This study deals with the usage level of the library resources of the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila. It aims to unveil what materials are so important to the students and faculty members and whether these materials live up to the expectations of the users. It also includes other concerns like library services, facilities and staff. The respondents were the students enrolled in summer 2008 and faculty members with summer teaching load at TIP-Manila.
This study used questionnaire patterned from the TIP-Manila library survey questionnaire used in determining the library users’ satisfaction and expectations in terms of the library facilities, library staff, and library service. The material assessed the respondents’ appreciation level on the various library resources.
As shown in this study, most of the respondent teachers mainly used the periodicals in the library. However, they also visited the library for some other reasons such as photocopying/printing, using/borrowing multimedia, books in the Filipiniana section, and internet access computer. The students, on the other hand, visited the library for printing/photocopying services, using periodicals, and most of all, using the books in the Filipiniana (not to mention other minor concerns).
As to the usage level of the library services, library resources, and facilities in terms of their importance and satisfaction, most of both teachers and the students said that the usage level was important (4th rank in a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is the highest) and fairly satisfying (no. 4 in a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is the highest).
Most of both teachers and the students said that appreciation level of the TIP-Manila library facilities, staff and the overall services are agreeable (no. 4 in a scale of 1 to 5, where the latter is the highest).
Teachers and students visited the library for various reasons. Some went there to photocopy/print, use the periodicals, internet, online catalog, multimedia, course reserve, books, and e-journals. Others went there to seek reference desk assistance, research consultation, library database searching, interlibrary loan, and information literacy instruction.
The library users were somewhat successful in most of the library activities in achieving their goal. Though in general the library services, resources, and facilities were neither very important nor very satisfying to them, at least these were fairly important and fairly satisfying.
Some students complained of the availability of the photocopying service. According to them, it’s sometimes not available. Some faculty members, on the other hand, suggested that the library be transferred to the lower floor; if possible to the ground floor.
Overall, the TIP-Manila libraries are all “thumbs up” though there is still room for improvements.
Showing posts with label Issue 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Issue 1. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Analysis of Educational Policies of Mandated Courses: Rationalizing its Inclusion in the General Education Curriculum by Ronald M. Corpuz, MA
This study endeavored to rationalize the inclusion of mandated courses in the general education curriculum by soliciting the perception of the student- respondents on the relevance of the two subjects to the needs of the learners.
Primarily, it seeks to determine the level of compliance of TIP to the goals of mandated courses in the General Education curriculum, responsiveness of mandated courses in attaining the objectives of General Education as specified in the Education Act of 1982, responsiveness of mandated courses in addressing the constitutional objectives of education, strengths and weaknesses of mandated courses and the perceived problems that affect the relevance of mandated courses.
Findings show that; TIP have complied Very Satisfactorily to the goals of mandated courses in the general education curriculum; mandated courses is responsive in attaining the objectives of general education as specified in the Education Act of 1982; mandated courses is responsive in addressing the constitutional objectives of education; in terms of strengths, respondents believed that Rizal Course and Philippine History is important, relevant and responsive to the needs of the learners; and the primary factor that affects the relevance of mandated courses in the General Education Curriculum is library/book holding.
It is recommended that: Technological Institute of the Philippines should review from time to time mandated courses and other social science subjects if they are complying continuously to their goals as specified in the goals of general education curriculum; more seminar on teaching methodologies, innovations and strategies in the field of social science must be given to the teachers to make them more effective in delivering instruction; teachers must inculcate deeply to the heart of the learner those citizenship traits embodied in studying Rizal Course and Philippine History to maketheir graduates to develop more patriotism and nationalism; and more textbooks related to history and our national heroes should be purchased to make their students more interested about the past.
Primarily, it seeks to determine the level of compliance of TIP to the goals of mandated courses in the General Education curriculum, responsiveness of mandated courses in attaining the objectives of General Education as specified in the Education Act of 1982, responsiveness of mandated courses in addressing the constitutional objectives of education, strengths and weaknesses of mandated courses and the perceived problems that affect the relevance of mandated courses.
Findings show that; TIP have complied Very Satisfactorily to the goals of mandated courses in the general education curriculum; mandated courses is responsive in attaining the objectives of general education as specified in the Education Act of 1982; mandated courses is responsive in addressing the constitutional objectives of education; in terms of strengths, respondents believed that Rizal Course and Philippine History is important, relevant and responsive to the needs of the learners; and the primary factor that affects the relevance of mandated courses in the General Education Curriculum is library/book holding.
It is recommended that: Technological Institute of the Philippines should review from time to time mandated courses and other social science subjects if they are complying continuously to their goals as specified in the goals of general education curriculum; more seminar on teaching methodologies, innovations and strategies in the field of social science must be given to the teachers to make them more effective in delivering instruction; teachers must inculcate deeply to the heart of the learner those citizenship traits embodied in studying Rizal Course and Philippine History to maketheir graduates to develop more patriotism and nationalism; and more textbooks related to history and our national heroes should be purchased to make their students more interested about the past.
Development of a Compendium of Instructional Materials in Teaching Logic by Rogelio Dela Cruz, PhD. (June, 2008)
Logic is a branch of philosophy that deals with the art and science of correct thinking. The study of logic can satisfy a wide range of interests and abilities. It develops the imagination. It trains in clear and logical thought. It is a challenge, with varieties of difficult ideas and unsolved problems, because it deals with the questions arising from complicated structures. Yet, it also has a continuing drive to simplification, to find the right concepts and methods, to make difficult things easy, to explain why a situation must be as it is. In so doing, it develops a range of languages and insights, which may then be applied to make a crucial contribution to our understanding.
The standards of learning for logic identify academic content for the essential component of the philosophy’s curriculum at different year levels for both public and private tertiary schools. The standards of learning are not intended to encompass the entire curriculum for a given year level or course or to prescribe how the content should be taught. Teachers should be encouraged to go beyond the standards and to select instructional strategies and assess methods appropriate for their students.
The main reason for studying logic to an advance level is that it is interesting and enjoyable. People like its challenge, its clarity, and the fact that you know when you are right. The solution of a problem has an excitement and a satisfaction. One will find all these aspects in a university’s degree course. One should also be aware of the wide importance of Logic, and the way in which it is advance at a spectacular rate. Logic is about pattern and structure; it is about logical analysis, deduction, calculation within these patterns and structures. When patterns are found, often in widely different areas of science and technology, the logic here is that there is a pervasive influence in our everyday lives and contributes to the success of every student.
Students today require stronger logical knowledge and skills to pursue higher education, to compete in a technologically oriented workforce, and to be a well-informed citizen. Students must gain an understanding of fundamental ideas in logic such as the relevance of terms, comprehension, extension, proposition, eduction, logical equivalence, syllogism, and fallacies, and develop proficiency in argumentation and debate.
In addition, students must learn how to use a variety of methods and tools to philosophize, think critically, calculate analytically, and solve logically. Logic is the art of conforming one's thoughts to the Law of Identity. In one respect, thoughts have to conform to the Law of Identity, as everything else does. This has to do with the nature of thoughts. Ideas have a different nature than memories which are different from emotions. In this regard, all thoughts conform to the Law of Identity.
The relevance of logical ability is not only of great importance in everyday lives, but it is also a skill that is indispensable for students in school. Very little of what happens in any learning situation is not dependent on logical thinking. It is often stated that students nowadays find it difficult to deal with definitions, meanings, propositions, syllogism, and even in solving logical problems. This is brought about by traditional way of spoon feeding method of teaching, although it helps foster memorization and recalling, still there will be a great need to enhance the logical abilities of the students in a more precise and enjoyable ways. In the light of the aforementioned background, this study will attempt to delineate the levels of logical ability of the engineering students of TIP-Manila.
This study will attempt to establish the level of logical ability of the engineering students of TIP-Manila. It will cover the six (6) personal profile indicators namely; age, gender, year level, course, type of school graduated from, and high school grade point average, and six (6) logical ability indicators namely; definitions and meanings, propositions, square of oppositions eductions, syllogisms, and solving logical problems, as the evaluation criteria in assessing the logical abilities of the students.
