First Philippine microsatellite “DIWATA” set to launch into space

MANILA, Philippines - Diwata, the first microsatellite built by an all-Filipino team was turned over to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to prepare for its launch into space from the International Space Station (ISS) late this April 2016. With DIWATA, comes the Filipino dream to have its own Philippine Space Agency.

Diwata, first microsatellite built by an all-Filipino team. Photo Credit: DOST

Officials of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), UP Diliman, Tohoku University (TU), and Hokkaido University (HU) handed-over the project following the completion of the assembly and testing of the 50-kg Philippine Earth Observation Microsatellite.

The construction and launching of the Philippine scientific earth observation microsatellite has a budget of P800 million for three years. Filipino researchers and engineers are under the guidance of Japanese experts from Hokkaido University and Tohoku University. The satellite is designed to provide real-time images for disaster risk management and other applications.

Seven engineering students from the University of the Philippines and two science researchers from DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) were sent to Japan to work on the microsatellite bus system and payload design while pursuing advanced degrees, as part of the PHL-MICROSAT program.

DOST scholars, UP students lead creation of first Philippine microsatellite 'Diwata'

Part of the three-year program is the development of a second microsatellite (DIWATA 2) to be launched in 2017.

DIWATA-1 is a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite set to fly 400km above the earth. It serves as a training platform and will pave the way for the Filipino team to further develop their skills in space technology.

It is equipped with a high precision telescope (HPT) that can determine the extent of damages from disasters, like typhoons and volcanic eruptions. It can also monitor changes in cultural and natural heritage sites, like the Mount Apo or Mayon Volcano.

More than this, the potential uses of Diwata’s images include improved weather detection and forecasts, disaster risk management, detecting agricultural growth patterns, and the monitoring of forest cover and mining. Diwata will be sending vital images and data back to Philippine Earth Data Resources and Observation (PEDRO) Center which was set up to receive data from the satellite

Smart offers P888 Prepaid Android smartphone

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s top mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has reported overwhelming sales of its P888 Prepaid Android Smartphone Kit, with stocks running out at Smart Stores, Smart Online Store and MyPhone stores nationwide.

Smart’s P888 Prepaid Smartphone

An unprecedented offer aimed at bringing the smartphone experience to more Filipinos, Smart’s Android Smartphone Kit is available for a one-time payment of only P888. The kit comes with a Smart Prepaid Sim packed with FREE mobile data of 100MB valid for valid 30 days per month for 12 months, and a load rebate of P30 for an accumulated top-up of P100 every month for 12 months.

The brisk sales of Smart’s Prepaid Android Smartphone have prompted Smart to work closely with top Filipino mobile phone brand MyPhone in delivering new phones to serve the huge demand among smartphone users all over the country.

“We’ve never seen such a public demand like this. We’re overwhelmed by the positive response of the market,” said Ariel P. Fermin, Executive Vice President and Head of Consumer Business at PLDT and Smart.

“This goes to show that more and more Filipinos are now kickstarting their Smart Life experience as they see the many benefits of connecting online with wide array of digital content at their fingertips,” added Fermin.

With Smart’s Prepaid Android Smartphone Kit, subscribers can easily boost their mobile lifestyle with the FREE 100MB data, which can be used for browsing, chatting and staying active in top apps like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

Subscribers can also easily go all out on their Smart Life experience by loading up and registering to Smart Prepaid’s top Big Bytes promos, which offer super-sized data that let them enjoy the widest breadth of digital content, including movies, music, games, and ebooks on their mobile phone.

Moreover, subscribers can use their prepaid load to conveniently buy apps and other content on Google Play using Smart’s Google Direct Carrier billing.

“Smart’s Prepaid Smartphone Kit is the perfect way to allow your relatives and friends to go beyond call and text, and start leveling up to the mobile Internet experience that a smartphone provides,” said Fermin.

Aside from enticing new smartphone users and Smart Prepaid subscribers, the country’s hottest smartphone deal is expected to boost mobile data usage among Filipinos, which grew by 139 percent in PLDT’s wireless segment during the first nine months of 2015 .

Smart’s latest offer is part of the company’s two-track approach in empowering more Filipinos with access to digital services: first, by leading the way in making the smartphone a lot more attainable to the masses, and second, by further expanding its range of digital services in the fields of connectivity, entertainment, home security, urban convenience and financial services – which are at the center of the Smart Life.

Over 200,000 permanent job positions in the government await college graduates

MANILA, Philippines- College graduates seeking jobs may find opportunities in the government as 218,639 permanent positions are expected to be unfilled this year.

