PHLPost Launches National Artist Lucrecia R. Kasilag Commemorative Stamp

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) launched its Lucrecia R. Kasilag National Artist Commemorative Stamp ‘Birth Centenary” (1918-2018) in recognition of her outstanding achievement and world class talent in Music.

National Artist for Music Lucrecia R. Kasilag or “Tita King” as she was fondly called lived her life as a Filipino pride being an educator, composer, writer, researcher, lecturer, performer, and cultural administrator all at the same time. She devoted her professional life to the development of Filipino music and the growth of Filipino musician.

Tita King founded the Philippine Music Ensemble to illustrate the many facets of Philippine Music – ethnic, traditional, and contemporary. She was Chairperson of the League of Filipino Composers for 30 years and has composed more than 250 compositions of all types, many of which synthesized the myriad influences in Philippine culture.

‘With Tita King’s vast accomplishments and contributions to Philippine music, PHLPost has featured the great woman in the latest commemorative stamp issue in her honor”, Postmaster General Joel Otarra said.

Designed by PHLPost in-house artist Victorino Z. Serevo, the stamp features the beautiful portrait of National Artist Lucrecia R. Kasilag with her world famous Philippine Music Ensemble at the background. PHLPost has printed 50,000 copies of the P12 single design commemorative stamp.

“Tita King’ was born on August 31, 1918 marking her 100 years this 2018.

The stamps are now available at the Post Shop, Central Post Office, Door 203, Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila and area post offices nationwide. For inquiries, please call 527-01-08 or 527-01-32. 

16 School Teams Train, Pitch S&T Projects for Innovation Contest imake.wemake

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Filipino communities may soon find answers to pressing issues in education, traffic, waste management, disaster preparedness and others as 16 senior high school teams made it to the second round of the 2nd imake.wemake, an S&T innovation competition organized by the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute’s (DOST-SEI) in partnership with Acer Philippines.

“It will be a battle among school teams but the real winners here are Filipinos who will benefit from their inventions,” DOST-SEI Director Josette Biyo said.

Biyo and Acer Philippines General Manager Manuel Wong graced the project pitching and closing ceremony of the five-day event held on September 3-7, 2018 at the Microtel UP Technohub in Quezon City which featured promising student inventions like low-cost GPS tracking for wildlife conservation, online waste management integration, and anti-overloading device among others.

“Our young inventors proved that they understand the needs of the people and know how they can address such. We’re more than happy to provide them venue for their technical skills and creativity in imake.wemake,” Biyo added.

The panel of judges, composed of UP Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute professors Dr. Nestor Tiglao and Engr. Percival Magpantay, Ateneo de Manila University professor Engr. Carlos Matti Oppus, and Acer Philippines Business Development Manager Alexis de Guzman, selected the finalists from 65 proposals submitted. The judges based their decisions on project viability and potential to address important societal and community issues.

The 16 competing school teams are Centro Escolar University-Manila, College of St. John – Roxas, De La Salle University Integrated School – Laguna, Dr. Yanga’s Colleges, Grace Christian College, Masbate National Comprehensive High School, New Era University, Philippine Science High School – Cagayan Valley Campus, Philippine Science High School – CAR Campus, Philippine Science High School – Central Luzon Campus, Philippine Science High School – Central Visayas Campus, Philippine Science High School-Eastern Visayas Campus, Rizal National Science High School, Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School, Taguig Science High School, and Technological University of the Philippines Cubao Campus.

A total of 48 students and 16 teachers attended the free training organized by the DOST-SEI and facilitated by experts from ThinkLab Philippines and Acer Taiwan’s Kevin Chuang. Participants experienced hands-on training on Arduino digital and analog system and Acer Cloudprofessor, the innovative platform that will power all imake.wemake projects. Each team also received free Acer Cloudprofessor kit, sensor expansion pack, and toolbox.

The teams are given three months to build and test their projects. They will convene again in December for the Final Presentation and Awarding Ceremony where top three teams will win P50,000 cash prize and the Youth Innovation Prize each.

Power Restored in 7 Provinces

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Latest reports from the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER) led by the Department of Energy indicated that power has been restored in seven provinces hit by Typhoon Ompong. These are Pangasinan, Batanes, Batangas, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Quirino, and Zambales.

