traffic on EDSA and could not return promptly to the airport to fetch  the more recent arrivals.


Now, much has been made about the Cebu Pacific fiasco at the airport, allegedly with many passengers not being able to get on their flights and losing their purchased seats. I was also on Cebu Pacific for my return flight to Legazpi and I observed some of the heated arguments at the check-in counter. Two groups of passengers preceeding me in the line forfeited their seats and had to buy new ( and very expensive ) tickets because they went past the 45-minute cutoff within which to check in before their flight departure. And those passengers were holding the line because naturally they were arguing that since the plane had not yet taken off, the airline should show some leniency because it was the holidays after all, and the EDSA traffic was especially horrendous.


The point of this all is that much as we would like to blame an airline, we should not lose sight of the fact that partly to blame for the airport fiasco is the traffic congestion on EDSA. It is just that we have gotten so used to that problem, we have ceased viewing it as such.

Nelson Mandela, 1918-2013

N'Kosi Sikeleli Afrika was the anthem of the then underground  African Natl Congress (ANC) and a song of protest heard all over Africa. Singing it was illegal in South Africa and could land one in prison. When apartheid fell and Nelson Mandela came to power, it became the national anthem of South Africa. In my opinion, it is the best national anthem in the world. Here sang by Miriam Makeba, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Paul Simon: http://youtu.be/MFW7845XO3g

Death comes for the revolutionary

Chin Peng, the former secretary general of the Communist Party of Malaya, died this week in Thailand on September 16 (read New York Times report here), which was coincidentally Malaysia Day. (That he died on that date is being disputed by some.) Chin Peng was Malaya's independence hero who fought the Japanese and then the British. He was the last of his kind that once included Ho Chi Minh, Norodom Sihanouk, Aung San and Sukarno. Chin Peng penned a final letter to his comrades which you can read here.

When an independence hero dies, one expects honors. But the Malaysian government decided to disallow the interment of Chin Peng's ashes in Malaysia. You see, Chin Peng was indeed a hero for fighting the Japanese and campaigning for independence from the British, but he committed the historical mistake of continuing the struggle (many times violent) against the newly independent Malaya. So there was therefore the debate whether he was an independence hero or a terrorist.

This was of  interest to me because I am currently reading Tan Twan Eng's Man Booker Prize-winning novel The Garden of Evening Mists, and that historical novel was set in the Cameron Highlands, where Chin Peng set up his base. The communist attacks in the area provide the atmospherics of the novel. One major incident in the novel was the ambush and murder of the British High Commissioner carried out by Chin Peng's communist guerrillas hiding out in the hills of the Cameron Highlands. It is  a very good novel. Look it up and read it. It will make you want to go to Malaysia and visit the Cameron Highlands. As I will soon.

Teresa Teng sings with Jay Chou

In a recent Taiwan concert, Teresa Teng (who used to be the most famous Chinese singer in the 1980s), makes a virual comeback to sing with Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou. The title of the song is Ni Zen Me Shou or What Do You have to Say.

Confessions at the Eiga Sai 2013

I strongly recommend the Japanese film Confessions (Aug 22, Thursday, UP Film Center, free admission). Compelling storytelling revolving around a revenge plot. It is for movies like this that we still go to the cinema. You might also want to check out the other movies showing at the Eiga Sai 2013 sponsored by the Japanese Embassy (see my earlier blog post below for the schedule).

EIGA SAI 2013 at UP Film Center

Here is the schedule. The films all look interesting and I've heard a lot of superlative things about the film Confessions so it's a must-see for me.

Online bookstore that delivers to Philippines for free

If a book you are looking for is not available locally and you can wait a little less than a month, I recommend you try BetterWorldBooks, a secondhand books online store. No extra shipping charge to deliver to the Philippines and the post office custom section didn't ask me for any tax. And for every book you buy, they match and donate one.

Suicide Prevention Infographics Contest

In commemoration of the World Suicide Prevention Month in September 2013, the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation is holding a Suicide Prevention Infographic Contest with the aim of increasing the public’s awareness on warning signs of suicide, available resources to help a person who is suicidal, and eventually preventing suicide. The suicide infographic to be produced is based on the Suicide First Aid Guidelines for the Philippines.

The Suicide First Aid Guidelines for the Philippines is a set of guidelines that was developed to help community members recognize the risk of suicide and how to respond to it before professional help can be sought. It has been disseminated primarily through lectures, trainings and workshops on suicide prevention. An information graphic or infographic, on the other hand, is a visual representation of information data, or knowledge to present complex information quickly and clearly.

The Contest 

Contest participants are asked to design an infographic to increase the public’s awareness about the warning signs of suicide and where to get help. The content must be based on the Suicide First Aid Guidelines for the Philippines (http://link.springer.com/content/esm/art:10.1186/1752-4458-4-32/file/MediaObjects/1752-4458-4-32-S2.PDF) or requested from NGF. Submissions must appeal to the general public particularly adolescents and young adults. The infographic must motivate others to take action to prevent suicide.

Eligibility

The Contest is open to both individuals and teams 18 years old and older, from any location. If a team entry is named a winner, the prize will be awarded to the individual who submitted the team’s entry. There is no entry fee.

Rules and Criteria
Entries can contain any form of visual media including digital art, graphs, photographs, illustrations, drawings and paintings, provided they are presented in one infographic image. The infographic must contain only original work and not be subject to any copyright restrictions. All Suicide Prevention Infographic Contest entries become the property of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF) which retains the right to publish the infographics in all media formats including but not limited to print, digital and broadcast. Infographic creators and the NGF will be acknowledged in all published versions.
Infographics will be judged on visual appeal, innovative use of information and visual images and other criteria as determined by the judges. The decision of the judges is final and binding. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Details of the awarding will be announced later.

