Diagenesis: First Ever National Geology and Mining Engineering Convention

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The University of the Philippines Mining Engineering Society and University of the Philippines Geology Majors' Society, co-presented by Nickel Asia Corporation, in cooperation with Global Ferronickel Holdings, Incorporated, bring the FIRST EVER NATIONAL GEOLOGY AND MINING ENGINEERING CONVENTION, a week-long summit from March 8-11, 2016 that centers on the geology and mining industry of the country, with the theme "DIAGENESIS: Lithifying the youth, geology and mining engineering towards environmental protection and development”.

It aims to cater geology and mining engineering students, geologists, mining engineers and other people in the industry through its various events. The series of events of the convention are as follows.

Convention Registration Fee: FREE!

National GEM Convention Kickoff
Date: March 8, 2016
Time: 9:00am to 10:30am
Venue: UP Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Description: The National GEM Convention Kickoff aims to formally introduce the objectives, events, the organizations and the people who have made this pioneering convention happen. There will be an official launch of the themed-exhibit with a progressive advocacy for the environment and responsible mining. FREE CUPCAKES WILL BE SERVED!

National GEM Lab Tour
Date: March 8, 2016
Time: 1:30pm to 4:00pm

Venue: UP DMMME Pilot Plant and UP NIGS Academic Laboratories

Description: The National GEM Lab Tour aims to introduce the students from other schools to the sophisticated and advanced laboratory equipment housed in the National Institute of Geological Sciences and the Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering. LUNCH WILL BE SERVED!

Aksyon VAW Now Available for Download on Google Play

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On February 23, 2016 the mobile application AksyonVAW made its debut in Google Playstore. But what is AksyonVAW all about?

Aksyon is the Filipino word for action, and VAW stands for violence against women. The app AksyonVAW is a project of the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), a non-government organisation based in Quezon City that assists individuals and groups in their strategic and appropriate use of various means of information and communications technology (ICT). FMA partnered with 8 Layer Technologies, a free and open source company, to develop the said app.

This mobile application calls on users, especially women and girls, to take control of technology and strategically use any ICT platform for activism against gender based violence. It demonstrates the need for users to know their rights and to keep safe online.

AksyonVAW features three stories of technology-related violence against women – cyberbullying, identity theft, and online harassment. Each story has a scenario where the app user can help choose an action regarding the case. For example, a victim of cyberbullying in school can choose to report to school authorities about the incident or just keep quiet about it. If the user chooses one option, a resulting scenario appears. It has to be noted though that some of the responses to the cases are based on Philippine law. Tips on what to do in case of online abuse are also featured in the app.

The idea for coming up with such an app was inspired by FMA’s work on technology-related violence against women. Since 2012, it has started mapping cases on technology-related violence against women (see ph.takebackthetech.net).

The online mapping is part of a project that FMA has with the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Other APC project partners in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mexico, and Pakistan have also mapped similar cases in their own countries.

The app is now available for downloading but further improvements to it will still be added in the next few days.

Ping Lacson for Senator: My Crash Interview with the Senatorial Re-Electionist

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Look who I bumped into in the elevator on my way to a presscon at a certain building in BGC.

Funny is, I asked him if he was really Ping Lacson and not just someone who looks like him. He smiled and confirmed he is the senator we all know. I shook his hand and said "Hello, sir!" Then I looked away but after a few seconds of silence, he asked me where I was heading. I looked back at him and said I was going to a presscon and told him its on the nth floor of the building. He asked what it was about and I replied that it was about a corporate social responsibility program of a certain company. Then I looked away again facing the elevator door but after a few seconds of silence again, I looked back at him and jokingly said, "Can I also interview you later?" and I was surprised he agreed and told me where his office was and that I can come there after my presscon. That's exactly what I did!

The great thing about this moment is that he did not even know who I was and which media outfit I was representing. That's what I like about my future leaders - approachable and would not discriminate. He will accommodate you no matter who you are. It seemed like a long elevator ride for me, and was amazed I scored an instant interview schedule without setting any advance appointment with him.