Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) Gets in the New7Wonders

Proudly Filipino!

Congrats, Pinoys!

The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in Palawan has just been declared as among the official New7Wonders of Nature winners. The recognition will now pave way for a new campaign – to vote Puerto Princesa as one of the New7Wonders Cities in the World!

No less than New7Wonders (N7WN) President Bernard Weber came here to the Philippines to formally announce the inclusion of Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in the

New7Wonders of Nature, as reported by GMA News on Saturday, January 28, 2012.

After the announcement, Mr. Weber congratulated the Filipino people during the press conference held at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City.

“When your very own President Aquino came out in support of the PPUR campaign, I knew that this country was taking the New7Wonders of Nature seriously,” he said.

“Fans of PPUR all over the world responded to his call for action by voting in record numbers and today’s confirmation is the well-earned reward for this extraordinary display of enthusiasm,” he added.

Here are the Provisional Winners of New7Wonders of Nature in alphabetical order (official winners are in bold letters) as the announcement for the remaining 5 is still pending:

1. Amazon Rainforest – Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela

2. Halong Bay – Vietnam

3. Iguazu Falls – Argentina, Brazil

4. Jeju Island – South Korea

5. Komodo National Park – Indonesia

6. Puerto Princesa Underground River – Palawan, Philippines

7. Table Mountain – South Africa

When all the New7Wonders of Nature are officially proclaimed, a new global poll is set to begin.

This is the “New7Wonders Cities” in the world!

And since Puerto Princesa Underground River became popular for its inclusion in the New7Wonders of Nature, it will pave the way for Filipinos around the world to vote for Puerto Princesa in the new poll that will distinguish the 7 most wonderful cities in the world.

Beginning March 7, 2012, the next phase for the selection of “New7Wonders Cities” will begin.

To vote for Davao, Manila, Cebu, and of course, Puerto Princesa, click here.

Images courtesy of New7Wonders

Article SOURCE: HERE.

MQAPC Joins PACSA 32nd Annual National Convention and Seminar-Workshop

Upholding MQAPC’s core values: integrity, service and excellence, MQAPC’s administrators (Dr. Elena D. Cuvin, College President and Engr. Benjamin Moronia, Jr., College Secretary), campus advisers (Mr. Gerard Gaza, OSA Head and Mrs. Myraine Carluen-Policarpio, MQAPC Scribes Publication Adviser), and student leaders (Desiree Ignacio and Franz Paolo Camargo, SG President and Vice-President respectively, and Robby Camacho, MQAPC Scribes Editor-in-Chief) were the delegates in this annual convention for both campus advisers and student leaders.

The said Philippine Association of Campus Student Advisers (PACSA) 32nd Annual National Convention and a Seminar-Workshop for Campus Advisers and 16th Annual National Convention and Seminar-Workshop for Student Leaders held on November 26-29, 2011 at Teachers Camp, Baguio City had a theme “Leveling up Best Practices in Campus Advising and Student Leadership”.

The following is a list of sessions, aimed towards effective and efficient campus advising and student leadership:

(1) Beyond Expectations in Campus Advising and Student Leadership

(2) Book Smart is Not Enough: Learning the Fundamental Behavioral Competencies – PMAP Advocacy

(3) Environmental Conservation and Protection: Impact of School-Based Programs – Green Peace Phils.

(4) Issues and Concerns in Campus Journalism/Media in Campus Advising and Student Leadership

(5) Transcending Campus Advising and Student Leadership for Nation-Building – BIDAHAN

(6) Think Before You Click: Impact and Prospects of Internet and Other Emerging Forms of Computer-Mediated Communication

(7) Disaster Awareness and Risk Reduction Management: Impact of School-Based Programs

Supported by Atty. Julius Babista, MQAPC-BOT Secretary and PACSA President, this prestigious event and such a fun-learning experience for all the PACSANs has certainly served its purpose and has successfully met its objectives.