How to join the contest
Anyone who is interested to participate in the Contest must register online at Suicide Prevention Infographics Contest Entry Form (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wnAA08mXzXgT2dWzsKiQowdPtjYn15HNLUl8Rq1RzfI/viewform). Registrants will receive a copy of the Suicide First Aid Guidelines and contest updates. Infographics can be created using any illustration software but must be submitted in jpeg format.

How to submit your entry
Entries must be submitted through email to ngfoundation@gmail.com with the contestant’s first and Last Name as the subject of the email. The content of the email must include the following information:
• name of the person entering the contest
• mailing address
• contact information.

If the entry is from a team, the subject of the email must state the First Name and the Last Name of the primary contact person. The content must include the following information: name of the team, members of the team, address and contact numbers of the primary contact person.
Only submissions that contain a single image in JPEG format will be accepted.
Important dates
August 10, 2013 – start of the Contest
September 7 - closing of the Contest
September 10 – announcement of winners

Prizes

First prize: 10,000.00 and gift items
Three consolation prizes of 5,000.00 each and gift items.

For more information, please email ngfoundation@gmail.com

Hanif Kureishi's Intimacy

With more free time now, I wanted to begin reading fiction again, and afraid of plowing into big works, decided to read Hanif Kureishi's slim Intimacy. The yellow cover is very attractive and the front blurb says it is Kureishi's best so far. And I am glad I took it up. 

Intimacy is about one man's thoughts, doubts and recollections the night he finally decided to leave his wife and children for another woman. The novel's first sentence will grip any reader: It is the saddest night, for I am leaving and not coming back. If you have seen The Bridges of Madison County, the general mood of Intimacy is comparable to that of the scene where Meryl Street was gripping the car knob, not sure whether to stay or take flight.

It is a painful book to read at times. I guess reading about people drifting apart always is, but Kureishi's prose is honest and beautiful. It is a book you can read at one sitting, or carry with you while waiting for your flight. 

Call for volunteers

The Municipality of Gubat is once again calling for volunteers for the Delfin Fresnosa Municipal Reading Recovery Program. Details can be found on the poster below.

Fellowships open for 16th Lopez Jaena Journalism Workshop in October

The University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC) will hold the 16th Graciano Lopez Jaena Journalism Workshop from October 21 to 27 at the UP College of Mass Communication, Diliman, Quezon City. Fellowship slots are available for this workshop. Applications are open to full-time print, broadcast and online journalists, as well as selected journalism educators and students. This year’s workshop will focus on “Media and Elections: Safety and Governance.” Resource persons from the academe, government and non-government organizations will speak on issues like election coverage, governance and safety tips for journalists. Since its first workshop in 1985, the Lopez Jaena Journalism Workshop has trained hundreds of community journalists. Among the past fellows are Froilan Gallardo, Frank Cimatu, Ilang-ilang Quijano, Jo Clemente, Diosa Labiste, Danny Calleja, Flor Abanto and Maurice Malanes. Applicants should be currently engaged in the journalism profession with at least two years’ working experience. They should also be below 45 years old. They must submit an application letter; resume; two published/broadcast news reports; a story plan for an investigative report on media and the elections; and an endorsement from their editor, local press club president or a Lopez Jaena Journalism Workshop alumnus. Limited slots may be given to senior journalism students. Student applicants are required to an application letter, resume, sample works and an endorsement from their professor, department chair or dean. The fellowship will cover board and lodging. Participants will be billeted inside the UP Diliman campus. Interested journalists, journalism educators and students may send their application papers to The Project Director, 16th Lopez Jaena Journalism Workshop on Justice and Human Rights, College of Mass Communication, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. The deadline for applications is on September 14. For more details, please call Alex NP Tamayo at 920-6864 or 981-8500 local 2668 or email at lopezjaenaworkshop@gmail.com or alexnptamayo@yahoo.com.

Satellite registration schedules

Para sa mga nais magparehistro bilang botante, pumunta sa mga barangay na ito na malapit sa inyong sariling barangay: BENTUCO, Aug 13-14; BULACAO, Aug 15-16; RIZAL Aug 30-31; BAGACAY, Sept 6-7; CARRIEDO, Sept 13-14; PAYAWIN, Sept 20-21; TIRIS, Sept 27-28.

Jupi road concreting

Concreting of road segment going to Jupi funded by the provincial development fund.

Yoga lessons for free

Ang Australian volunteer sa munisipyo na si Karen Taranto ay magtuturo ng yoga at meditation. Kung gusto nyong subukan ang yoga bago kayo mag sign up sa programa, pumunta sa come-and-try day sa June 16, OSCA Building, Highway 54 (malapit sa Gubat South Central School). Senior citizens can come to try yoga at 9 AM, all others at 10:30 AM. Please share this announcement.

Abaca integrated farming training sa Bentuco

Noong nakaraang linggo, nagtapos ang mga magsasaka ng abaka sa Bentuco sa kanilang training sa integrated farming. Kasama sa larawan ang ilang opisyal ng Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) sa pangunguna ni Dr. Editha Lomerio. Ang layunin ng training ay muling pasiglahin ang industriya ng abaka sa aming bayan matapos ang pinsalang dinulot ng peste.