Of Gener and Return of Saturn

They say rain symbolizes blessing
But every drop feels depressing
Dark clouds, Flooded streets
Plus Ranidaphobia inducing unease

Today's a first return of saturn
Received by Gener's might and power
Turned brilliance of city to dusk
created music with raindrops and gust


Quite loaded first return of saturn
Of lucky chances and appreciated works
Love, compassion,'lil frustrations
Flood, evacuation, and suspensions

It's a bittersweet 30th of July

It's not just the grades that matter

Private schools who have given passing grades to victims of Ondoy miss the point of education (So does the guy who proposed the idea and even asking for a DepEd Directive. Oh but he retracted and clarified that what he meant was to give "extra credit" and not passing grade. Then again, damage has been done).

Escudero provided two reasons for suggesting this: schools were no longer usable and students could no longer catch up with their lessons. The reaons he has provided can be easily confronted by simple solutions that can benefit the students more than just giving them passing grades.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Create Special Classes
2. Tutorial Classes
3. Distance Learning/Online Learning

We go to school not simply to pass subjects but to acquire learning. Giving the students passing grade doesn't compensate for the opportunity they've lost by not being able to attend to classes.

Those private schools who decided to give passing marks to their students don't have genuine concern. It's an easy escape for them not to spend extra resources in setting-up special classes. Is this greed that's manifesting on their part or simply an unintelligent way of showing empathy?

Smelling 2010...

... and I don't know what to feel about Philippine Politics.

UUnga (tunog ng kalabaw?)

Text lingo has not just ruined the spelling capacities of a lot of people but as well as the manner of conversation of some. I don't really understand why there are those who change the spellings of ako to aq (it doesn't sound ako to me, it sounds like acu which is shorter for acupuncture), "po" to "poh", (and sometimes making their text messages even more character consuming). And the more irritating to me is changing oo (yes) to uu (what, as in jerbs?) or when people reply and say uu nga (tunog ng kalabaw?) instead of oo nga.

Another bad thing about this is when you try to visualize the person using these words. You just end up saying, "kadiri at hindi bagay."

Malapit na pala ang 2010

Around 2 or 3 years prior the 2004 elections I already knew who I'm going to vote for as president. A little over a year from now, we will have to vote again. But up until now, I'm still undecided or should I say less excited. It's not like in 2004 that all the reasons voting Roco were clear. It was too easy to answer anyone who'd ask me who am I voting for. *sigh*

Corporate Social Responsibility

The term CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) has become a buzz word in and out of the corporate world. Anyone who reads the newspaper would be familiar with the term CSR given the number of news releases and articles on companies doing certain CSR Activities like scholarships, book donation, feeding program, medical and dental mission, provision of livelihood programs and a lot more.

But with that varying kinds of approach into Corporate Social Responsibility it is apparent that there is no unified perspective as to what CSR really is. Actually CSR doesn't have a “singular” concrete definition applicable to all corporations implementing CSR. People coming from different industries have different perspectives thus provide different definition and approach on CSR.

I am now in a Multi-Sector Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility and Accountabilty. Below are some pop-up ideas and reactions based from the presentations and reactions from participants (subject to editing and updating).

Reality Check: Business engagements are well business. If they do things beyond business like corporate social responsibility projects the main goal is still for the improvement of business. These are investments not just merely to help the development of a certain community but it is also geared towards achieving the goals of the corporation.

“When enemy speaks in front of an enemy...”

This was how the moderator of Multi-Sector Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility and Accountability commented after Prof. Alfonso presented his perspectives on the current state of CSR in the Philippines and answered some queries (wherein some were a bit hostile). The audience of the forum is composed mostly of representatives from development NGOs (some from party-list and labor groups).

Wala Lang

Dalawang katagang may malalim ibig sabihin.
Wala lang dahil walang maisip na ibang dahilan
Wala lang dahil ayaw nang magpaliwanag
Wala lang dahil nahihiyang sabihin ang nadarama
Wala lang

Mas misteryoso ang wala lang
Ang pagsambit ng 'wala lang' ay hindi nagtatapos sa wala lang
Pwede ba namang basta wala lang
Lahat ng bagay may dahilan
Hindi pwedeng wala lang.
Dahil ultimo ang pagsabi ng wala lang ay hindi basta wala lang.