Being part of this respected and noble organization aimed towards promoting excellence in campus advising and student leadership, PACSANs went back to their respective schools, colleges and universities with a bunch of new learning experiences, a handful of relevant skill acquisitions and most of all, some unforgettable moments of laughter and friendship.

Truly, MQAPC indeed lives up to its motto: Learning to live life; living life’s learning. This venture has again given the college such a great opportunity to maximize its resources, highlight its strengths and widen its horizons in the attainment of its institutional objectives.

Go MQAPC! Go PACSANs!

-MQAPC SCRIBES-

PACSA, a non-profit nationwide organization of campus advisers, is committed to provide opportunities for the development of talents and potentials of campus advisers and students to become effective instruments of total transformation; initiate the love and zeal for knowledge and wisdom through dynamic and well-planned co-curricular programs and activities; exemplify the values of love, peace, unity, harmony, cooperation, and respect for the dignity of the person and the preservation of the environments; and to instill appreciation for and understanding of the country’s cultural and literary heritage while recognizing international change geared towards the acquisition of national identity and global cooperation. # # #

UP vs. UST Entrance Exams: What Netizens Have in Mind

Why Should You Think Before You Click? Here's a concrete example:

TBYC - a campaign worth passing on from one mouth to another. Peace to everyone.

Fresh from YahooNews Philippines: Here is the LINK.

The fallout from a status update on Facebook continues to rage online as an administrator of a fan page of the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) posted a negative comment about the University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test (USTET).

After UST released the results of its entrance test on Monday, the UPCAT Facebook fan page posted a status update reading, “Lumabas na pala ang results ng USTET, walang thrill kasi madali lang naman nun. Last week pa ng February ang results ng UPCAT – walang kasing hirap kaya sulit ang paghihintay! ;)”

The post was immediately flooded with comments, gained hundreds of “likes” and was shared multiple times.

However, following comments that deemed the post offensive, the UPCAT fan page deleted the post and issued an apology.

"Humihingi po kami ng paumanhin sa kung anuman po ang aming nasabi sa page na ito. Hindi naman po namin intensyong makasakit ng iba o ng kung anu pa man at alam po namin na nasa amin po ang pagkakamali dahil hindi namin inisip ng mabuti ang kakalabasan ng mga salitang aming binitiwan. Sa huli ay buong puso po kaming humihingi ng paumanhin sa lahat,” the UPCAT administrator posted on its page.

It also clarified that the Facebook page is not an official account of the University of the Philippines and does not speak in behalf of the institution.

“Ang page ng UPCAT ay unang ginawa para lamang sa isang proyekto sa Comm 3. Ngunit dahil sa dami ng taong nag-like ng page na ito ay naging isa itong aktibong komunidad na nagbibigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa UPCAT para matulungan ang mga susunod na magiging iskolar ng bayan,” the administrator posted.

More reactions from users

Still, Facebook users continued to vent.

Virgilio Enrico Del Castillo said of the post , “to who ever is managing this account, remember that you have 8000+ people who will see what you have posted. Please be educated on what you are sharing to people. please think of the repercussions of your actions. think before you click, right?”

Others appreciated how the fan page administrator quickly took down the post and admitted their mistake.

Aaron Bjorn Godfrey Ong said the post undermined the credibility of the USTET but added, “Nonetheless, I'm happy that the UPCAT FB fanpage Administrators quickly apologized. This shows how humble and sincere the Administrator.”

In an article in The Varsitarian, the official student publication of UST, admission officials said they are confident of the quality of USTET and saw no need to revise the test despite criticisms that it is less rigorous than the exams given by other leading universities.

'Stop the hate'

Meanwhile, another Facebook user, Rex Jonnard Villafuerte Aguilar, noted, “Ako naman, I studied in both Universities (UP and UST) so wala naman bearing kung pumasa ka ng UPCAT or ng USTET, at the end of the day, iisipin mo pa din na swerte ka pa din kasi nakapag-aral ka sa magagandang pamantasan and bigyan halaga mo na para saan at nakapag-aral ka.

