Blog on PSHS Class of 1977

In connection with the 30th anniversary celebration of my high school batchmates, the Philippine Science High School Class of 1977, I thought of creating a blog on our batch. This blog incorporates materials from our high school yearbook (Lagablab 1977) and the documents that I have collected regarding our batch.

The URL of PSHS '77 blog is at http://www.pshs77.blogspot.com

To my high school batchmates, Cheers!

Raffy
(7/07/07, Manila time)

Jimmy's Statement on Gerry

Last night (7/06/07, Manila time) I received an e-mail from Jimmy
(Dr. Jaime Caro, Asst. Vice-President for Development, University of the Philippines)
regarding the death of our colleague Gerry (Dr. Gerardo Trinidad). (See my earlier blog post "Farewell, Gerry!").

Jimmy succeeded me as president of the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP).
Jimmy, Caslon (Dr. Caslon Chua), Henri (Dr. Henry Adorna) and myself constitute
the CSP Board Executive Committee.

Below is Jimmy's statement on Gerry:

"
We are  very much saddened by this event.

Gerry certainly contributed substantially to our efforts in developing
CS education and research in this country. His dedication and
commitment to CSP and our cause is something we will never forget. His
place in CSP and the Philippine computing community, as well as being
one of our foremost, or maybe our foremost supporter in the
international community, he will be very difficult to replace.

Jimmy
"

Draft Statement of Condolence for Gerry's Family

This morning (7/6/07, Manila time) I received an e-mail from my colleague Emmanuel (Dr. Emmanuel Lagare), an active CSP member and former officer, professor at MSU Iligan Institute of Technology, and former chairperson of the CHED (Commission on Higher Education) technical panel on information technology. He suggested to me that the CSP Board of Trustees pass a formal statement of condolence for the family of Gerry (Dr. Gerardo Trinidad) (See my earlier blog post "Farewell, Gerry!").

Below is a draft statement of condolence that I wrote this morning and which I posted to the CSP Board of Trustees' e-group ( http://www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/csp_board ). I am now waiting for feedback from my colleagues in the CSP Board.

-----------------------

{ Draft Statement }

We, members of the Board of Trustees of the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP), commiserate with the family of Dr. Gerardo S. Trinidad.

Gerry (as we fondly call Dr. Trinidad) has made a great contribution not only to the Computing Society of the Philippines but also to the ICT community in general.

He was a founding member of the Computing Society of the Philippines and was one of the members of CSP’s Board of Trustees. He produced the first CSP newsletter and later he became an associate editor of the Philippine Computing Journal (PCJ), the official publication of the CSP.

Gerry was not stingy with his time and talents. He readily agreed to referee articles and papers for the PCJ and the Philippine Computing Science Congress (PCSC), the annual convention of the CSP.

Although based in Melbourne, Australia, Gerry shared his research expertise to Filipino computer science students and academics. He was the Ph.D. thesis adviser of Dr. Caslon Chua, dean of the College of Computer Studies of De La Salle University and Vice-President of the CSP.

We mourn the loss of our colleague, Dr. Gerardo Trinidad, and we pray for his everlasting peace.

Signed:

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

COMPUTING SOCIETY OF THE PHILIPPINES (CSP)

July 6, 2007

-------------------------------

Farewell, Gerry!

(Photo Caption: Dr. Gerardo S. Trinidad)

I received an e-mail last night (July 5, 2007, Manila time) from my CSP colleague, Caslon (Dr. Calson Chua, Dean, College of Computer Studies, De La Salle University) informing me that Gerry (Dr. Gerardo Trinidad) passed away around 7:00 p.m. on July 5, 2007.

Gerry was a research scientist at CSIRO based in Melbourne, Australia. He was one of the founding members of the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP) and a former CSP Board Member. He was also one of the associate editors of the Philippine Computing Journal (PCJ), the official publication of the CSP.

During the 7th Philippine Computing Science Congress (PCSC 2007) organized by the CSP and held at the Boracay Regency Resort and Convention Center on February 23-24, 2007, Gerry was one of our keynote speakers. I was surprised to see him limping and with crutches when he arrived in Boracay for the PCSC 2007. He told me that had a bad fall (or something like that). Poor Gerry, he went all the way from Melbourne, Australia to Boracay in a not-so-good physical condition.

And so, I was very surprised to learn from Caslon last night that Gerry already passed away.

I pray for Gerry and his loved ones. May Gerry's soul rest in peace.

Farewell, Gerry! We will surely miss you in CSP.

Raffy
(7/6/07, Manila Time)

Below is a brief info on Gerry found in the Bahay Kubo Research website:
(Source: http://www.bahaykuboresearch.net/profiles/trinidad.gerardo.php)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trinidad, Gerardo S.

