Kevin Jer David & Orven Jules Dumaoang (Pisay09) win at Intel ISEF competition :)

Way to go, Jer & OJ!!!

O ayan OJ, ha, may greeting din kayo :P

Go libaaag :D

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4 Pinoy studes win awards in US science fair

By Edson C. Tandoc Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:04:00 06/06/2009

Filed Under: Good news, Awards and Prizes, Science (general), Education, Animals

MANILA, Philippines—Four Filipino high school students have won prizes in an international science competition proving that science education is alive and well and thriving in the Philippines.

Sixteen-year-old Jovani Tomale’s passion for numbers is helping save the Philippine Eagle and has earned for him second prize in the Animal Sciences category during the International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) held in the United States last month.

Two other high school science projects won in the Intel ISEF competition: One by Kevin Jer David, 16, and Orven Jules Dumaoang, 16, and another by Angela Joyce Yap-Dy, 14.

The annual contest, sponsored by Intel Corp., brought together some 1,600 students from 50 countries. Nine students from the Philippines competed by presenting six science projects.

Tomale came up with a mathematical formula to help identify the sex of an eagle, proving that tinkering with numbers and equations is both fun and relevant.

“This is my share to save the Philippine Eagle,” Tomale told the Inquirer.

His project started with a simple field trip more than a year ago when he was still a senior high school student at the Davao City National High School in Davao del Sur.

Listening to talks by officials of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), a Davao City organization that aims to save Philippine Eagles from extinction, Tomale was struck by a simple problem that hampers the breeding of eagles in captivity.

“It was hard for them to determine the gender of an eagle,” he said.

Visual sexing

The foundation usually resorted to what it called “visual sexing” or determining gender by observing the eagle for several days, a method that is very susceptible to error.

“This problem led me to think of something to help the foundation,” Tomale said.

The Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) is a huge, broad-winged forest raptor endemic to Luzon, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao. It is one of the world’s largest and rarest eagles. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources lists the Philippine Eagle as “critically endangered.”

It was difficult to identify the sex of the Philippine Eagle because male and female have the same physical features, Tomale explained.

If there was an easier and faster way to tell an eagle’s sex, this could help increase its threatened population.

Formula

Tomale worked with his uncle Vladimir Kobayashi, an applied mathematics graduate of the University of the Philippines, who taught him the basic principles of statistics.

Several months later, he came up with a formula that included information like the length of an eagle’s bill and leg. His formula correctly identified the sex of at least 17 eagles.

Tomale has given his formula to the PEF. He said he would pursue his love for numbers by taking up accountancy at the Ateneo de Davao University.

Other winners

Winning the grand prize in the Plant Sciences category were David and Dumaoang, both graduates of the Philippine Science High School. The two, who are incoming medical students at the University of the Philippines, studied how disease-causing bacteria can “communicate.” By being able to disrupt the communication, they can prevent the disease-causing bacteria from becoming resistant to antibiotics.

Meanwhile, Dy won a special second prize award from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry. She discovered that milkfish bile, which is usually discarded when cooking, could be converted into an anti-cancer drug. It works especially against lung and colon cancers, which are among the top killers in the world.

Intel presented the winners in a press conference yesterday.

Real science

Education Undersecretary Vilma Labrador said the four students represented that 20 million public school students who “are doing their best.”

Labrador noted: “Is the quality of education falling down? ... This is a proof [that it is not].”

David, one of the grand prize winners, said his experience in the international contest showed him that science “is not just memorizing concepts, real science is when you get to answer your own questions.”

He said the country “needs more scientists” and while he acknowledged that support for science research in the country has been increasing, “there is still room for improvement.”

Intel’s higher education manager for corporate affairs Joselito Tulao said the contest aimed to “develop science and technology in the country.”

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Proudly Pisay.
Proudly Field Bio ;)

Para kay Therene

I didn't know her until I heard of the tragic news of her passing.