This study has six groups of respondents, the Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering students-respondents which compose of three hundred fifty-three (353) students who are officially enrolled in different engineering programs of the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila for the first semester of academic year 2007-2008.
The assessment of the six groups of respondents toward the different item indicators for each variable utilizes a grade-point scale with the equivalent scores, namely: 96 and above – superior, 91 – 95 – excellent, 86 – 90 - above average, 81 – 85 – average, 75 – 80 - below average, and 74 and below – poor. Analysis was done in the specific areas namely: definitions and meanings, propositions, square of oppositions, eductions, syllogisms, and solving logical problems.
Findings show that majority of the students-respondents belong to the 17 years old bracket, males, second year college students taking up Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering and those who finished their high school in a private secondary institution with a high school grade point average that belong to the 81 - 85 grade point average bracket.
Findings also show that the levels of logical ability of the engineering students-respondents of the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila found to be average in the different aspects of the logical ability tests which is a clear manifestation that most of the engineering students are not very familiar with the logical qualities of terms and not fully capable of identifying the given propositions including the appropriate symbols, types, and its equivalent.
In view of the findings of the study, the following recommendations are hereby presented for consideration:
1. Students should be given an insight on the significance of definitions and meanings, propositions, square of oppositions, eductions, syllogisms, and solving logical problems.
2. Students should be trained on how to develop their logical ability by putting emphasis on their knowing powers.
3. Design an instructional material that will facilitate the transfer of knowledge in order for the students to have a basic understanding of the eight syllogistic rules.
4. Students should develop self-confidence and at the same time seek ways in improving their logical and critical thinking skills.
The standards of learning for logic identify academic content for the essential component of the philosophy’s curriculum at different year levels for both public and private tertiary schools. The standards of learning are not intended to encompass the entire curriculum for a given year level or course or to prescribe how the content should be taught. Teachers should be encouraged to go beyond the standards and to select instructional strategies and assess methods appropriate for their students.
The main reason for studying logic to an advance level is that it is interesting and enjoyable. People like its challenge, its clarity, and the fact that you know when you are right. The solution of a problem has an excitement and a satisfaction. One will find all these aspects in a university’s degree course. One should also be aware of the wide importance of Logic, and the way in which it is advance at a spectacular rate. Logic is about pattern and structure; it is about logical analysis, deduction, calculation within these patterns and structures. When patterns are found, often in widely different areas of science and technology, the logic here is that there is a pervasive influence in our everyday lives and contributes to the success of every student.
Students today require stronger logical knowledge and skills to pursue higher education, to compete in a technologically oriented workforce, and to be a well-informed citizen. Students must gain an understanding of fundamental ideas in logic such as the relevance of terms, comprehension, extension, proposition, eduction, logical equivalence, syllogism, and fallacies, and develop proficiency in argumentation and debate.
In addition, students must learn how to use a variety of methods and tools to philosophize, think critically, calculate analytically, and solve logically. Logic is the art of conforming one's thoughts to the Law of Identity. In one respect, thoughts have to conform to the Law of Identity, as everything else does. This has to do with the nature of thoughts. Ideas have a different nature than memories which are different from emotions. In this regard, all thoughts conform to the Law of Identity.
The relevance of logical ability is not only of great importance in everyday lives, but it is also a skill that is indispensable for students in school. Very little of what happens in any learning situation is not dependent on logical thinking. It is often stated that students nowadays find it difficult to deal with definitions, meanings, propositions, syllogism, and even in solving logical problems. This is brought about by traditional way of spoon feeding method of teaching, although it helps foster memorization and recalling, still there will be a great need to enhance the logical abilities of the students in a more precise and enjoyable ways. In the light of the aforementioned background, this study will attempt to delineate the levels of logical ability of the engineering students of TIP-Manila.
This study will attempt to establish the level of logical ability of the engineering students of TIP-Manila. It will cover the six (6) personal profile indicators namely; age, gender, year level, course, type of school graduated from, and high school grade point average, and six (6) logical ability indicators namely; definitions and meanings, propositions, square of oppositions eductions, syllogisms, and solving logical problems, as the evaluation criteria in assessing the logical abilities of the students.
This study has six groups of respondents, the Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering students-respondents which compose of three hundred fifty-three (353) students who are officially enrolled in different engineering programs of the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila for the first semester of academic year 2007-2008.
The assessment of the six groups of respondents toward the different item indicators for each variable utilizes a grade-point scale with the equivalent scores, namely: 96 and above – superior, 91 – 95 – excellent, 86 – 90 - above average, 81 – 85 – average, 75 – 80 - below average, and 74 and below – poor. Analysis was done in the specific areas namely: definitions and meanings, propositions, square of oppositions, eductions, syllogisms, and solving logical problems.
Findings show that majority of the students-respondents belong to the 17 years old bracket, males, second year college students taking up Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering and those who finished their high school in a private secondary institution with a high school grade point average that belong to the 81 - 85 grade point average bracket.
Findings also show that the levels of logical ability of the engineering students-respondents of the Technological Institute of the Philippines-Manila found to be average in the different aspects of the logical ability tests which is a clear manifestation that most of the engineering students are not very familiar with the logical qualities of terms and not fully capable of identifying the given propositions including the appropriate symbols, types, and its equivalent.
In view of the findings of the study, the following recommendations are hereby presented for consideration:
1. Students should be given an insight on the significance of definitions and meanings, propositions, square of oppositions, eductions, syllogisms, and solving logical problems.
2. Students should be trained on how to develop their logical ability by putting emphasis on their knowing powers.
3. Design an instructional material that will facilitate the transfer of knowledge in order for the students to have a basic understanding of the eight syllogistic rules.
4. Students should develop self-confidence and at the same time seek ways in improving their logical and critical thinking skills.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Alexander Hamilton (1755 - 1804) by Ronan S. Estoque, DPA (June, 2008)
If you happen to have a $10 in your pocket, the individual in the portrait is no other than Alexander Hamilton. And for people who couldn’t care less, they might ask the most telling question of all, “so what?”
During the early stage of the British-American war, he served as a captain in an artillery company where he distinguished himself and caught the attention of General George Washington. Eventually, he became the most trusted secretary of the first American president. He served as the first Secretary of Treasury of the American Government, reconstructing and rebuilding continental America from the ruins brought about by the above-mentioned war.
You would have to imagine that during the tenure of President George Washington, there were no precedents to speak of when it comes to governance, people were afraid of taxes and the very reason that there was war with Britain was because of its excessive taxes levied against the colony.
There were two contrasting views that serve as a demarcation line. It is either that one is for a stronger federal government or for a stronger republican (local) government.
When Alexander Hamilton assumed the position of Secretary of Treasury, he espoused a stronger federal government, calling for the establishment of a central bank and a coherent fiscal system, for the collection and payment of taxes, for the creation of customs, the creation of a navy and a standing army over the objections of the faction led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Without precedence, he argued for the “implied” powers of government before the Supreme Court, winning a monumental brick for the establishment of what is America today. Undoubtedly, he is credited as the father of American government.
The dark side of this story is that he was killed in a duel with then American Vice-President Aaron Burr. He personally thwarted the ploy of Burr in becoming president and governor of New York and was inevitably challenged to a duel. The duel and death of Hamilton ruined the career of Burr, eventually leading to a conspiracy charge (an acquittal) of trying to establish a separate confederate state in the West allied with Spain.
Did I also mention that Alexander Hamilton was a foreigner? He was born in the colony of British West Indies and only migrated to continental America to pursue a degree. The shape of American history and government would have been different if it weren’t for this poor immigrant.
During the early stage of the British-American war, he served as a captain in an artillery company where he distinguished himself and caught the attention of General George Washington. Eventually, he became the most trusted secretary of the first American president. He served as the first Secretary of Treasury of the American Government, reconstructing and rebuilding continental America from the ruins brought about by the above-mentioned war.
