ECE Board Exam Results

Click here for March 2009 Results

I heard that the ECE board exam results for October will be released today. I think I am as excited as my friends who took the exam last Saturday and Sunday. So a quick type in google of “PRC Board Exam Results” will give you the option to go to the website of the Philippine Regulation Commission at www.prc.gov.ph or to this website www.prcboardexamresults.com. The latter is a better option because as expected with all websites of any government office (of our beloved Philippines), information processing takes them three years for when i clicked the ECE results page, the latest they have 2005. Wow!

This morning, I had no problems accessing www.prcboardexamresults.com, but this afternoon until 8pm, their website was down, I suppose the server’s bandwidth wasn’t able to handle the traffic this afternoon (or is it just my computer?), but now it’s up again (8pm).

Results will be released at 10pm…

***After playing a short game of DOTA vs my brother on LAN***

It’s down again (10:25; traffic!).

After continuous refreshing for 5 minutes… I found out that the main site is working, only the sub-pages are not.

Ok (11:03pm). I have to sleep now, I’ll just post this tomorrow morning with the results. (Hopefully!)

***Can’t sleep so back to the computer (11:47).***

Whoa! Congratulations to my two good friends who took the exam. Engr. Alvaro Miguel Bolisay and Engr. Walter Chua.

Good thing they have an alternative site.

http://prcboardexamresultsph.blogspot.com/2008/10/october-2008-electronics-engineer-ece.html

The Top Ten

Top 10 October 2008 Electronics Engineers (ECEs):

1. FERDINAND MATUTINO SANCHEZ, TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES-QUEZON CITY – 91.10
2. KRISTOFFER SY LAIZ, ATENEO DE NAGA – 90.30
3. ROY ANDREW MANQUERIA GARCIA, DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF CALAPAN – 90.20
4. LEDA CELICA BAUTISTA SAMIN, WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES-CABANATUAN CITY – 90.20
5. DON JOVEN RAVOY AGRAVANTE, UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS – 90.00
6. KENNETH ALDRIN OPIS PRUDENCIO, POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-MAIN-STA. MESA – 90.00
7. JEFRIL MANONGSONG AMBOY, BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY-BATANGAS CITY – 89.90
8. RIGOR LANCION CABUÑAG, POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-MAIN-STA. MESA – 89.80
9. JASON MARC ALMIROL ALEGADO, UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS – 89.60
10. MARK JOSEPH BERNABE PE, UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST-CALOOCAN – 89.00
11. EDISON DIMAALA DE LARA, POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-MAIN-STA. MESA – 88.90
12. ELEANOR ANNE BASA TIGLAO, HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY – 88.90
13. CHESTER DE VERA PARAYNO, SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY – 88.70
14. RYAN DE LEON RIVERA, POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES-MAIN-STA. MESA – 88.70

No UP Diliman, Mapua or La Salle….

Just wait, I hope to see DLSU in the top ten in April 2009.

Poverty During Christmas

I heard some people say Christmas will be cancelled here in the Philippines because of poverty. Yeah right! Of course that was a joke.

But poverty is not a joke here in our country. The solution I have in mind maybe a very mild and very simple solution, but I very well know that it will help our fellow Filipinos.

Back in 2000, I can say our family business (shoes) literally got bankrupt. Not because the trend of wearing flip flops (even in formal events) was starting to pick-up, but because China made shoes had selling prices lower than our manufacturing cost. Such advantage, really!

I would always go for the cheaper product if I’m limited with the resource of money but that doesn’t mean I would go for it. It’s a fact that China made goods are cheaper but it doesn’t mean we always have/need to buy from them. If I gave you the option, buy a pair of shoes that would last for a week from China or a locally made pair that would last for a month but costs four times the cheaper one, which would you choose? This is a break-even example, but when you do your own buying, try to do your calculations and sometimes be surprised that taking quality into consideration would sometimes save you more money.

Besides the quality and the money you save in exercising prudence when you purchase something, learning the habit of purchasing our locally made products, even if it costs more, can bring tons of jobs to other Filipinos in provinces and enable a good flow of cash for them. If you buy from them, demand will increase, jobs will also increase to increase the supply.

I can’t make you a pair of slippers but I know what benefit it can bring to local manufacturers. Each pair, if handcrafted, with a streamlined setup, from my observations will be touched by at least seven (7) hands. And all of those hands will earn money because they contributed something to its becoming a full-pledged slipper.