She is Therene Timbang, PSHS Class of 2009. She was just 15, a few months away from graduation, a few days away from a warm Christmas celebration with her family.

Fifteen and full of life, full of hope, full of dreams - just like any other child should be.

Then, all in the blink of an eye...no more.

Everytime someone this young is taken too soon, it bothers me. It saddens me to think of all the things that could've been but will never be.

But just like Gian's prayer this morning during the flag ceremony, let Tintin's/Timby's passing not have happened in vain. May all of us left behind learn something from this - at the very least, may we all realize the preciousness and fragility of life, and the importance and impact of each passing moment.

To Therene, may the angels guide you to the loving arms of God. Rest in peace.

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To those who believe in prayer, let me share with you this novena that was shared by the family of a friend of mine who passed away last 2005:

Lord, help us to see death for what it really is,
the end of poverty, and the beginning of riches;
the end of frustration, and the beginning of fulfillment;
the end of weakness, and the beginning of strength.

Let not grief overwhelm us nor a sense of loss embitter us.
Out of our sadness, let there arise a new joy
for so much that has been given to us.
Cast out our fears and let not our hearts be troubled.
Let Your spirit of peace come alive within our experience
of hurt, sorrow and isolation,
of our sadness today, and our loneliness tomorrow.

We humbly commend to You Therene,
Whom You have called out of this mortal life.
You loved her always with great love.
Now that You have freed her from all pains of this earth
Bring her into Your paradise
Where there is no more grief, or mourning, or sadness,
But peace and joy with Your son and the Holy Spirit forever.

We thank You for all the blessings
You have given to Therene in her mortal life.
We pray that she may be able to glorify You
With the life that she lived
And by the way she made use of Your blessings.

Lord, may we never forget that life is short and uncertain.
Let Your spirit guide us in holiness, justice and service
To our brothers and sisters.

We pray for the healing of all unhappy feelings
Therene's death now leaves in our hearts.
Be with us, Lord, during our moments of sorrow and loneliness.
You are our rock, our fortress and our strength.
We trust in You and hope in your glorious resurrection.
We lift to you our grief and sorrow, confident that
You will change our mourning into rejoicing
That our beloved Therene now rests in your peace.

Amen.

ATTENTION PISAY 2009-2012: 2nd Periodic Examination Schedule

Click to enlarge pics.

Congrats Marv, Patacs, and Rach!

Posted by Dr. Saldana at pisaydiliman.multiply.com:

Three recent graduates of the Philippine Science High School (Main Campus) (PSHS) won a "Distinguished Achievement Award" from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists during the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF 2008) held on May 11-17, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The members of the winning PSHS team are as follows: Adrian T. Patacsil, Marvin Paolo G. Ambrosio, and Rachel Ruth Y. Cahilig. The title of their winning entry is "Construction of a Mechanical Prototype of a Microtremor Recorder Based on Electromagnetic Induction". The three students belong to PSHS (Main Campus) Class of 2008. (Read more)

Related link: Intel ISEF 2008 Special Awards
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Yey for Marvin, Patacs, and Rachel - wow, students ko silang tatlo! Hehehe. As if their STR project had anything to do with Bio1 But anyway, yup, I'm proud I got to teach those folks back in their 2nd year in Pisay. What's more, Marvin and Patacs were in my advisory class - go Camia '08!

I hope this inspires the incoming seniors to do really well in STR2. I heard some Field Bio turned SSIP kids (ehem ehem, OJ, Jer, is that you?) have already started making a career out of their STR project (in other words, kinareer na ang intention sa pagsali sa Intel! ) Let's go '09!

Congrats Gian Dapul!

Pinoy student wins int’l public speaking contest in London

P.S. Proudly Pisay! Proudly '09! Proudly Field Bio, ReDiBeGi Group 4 :D

P. P.S. Good luck sa Field Bio compre pagbalik! Hahaha! Sabay ganun eh no :P

Home in a bit...in the meantime...