You would have to imagine that during the tenure of President George Washington, there were no precedents to speak of when it comes to governance, people were afraid of taxes and the very reason that there was war with Britain was because of its excessive taxes levied against the colony.
There were two contrasting views that serve as a demarcation line. It is either that one is for a stronger federal government or for a stronger republican (local) government.
When Alexander Hamilton assumed the position of Secretary of Treasury, he espoused a stronger federal government, calling for the establishment of a central bank and a coherent fiscal system, for the collection and payment of taxes, for the creation of customs, the creation of a navy and a standing army over the objections of the faction led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Without precedence, he argued for the “implied” powers of government before the Supreme Court, winning a monumental brick for the establishment of what is America today. Undoubtedly, he is credited as the father of American government.
The dark side of this story is that he was killed in a duel with then American Vice-President Aaron Burr. He personally thwarted the ploy of Burr in becoming president and governor of New York and was inevitably challenged to a duel. The duel and death of Hamilton ruined the career of Burr, eventually leading to a conspiracy charge (an acquittal) of trying to establish a separate confederate state in the West allied with Spain.
Did I also mention that Alexander Hamilton was a foreigner? He was born in the colony of British West Indies and only migrated to continental America to pursue a degree. The shape of American history and government would have been different if it weren’t for this poor immigrant.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Fig or Feg Tree by Claudio V. Tabotabo, MA (April, 2006)
Trying to get answers to some questions ushered me to the thinking of a certain bishop of our province. I finally found it right to seek help from him as authority to the topic because what I had was simply an opinion that does not deserve attention. Perhaps like me the author of Da Vinci Code was simply voicing his opinion and like me he does not deserve attention.
Why did the people of Jerusalem welcomed Christ with leaves waved in the air and sang Hossanah's? The bishop explains; the people did not look at Christ as king and savior or as God. At that time, the whole of Israel was in political turmoil and the people looked at Christ as a politician who can lead them towards political redemption.
Why, "happy are those who are poor in the spirit"..? I was still an acolyte when this question began to hammer my mind. But the bishop explains; if you are poor you crave for something that will displace the things that makes you poor. For instance. You are poor because you don't have money. With all your strength and influence you will do everything to obtain money. So the bishop continues, you must be poor in the spirit so that by all means - you do everything to be rich in the spirit.
Why Jesus The Christ and not simply Jesus Christ? Christ is not a surname as I thought of it before. The bishop said, Christ means savior therefore "Jesus the Christ" that means Jesus the savior.
Not exactly the correct wording, the bible says, to enter heaven you must be a child. If such is the case then there are no adult people in heaven now because to go there one must be a child. The bishop explains; it should not be taken literally. What characteristic of a child that everyone must bear to enter heaven? It refers to the inability of the child to do wickedness that will lead him to perdition. In other words it is about the innocence of the child.
Perhaps it was the literal level of what the bible says that some people considered.
The bishop said some confusion, which the attackers of the church followed, it started simply from the literal level of some words that have nothing to do with the doctrine and practices in the church. The literal confusion on the same hand originated from the early translation of the bible.
Why did the people of Jerusalem welcomed Christ with leaves waved in the air and sang Hossanah's? The bishop explains; the people did not look at Christ as king and savior or as God. At that time, the whole of Israel was in political turmoil and the people looked at Christ as a politician who can lead them towards political redemption.
Why, "happy are those who are poor in the spirit"..? I was still an acolyte when this question began to hammer my mind. But the bishop explains; if you are poor you crave for something that will displace the things that makes you poor. For instance. You are poor because you don't have money. With all your strength and influence you will do everything to obtain money. So the bishop continues, you must be poor in the spirit so that by all means - you do everything to be rich in the spirit.
Why Jesus The Christ and not simply Jesus Christ? Christ is not a surname as I thought of it before. The bishop said, Christ means savior therefore "Jesus the Christ" that means Jesus the savior.
Not exactly the correct wording, the bible says, to enter heaven you must be a child. If such is the case then there are no adult people in heaven now because to go there one must be a child. The bishop explains; it should not be taken literally. What characteristic of a child that everyone must bear to enter heaven? It refers to the inability of the child to do wickedness that will lead him to perdition. In other words it is about the innocence of the child.
Perhaps it was the literal level of what the bible says that some people considered.
The bishop said some confusion, which the attackers of the church followed, it started simply from the literal level of some words that have nothing to do with the doctrine and practices in the church. The literal confusion on the same hand originated from the early translation of the bible.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Hawks and Doves by Ronan S. Estoque, MA (April, 2006)
What do you do when your neighbor recently bought a gun and is openly threatening you and your family? Will you go to the police? Will you inform your friends and relatives about the current situation? Will you buy your own gun for protection?
The threat is there and there are so many possibilities. What is certain though is that you are going to do something. You will not sit idly by and let events take its natural course without doing something.
Similarly, the same is happening in the Middle East. Just recently, Iran openly announced that they have already developed a weapon's grade plutonium and that Israel will finally have its comeuppance. The West of course is gravely concerned with these troubling events and its possible escalation to another Middle East skirmish. Because this time around, the possibility of a nuclear weapon entering the equation might escalate into a world war with a religious undertones and flavorings. If a war is made out of this posturing, it will be the Christians and Jews against the Muslims.
I am quite certain that the West will only use the nuclear weapon as a last resort and for a defensive purpose only. The Muslims however is a big question mark. Internally, the moderates are battling it out with the fanatics and if there is a nuclear prize to be won, this could escalate into a graphic scenario of a neighbor threatening another neighbor with a loaded gun.
I could just imagine the effect of an American aggression in Iran (all in the guise of preventing a nuclear holocaust) in the Philippine economy. Simply stated, this will only mean more economic difficulty. If you think that life now is difficult, just imagine when the price of everything is skyrocketing just because there is nuclear turmoil boiling somewhere in the Middle East.
To diffuse the situation and to prevent such a gloomy scenario, the moderates in the Middle East politics must prevail. Ironically, the Christians, the Jews and the Moderate Muslims must work together to defeat the aggressive posturing of the fanatics. All possible scenarios are gloomy and deadly without the moderates gaining the upper hand against the fanatics. Because whether we like it or not, the doves of Islam are needed to disperse the convention of war hawks.
Somehow, this has become a contest between the warmongers and the peacemakers regardless of religious orientations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is a story why Ms. Abuel carries the first name of Baby Girl. When Ms. Abuel was born 21 summers ago, her birth gave so much happiness to her parents that they forgot to properly give her a first name. Coming from a family of farmers, Ms. Abuel was the first in her family to be born inside a hospital.
The only mistake was that the parents of Ms. Abuel did not insist on giving her a first name and when the name Baby Girl Abuel was registered in the municipal civil registry, due to the absence of a given first name - Baby Girl Abuel became the official name given not by her parents but by the system.
It was the first time for the parents of Baby Girl Abuel to enter the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). And since, Ms. Abuel is graduating with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering, everybody in the family is excited. When the master of ceremony uttered the immortal announcement of "we are now witnessing the entrance of the graduating students…", there were tears rolling in the eyes of her parents. Seeing their daughter graduating (the first in the family) at the PICC was worth every hardships and sacrifice that the family endured.
There were some close instances when Baby Girl Abuel was almost unable to continue her studies. What with the unexpected death of her grandmother and with the string of typhoons that visited the republic, the four hectares of rice paddies that her parents were farming almost yielded close to nothing. They were not even enough to cover the expenses for the purchase of saplings. Somehow, someway, the parents of Baby Girl Abuel were able to persist and overcome the economic hardship - in short, a mini miracle transpired and she is now marching in the expensive and intimidating hall of PICC.
The hope now is for Ms. Abuel to pass her licensure examinations, to finally land a job and to start the tedious steps of lifting her family from the clutches of poverty.