Invitation to Bloggers: Philippine Science Centrum Visit

Back in the early 90's, we visited the Philippine Science Centrum for our field trip. And one of the exhibits that's still vivid in my memory is the anti-gravity mirror. A few weeks ago, I visited the new Philippine Science Centrum which is now located at the Marikina Riverbanks.

Nostalgia tripping indeed,the old exhibits (which I saw when I was in grade school) were still there! There were some additional stuff to see but visiting the Centrum again felt like I was a grade school trying to learn (re-learn) basic principles of Science.



Bloggers who wish to experience/re-experience Science Centrum may take the opportunity to visit the Science Centrum for free.

Anyone who writes a regular blog may join us for a free tour on November 22, Saturday at 2:00 pm. There will be a question and answer session afterwards with the people in charge of the centrum. Bloggers who write about places to visit, science, parenting, and education will be most welcome. For mommy/daddy bloggers, you may also bring your kids along, that'd be more interesting.

Please send an email expressing your interest to cognitioncreative (at) gmail (dot) com with a link to your blog/s to get on the guest list (also indicate if your bringing your kids with you). We'll confirm with an email containing details.

More from missingpoints.

Ticket to Job

If course card distribution is a day that gives fear (or somehow nervousness) to students, it's also a day that some teachers hate, i think. And I'd like to believe I'm among those teachers who hate the actual distribution of grades (and even days prior that). It's not only because of grades computation (it isn't something that tedious since grades from prior activities are already recorded) but because of different kinds of requests and "pag-mamakaawa" that you'll get.

The bad thing about the school where I teach (or I used to teach) is that it's a polytechnic college whose people are mostly exposed to handling High School Students. It means that the culture they try to instill in the school is the typical high school culture (at least that kind of culture in my town) wherein it's easy to excuse anyone from class because he/she has to practice for a cultural presentation for the town Fiesta.

Can you imagine a college wherein someone from the Office of Student Affairs would knock on your room and tell you that your students need to go down to attend the flag ceremony? How about a number of intances wherein your students weren't able to attend your class because the guard told them they don't have proper haircut? All these things just remind me of a high school treatment.

And because of this kind of culture, I have encountered students who will approach you and ask you if he/she can instead submit a project for him/her to pass the subject. Will a project measure what you have learned or will it add up to a learning at all? The opportunities to learn and perform were already given. There's no way you can make up for those, unless you repeat the subject.

What irritated me most is getting an inquiry if I'm going to fail anyone from a particular subject. The person (admin) said if the basketball players are candidates for failure, maybe I could give them chance by giving them extra project. Duh, eh iyong required project nga di naibigay, extra pa? And they couldn't even participate well in class activities. The straightforward me of course replied: "Eh di magbasketbolista na lang ho sila." You're in school to study, not to play. That's just an extra-curricular activity.

******
Sadly, a lot are missing the idea and the REAL goal of college education. If you just want a job, then enroll in a vocational course. I'm not teaching just to give you grades and pass you so that you can earn a diploma and get a job. If you are a degree holder, more things are expected from you.

It's not about the money

The cash register says I still have 2.75 change but the cashier handed me only 2 pesos. I said, "Kulang pa ng 75 centavos iyong sukli" and her face changed (looked irritated). Yes, it's just 75 centavos but the thing here she made a mistake. It could've been better if she said, "Ma'am wala po akong 75 centavos, ok lang po ba kung 2 pesos na lang."

She really got irritated when I asked for the 75 centavos. She gave me one peso which she got from the other counter. I said, "Wala akong 25 centavos." And she replied in a quite sarcastic manner, "Okay na nga iyang piso." I asked for 25 centavos from my Aunt and gave it to the

I'm just making her realize the value of telling your customer sorry if you've made a mistake. Or if you really lack the change, then inform your client appropriately. Yes, it's only 75 centavos but that's not the point.