More than 200,000 permanent positions in the government await job seekers.
PHOTO CREDIT: Reuters

According to Senate Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, a vacancy of more than 200,000 will be available this year as only 1.295 million out of 1.514 million permanent job positions will be occupied. Recto said that the government should fill these vacancies in order to decrease the number jobless Pinoys, particularly among the youth.

Currently, there are about 536,072 unemployed college graduates in the Philippines. They comprise for the largest sector in the unemployed pool.

The Department of Health (DOH) will be recruiting 21,118 new employees including 15,727 nurses, 946 doctors, 308 medical technologists, 3,100 midwives and 324 dentists. Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) will be offering 62,320 new teaching positions.

Job seekers may also find career opportunities at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (9,835), Judiciary (9,914), Department of Agriculture (4,633),Commission on Audit (6,350), Bureau of Fire Protection (2,729), and Philippine Coast Guard (1,108).

“Frontline agencies or offices with critical functions must be occupied by warm bodies in the interest of public service. Kung kulang ng traffic police, equipment operator sa road maintenance, engineers sa flood control, teachers, dentista, at doon sa mga ahensya na mahaba ang pila, doon tayo dapat magdagdag.” Recto explained.

(If they need more traffic police, road maintenance equipment operators, flood control engineers, teachers, dentists, as well as employees in busy agencies, that’s where we will add personnel.)

Furthermore, Recto revealed that the Congress has approved an allocation of P8 billion for new job positions.

“While not all of these slots must be filled urgently—in fact there may be no need to fill some of them for reasons of efficiency and economy—they still show career opportunities in public service for those with the qualifications and the drive to take them,” Recto added.

-Mini/TheSummitExpress

VIRAL: Mang Eugenio’s story will restore your faith in Pinoy taxi drivers

MANILA, Philippines - For commuters living in Metro Manila, encountering rude and abusive taxi drivers isn’t something unusual.

Mang Eugenio’s story will restore your faith in Pinoy taxi drivers.
PHOTO CREDIT: Facebook/ Rommel Lopez

In the past years, social media has helped expose the bad behaviors of several unscrupulous Filipino cab drivers. We’ve seen it all in viral videos- from arrogant cab drivers who love cursing their passengers to the crazy one who turned into a samurai. As a result, taxi drivers have been negatively depicted in our society. In fact, some of them have been deemed as one of the worst taxi drivers in the world.

Just as you’re about to lose your faith in Pinoy taxi drivers, netizen Rommel Lopez decided to share the uplifting story of a 63-year-old cab driver named Eugenio Ventura or Mang Eugenio.His post has captured the hearts of netizens amassing more than 120,000 shares of Facebook.

In his viral Facebook post on Saturday, January 16, Lopez narrated his delightful experience, something commuters seldom experience, while traveling from LRT Roosevelt Station to Mother Ignacia Ave with Mang Eugenio.

"Sir pasok lang. Hindi ako namimili ng pasahero. Kahit saan kayo pupunta, ihahatid ko kayo,” Mang Eugenio told Lopez.

(Sir come in. I’m not choosy with passengers. I’ll accompany you wherever you want to go.)

Initially, Lopez thought Mang Eugenio, unlike other cab drivers, was just trying to be nice to him.

“But I was wrong. He wasn't trying hard. He wasn't even trying at all,” Lopez wrote.

In their brief conversation, Lopez learned how happy Mang Eugenio was with his job as a taxi driver and how he still drives for his youngest kid, who is currently a graduating student who works part time to support his studies. The old cab driver also revealed that he is nice to passengers because he considers them the source of his income.

Lopez also discovered through their chat that Mang Eugenio was only able to take home P1,200 as Christmas bonus since his operator deducted something from his earnings.

Despite the fact that Lopez wanted to give him a P20- tip, Mang Eugenio refused to get his offer.

“When I reached my destination, the meter read P78.50. I gave him a P100 bill. I decided not to get the change, but he hurriedly gave me P20 and my receipt. I told him that he should keep it, and that it was my tip for him. He refused, saying that I deserved the change because it was the right thing to do. I told him: ‘Okay, yung P1.50 na lang ang tip ko. Huwag niyo nang tanggihan.’ He smiled,” Lopez recounted.

Read the full post below.

Meet Mr. Eugenio Ventura, 63 years old, a taxi driver. I hailed him at the LRT Roosevelt Station to go to Mother Ignacia...
Posted by Rommel Lopez on Saturday, January 16, 2016

-Mini/TheSummitExpress