There is really no guarantee that she will be successful, what is certain though is that her fight against the cycle of poverty will be more difficult if she was not able to finish and acquire a degree. Bill Gates, the riches individual in the planet is a college drop-out. Lucio Tan, one of the riches individual in the republic is also a drop-out. The question however is that with a population of almost 6 billion people worldwide, just how many Bill Gates and Lucio Tan do we have? For ordinary mortals with no moneymaking ability, education seems to be the only passport that will close the door of poverty. Hence, the toil and sweat for a college degree continues with the hope that with a college degree, at least a level playing field in the hunt for a job will transpire.
In life, there are no guarantees. With a college degree, there is at least a glimmer of hope for the fight against poverty. There is a reason why graduation rites are sometimes called commencement exercises - a "commencement" indicates a new beginning. For the likes of Ms. Abuel and her family, this is a new beginning.
From the Humanities and Social Sciences Department, a heartfelt congratulations to the batch of graduates of 2006!
The threat is there and there are so many possibilities. What is certain though is that you are going to do something. You will not sit idly by and let events take its natural course without doing something.
Similarly, the same is happening in the Middle East. Just recently, Iran openly announced that they have already developed a weapon's grade plutonium and that Israel will finally have its comeuppance. The West of course is gravely concerned with these troubling events and its possible escalation to another Middle East skirmish. Because this time around, the possibility of a nuclear weapon entering the equation might escalate into a world war with a religious undertones and flavorings. If a war is made out of this posturing, it will be the Christians and Jews against the Muslims.
I am quite certain that the West will only use the nuclear weapon as a last resort and for a defensive purpose only. The Muslims however is a big question mark. Internally, the moderates are battling it out with the fanatics and if there is a nuclear prize to be won, this could escalate into a graphic scenario of a neighbor threatening another neighbor with a loaded gun.
I could just imagine the effect of an American aggression in Iran (all in the guise of preventing a nuclear holocaust) in the Philippine economy. Simply stated, this will only mean more economic difficulty. If you think that life now is difficult, just imagine when the price of everything is skyrocketing just because there is nuclear turmoil boiling somewhere in the Middle East.
To diffuse the situation and to prevent such a gloomy scenario, the moderates in the Middle East politics must prevail. Ironically, the Christians, the Jews and the Moderate Muslims must work together to defeat the aggressive posturing of the fanatics. All possible scenarios are gloomy and deadly without the moderates gaining the upper hand against the fanatics. Because whether we like it or not, the doves of Islam are needed to disperse the convention of war hawks.
Somehow, this has become a contest between the warmongers and the peacemakers regardless of religious orientations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There is a story why Ms. Abuel carries the first name of Baby Girl. When Ms. Abuel was born 21 summers ago, her birth gave so much happiness to her parents that they forgot to properly give her a first name. Coming from a family of farmers, Ms. Abuel was the first in her family to be born inside a hospital.
The only mistake was that the parents of Ms. Abuel did not insist on giving her a first name and when the name Baby Girl Abuel was registered in the municipal civil registry, due to the absence of a given first name - Baby Girl Abuel became the official name given not by her parents but by the system.
It was the first time for the parents of Baby Girl Abuel to enter the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). And since, Ms. Abuel is graduating with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering, everybody in the family is excited. When the master of ceremony uttered the immortal announcement of "we are now witnessing the entrance of the graduating students…", there were tears rolling in the eyes of her parents. Seeing their daughter graduating (the first in the family) at the PICC was worth every hardships and sacrifice that the family endured.
There were some close instances when Baby Girl Abuel was almost unable to continue her studies. What with the unexpected death of her grandmother and with the string of typhoons that visited the republic, the four hectares of rice paddies that her parents were farming almost yielded close to nothing. They were not even enough to cover the expenses for the purchase of saplings. Somehow, someway, the parents of Baby Girl Abuel were able to persist and overcome the economic hardship - in short, a mini miracle transpired and she is now marching in the expensive and intimidating hall of PICC.
The hope now is for Ms. Abuel to pass her licensure examinations, to finally land a job and to start the tedious steps of lifting her family from the clutches of poverty.
There is really no guarantee that she will be successful, what is certain though is that her fight against the cycle of poverty will be more difficult if she was not able to finish and acquire a degree. Bill Gates, the riches individual in the planet is a college drop-out. Lucio Tan, one of the riches individual in the republic is also a drop-out. The question however is that with a population of almost 6 billion people worldwide, just how many Bill Gates and Lucio Tan do we have? For ordinary mortals with no moneymaking ability, education seems to be the only passport that will close the door of poverty. Hence, the toil and sweat for a college degree continues with the hope that with a college degree, at least a level playing field in the hunt for a job will transpire.
In life, there are no guarantees. With a college degree, there is at least a glimmer of hope for the fight against poverty. There is a reason why graduation rites are sometimes called commencement exercises - a "commencement" indicates a new beginning. For the likes of Ms. Abuel and her family, this is a new beginning.
From the Humanities and Social Sciences Department, a heartfelt congratulations to the batch of graduates of 2006!
Small Thing to Think by Claudio V. Tabotabo MA (June, 2005)
"Men marry because they are tired. Women because they are curious and both of them are disappointed."
This is an Oscar Wilde's quotation from the novel Picture of Dorian Gray. Truth be said, I was tired when I got married less than a month ago. I don't know if my wife was only curious. But I am not disappointed. To have somebody who looks after you is the greatest thing that could happen to anyone. After all, there are only these few things that we need; a wife, children and few things necessary to survive. Other things in this world are temporary. Unfortunately many of these men are barred from attaining what is necessary because of these temporal things.
I cannot imagine getting rich in this very poor country. I cannot imagine a righteous man building a castle among the squatters.
To be happy we do not need to excavate what is beyond the needs in accordance with the standard of society. After all it is happiness that we long for, so why labor hard - Outside what is moral when happiness is there with what you have. The nerves in our body that function when we are happy to receive hundred of pesos are the same nerve that function when we are to receive billions.
It is love that lubricates and prolongs relationship and not those sparkling diamonds. In the movie "The Aviator", Howard Hughes the millionaire was in love with a woman. He gives her sapphire but she said, "you cannot buy my love" so the relationship does not prosper and Hughes exists as an insane man, unhappy and unloved with his millions of dollars. We only need few things to be happy but above these few things should be love.
Disappointment in relationship takes place when a partner expects something that is beyond what is necessary. So to elude disappointments never expect, instead ask yourself what you can give and give only what is necessary. There is a limit to everything because extra things are a source of deception. This limitation could expand what is not included in a pre-marital relationship. There is no problem when only the heart is broken when relationship comes to an end.
This is an Oscar Wilde's quotation from the novel Picture of Dorian Gray. Truth be said, I was tired when I got married less than a month ago. I don't know if my wife was only curious. But I am not disappointed. To have somebody who looks after you is the greatest thing that could happen to anyone. After all, there are only these few things that we need; a wife, children and few things necessary to survive. Other things in this world are temporary. Unfortunately many of these men are barred from attaining what is necessary because of these temporal things.
I cannot imagine getting rich in this very poor country. I cannot imagine a righteous man building a castle among the squatters.
To be happy we do not need to excavate what is beyond the needs in accordance with the standard of society. After all it is happiness that we long for, so why labor hard - Outside what is moral when happiness is there with what you have. The nerves in our body that function when we are happy to receive hundred of pesos are the same nerve that function when we are to receive billions.
It is love that lubricates and prolongs relationship and not those sparkling diamonds. In the movie "The Aviator", Howard Hughes the millionaire was in love with a woman. He gives her sapphire but she said, "you cannot buy my love" so the relationship does not prosper and Hughes exists as an insane man, unhappy and unloved with his millions of dollars. We only need few things to be happy but above these few things should be love.
Disappointment in relationship takes place when a partner expects something that is beyond what is necessary. So to elude disappointments never expect, instead ask yourself what you can give and give only what is necessary. There is a limit to everything because extra things are a source of deception. This limitation could expand what is not included in a pre-marital relationship. There is no problem when only the heart is broken when relationship comes to an end.
