September 26, 2011
Pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement between the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF) and the Monde Nissin Corporation (MNC) adopted on August 27, 2008, “Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga Day” is celebrated every fourth Monday of September every year. This is to encourage parents to frequently eat dinner with their children and be involved in their children’s lives as simple and effective ways to raise happy, healthy and successful children.
Today in a keynote address at Facebook’s 2011 F8 Developers conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed the social giant’s ambitious next steps. As rumors swirled prior to the event, reports suggested that Facebook might have big plans to socialize the web even further. In an era when few websites aren’t littered with Facebook’s ubiquitous Like button, it was hard to imagine what the company’s vision for a yet more hypersocial web would look like. Read on to know what changes are in store for the world’s biggest social network — and its 800 million users.
1. Timelines
While the profile page has been the crux of Facebook since its inception in 2004, the addition of the News Feed steered the social site in a somewhat different direction. Rather than focusing on static pages where our friends represented themselves, the site emphasized Twitter-like real-time updates, so we could follow along with our friends’ lives as they scroll past. With a brand new feature called the Timeline, Facebook wants to return to that more static identity without sacrificing that kind of real-time update that keeps a social site fresh and relevant.
The goal of the Timeline is to allow you to curate your Facebook profile page with the events, photos, and updates that matter. Previously, clicking over to a friend’s profile page shows a snapshot of their identity that is largely moored in very recent events like status updates, wall posts, and only their newest tagged pictures. As the Timeline replaces the traditional Facebook page, you can prune your profile to reflect what you feel represents your social identity best, which naturally might not be what you had for lunch.
The reinvented profile page will prevent your important personal information from slipping off the page as your newest status updates pour in. With an almost blog-like, photo-heavy layout, you can pick and choose from your past updates, ideally making the Timeline “an easy way to rediscover the things you shared, and collect all your best moments in a single place.”
2. Ticker
If Timeline is meant to breathe new life into the ailing profile page, Facebook’s new Ticker feature targets the here and now. By splitting the Facebook experience into two streams — Timelines for our richer, more static profiles and Ticker for small updates like what we had for breakfast — the company will attempt to manage its signal-to-noise ratio.
While the Timeline can add a summary of activity from a single app — like Spotify, for instance — the Ticker will display each micro-action: a song you just liked or what album you’re playing right now. The Ticker will be a “lightweight stream of everything that’s going on around you,” so the social network isn’t quite so clogged up with the small stuff, like auto-generated status updates from apps like FarmVille.
3. Apps
Facebook’s overhaul will have a heavy emphasis on the mobile experience — after all, over 350 million people use Facebook on mobile devices each month. Knowing this number will only go up, Facebook has optimized the visual design of Timelines for mobile — rather than displaying a stream of tiny text updates below a profile page, Timelines will offer a more visually dynamic experience — one rich with the photos and apps that we choose to add to our timeline, which will appear in large boxes. Beyond the visual redesign through Timelines, you can expect many apps and web services to pop up with an “Add to Timeline” button — Facebook’s more identity-centric Like Button 2.0.
4. Social news and entertainment
Beyond the profile tweaks, Facebook introduced a new kind of socially curated reading and a partnership with Yahoo! News. After enabling the feature, you can see what your friends have read across Yahoo! News’ vast network, as well as view a history of what you’ve read. The new feature will closely integrate with Yahoo!, going above and beyond the action of simply “liking” a story and watching it pop up in your news feed.
Facebook also announced close integration with Spotify, the hit on-demand music streaming service that recently graced the ears of American music lovers. Users can see what their friends are listening to on Spotify via the Ticker, and stream songs without ever leaving the site. Beyond music and news, Facebook has partnered with Netflix to weave the streaming video service into the social network — a feature Netflix fans have been anxiously awaiting for some time. Like Spotify, the Netflix integration will be something of a discovery engine. You can browse your own Facebook friends for ideas about what series to start with next, or what new movies might be worth a watch. Facebook also announced a similar deal with streaming video site Hulu.