Filipinos are getting smarter. We are getting more aware. The smelly stuff hidden in Chinese goods are now starting to smell. The unsafe imported Christmas lights (theorized to be the cause of the fire that killed the De Venecia family) back in 2004, cardboard found in meat products and melamine found in milk are just some of them. What else will we find out later in these goods that will greatly affect us? China may completely remove all melamine in all food products but it’s not easy to remove the mindset of people that if it comes from China and it’s dirt cheap, there must be wrong with it. Let’s all learn from this.

This message is addressed to the Filipinos who may have a little extra in their pockets, to purchase Filipino made products that they may consider the hands that crafted them. Let’s help our fellow Filipinos. Specially this Christmas Season.

Last thing, I’m not sure if we do have locally made Christmas lights, but before purchasing them. Check it’s quality first, Ok? Ok.

Understanding the US Financial Crisis for Dummies

Last month, I posted something about the fall of Lehman Brothers (Red Arrows and Red Blood). This entry would be a sequel to that one.

For the past month, it had become a routine to turn on the TV and switch the channel to CNN, Channel News Asia, BBC or Bloomberg. Honestly I really tried to digest everything I hear from the news about the economy, but only when sports news are shown on CNN do I stop my nose from bleeding. I really can’t figure out why a whole country like Iceland can file for bankruptcy? Or where does the money go, do they burn cash literally? With these odd stupid questions in my mind, I started to look for sources on the internet to help myself in understanding the financial crisis. A simple googling solved the problem.

If you want a lengthy explanation from the source of the problem to the probable solutions, you can go to Obstinate Observations. If you want a very practical explanation for dummies in Tagalog go to Red Arrows and Red Blood. If you want a visual explanation, you can go to the Financial Times. However I was not relieved by this graphic explanation because some heavy finance jargon were still there. I still looked for something that you can show to a 12-year old, an 80-year old, or to someone like me who all the while thought that my three units of accounting only covered addition and subtraction and make him understand, I would recommend How To Explain The 2008 US Financial Crisis to your Kids (and Most Adults) by Say it Visually. It also comes with Spanish subtitles too.

BTW, I’m also inviting you to join a get-together on Understanding the US Financial Crisis by Fernand Tansingco. Go to http://www.mayniladstudycenter.net/ for more details.

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EDSA Billboards and LRT2

Told you. (Yan na nga bang sinasabi ko sa inyo e!) This would be BF’s comment if he’ll be asked to say something regarding the billboards which fell just this afternoon. And expect Senator Santiago (author of the Anti-Billboard Blight Act of 2006) to say something as well. I bet the DPWH, the local government and the private owners will point fingers at each other again just like what happened after billboards fell during the Milenyo storm back in 2006. 

Just to recall, back then, Senator Santiago asked the Supreme Court to investigate judges who had issued temporary restraining orders to the MMDA to prevent it from tearing down billboards. Can’t really think of a logical reason why you would issue a TOR on keeping people safe. Oh yeah! I got it! Maybe the judges… and the billboard owners… you know… had a greasy conversation.

Another thing. Do you ride the LRT2? Take a close look at all the fire extinguishers inside the trains.

One typical day on the train, using my very creative imagination, I thought of a 10-70 scenario inside the train. (10-70 is a radio ten code for a fire alert.) Wanting to be a hero in my story, my first reaction would be to dash for the fire extinguisher to be the one to put out the fire. But lo and behold! The pin that keeps the device from being accidentally pressed is locked by a cable tie in such a way that even if you really wanted to operate the fire protection device, only a very strong cutter would allow you to loosen it. But since they don’t allow sharp objects inside the train, I bet there’s a zero chance that you can cut the cable tie. Unless you are very good in sneaking a sharp object through the very stringent (grabe super stringent as in) security employed by the station guards.  

The fire extinguisher was put there with the purpose that in the event of a fire situation, a nearby civilian can operate it immediately, hassle free. The LRT2 management is just so smart (grabe as in super smart!)! Think of it this way, If there was really a fire and you didn’t bring a sharp object to loosen up the cable tie, the conclusion would be to kiss your sorry @__ goodbye.

If the management would tell me that it’s purpose is to keep playful hands from accidentally pressing it, then I think fining someone for playing with the extinguisher is a better off solution than letting myself be killed if indeed a fire situation happens in the train. May God forbid this to happen.

Even if you had the grandest idea on telling people that accidents can be prevented, that’s only half of it. Another half is thinking of a way to make them listen.

May God have mercy on us Filipinos.

Obama vs. Mcain

29 days to go for the US Popular Elections. I just learned yesterday that the Americans don’t vote for Obama or Mcain. (Image from Rickywood.)Rather they will vote for someone who will vote for them. November comes the Popular, December comes the Electoral College. Learning something everyday, good sign for me. Read up. How the Electoral College Works. 