Ecclesiastical Court by Ronan S. Estoque, MA (June, 2005)
Historically, the Inquisition was established for the dual purpose of detecting and punishing heretics. Established in 1232, when sectarian groups were not only challenging the authority and teachings of Catholic Church but also the very stability of the contemporary society as well.
A further reading of history will show that thousands of people were persecuted, tortured and even burned alive all in the name of the Inquisition. Historical figures that personally suffered the attention of the Inquisition include Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei and even Joan of Arc.
To this day, the Inquisition still lives. Though the name is already changed (it is now known as the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith). The function is still basically the same minus the notoriety that it earned during the height of its influence.
The Inquisition was so notorious that the Catholic Church needed to formally apologize for its excesses.
The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith no longer burn, torture nor persecute people who disagrees with the Catholic Church. But it can still excommunicate wayward and misguided members of the Catholic fold.
In fact, the last person to head the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was recently elected as pope. Yes, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger once directed and steered the wheel of the vehicle, which was at one time tagged as the Inquisition.
Though it is neither a credit nor a discredit to Pope Benedict XVI, such a former position indicates the conservative leanings of the present Holy See. Talk of allowing the clergy to get married, of allowing divorce and/or allowing the usage of artificial birth control (for the laity) will just have to wait until another pope is elected. The newly crowned Holy See is an ardent defender of the catholic doctrine.
Change will just have to wait a little longer...
A further reading of history will show that thousands of people were persecuted, tortured and even burned alive all in the name of the Inquisition. Historical figures that personally suffered the attention of the Inquisition include Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei and even Joan of Arc.
To this day, the Inquisition still lives. Though the name is already changed (it is now known as the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith). The function is still basically the same minus the notoriety that it earned during the height of its influence.
The Inquisition was so notorious that the Catholic Church needed to formally apologize for its excesses.
The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith no longer burn, torture nor persecute people who disagrees with the Catholic Church. But it can still excommunicate wayward and misguided members of the Catholic fold.
In fact, the last person to head the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was recently elected as pope. Yes, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger once directed and steered the wheel of the vehicle, which was at one time tagged as the Inquisition.
Though it is neither a credit nor a discredit to Pope Benedict XVI, such a former position indicates the conservative leanings of the present Holy See. Talk of allowing the clergy to get married, of allowing divorce and/or allowing the usage of artificial birth control (for the laity) will just have to wait until another pope is elected. The newly crowned Holy See is an ardent defender of the catholic doctrine.
Change will just have to wait a little longer...
Friday, June 6, 2008
I am a Responsible Voter by Leomar M. Basister (April, 2004)
A responsible voter looks at the welfare and betterment of all. He knows every piece of information about his candidate. He decides not only once but more as he can. Decision takes a special time for him to consider who is going to be the one might lead to progress of all.
I think this time we are responsible enough to vote. Another mistake now is out ruin tomorrow. For almost a year our economy worsened. No progress was visible. Let us wake up this time because we are in the worst condition. No more time to be wasted. Everyone must join and unite this coming election. The history of our heroes in EDSA must guide our thought and open our eyes to the truth. Try to think what is the fruit of that vote you are going to cast. Do not think of yourself think of the generation next, in which your own children are members. Would you allow them to be left hungry while these candidates today who shall be the leaders tomorrow will live in their palace swarmed with sycophants and women?
If this saddest thing happens because of your vote, then your children will accuse you of being accomplished of these crook leaders. The elected officers are not at all leaders. They are representatives of the people who put them in power. It is the nature of democracy. There are no leaders. There are only representatives of the people. Therefore if the representatives are evil, it can be claimed that people whom they represented are actually evils.
I am a responsible voter. This means that I can see things beyond the surface. I can read beyond pages. I can understand every word of the candidates. I can see every piece at the back of the honey-flavored words of the candidates.
I am a responsible voter. I can convince my fellow men to think first before accepting the money from the candidates. I have the will to fight the evil disguise to wear a barong Tagalog and on stage reciting a prayer more than priest can do. I am a responsible voter, the friend of everyone and the enemy of the rogues.
If this society is blinded by the whims of materialism, I am not. I don’t allow myself to be used as mechanism of the shallow minded politicians. My vote is my participation to attainment of our national goal. I must take care of it. It is all that I have as an ordinary citizen who is trying to change the face of this unshaven society
I think this time we are responsible enough to vote. Another mistake now is out ruin tomorrow. For almost a year our economy worsened. No progress was visible. Let us wake up this time because we are in the worst condition. No more time to be wasted. Everyone must join and unite this coming election. The history of our heroes in EDSA must guide our thought and open our eyes to the truth. Try to think what is the fruit of that vote you are going to cast. Do not think of yourself think of the generation next, in which your own children are members. Would you allow them to be left hungry while these candidates today who shall be the leaders tomorrow will live in their palace swarmed with sycophants and women?
If this saddest thing happens because of your vote, then your children will accuse you of being accomplished of these crook leaders. The elected officers are not at all leaders. They are representatives of the people who put them in power. It is the nature of democracy. There are no leaders. There are only representatives of the people. Therefore if the representatives are evil, it can be claimed that people whom they represented are actually evils.
I am a responsible voter. This means that I can see things beyond the surface. I can read beyond pages. I can understand every word of the candidates. I can see every piece at the back of the honey-flavored words of the candidates.
I am a responsible voter. I can convince my fellow men to think first before accepting the money from the candidates. I have the will to fight the evil disguise to wear a barong Tagalog and on stage reciting a prayer more than priest can do. I am a responsible voter, the friend of everyone and the enemy of the rogues.
If this society is blinded by the whims of materialism, I am not. I don’t allow myself to be used as mechanism of the shallow minded politicians. My vote is my participation to attainment of our national goal. I must take care of it. It is all that I have as an ordinary citizen who is trying to change the face of this unshaven society
The Solution on the Unemployment Problem of the Country by Evelyn C. Agumbay (April, 2004)
The Filipinos are healthy. The Philippines is unhealthy. We have a strong mass of working men, but there is no job to do. Worse of all, this picture of unemployment is framed with overpopulation that brought a yearly increase of unemployment percentage.
The unemployment and underemployment rate at 11.4% and 17% respectively, remained unchanged. Based on the 2003 employment situation released by the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) early this year, graduating students do have much to worry about. The work force, which is composed of person fifteen years old above, grew by 2.9 %. The 2003 figure stands at 51.791 million more than the 2002 figure, which stands at 50.344 million. If your cup is half full, the figures is encouraging after all, numbers did not increase despite the growth of the population. If your cup is half-empty, it means that 11.4 % of the graduating students are likely to find employment soon. May be some will be employed but not in the jobs they are trained for while five out of seven of Filipinos work abroad.
Because opportunities in the countryside have disappeared, people migrated to the urban centers like Manila in the hope to find milk and honey. But right in the heart of Manila they found nothing but an income insufficient enough to pay the bed spacer. Living in a hand to mouth sustenance in the cities while a vast tracks of land in the province are left idle.
To solve unemployment problem means improve the rural life. Upgrade the agricultural practices, improve agricultural industry and improve farming in such a way that the long lines of job seekers in Manila shall be shortened.
Another scenario that hampers employment situation is the six-month contract policy. This is a blatant one-sided system. Workers are employed for six months then jobless for the rest of the months in the year. We can not question the integrity of the Filipino workers. We have a strong and competent labor-force. Only some of our capitalists are abusive. They don’t look at the humanitarian situation. They think of profit and nothing else. This is a fact that that rendered savagery to the Filipino workers.
One more evil in the employment sector today is agency in a guise of helping anyone land a job. But in reality this is another racket that put the workers in jeopardy. These agencies collect money from their client of which the worker they have helped finding a job has to do the back breaking job without collecting a cent at the end of the month.