5. Privacy
Facebook’s new emphasis on a “frictionless experience” means that users might want to read the fine print more closely than ever. Instead of thinking of authorizing an app as granting it “permission,” social sharing will be posed as a positive part of an app itself — not a nuisance, like many of us likely imagine it. Authorize an app and it will operate in the background, sharing your activities across Facebook and shaping both your social profile through both the Ticker, the Timeline, and the News Feed.
But letting the apps do all the social sharing for us can have plenty of unintended consequences. Depending on how far each app takes auto-sharing, we might be posting status updates that we didn’t even remember authorizing. Now that Facebook will tie in to the music and entertainment sites we care about most, be cautious about what you allow, lest your Facebook friends find out your every last guilty pleasure from the 80s.
Broadcasting your bad taste is one thing, but many mobile check-in and photo-sharing apps integrate geodata about where you are. If you’ve authorized these apps to communicate freely with Facebook, you might end up letting the world pinpoint your location via GPS. To stay safe, lock down your privacy settings and read before you click, now more than ever. -By Taylor Hatmaker, Tecca | Today in Tech
September 16, 2011 to September 22, 2011
Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 588 issued on March 25, 2004, declaring September 16-22 as Cerebral Palsy Awareness and Protection Week.
Cerebral Palsy is a non-progressive condition affecting the immature brain characterized by movement, balance, and postural problems. It is the most common disorder that affects children and adults in the world.
The Cerebral Palsy Awareness and Protection Week observance hopes to create an environment that will allow persons with cerebral palsy to enjoy productive lives.
The third week of September is celebrated as Linggo ng Kasuotang Pilipino. During this period, our people’s various native dresses and costumes are highlighted.
Philippine history and culture were recorded not only in documents but also in the material culture of our people. The varied names, uses, meanings and motifs of our people’s dresses suggest the rich history and culture of our country.
The “Barong Tagalog,” “Balintawak,” and “Baro’t Saya” are the prominent Filipino attire but our people have many other native dresses – the Ilonggo jusi and pina, the Moro malong, the Bicol sinamay, nipis, and patadyong, the Ilocano abel, the Visayan tapis pintados, the Bagobo dagmay, Bilaan tandayon, and the Mandaya ikat. Among our foreign-influenced dresses are the Camisa de Chino, Kamisa, Maria Clara, Traje de Mestiza Terno, and Mantones de Manila.
Our dresses and costumes are beautiful expressions of our many national traits. They express the various foreign influences that entered our country as well as our taste, artistry, and sensibilities to life’s various moods and demands.
September 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011
Malacañang Proclamation No. 247 dated 02 September 2002, declares the month of September of every year as “Development Policy Research Month (DPRM). The annual celebration intends to provide a means of promoting and drawing nationwide awareness on the importance of policy research in national development.
The theme for this year is: “Back to ABC Education for Development,” which focuses on the issues and challenges confronting the Philippine Education Sector.
For the month of September, various activities will be conducted in the form of seminars, symposia, alternative learning/discussion forum, orientation, exhibits, among others. These activities are sponsored by institutions from the government sector, local government units, academe, as well as, private companies and organizations. To view the details of the activities you may visit DPRM website at http://dprm.pids.gov.ph.
MANILA, Philippines – Miss Angola Leila Lopes, a business student from the town of Benguela in her home country, was crowned Miss Universe yesterday after dazzling a panel of judges with her beauty and impressing them with her brain.
The Philippines’ bet, Shamcey Supsup, flashed her beauty and wit en route to a third runner-up finish, the best ever for a Filipina since Miriam Quiambao placed 1st runner-up in the 1999 Miss Universe beauty pageant.