Gerardo is currently a research scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO, Australia). He has a BSc degree (Civil Eng'g, 1984) from the University of the Philippines, Master and Doctorate degrees (Computer Science, 1987 & 1990) from the Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand).

Prior to joining CSIRO in 1993, Gerardo has held academic positions in the Faculty of Information Technology, Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane, 1991) and in the Department of Computer Science, James Cook University (Townsville, Queensland, 1992). He was also a faculty member of the College of Engineering, University of the Philippines (Diliman, 1985).

Gerardo's area of research includes spatial database systems and web-based database applications. He is one of the recipients of CSIRO Chairman's Medal for outstanding research (2000) and the British Aerospace Chairman's Award for innovation (2002).

Research topics:

Spatial database systems
Web-based database applications

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Dr. Gerardo Trinidad's official website address is: http://www.csiro.au/people/Gerado.Trinidad.html

Computational Science Colloquium

One of the things that I do in the Ateneo de Manila University is to coordinate the Computational Science Initiative of the School of Science and Engineering (SOSE).

On Monday, July 9, 2007, we will hold the first of a seminar series under the Computational Science Colloquium project that I proposed to our dean, Dr. Fabian Dayrit, and to the different department chairs of SOSE, including the Mathematics Department.

Below is the announcement on the Computational Science Colloquium:

The Computational Science Initiative of the School of
Science and Engineering, and the Mathematics
Department of Ateneo de Manila University

cordially invite you to the following event

WHAT: Computational Science Colloquium, Part I:
"Computational Science in Ateneo: A Sharing of
Experiences"

WHEN: Monday, July 9, 2007

TIME: 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

VENUE: CTC 102

Agenda:

1. Introduction of Participants from the different SOSE Departments (faculty and students) and relevant units such as the Manila Observatory.

2. Brief presentation of projects/research work done or on-going, which are computational in nature.

3. Updates on the Ateneo Clusters (MEDGRID and AGILA) (c/o Mr. Allan Espinosa, ECCE)

4. Preliminary Computational Needs Assessment


The objectives of the Computational Science Colloquium are:

1. To promote computational science in Ateneo.

2. To foster multidisciplinary research collaboration
in computational science within SOSE and other related
units such as the Manila Observatory.

3. To update SOSE faculty and students on developments
in computational science.

For more information please contact:

Dr. Rafael P. Saldaña
E-mail: raffysaldana@gmail.com
Tel./Fax.: (02) 426-6125

Scuba Diving in Batangas and Siquijor

(Photo Caption: This photo was taken during my final practical scuba dive in Bonito Island
near Anilao, Batangas in 1996 for my PADI certificate.)

SCUBA means "self contained underwater breathing apparatus." In 1996 I took a PADI scuba diving certification course. I completed my practical exam in scuba diving in Bonito Island near Anilao, Batangas (See my blog post "A weekend in Batangas").

Here is a link to my collection of my scuba diving photos during my dives in Bonito Island (1996) and in Siquijor Island (near Negros Oriental in the Visayas, 2004):

http://www.math.admu.edu.ph/~raf/scuba.htm

{Draft: July 6, 2007}

Profile Photo and Information (Dr. Rafael P. Saldaña)

I have uploaded my photo here so I can include a photo in my blog profile. My photo addess is located at https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtkatGluDALfi8xheZnj2VMIIBcc40DjWLw6V9xIwXwh7kMRmxFSvhTlD8B7-SlkeCEs6hQwryHgKyj2AaAbXgMNhlPvgg8E-IB9G5rxpQDSW2ekNfI_X_tp-pzqzj8DPL_o2RhFvwxU/s320/raffyphoto.jpg
Note: This photo was taken when I was still the director of the Philippine Science High School Main Campus in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines in 2002 - 2004.

ABOUT ME

Rafael P. Saldaña, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, Mathematics Department, School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108, PHILIPPINES *** Tel./Fax.: +63 2 4266125 * E-mail: raffysaldana@gmail.com

* * * * * * * Director, ACM ICPC Philippines 2007 (First Philippine National Inter-Collegiate Programming Competition) * Director, ACM ICPC Asia-Manila Site (2005-2006) * Editor-in-Chief, Philippine Information Technology Journal (PITJ) * Managing Editor, Philippine Computing Journal (PCJ)* Member, East Asia SIAM Executive Committee * Immediate Past President, Computing Society of the Philippines (2003-2007) * Past President, Rotary Club of Agham (R.I. District 3780) * Co-Principal Investigator, ONCO-MEDIA Project * Coordinator, GRID and High-Performance Computing Research Group, AdMU * Project Leader (for AdMU)-- EUAsia Grid Project * Convenor, International Symposium on ICT For Health (ICT4Health 2008)* Former Director, Philippine Science High School Main Campus (2002-2004) * PSHS NAA Corporate Secretary (2007 - 2009) * PSHS AA Asst. Corporate Secretary (2007 - 2009)

Three Meetings in a Row

(Photo Caption: Members of the PSHS NAA Board during one of its meetings.)