Solving unemployment means solve first the mal-practices in the employment situations. Formulate law that disallows the creation of agencies that collect almost half of the worker’s pay.
Finally, we can solve the problem of unemployment if more jobs are available in the market. Open up more industries particularly agriculture. These are some ways of solving unemployment problem. But all this will remain on paper if we have no ears to cry of our people. Those in power must be sensitive enough to the plight of the potential Filipino workers who unfortunately because of unavailability of job live in gutters or hovel. I have therefore the right to say that Filipinos are healthy, but the Philippines is unhealthy.
The unemployment and underemployment rate at 11.4% and 17% respectively, remained unchanged. Based on the 2003 employment situation released by the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) early this year, graduating students do have much to worry about. The work force, which is composed of person fifteen years old above, grew by 2.9 %. The 2003 figure stands at 51.791 million more than the 2002 figure, which stands at 50.344 million. If your cup is half full, the figures is encouraging after all, numbers did not increase despite the growth of the population. If your cup is half-empty, it means that 11.4 % of the graduating students are likely to find employment soon. May be some will be employed but not in the jobs they are trained for while five out of seven of Filipinos work abroad.
Because opportunities in the countryside have disappeared, people migrated to the urban centers like Manila in the hope to find milk and honey. But right in the heart of Manila they found nothing but an income insufficient enough to pay the bed spacer. Living in a hand to mouth sustenance in the cities while a vast tracks of land in the province are left idle.
To solve unemployment problem means improve the rural life. Upgrade the agricultural practices, improve agricultural industry and improve farming in such a way that the long lines of job seekers in Manila shall be shortened.
Another scenario that hampers employment situation is the six-month contract policy. This is a blatant one-sided system. Workers are employed for six months then jobless for the rest of the months in the year. We can not question the integrity of the Filipino workers. We have a strong and competent labor-force. Only some of our capitalists are abusive. They don’t look at the humanitarian situation. They think of profit and nothing else. This is a fact that that rendered savagery to the Filipino workers.
One more evil in the employment sector today is agency in a guise of helping anyone land a job. But in reality this is another racket that put the workers in jeopardy. These agencies collect money from their client of which the worker they have helped finding a job has to do the back breaking job without collecting a cent at the end of the month.
Solving unemployment means solve first the mal-practices in the employment situations. Formulate law that disallows the creation of agencies that collect almost half of the worker’s pay.
Finally, we can solve the problem of unemployment if more jobs are available in the market. Open up more industries particularly agriculture. These are some ways of solving unemployment problem. But all this will remain on paper if we have no ears to cry of our people. Those in power must be sensitive enough to the plight of the potential Filipino workers who unfortunately because of unavailability of job live in gutters or hovel. I have therefore the right to say that Filipinos are healthy, but the Philippines is unhealthy.
How Green Was My Valley by Claudio Tabotabo (April, 2004)
I could only make a rough recollection. Three years ago justice Isagani Cruz wrote an article about books imported from America which were donated to some deserving public schools in the country. The justice advocate who was also a voracious reader of novels asked his wife to bring him from America a novel, How Green was my Valley by Richard Lywellyn.
I saw a copy of the book in the library of Saint Estanisalaus Kostka College. The school was located by the sea which is not susceptible to acquiring dust, but the book when I saw it had gathered a heap of dust, a sign that it had not been touched for a quite long time already. One day my teacher picked up the book and dusted. Mr. Gil Raval, the teacher handed it to me which I received with a flashing eyes. He told me to read it not as a requirement but just a friendly suggestion. I said yes, but when he disappeared, I shoved it back to its natural dungeon. I could hardly finish a required reading what more the unassigned one. Besides, the book was not glossy which does not catch the attention of the teenaged reader. The book was forgotten. I graduated and taught literature in the said school enjoying all the privileges of a young teacher. There was money, time and there were mountains to climb every weekends, the freedom that most people of Manila have missed to experience.
The town had a green valley then. There we lay down our back watching the night sky that was sown with stars. We counted the number of the falling stars and in the morning we summed up. We had counted many. Back to the school, we did not do so much appreciation on the beauty of arts that was captivated in the books of humanities. We did not enjoy the reproduction of beauty because right before our very eyes were the original objects of arts which God is the artificer. At the back of the school one can see the far-flung pastures where cows grazed themselves freely. Far away but visible to the eye, dark mountains touched the white sky. From the benches in front of the school one can see a schooner that moved lazily to the north following the thin transparent line of the horizon. Life had meaning but I had to leave for a reason I did not know. Lately I went back to the place and the green valleys there are none. The gold mines have almost consumed everything, even a shadow of the past.
At Ateneo de Zamboanga when I was a graduate student, I saw the book again. This time it was on the shelf among the novels of Steinbeck, Faulkner, Tolstoi, Hemingway and other classic authors. I picked it up and skimmed over the remarks of the previous readers. Again another teacher, a Jesuit priest told me to read it. That I did not. Green valley but the cover was too gray to look at.
Finally the suggestion to read was no longer resisted when I read the article of Justice Cruz. At the time I had already done my graduate studies so no more pressures and I had learned to love all kinds of books despite of their cover, glossy or not. I went over the place where I threw it away to its shelf. In the loitering old magazines, broken armchairs and old typewriters, I saw the book covered with ball weevils but still readable.
I made up my mind to read it after several refusals. I read it and began my journey to the large collieries of Wales. There are good mining people of Wales in the story whose names are difficult to pronounce. Like other novels, there is also bunch of scoundrels, harlots, rogues and robbers. When I finished reading, I found me wrong in refusing to read it earlier.
The nostalgic passing of time, which is also the passing of the green valley, is the force that provokes the writer to muster this novel. Growing up in the large and happy family, the writer is one of the characters of the novel. Like most people of Wales, the writer in the story lives on the pay from the coal-mines where he works. Money was not a problem. The green valley was very kind to its inhabitants.
But the change of time does not exempt anything. Everything has a given time to begin that moves to a given time to end. The one time young whose laughter reechoed over the green valley grew old and whose aspirations the valley can not accommodate left one by one to their aspired place. The happy days at home shall come to end until nothing was left except the memory that there was a green valley.
All of us have a green valley, the time when we were all one in a big compact family bound by affection. But like a grass on the lawn, the valley shall turn gray. Then one day you will wake up and find nothing left of the green valley even a fragment of it. There is a certain end of everything.
I saw a copy of the book in the library of Saint Estanisalaus Kostka College. The school was located by the sea which is not susceptible to acquiring dust, but the book when I saw it had gathered a heap of dust, a sign that it had not been touched for a quite long time already. One day my teacher picked up the book and dusted. Mr. Gil Raval, the teacher handed it to me which I received with a flashing eyes. He told me to read it not as a requirement but just a friendly suggestion. I said yes, but when he disappeared, I shoved it back to its natural dungeon. I could hardly finish a required reading what more the unassigned one. Besides, the book was not glossy which does not catch the attention of the teenaged reader. The book was forgotten. I graduated and taught literature in the said school enjoying all the privileges of a young teacher. There was money, time and there were mountains to climb every weekends, the freedom that most people of Manila have missed to experience.
The town had a green valley then. There we lay down our back watching the night sky that was sown with stars. We counted the number of the falling stars and in the morning we summed up. We had counted many. Back to the school, we did not do so much appreciation on the beauty of arts that was captivated in the books of humanities. We did not enjoy the reproduction of beauty because right before our very eyes were the original objects of arts which God is the artificer. At the back of the school one can see the far-flung pastures where cows grazed themselves freely. Far away but visible to the eye, dark mountains touched the white sky. From the benches in front of the school one can see a schooner that moved lazily to the north following the thin transparent line of the horizon. Life had meaning but I had to leave for a reason I did not know. Lately I went back to the place and the green valleys there are none. The gold mines have almost consumed everything, even a shadow of the past.