Lopes, 25, laughed and smiled as she hugged runner-up Miss Ukraine Olesia
Stefanko, then felt a crown placed carefully on her head at the pageant held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Earlier in the contest, Lopes had been asked by Lea Salonga what she might change about her physical characteristics if she could, but Lopes said she was satisfied with who she was.
“I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty,” she told the judges and the audience. “I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family, and I plan to follow those through the rest of my life.”
Lopes was the 60th winner of the prestigious annual pageant watched by millions of people around the world.
Miss Angola wore a bright bikini then paraded around the stage with poise in a form-fitting evening gown colored in gold and silver sequins and feathers.
In fan voting, Lopes tallied only a 3.6 score for the swimsuit but earned a 7.2 for her evening gown. Fan voting, however, did not count in the final tallies from nine judges.
The panelists, who ranged from race car driver Helio Castroneves to actress Vivica A. Fox, journalist Connie Chung and internationalsinging sensation Salonga, scored the women on each contest, narrowing from a group of 16 down to a final five that included women from China, the Philippines and the home country, Brazil. In all, 89 women competed for the title.
Supsup was among the early favorites and it did not come as a surprise when her name was called in the semifinals, and later in the top five.
“I feel so happy and fulfilled. I feel like a winner. I just want our people to be proud of me. I have no crown but I’m wearing my crown in my heart. I did my part already and I hope they’re (the Filipino people) happy for me,” said the 25-year-old beauty titlist.
Shamcey displayed poise and character in the three-week long competition, and the Filipinos at home were expecting her to come home with the proverbial bacon.
Fox asked Supsup if she was willing to change her religion to marry the person she loves.
Supsup’s reply: “If I have to change my religious beliefs, I would not marry the person that I love. Because the first person that I love is God, who created me.
“I have my faith and my principles, and this is what makes me who I am. If the person loves me, he’ll love my God, too.”
In General Santos City, Shamcey’s father Timoteo said he was elated over his only child’s victory.
Supsup graduated magna cum laude at the University of the Philippines and last year was the topnotcher of the board exams for architecture.
P-Noy elated over Shamcey’s accomplishment
President Aquino expressed elation over the success of Supsup, saying she indeed is not just beauty but brains as well.
“That was the personal comment of the President. And he congratulated her. He said she is indeed beauty and brains,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters in a briefing.
Lacierda said there was no disappointment on the part of the President even if Supsup didn’t make it to the top, because placing third runner-up is already an accomplishment.
“We welcome her, the entire Filipino people are very proud of her accomplishment,” he said.
In a press statement, Malacañang said the “humility, intellect, and grace that you (Supsup) exhibited during the competition embodied the spirit of the true Filipina.”
“In our eyes, that is the true victory today – that the world stood witness to and found an appreciation for the ideals, values, and beauty that has long characterized our nation,” Lacierda said.
“May this triumph serve as a way for other nations to come to appreciate not just the beauty of our people, but that of our country. On behalf of the Filipino people, we are proud of you; and we see even greater things ahead for you,” he added.
Vice President Jejomar Binay also congratulated Supsup, saying her feat “adds to our national pride and her victory serves to solidify our status as a beautiful country rich in natural resources and populated by hospitable, beautiful and intelligent people.”