The US doesn’t need change as what Obama is proposing, specially now that they are, I mean we are experiencing an economic crisis. Decrease tax, increase healthcare, pull-out the soldiers in Iraq. He is making promises which seems to be too ideal and too good that the American people might really vote for him. During a turmoil, you don’t have to change anything. Where will you get the money if you cut down taxes? Everyone knows that the US economy heavily depends on wars to survive. Where will US then export their arms? I would love to see Obama get impeached when he fails to deliver. Hehe. Does that mean Biden will become president?

If Obama doesn’t win the popular vote, I bet Mcain will bag it since there has never been a democrat who lost the popular and won the college electoral. Hayes vs. Tilden, Harrison vs. Cleveland, and recently Bush vs. Gore. But with Obama, everything is new so no one really knows. Also, given the predictability of the US elections, Obama now leading by 8 percent according to CNN today, Obama might just get the seat. After all, having Oprah to back you up, I may say Americans are like Filipino when it comes to voting their leaders. Given the Filipino population in California, I think I know how Schwarzenegger won. Did I get the spelling right?

But will W affect the upcoming elections? Let’s just wait for October 18, the day after W gets released in the US. Too bad they will not show it here in the Philippines. 

For Mcain, I hope Tina Fey can really pull their ratings up. I mean Sarah Palin. Because Barack can really roll. Rick Roll by Rick Astley Obama Style. This is the best publicity stunt I’ve seen so far.

Tomorrow at 1 GMT, that’s 9am here, the second presidential debate. Can’t really wait to watch it.

SINAG 2

 

The Second Philippine Solar Car

http://sinag88.multiply.com/

Cardboards and Cats (Karton at Pusa)

I remember months ago, even before the infamous melamine drama, having a conversation with a Korean I met in a gym. We were the only ones in the small room watching TV when kimchi powder was suddenly flashed in the news. Not sure if it was CNN or Channel News Asia. Anyway, kimchi which is Korea’s most favorite food shown on the news with a Korean guy with you, coincidence was really in play. Didn’t quite hear the news but the guy said traces of metal were found in the powder. As you have guessed, the powder came from China. I can’t really explain his anger for the criminals but mixed emotions were evident on his face. Imagine contaminating your life… your soul… your reason for living… A bit exaggerated but Koreans really like kimchi, and putting poison in kimchi powder is just like the Chinese wiping off every Korean on this planet.

A column on Philippine Star today says, “Korea bars Chinese kimchi”. The Korea Food and Drug Administration blocked 1,637 tons of Chinese made kimchi. The reason? Same thing. Stuff which shouldn’t be in the kimchi is in it.

Last year, cardboard were also found to be used as a siopao ingredient and now melamine in milk which affected everyone worldwide because of it’s effects. What else? Now, that people are finding out that different not-supposed-to-be there things can be found in your China made food, knowing that your siopao contains cat meat is quite imaginable and acceptable. Why? Because it’s a living organism we just don’t have the culture of eating cats. I’m not saying I want to eat cats! I have a dozen of them at home. I just prefer eating a cooked cat over a cooked piece of cardboard. And if you want to know where to get good quality best bang for the buck kimchi here in Metro Manila, just ask me.

Circumstances

Today is graduation day. Stressed Out. 1100+ graduates.

I’m wondering given my 4 years of stay in the university, why haven’t I met all of the students who graduated today? Do I lack the friendliness skills? After doing some simple math, it’s very possible to meet everyone in school but circumstances wouldn’t allow it. With this in my head the whole day, I finally came to a conclusion. Quality. It’s great if you have many friends but a good quality relationship with your friends even though they are few relatively speaking is better.

It was Dr. Qs birthday last Tuesday. I greeted her and asked her if she had time to read my very first blog entry in WordPress. http://kaiserfernandez.wordpress.com/2008/02/12/hello-world/. In summary, it was about how I really wanted to go to UP Diliman but circumstances didn’t allow it, the reason why I entered DLSU half-heartedly. After everything that happened to me in my 4-year stay in this university, I realized God really has His own mysterious ways in doing things. I would like to quote Dr. Q from her reply in email.

“God’s ways are mysterious indeed and often paradoxical but He always gives us what in the end is for the better…if only we will trust him completely and keep our faith intact. Many senior citizens like me will tell you that because that is what everyone sees when they look back at how life has shaped them.In your case,would you have been better off had you gone to UP Diliman?”

Very true. I don’t know whether things could have been better if back then I opted to go to UP Los Baños or this school along Katipunan. No one knows. Only God knows, and how He manipulates the circumstances brought me to where I am right now.