At Ateneo de Zamboanga when I was a graduate student, I saw the book again. This time it was on the shelf among the novels of Steinbeck, Faulkner, Tolstoi, Hemingway and other classic authors. I picked it up and skimmed over the remarks of the previous readers. Again another teacher, a Jesuit priest told me to read it. That I did not. Green valley but the cover was too gray to look at.
Finally the suggestion to read was no longer resisted when I read the article of Justice Cruz. At the time I had already done my graduate studies so no more pressures and I had learned to love all kinds of books despite of their cover, glossy or not. I went over the place where I threw it away to its shelf. In the loitering old magazines, broken armchairs and old typewriters, I saw the book covered with ball weevils but still readable.
I made up my mind to read it after several refusals. I read it and began my journey to the large collieries of Wales. There are good mining people of Wales in the story whose names are difficult to pronounce. Like other novels, there is also bunch of scoundrels, harlots, rogues and robbers. When I finished reading, I found me wrong in refusing to read it earlier.
The nostalgic passing of time, which is also the passing of the green valley, is the force that provokes the writer to muster this novel. Growing up in the large and happy family, the writer is one of the characters of the novel. Like most people of Wales, the writer in the story lives on the pay from the coal-mines where he works. Money was not a problem. The green valley was very kind to its inhabitants.
But the change of time does not exempt anything. Everything has a given time to begin that moves to a given time to end. The one time young whose laughter reechoed over the green valley grew old and whose aspirations the valley can not accommodate left one by one to their aspired place. The happy days at home shall come to end until nothing was left except the memory that there was a green valley.
All of us have a green valley, the time when we were all one in a big compact family bound by affection. But like a grass on the lawn, the valley shall turn gray. Then one day you will wake up and find nothing left of the green valley even a fragment of it. There is a certain end of everything.
War and Anti-War by Ronan S. Estoque (April, 2004)
I first read this book last July in 1996. I love it then and I appreciate it more now. When we were first asked to present two books about future trends, I said to myself that I am home free because my readings on the subject is quite up to date and I will have at least an edge in writing a book report. Unfortunately, when I tried to recall the salient portion of the book- facts, predictions and future trends seems to escape my recollection. And because of such absence of recollection, I was forced to re-read the book authored by the Toffler couple.
Hence, I was back in square one. The edge that I was bragging to myself was all an illusion. Like anyone else in the class, I need to do some perusal.
Initially, the work done by the Toffler couple re-articulated about the things that they had spoken about the future from the book Future Shock. The idea was original then, the book was about what happens to people when they are overwhelmed by change. It was about the way people adopt or fail to adapt to the future.
The word future shock is not found in any dictionary or any psychological book (I should know, my MA is in Psychology). Many theorists however, discussed the concept in Theories of Personality. The gist really is "adaptability". The changes that is now transforming the world, be it in culture, relationship, technology and even politics are waves that need to be accepted and managed. If one fails to do so, one is suffering from a psychological disorder presented as future shock.
The author of course discussed a lot of incident where the inability to blend with the trend threatens the very harmony of ones existence. Mr. Toffler talked about the people of the future, the durational expectancy and even the concept of transience.
With the reader’s indulgence, I would like to talk briefly about the sequel to the book Future Shock entitled The Third Wave, which in effect echoes the concept discussed in the former book and expanded further in the latter.
The main thing articulated in the Third Wave is that human history could be divided into waves. The first wave of human history is best summed by the rise in prominence of military might. The first era then is that "he who has a mighty army, rules supreme". The second wave is the rise in prominence of the power of wealth. The third wave is the dominance of knowledge in everyday affair.
Accordingly, we are now in the era of the third wave. Military might is not that important anymore (as proven by the collapsed and an emasculated army of the communist Russia) and that the era of economic dominance (the second wave) is also a failure because of viability impotence- meaning, the capital invested in an undertaking is solely usable only for such an undertaking. The third wave on the other hand is based on knowledge and as such is unlimited; the capital invested in any undertaking can be used simultaneously in other undertaking. While one cannot invest where there is no longer any capital left (in the second wave), knowledge is limitless and can be used again and again in other endeavor, in unilateral or multilateral expenditure. Knowledge grows infinitely and further growth means exponential rise in the equation- such is the theme is the book The Third Wave.
In the book Powershift, Mr. Toffler again outdid himself. The author talked about the changing nature of power. While in the book The Third Wave, the writer expounded on the linear model of knowledge explosion; the book Powershift gave it a proper articulation and endorsement.
The book was about power in the twenty-first century. It talked about violence, wealth and knowledge and their implication in our lives. It is about the new concept in power opened by the changing world. According to Mr. Toffler, we are living in the days of powershift era. We live in the day where the entire structure of power that holds the world together is disintegrating. The forces that are now affecting every level of human endeavor will become more intense and pervasive. Out of this re-structuring comes a rare event in human history, a change in the very nature of power, hence the word powershift. The author boldly states that a powershift does not merely transfer power, powershift transform power.
In the book War and Anti-war by the Toffler couple. The authors stated that from the way the economy and stability of a particular nation is based reflects the way they wage war. Again, the book was linear model of articulation of the Toffler thesis about change and conflict. In this book, Trotsky was quoted saying that "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you". From that premise alone, the author articulated the inevitability of war and conflict in human existence. And if war and conflict is inevitable, one might as well embrace the concept and prepare for war. Constant vigilance, as the authors exclaims.
In World War I, it was estimated that at least 8 million soldiers lost their lives. Where will the next place of struggle be? What nations will have a civil war powered by nuclear weapons? How will smart bombs, pilot-less planes, and satellite communications affect and transform the nature of conflict? These and many scenarios were routinely discussed in the book.
In a world made dangerous by the end of the cold war and arms race, the authors show where and how future wars will be fought. The thesis for a paradigm for peace was offered: through technology, communication, and by the most potent force in the planet, the power of human innovation, which will eventually master the only constant variable in the equation, change.
Though the book first came out in 1993, I had the fortune of reading it only in July 1996. The year is now 2003, ten years after its initial publication- I still find the thesis and synthesis presented relevant as ever. With the conclusion of the American assault in Afghanistan and with the present American occupation in Iraq, the theme of the book is a tight fit to the evaluation of the authors.
Terrorists were predicted to be evolving as knowledge warriors- for the world to combat these violent elements; knowledge warriors in the side of democratic wings must also be developed and placed against the elements of terrorist.
Just as wealth is being redistributed through technology, technology must also redistribute knowledge and understanding among the increasing number of the population.
For in the end, it is only through communication that there could be understanding among the citizens of this planet. Peace is evasive but if peace is ever to be possible in this lifetime, peace must be powered and based through "exposure and communication".
Humanity is now in the fantastic stage of history. Behind all the pervasive gloom are several positive and humanizing changes in the planet. The knowledge based economy has galvanized all of Asia, introducing trade and strategic tension but at the same time opening the possibility of raising a billion people out of disease and poverty. Increase in global population happened between 1968 to 1990, but despite gloomy forecast of scenarios, world food supply have actually increased and the number of undernourished people have fallen significantly.
All in all, all individuals aspiring to be called "Doctors" in their own field of specialization must read this book. I can firmly say that no doctor is worth his diploma without even the perusal of (even a) synopsis of this book.
This book is not new, but this is one of those books that are valued more as one re-reads it from time to time. For all its worth, the energy expended in re-reading this book was worth every minute.
Hence, I was back in square one. The edge that I was bragging to myself was all an illusion. Like anyone else in the class, I need to do some perusal.
Initially, the work done by the Toffler couple re-articulated about the things that they had spoken about the future from the book Future Shock. The idea was original then, the book was about what happens to people when they are overwhelmed by change. It was about the way people adopt or fail to adapt to the future.
The word future shock is not found in any dictionary or any psychological book (I should know, my MA is in Psychology). Many theorists however, discussed the concept in Theories of Personality. The gist really is "adaptability". The changes that is now transforming the world, be it in culture, relationship, technology and even politics are waves that need to be accepted and managed. If one fails to do so, one is suffering from a psychological disorder presented as future shock.