Yesterday, July 4, I went home tired after attending three consecutive meetings. The first meeting was held in Ateneo. It was a meeting regarding the allocation of remaining CHED COE (CHED = Comission on Higher Education, COE = Center of Excellence) Funds of the Mathematics Department, a Center of Excellence in Mathematics.

The second meeting was between me and my thesis advisees who are taking up BS Applied Mathematics major in Computational Science. Although I am on sabbatical leave this schoolyear, I am still supervising the thesis projects of two groups of graduating students: one group from the Mathematics Department and another group from the Department of Information Systems and Computer Science (DISCS). (More information about the theses of my students will be provided in future blog posts.)

The third event was the joint meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Science National Alumni Association (PSHSNAA) and the Philippine Science Alumni Association (PSHS AA). The membership of the PSHS NAA includes all graduates of the different PSHS campuses in the country while the membership of the PSHS AA includes only graduates of the PSHS Diliman (or Main) campus located in Quezon City. As I mentioned in an earlier blog post I became the director (or principal) of the PSHS Diliman Campus from 2002 to 2004. In April 2007 I was elected corporate secretary of the PSHS NAA. The chairman/president of the PSHSNAA and the PSHS AA is Dr. Cielito Habito or Ciel, the former NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) Chief who is now the chair of the Economics Department of Ateneo.

The website address of the PSHS NAA is http://www.pshsnaa.org while that of the PSHS AA is http://www.pshsaa.org

{Draft, 7/5/07}

Keeping Fit

(Photo Captions: The swimming pool at the top of the our condominium building.)


It seems that my waistline is growing in direct proportion to my age. A few years ago I already reached the 200 lb mark (or 90 kg)! In fact, one fitness exam classified me as "obese type 1." I tried working out in the gym but my cervical condition prevented me from lifting heavy weights. Recently, I started to maintain an exercise routine by swimming every day. Luckily, the condominium building where I am staying has a swimming pool in the 21st floor. Every morning, I try to do several laps to achieve a physically fit body. Well, at least I am trying...

A Room With a View

Last April 2007, I transferred to my new condominium unit near Ateneo. Aside from being new, another thing that I like about this unit is the picturesque view that I see from my bedroom window. Whenever I see this view, I imagine that I am in a Manhattan apartment overlooking Central Park :) in New York City, USA. Actually, in this view you can see a portion of the Araneta shopping complex which is near New York Street in Cubao, Quezon City. (lol !)

(Photo Caption: The view from my bedroom window.)

The CSP Execom Meeting

Although I am on sabbatical leave (see "Sabbatical Leave", 6/28/07) I am still actively involved in several professional and service organizations. One of them is the Computing Society of the Philippines (http://www.csp.org.ph) or CSP. I was the president of CSP for 3 years (from early 2004 to early 2007). During the elections of CSP officers held during the 7th Philippine Computing Science Congress (PCSC 2008), the annual scientific convention of the CSP, at the Boracay Regency Resort and Convention Center, in the famous island of Boracay, Philippines, I gave up the CSP presidency and I accepted the position of CSP treasurer. Hence, I am still in the CSP Executive Committee, composed the president (Jimmy or Dr. Jaime Caro of the University of the Philippines), the vice-president (Caslon or Dr. Caslon Chua of De La Salle University), the secretary (Henri or Dr. Henri Adorna fo the University of the Philippines-Diliman), and myself (Raffy or Dr. Rafael Saldana of Ateneo de Manila University).

Yesterday (7/3/07) the CSP Executive Committee (or EXECOM) met yesterday at Ateneo in Loyola Heights. We discussed the following items:

1. PCSC 2008 (8th Philippine Computing Science Congress)
2. ICMSB 2008 (10th International Conference on Molecular Systems Biology)
3. APIO/IOI (Asia Pacific Informatics Olympiad/International Olympiad on Informatics)
4. ACM Philippine National Intercollegiate Programming Competition
5. Philippine Computing Journal (PCJ)
6. Philippine Journal of Information Technology (PJIT)
7. Other Matters

Felix (Dr. Felix Muga II of Ateneo) was also present during the CSP Execom Meeting since he is a member of the CSP Board of Trustees. The other members of the Board aside from Jimmy, Caslon, Henri, Felix and myself, are: Arnie (Dr. Arnulfo Azcarraga), Pros (Prospero Naval of the University of the Philippines-Diliman), Fred (Frederick Kintanar of Infoweapons Corp. in Cebu City), Elmer (Dr. Elmer Maravillas of Cebu Institute of Technology).

