Kapihan's A Go

Ok! Kapihan will push through tomorrow!

Please come! A lot of people have told us that they will come.

More have told us that they will definitely try to come.

So please come to the Kapihan so we can all get an idea of what happened and what needs to be done next.

Singapore in September

Who wants to watch the F1 night race in Sinagpore!!!

It's still cheap now, about 5k round trip ticket via Singair and I got hotels at USD20.00 per room for two people!

It's like going to a local destination!

Tara!!!!

What A Dot Means

During the inspirational speech of Dr. Rogow, the President of the International Honors Society of Phi Kappa Phi, he shared a quick story about discernment and defiance. It's a story for everyone who's had to think about committing time to a cause. Is it worth the effort? Will my time go to waste? This story about a dot literally changed the world.

In 1946, the United Nations was about to be ratified and a new world community was about to be born. During this time, Carlos P. Romulo was the Resident Commissioner of the Philippines to the US Congress, and was de facto representative to the new international organization.

As organizations go, the United Nations needed an emblem to represent its identity, ideals, and objectives. A committee was selected, chaired by Senator Warren Austin of the US Congress. This committee made the final selection and released the emblem-to-be of the United Nations.

When it was unveiled, it did satisfy the identity and objectives of the institution. Being a community of equality, peace, and cooperation, the United Nations emblem was a map of the world, centered on no country, but at the North Pole, surrounded by a string of olive leaves, the symbol of peace. It was a hit, except for the Filipino representative.

Mr. Romulo had noticed something missing. He asked Sen. Austin, "Where's the Philippines?"

To which Sen. Austin replied, "It's too small to include. If we put the Philippines, it would be no more than a dot."

Then Mr. Romulo said...

"I want that dot!"

And a dot was placed on the new United Nations emblem.

The smallest things can have the biggest impact. It can mean the end of statement, or a nation of about 90 million people.

It was one man who had enough discernment to find what was wrong. And it took but a few questions to find out what was needed to be done. The point is that he chose to do it, to ask the questions, and to demand the answers, even if doing it meant only the drawing of a single dot.

When are things worth fighting for?

I was asked something today by a friend. He asked me, why should we do anything about the Pisay issue when nothing might come out of it? Older batches don't seem to care. Only recent graduates care enough about their high school diploma so much. And it's the older batches who have enough financial muscle to wriggle a BoT statement, and the longer-shot retraction.

So, why do anything? It was a valid question. I've asked myself this question about so many other things. Why do this?

I replied to my friend, we were taught to do this. As PSHS students, as UP students, as DOST scholars, we were granted the privilege of a quality education. And as PSHS students, as UP students, as DOST scholars, we were given an attitude of inquisitiveness, a level of discernment, a drive to action, and a perseverance to succeed. We were taught to be such, so when the time comes that our country need us to be inquisitive, to be discerning, to be active, and to persevere, we will be. And right now, it is our school that needs us to be inquisitive, discerning, active.

I think academic excellence in Pisay is worth fighting for. If academic excellence can be disregarded in PSHS, then how about in other institutions? If PSHS graduates can tolerate rules being bent in PSHS, then PSHS graduates can tolerate other rules to be bent, bigger laws to be disobeyed. This is a chance for us to stand-up against old practices of leveraging personal power against what is allowed by our institutions. Our institution, PSHS, its values and mission, will lose to this power struggle tomorrow, during the graduation rites. Should you be concerned?

If academic excellence is not worth fighting for, then, I fear the worst.

When are things worth fighting for? What are the things that you believe in?

A Line Has to Be Drawn

I've recently had to be responsible for my own actions. I decided to leave the job that was quite promising, for graduate school. It was my decision, and this decision will have a lasting impact on my career. The point is, that I have to be responsible for my actions. I chose to leave, I will be responsible.

Somehow, Pisay taught me that. I didn't know what Pisay was at the time that I applied for it, in fact, I applied for the scholarship on the last day of the extended application period. All I knew was that it was the best school to be in. When I was there, it was tough! You had to learn to be responsible for yourself. It's funny even, because we wanted to be responsible so much, we learned to cram projects. You end up cramming stuff because there really is so much to do, on top of having a normal life. But you make sure that come the deadline, come examination time, come judgement day, you are prepared, and that you are not found wanting.

Simply put, nine students were found wanting. The DECS diploma they should have received would have been enough for them to start anew, and perhaps reform their life. I wish them this, to improve themselves. Society needs them to better themselves.

Do they need a DOST PSHS diploma for this undertaking? I don't think so. The PSHS diploma isn't a matter of need, it's a matter of excellence. It is a mark of the student having achieved something great and something beyond ordinary. It shouldn't be doled out simply because our parents think that we should receive them. This is why there are such things as driving exams, board exams, bar exams, and other standards to which we measure our capabilities. We need to be qualified to recieve a driver's license, a professional license, and similarly a PSHS diploma. Otherwise, the qualification is reduced to tissue paper. Look at the state of our roads, and our drivers, those who passed the driving exams and the written exam. Our driver's license is worthless. I do not want the PSHS diploma to suffer the same fate.

I do not fault the parents who are doing this, all they want is a better future for their children. I just hope that they realize that this isn't just about their children, it's about all the others out there who studied and will be studying in PSHS. Their futures and reputations are at stake here as well.

So a line must be drawn.

I urge the Alumni Association to discuss this. I hope that we can find a venue to discuss and find a joint position that we can present to the BOT. This must never happen again.

Until then, I urge all PSHS Alumni to withhold all funds they intend to donate to the reconstruction of the school until a clear resolution of the issue is achieved.

If the BoT refuses to be responsible, then the responsibility comes back to us, once more.