After visiting Cagayan on Sunday (16 September), DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi directed Undersecretaries Felix William B. Fuentebella, Alexander S. Lopez and National Electrification Administration(NEA) Administrator Edgardo R. Masongsong to attend the Cabinet Briefing for President Rodrigo R. Duterte in Benguet and conduct ground operations and inspections. They were tasked to fully mobilize and monitor the required personnel for the energy family’s response and restoration activities.

Based on the 9:00AM report of the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER):

For the power generation sector, the National Power Corporation (NPC) – Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) reported normal operations as of 4:00AM today in the diesel power plant (DPP) areas of Batanes, (Basco, Itbayat, Sabtang) Isabela and Aurora (Maconacon, Casuguran). Meanwhile, DPPs in Calayan, Minabel & Balatubat, Kabugao, and Palanan are still being assessed.

NPC’s dam status report indicates that water-spilling operations were still on-going at the San Roque Dam, with the end of spilling operations forecasted to take place by Wednesday (19 September) evening.

On the other hand, NPC’s Ambuklao-Binga Flood Forecasting and Warning Service (FFWS) Dam Office has turned over the responsibility of its Spillway Gate Operations to SN Aboitiz Power-Benguet (SNAPB) since Ompong already left the Philippine Area of Responsibility; the accumulated 24-hour rainfall measured is less than 50millimeters; and the inflow at the Ambuklao Reservoir is less than 500 centimeters.

For the transmission sector, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported that as of 6:00AM, there is a total of 14 de-energized transmission lines in regions I, II, III, IV-A, VII, and CAR

NGCP also reported that transmission lines in Cagayan and Benguet are partially restored. There are currently on-going restoration activities in Apayao, while transmission facilities in other affected provinces have been normalized.

NGCP is continuing its aerial and ground patrols to inspect and assess the full impact of Ompong on its operations and facilities.

For the distribution sector, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) initially estimates the cost of damage on electric cooperatives (ECs) alone to be at Ph111, 085,986.00.

Eight ECs covering seven provinces have been fully restored, while 14 ECs remain up for restoration.

The regions being served by the following electric cooperatives are affected:

1.             ECs with ongoing restoration:

•     Region I (3 ECs) – INEC (Ilocos Norte), ISECO (Ilocos Sur), LUELCO (La Union with 4.2% restored)

•     Region II (5 ECs) – CAGELCO I and II (Cagayan), ISELCO I (parts of Isabela with 33.3% restored),
ISELCO II (parts of Isabela), NUVELCO (Nueva Viscaya with 14.3% restored)

•     CAR (5 ECs) – BENECO (Benguet), MOPRECO (Mountain Province), ABRECO (Abra), KAELCO
(Kalinga-Apayao), IFELCO (Ifugao)

•     Region III (1 EC) – AURELCO (Aurora with 88.9% restored)

2.             ECs fully restored:

•    Region I (1 EC) – PANELCO I and III (Pangasinan)

•     Region II (2 ECs) – BATANELCO (Batanes), QUIRELCO (Quirino)

•     Region III (2 ECs) – NEECO II-AREA I (Nueva Ecija), ZAMECO I (Zambales)

•     Region IV-A (2 ECs) – FLECO (Laguna), BATELEC II (Batangas)

In the areas served by the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), all circuit outages are completely restored.

MERALCO reported that there are still 15,000 to 20,000 customers or 0.23% to 0.30% of its total customers undergoing for restoration which are mostly on service drop or household levels within the franchise area.
 

In the oil industry, monitoring activities of oil companies indicate that as of 12:00PM yesterday (16 September), there is sufficient supply of petroleum products, with stocks ranging from 2 to 15 days, depending on the area.

The DOE reiterates the implementation of a price freeze in Cagayan, Abra, Benguet, Isabela and Mayoyao, Ifugao after said provinces have been put under a State of Calamity. The price freeze covers household LPG and kerosene products, which will be enforced for 15 days upon said announcement.

The DOE continues to assure the public that it remains committed in the monitoring and immediate restoration of power and energy facilities in areas hit by Typhoon Ompong.