Field bio 2008's almost up. Here now at a net cafe in Olongapo, photocopying last minute handouts Last leg in a while - JEST Camp in the forests of Subic In the meantime, let me leave you with some breathtaking scenes from where we've been.

Mt. Pinatubo - Sir Espinas, Ma'am Lhen, Ma'am Dacs, Sir Jun. Brrrrr.

Tondol Beach, Anda, Pangasinan

P.S. I - and the kids - are loving Tomi my camera big time :P The field bio kids are becoming more rabid camwhores each year! :P

Mega-update, for those who care

What a summer.

And it isn't over yet - it can't be! I still have so much stuff to do...

A few posts back, I listed down what was up with my summer - BIOTA, Field Bio, Intel.

Biota went well, I was able to deliver the seminar-workshop without much hassle - never mind there were a couple of important stuff I forgot hehehe.

Field bio was a blast! I haven't really blogged about it yet, so in the meantime let the pictures speak for themselves - http://fieldbio2k7.multiply.com/photos

As for the Intel thing, my co-teacher Edgar (who is now with our unit - welcome to Bio!!!) and I will be evaluating the program so the school would know if it can be held for the faculty on a bigger scale later on. Kami lang ni Edgar na-assign dun, kasi ang buong Bio (well, most of them) are currently in Iloilo for GLOBE training. I wanted to join them, but our house is maid-less so I have to be around to help out. Also, puno na rin slots for the training, haha. Bad trip lang kasi magbo-Boracay sila after! Grrr!!! *Inggit*

Aside from Edgar, we also have two new additions to the Bio unit - welcome Ma'am Dawn Toledo (Pisay '97) and Sir Justin Guce (an orgmate of mine from UP)! The Bio unit will also be saying goodbye to Ma'am Chu Duallo (kasabay kong pumasok sa Pisay), and also temporarily to Ma'am Ninna Espiritu (off to make herself smarter still - study leave).

So with about two weeks to go 'til work officially starts again, I'm still pretty busy.

I'm not yet cleared :( Have a couple more reports and a portfolio to finish for clearance. Grrr again.

Also working on some review material for the in-school UPCAT review for the seniors. And still some miscellaneous stuff to keep me busy. Yehey.

Online, I've also been quite busy uploading pics at my Multiply. Mostly pics of stuff that has kept my sked tight right after Field Bio ended - Ei and Chippy's wedding, Chu and Joel's despidida, Mom's Day.

Wrote a post on Ei and Chippy's wedding already, will post that right after I publish this one. Kwento about the despidida and Mom's Day are right there already in their respective photo albums:


Ei and Chippy's wedding


Chu and Joel's despidida


Mom's Day

Other new albums are:


Bio1 dissection for SY 2006-2007


Batch '07's grad

So far got nothing to post about one of the loves of my life - music. Haven't gigged in so long =( Anyway, summer's been fun (field bio rocks!) so it's alright =)

Let the good times begin! =D

Pisaaaaaaaaaay! In particular, Batches 2008 to 2011...

OMG, g-graduate na '08??? Nooo!!! That makes me so...OLD X(

Here are the important events for the first few days of this SY:

* May 15-18: Freshmen enrollment period (Regions 3, 4, and NCR)
* May 21-25: Freshmen enrollment period (all other regions)
* May 28 (AM): 2nd year enrollment
* May 28 (PM): 2nd year distribution of books; 4th year orientation
* May 29 (AM): 3rd year enrollment
* May 29 (PM): 3rd year distribution of books; 2nd year orientation
* May 30 (AM): 4th year enrollment
* May 30 (PM): 4th year distribution of books; 3rd year orientation
* May 31 (AM): UPCAT application (4th year)
* June 1: Last day for late enrollment
* June 4: OPENING OF CLASSES
* June 4-5: Freshmen orientation program

For inquiries, please contact:

Registrar's Office - 924 06 14
Admissions Office - 926 57 01