The author of course discussed a lot of incident where the inability to blend with the trend threatens the very harmony of ones existence. Mr. Toffler talked about the people of the future, the durational expectancy and even the concept of transience.
With the reader’s indulgence, I would like to talk briefly about the sequel to the book Future Shock entitled The Third Wave, which in effect echoes the concept discussed in the former book and expanded further in the latter.
The main thing articulated in the Third Wave is that human history could be divided into waves. The first wave of human history is best summed by the rise in prominence of military might. The first era then is that "he who has a mighty army, rules supreme". The second wave is the rise in prominence of the power of wealth. The third wave is the dominance of knowledge in everyday affair.
Accordingly, we are now in the era of the third wave. Military might is not that important anymore (as proven by the collapsed and an emasculated army of the communist Russia) and that the era of economic dominance (the second wave) is also a failure because of viability impotence- meaning, the capital invested in an undertaking is solely usable only for such an undertaking. The third wave on the other hand is based on knowledge and as such is unlimited; the capital invested in any undertaking can be used simultaneously in other undertaking. While one cannot invest where there is no longer any capital left (in the second wave), knowledge is limitless and can be used again and again in other endeavor, in unilateral or multilateral expenditure. Knowledge grows infinitely and further growth means exponential rise in the equation- such is the theme is the book The Third Wave.
In the book Powershift, Mr. Toffler again outdid himself. The author talked about the changing nature of power. While in the book The Third Wave, the writer expounded on the linear model of knowledge explosion; the book Powershift gave it a proper articulation and endorsement.
The book was about power in the twenty-first century. It talked about violence, wealth and knowledge and their implication in our lives. It is about the new concept in power opened by the changing world. According to Mr. Toffler, we are living in the days of powershift era. We live in the day where the entire structure of power that holds the world together is disintegrating. The forces that are now affecting every level of human endeavor will become more intense and pervasive. Out of this re-structuring comes a rare event in human history, a change in the very nature of power, hence the word powershift. The author boldly states that a powershift does not merely transfer power, powershift transform power.
In the book War and Anti-war by the Toffler couple. The authors stated that from the way the economy and stability of a particular nation is based reflects the way they wage war. Again, the book was linear model of articulation of the Toffler thesis about change and conflict. In this book, Trotsky was quoted saying that "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you". From that premise alone, the author articulated the inevitability of war and conflict in human existence. And if war and conflict is inevitable, one might as well embrace the concept and prepare for war. Constant vigilance, as the authors exclaims.
In World War I, it was estimated that at least 8 million soldiers lost their lives. Where will the next place of struggle be? What nations will have a civil war powered by nuclear weapons? How will smart bombs, pilot-less planes, and satellite communications affect and transform the nature of conflict? These and many scenarios were routinely discussed in the book.
In a world made dangerous by the end of the cold war and arms race, the authors show where and how future wars will be fought. The thesis for a paradigm for peace was offered: through technology, communication, and by the most potent force in the planet, the power of human innovation, which will eventually master the only constant variable in the equation, change.
Though the book first came out in 1993, I had the fortune of reading it only in July 1996. The year is now 2003, ten years after its initial publication- I still find the thesis and synthesis presented relevant as ever. With the conclusion of the American assault in Afghanistan and with the present American occupation in Iraq, the theme of the book is a tight fit to the evaluation of the authors.
Terrorists were predicted to be evolving as knowledge warriors- for the world to combat these violent elements; knowledge warriors in the side of democratic wings must also be developed and placed against the elements of terrorist.
Just as wealth is being redistributed through technology, technology must also redistribute knowledge and understanding among the increasing number of the population.
For in the end, it is only through communication that there could be understanding among the citizens of this planet. Peace is evasive but if peace is ever to be possible in this lifetime, peace must be powered and based through "exposure and communication".
Humanity is now in the fantastic stage of history. Behind all the pervasive gloom are several positive and humanizing changes in the planet. The knowledge based economy has galvanized all of Asia, introducing trade and strategic tension but at the same time opening the possibility of raising a billion people out of disease and poverty. Increase in global population happened between 1968 to 1990, but despite gloomy forecast of scenarios, world food supply have actually increased and the number of undernourished people have fallen significantly.
All in all, all individuals aspiring to be called "Doctors" in their own field of specialization must read this book. I can firmly say that no doctor is worth his diploma without even the perusal of (even a) synopsis of this book.
This book is not new, but this is one of those books that are valued more as one re-reads it from time to time. For all its worth, the energy expended in re-reading this book was worth every minute.
Alexander Hamilton (1755 - 1804) by Ronan S. Estoque, DPA (June, 2008)
If you happen to have a $10 in your pocket, the individual in the portrait is no other than Alexander Hamilton. And for people who couldn’t care less, they might ask the most telling question of all, “so what?”
During the early stage of the British-American war, he served as a captain in an artillery company where he distinguished himself and caught the attention of General George Washington. Eventually, he became the most trusted secretary of the first American president. He served as the first Secretary of Treasury of the American Government, reconstructing and rebuilding continental America from the ruins brought about by the above-mentioned war.
You would have to imagine that during the tenure of President George Washington, there were no precedents to speak of when it comes to governance, people were afraid of taxes and the very reason that there was war with Britain was because of its excessive taxes levied against the colony.
There were two contrasting views that serve as a demarcation line. It is either that one is for a stronger federal government or for a stronger republican (local) government.
When Alexander Hamilton assumed the position of Secretary of Treasury, he espoused a stronger federal government, calling for the establishment of a central bank and a coherent fiscal system, for the collection and payment of taxes, for the creation of customs, the creation of a navy and a standing army over the objections of the faction led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Without precedence, he argued for the “implied” powers of government before the Supreme Court, winning a monumental brick for the establishment of what is America today. Undoubtedly, he is credited as the father of American government.
The dark side of this story is that he was killed in a duel with then American Vice-President Aaron Burr. He personally thwarted the ploy of Burr in becoming president and governor of New York and was inevitably challenged to a duel. The duel and death of Hamilton ruined the career of Burr, eventually leading to a conspiracy charge (an acquittal) of trying to establish a separate confederate state in the West allied with Spain.
Did I also mention that Alexander Hamilton was a foreigner? He was born in the colony of British West Indies and only migrated to continental America to pursue a degree. The shape of American history and government would have been different if it weren’t for this poor immigrant.
During the early stage of the British-American war, he served as a captain in an artillery company where he distinguished himself and caught the attention of General George Washington. Eventually, he became the most trusted secretary of the first American president. He served as the first Secretary of Treasury of the American Government, reconstructing and rebuilding continental America from the ruins brought about by the above-mentioned war.
You would have to imagine that during the tenure of President George Washington, there were no precedents to speak of when it comes to governance, people were afraid of taxes and the very reason that there was war with Britain was because of its excessive taxes levied against the colony.
There were two contrasting views that serve as a demarcation line. It is either that one is for a stronger federal government or for a stronger republican (local) government.
When Alexander Hamilton assumed the position of Secretary of Treasury, he espoused a stronger federal government, calling for the establishment of a central bank and a coherent fiscal system, for the collection and payment of taxes, for the creation of customs, the creation of a navy and a standing army over the objections of the faction led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Without precedence, he argued for the “implied” powers of government before the Supreme Court, winning a monumental brick for the establishment of what is America today. Undoubtedly, he is credited as the father of American government.
The dark side of this story is that he was killed in a duel with then American Vice-President Aaron Burr. He personally thwarted the ploy of Burr in becoming president and governor of New York and was inevitably challenged to a duel. The duel and death of Hamilton ruined the career of Burr, eventually leading to a conspiracy charge (an acquittal) of trying to establish a separate confederate state in the West allied with Spain.
Did I also mention that Alexander Hamilton was a foreigner? He was born in the colony of British West Indies and only migrated to continental America to pursue a degree. The shape of American history and government would have been different if it weren’t for this poor immigrant.
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