“Nonsense naman kasi if we still keep on comparing and comparing yung level ng exams sa UP and sa UST. Tandaan: Wala sa pamantasan ang sukatan ng pagiging magaling, nasa mag-aaral pa din!” he added.

The administrators updated its status requesting Facebook users to refrain from posting negative comments on the fan page regarding the issue.

“The UPCAT page is trying its very best to let UST and its students know that we are very sorry of our actions. This will not go anywhere if we keep bashing each other, but will just make this issue even bigger. If you think that what you will say will further increase the aggravations of both sides, I humbly plead you to not post it here since it will just defer the intention of peace between both sides,” it said.

God bless everyone!

7.3 to 7.6 Magnitude Quake Strikes off Indonesia

GOD bless us all. God bless the World. Thy Will Be Done.

Quake strikes off Western Indonesia

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck off the west coast of Indonesia's Northern Sumatra on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey reported.

A tsunami warning has been issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The quake, which had a depth of 29 kilometres, hit at 2:37 am (1837 GMT) around 261 miles southwest of Banda Aceh.

An official at Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said it also had put out a tsunami alert, but that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

"The quake was in the sea and a tsunami warning is in force, but so far we have no reports of casualties or damage," Suharjono, the agency's technical chief, told AFP.

The agency initially reported a 7.6-magnitude quake, but later downgraded that to magnitude 7.1.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat of a widespread tsunami did not exist but added: "There is a very small possibility of a local tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more than a hundred kilometres from the earthquake epicentre."

In Banda Aceh, the ground shook for 30 seconds and terrified residents rushed out of their homes, but they returned indoors shortly after, an AFP reporter there said.

In December 2004, a giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the coast of Aceh province on the northern tip of Sumatra triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that claimed 220,000 victims, with Indonesia accounting for three-quarters of the figure.

Source: Yahoo News - Link is HERE.

An earthquake measuring 7.3 in magnitude has struck off the west coast of Northern Sumatra, the US Geological Survey reports.

A tsunami warning has been issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The quake, which had a depth of 29 kilometres, hit at 2.37am (0537 AEDT) on Wednesday about 420 kilometres southwest of Banda Aceh.

An official at Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said it also had put out a tsunami alert, but that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

'The quake was in the sea and a tsunami warning is in force, but so far we have no reports of casualties or damage,' Suharjono, the agency's technical chief, told AFP.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat of a widespread tsunami did not exist but added: "There is a very small possibility of a local tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more than a hundred kilometres from the earthquake epicentre."

In Banda Aceh, the ground shook for 30 seconds and terrified residents rushed out of their homes, but they returned indoors shortly after, an AFP reporter there said.

There is no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories.

Source: SkyNews.Com. See Link Here.

Advantages of Campus Paper

Just want to share this post from Gabi. Happy Reading!

Why is it important to have a school newspaper?

Well, because you, as students, will:

Gain awareness of the power of written communication by publishing work and receiving valuable feedback from readers.

Develop the skill of maturely handling interviews and staff business on a one-to-one basis with the adults whom you contact as student reporters.

Face the need to weigh and make decisions about ethics and values, and resolve conflicts between rights and responsibilities.

Acquire writing skills that in the future will prove assets in professional, technical and vocational fields, as well as those allied to journalism.

Accept the requirements of meeting deadlines and fulfilling assigned duties in order to succeed as part of a production team with clearly outlined goals.

Take over meaningful leadership roles as student editors, designers and managers.

Receive grounding in practical and professional applications of modern technology.

Have an outlet for expressing your creativity and communicating your ideas.

Make a positive contribution to your school and feel an integral part of the school community.

Become aware of the necessity of accepting responsibility for, and the consequences of, submitting your work to public judgment.

See this link: A fellow BLOGGER. Thanks, Gab.