Blogs about Pisay Controversy

Some blogs about the controversy.

http://martinperez.asia/2009/03/19/we-teachers-dont-play-dice/

http://day2day.multiply.com/journal/item/219/on_teaching_your_child_how_to_fail
- from a concerned parent.

http://mdvsamson.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-cannot-sit-by-idly.html
- from sir Mike, my 4th year adviser.

http://dyslexiamania.livejournal.com/11102.html

On Accountability and Responsibiltiy

We must be responsible for our actions. We cannot simply fail our classes and expect to have our powerful parents do the work for us. It insults the PSHS tradition, it insults the diploma thousands of students labored to receive.

So, with the BOT decision to let these 9 failed students graduate, I withdraw all of my intent to provide support to the school financially, through my batch, or through individual donations, until there is a clear plan of action, through an official message from the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Science High School, discussing the situation, and proposing a clear resolution.

I suggest the rest of the alumni to start doing this to pressure the Board to rethink its ways. These students failed in their responsibilities, not just once, but repeatedly through their life in PSHS. They insulted the privilege that was granted them. Now, their parents are doing the catch-up work, and it is only natural for them to do so. It is the Board who must be the ones responsible to decide. And they will be held accountable for the impact of their decision for years to come.

Learning [Generally] vs. Learning

When I was in college, there was a time that I studied because that was what I had been doing my whole life. It was impressed upon me that high school graduates become college students, and that people who graduate college get better employment opportunities, and that the people who graduate with honors get the best jobs. I studied because my friends were studying, because my parents expected me to study, but most of all because I expected me to study.

I expected me to study. It wasn't a question of what I wanted to do next. It was a matter of what I was doing now. It wasn't a matter of what I wanted to do, but that studying in college was a status, a symbol of the potential that all college students represent. A good future. I was studying for show. I studied and studied to get good grades because I wanted to graduate with honors, so I had something to show. I wanted to impress my teachers, my classmates, my parents. I was fairly good in college (I think ). (ang angas. hahahaha. this is my blog.)

But I missed something. I learned for the sake of learning, which shouldn't be. One can't learn just because one is being taught. One should learn for the sake of using what you learned, to share it, to make things better. And it's funny that I had to go to work to realize that learning isn't just for me, it's for everyone else whom my future actions will impact, positively or negatively.

I guess that makes some sense. My work taught me that there are a lot of things that I am not aware of, that I didn't catch as much as I could have. I was given a chance to contribute, and as much as I wanted to, my knowledge wasn't enough. I'd be the first to acknowledge this.

And the second step, after awareness of a gap, is action. Now, I have a renewed urge to learn.

The true value of education isn't that we empower a person to the level of his knowledge. The true value of education is that we empower a person to create change in the lives of people, the value that he creates and impacts others. The value of education isn't linear to every person taught, it is exponential, in that a single person can touch the lives of many others. But in order for an educated person to do this, his study must be purposeful. It must have a direction, so that he studies not just for study, but for a greater end.

I think we Filipinos take education for granted, and because of this, we've not been able to leverage its value. Education is a status symbol for us. It [generally] means we're going to have a great future. The Philippines has become a tertiary level certificate factory. But look at where our college graduates go. It's not that the quality of education is poor, but because students simply assume that a college diploma is [generally] the ticket to a great future. So we [generally] study, and we [generally] pass. But the Philippine's has not had a great future [generally] as a whole.

I nearly fell into the trap of taking an MS right after grad without this realization, otherwise, I would have ended up going through the motions of studying for the sake of studying. And for that I am quite grateful for the opportunity to work. Because I realized that I need to learn because I want to learn, and that whatever I'm learning is important to whoever I work with in the future, and not just to me.

A Knight's Prayer

I found this prayer somewhere on Knightsbridge International's website. Knightsbridge is an NGO that provides assistance to humanitarian crises worldwide. They've been in the Philippines, particularly in Minadanao. Interestingly they provide "sustainable" help, that is, they provide training for locals to operate and maintain renewable energy systems.

A Knight's Prayer

Almighty God, Eternal Father, Lord of Lords, have mercy upon me, a humble knight in Thy Divine Service. Oh Lord, I pray for Thy indulgence and blessings. Forget not Thine servant in his trials, nor his Order of Knighthood. I pray, that Thy Will be done in all things, both great and small.

Let me always be worthy of Thee, let me not forget Thee in good times nor bad. Armor me with the armor of Thy Righteousness, give me the sword of Truth that I shall confound Thine enemies and be unto Thee a true knight.

O Lord, in my hour of need, be with me. Let me never forget my sacred and holy vows unto Thee, that I should not be prey unto demons and devils nor the dark things of this world.

Let me always be a beacon unto those in distress, never allow me to forget my obligation unto the homeless nor the poor: let me serve Thee and Thine Eternal Throne all the days of my life. Let me always remember the obligations that I have taken upon me. Lord, if it is Thine Will, let me serve Thee forever!

If ever, oh Lord, I turn from Thee and this Order, let my name forever be cursed, may my spurs be broken and my body given unto demons to dwell with them forever in that Lake of Fire which Thou hast: prepared for the ungodly.

Power beyond Power, Pillar of Strength, Refuge of the Homeless, let me serve Thee for all the days of my life! Amen.

Science Daily dot com

I'm sick. I'm on SL today. My head hurts and throbs when I move, or when I cough. And when I cough it just keeps going until I'm about to pass out. Haha. I hate being sick. I'm stuck home when there's a lot of stuff to do. So I'm left to doing my research on the internet..

I'm off to www.sciencedaily.com for my daily dose of leading edge science and research. This website is really great; it's like CNN for science and technology news. It's really great for a day when you're down and you just want to learn something. hahaha.

Check it out.