The CSP Board maintains an e-group: http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/csp_board

The address of the CSP members' e-group is http://groups/yahoo.com/groups/csp_members



{Draft: 7/4/07}

The Gramophone

Have you seen a gramophone?

A gramophone is system of sound recording invented by the German Emile Berliner in 1887.

Well, I saw one during my visit to an old house in Bauan, Batangas (see my blog post "A weekend in Batangas", 7/3/07). In this age of iPods it is very interesting to see an old music device such as a gramophone.

The gramophone in the old house is being displayed in its receiving area in the second floor. I wish that it is still operational; however, it is not. I wonder how much this gramophone would be auctioned in the eBay.

(Photo Caption: The gramophone inside the old house in Bauan, Batangas.)

(See http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/a/gramophone.htm for a history of the gramophone).


{Draft, 7/3/07}

A "Haunted" House in Bauan, Batangas

In an earlier blog post ("A weekend in Batangas", 7/3/07) I mentioned that I stayed in an old house in Bauan, Batangas. According to my host, the house was built in 1936. It's original owner was a Filipino apple pickle in the USA, one of the original OFWs (overseas foreign workers). The house was then sold to the brother of our host, who renovated the place for more than one million pesos. Our host told me that the house was occupied by the Japanese army during the Second World War (1944 - 46 ?).

The house is the only remaining old house in that block. Because of this, many passersby think that the house is a haunted house, i.e., inhabited by ghosts. Our host even told us a few incidents where some of their guests "saw" ghosts during their stay in the house.

I dont' know. I have never seen ghosts in my entire life. Nevertheless, I got curious. However, during my overnight stay in the house, I never saw a ghost or felt the presence of one. It would be interesting to encounter some, perhaps :)

{Draft, 7/3/07}

"Attack" of the Sea Urchins

(Photo Caption: Victims of sea urchin "attack" are shown while being given first aid by a resort personnel.)

In an earlier blog post ("A weekend in Batangas", 7/3/07) I mentioned that several guests at a resort in Anilao, Batangas where I went for a swim were "attacked" by sea urchins.

What are sea urchins? Here is a brief explanation from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_urchin):

"Sea urchins are small spiny sea creatures of the class Echinoidea found in oceans all over the world. (The name urchin is an Old English name for the round spiny hedgehogs sea urchins resemble.) Their shell, which is also called the test, is globular in shape and covered with spines. The size of an adult test is typically from 3 to 10 cm.

Typical sea urchins have spines that are 1 to 3 cm in length, 1 to 2 mm thick, and not terribly sharp. Diadema antillarum, familiar in the Caribbean, has thin spines that can be 10 to 20 cm long. Common colors include black and dull shades of green, olive, brown, purple, and red.

The spines, which in some species are long and sharp, serve to protect the urchin from predators. The spines can inflict a painful wound on a human who steps on one, but they are not seriously dangerous and it is not clear that the spines are truly venomous."


{Draft. 7/3/07}

A Weekend in Batangas

(Photo Caption: Anilao beach scenery.)

Last weekend (June 30-July 1, 2007) I went to Batangas, a province south of Manila. From my condominium unit in Quezon City, I drove along the C5 road until to the South Superhighway. At the end of the South Superhighway in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, I took the STAR tollway. This highway leads to Lipa City. At the Tambo Exit, I made a u-turn to the road leading to Batangas City.

I had lunch in a old house in Bauan, Batangas, a town near Batangas City, the capital of Batangas province. This house is a wooden house full of antique furnitures and collections. It is inside a 900 sq meter property, and has a big garden. My host told me that the house was built in 1936 and was occupied by the Japanese army during the Second World War. {More about this in my next blog post :) }

In the afternoon I drove to Anilao, Batangas, a place famous for scuba diving and snorkeling. My host brought me to a resort called Agila. The condition of the water was not good at that time since the rainy season had already begun. I was enticed to take a dip; however, the water is a bit murky and there were lots of stones and coral bits which made swimming there very difficult. In fact, a number of resort guests were attacked by black sea urchins (including my host).

After our brief stay in the resort, we went back to the old house in Bauan.

The following day, I took a different route. From Bauan, I drove the town called Alitagtag, then to Sta. Teresita, and Taal, an old town in Batangas rich in heritage and history. I made a stop-over in a hotel-restaurant in Taal called Casa Cecilia. I was impressed by its interior and its garden setting.

From Taal, I drove to Balayan, then to Tagaytay City. From Tagaytay City, I drove to Silang, then to Dasmarinas. I made a right turn from Dasmarinas to the road leading to the South Superhighway. Along the way I made a left turn to the Paliparan-Zapote Road. I arrived in my house in Bacoor, Cavite in the afternoon.

(Draft: July 2, 2007)