Binay also took pride that the beauty queen was a product of the Makati Science High School and UP, which he said were both close to his heart. – Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano, philstar.com
September 13, 2011
WINNERS
Miss Universe: Angola (Leila Lopes)
First runner-up: Ukraine (Olesya Stefanko)
Second runner-up: Brazil (Priscila Machado)
Third runner-up: Philippines (Shamcey Supsup)
Fourth runner-up China (Luo Zilin)
Miss Universe Top 10
1. Australia (Scherri-Lee Biggs )
2. Costa Rica (Johanna Solano )
3. Venezuela (Vanessa Gonçalves)
4. Ukraine (Olesya Stefanko)
5. Portugal (Laura Gonçalves)
6. Panama (Sheldry Sáez)
7. Philippines (Shamcey Supsup)
8. Angola (Leila Lopes)
9. China (Luo Zilin)
10. Brazil (Priscila Machado)
Miss Universe Top 16
1. France ( Laury Thilleman)
2. Kosovo (Afërdita Dreshaj)
3. Columbia (Catalina Robayo)
4.China (Luo Zilin)
5. Angola (Leila Lopes)
6. Australia (Scherri-Lee Biggs )
7. Puerto Rico (Viviana Ortiz)
8. Brazil (Priscila Machado)
9. Netherlands (Kelly Weekers)
10. USA (Alyssa Campanella)
11. Ukraine (Olesya Stefanko)
12. Panama (Sheldry Sáez[)
13. Costa Rica (Johanna Solano )
14. Portugal (Laura Gonçalves)
15. Philippines (Shamcey Supsup)
16. Venezuela (Vanessa Gonçalves)
I’m still proud of you Shamcey!!!
September 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011
This event encourages communities to clean up, fix and conserve the environment as the country’s contribution to the worldwide environmental preservation efforts.
September 11, 2011
Grandparents Day is a family day. Most families Sunday hold gatherings and family reunions to treat these important members of the family. It is a special day to spend quality time with our grandparents.
Grandparents are the ones who have the answers to questions that most children ask about family histories. For this reason, this day may also be a story-telling time for grandparents to relate stories of the past, enlightening children about “the old days.” This is a time to discover one’s roots, learn patience, understanding, and appreciation for the elderly. It is the perfect time to enhance communication between the generations. We, too, will become grandparents, sooner or later. Someday, it will be our turn to pass on the legacy to the generations after us.
Grandparents Day began when in 1970, a West Virginia housewife, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, initiated a campaign to set aside a special day each year to honor grandparents. The first Grandparents Day was proclaimed in 1973 in West Virginia by Governor Arch Moore. In the same year, Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) introduced a Grandparents Day resolution in the United States Senate. In 1978, US President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the celebration of Grandparents Day in September, signifying the autumn years of life. Sunday, this event is observed by millions not only in the United States but also around the world.
The Filipino extended family system holds a special place for grandparents. They are counselors, role models, and sources of time-tested knowledge. And we give them due recognition and respect by kissing their hands, addressing them with reverence, and attending to their needs. As we celebrate Grandparents Day, let us express our genuine thanks and appreciation to our grandparents for being the solid foundation of our family.
Happy Grandparents Day to our beloved Lolos and Lolas. Mabuhay po kayo!
Source: Manila Bulletin Editorial: Happy Grandparents Day! September 11, 2011
16 September 2011
Since 1995, on 16 September each year, the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated. This date has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 49/114, to commemorate the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
This commemoration around the world offers an opportunity to focus attention and action at the global, regional and national levels on the protection of the ozone layer. All Member States are invited to devote this special day to promotion, at the national level, of concrete activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendment.
The Ozone Layer describes the protective layer of naturally occurring gas, comprised of three atoms of oxygen found about 10 – 50 km above the earth’s surface that protects us from the harmful ultraviolet radiation or UV-B rays of sun. Scientist in the 1970’s discovered that the layer was thinning as a result of the release of CFC’s, consequently, the Ozone Hole developed. In 1985, nations around the world convened at Vienna in an attempt to develop a framework for co-operative activities to protect the Ozone layer. This signed agreement became known as the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.
The UNEP is monitoring compliance with the programmes of the international treaties aimed at eliminating the production and use of ozone-depleting substances, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), used as industrial refrigerants and in aerosols, and the pesticide methyl bromide.
Specifically, developing countries need to focus on eliminating the use of methyl bromide as an agricultural pesticide and they must halt illegal trade in CFCs.
More than 130,000 new cases of melanoma are reported around the world and some 66,000 people die from skin cancer every year.
THEME
“HCFC phase-out: a unique opportunity”
International Ozone Day Information for previous years
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
Divergent's Sanctuary 