Farewell, Dr. Conrado Dayrit, 88

Note: Last Monday, October 7, 2007, my project assistant, Arianne, called me and asked permission to leave early from work. She said she that she will join the staff of our Science and Engineering Dean, Dr. Fabian "Toby" Dayrit to visit the remains of Toby's father, Dr. Conrado Dayrit in Greenhills. I was surprised to know that Dr. Conrado Dayrit passed away already. I asked Arianne whether it was announced somewhere. She told me that it was posted on the Ateneo Blueboard, the online Ateneo bulletin (it turned out that my e-mail was no longer subscribed to the Blueboard).

That Monday night, I went with some of my co-faculty members in the Math Department to the wake of Toby's father. Our group included Reggie (Dr. Reginaldo Marcelo, Math Department Chairman), Ninette (Dr. Ma. Antoinette De Las Penas), and Jume (Dr. Jumela Sarmiento).The wake for Dr. Conrado Dayrit's remains was held at the Sanctuario de San Jose in Greehills East, San Juan, Metro Manila. During the wake, we were able to witness a eulogy for Dr. Conrado Dayrit. We heard interesting stories about Dr. Conrado Dayrit from his granddaughter and his son-in-law. Toby was there together with his family. Aside from Toby, another famous son of Dr. Conrado Dayrit is Dr. Manuel ("Manolet") Dayrit, former Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH).

Dr. Conrado Dayrit was an institution in the Philippine scientific community. Recently, his name was associated with the popularity of "virgin coconut oil".

Our university president, Fr. Ben Nebres, SJ, released a memorandum on the passing away of Dr. Dayrit. The memo was published in the Ateneo de Manila University website (http://www.ateneo.edu/) . Below is the text of Fr. Ben's memo on Dr. Conrado Dayrit:

[startofquote]

(Source: http://www.ateneo.edu)

06 October 2007

MEMO TO : The University Community

FROM : The President

R E : Death of Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit, M.D.

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

This is to inform the University community of the passing away of Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit, M.D. (GS ’32, HS ’36, AA ’38).

In 2006, Ateneo de Manila University conferred on Dr. Dayrit the Lux-in-Domino Award which we describe as “a special recognition of an extraordinary individual who has incarnated in life, and perhaps even in death, in an exemplary manner, the noblest ideals of the Ateneo de Manila University.”

A portion of the citation reads:

“True to the ideal of Lux-in-Domino, Dr. Dayrit’s proudest legacy are his and his gentle wife Milagros’ eight children and more than 20 grandchildren, all achievers. His sons and daughter form a Who’s Who roster of their own: a former Health Secretary, a pulmonologist, an exporter, bankers, educators, and of course, Toby, Dean of our School of Science and Engineering. A proficient violinist, Dr. Dayrit has passed on his love of music to the younger generation, and one granddaughter is now a music scholar in the U.S. For despite Dr. Dayrit’s full schedule, family time is sacred. The clan attend Mass together on Sundays and discuss issues over lunch at the patriarch’s residence in Greenhills. And speaking of faith, this man of science is also a man of religion, with his lectures on the archaeology and history of the Holy Land replete with slides and maps from his many travels.”

“For living up to the ideals of the Hippocratic oath; of leading an exemplary life as a witness to what it means to be a Christian human being; and for his unique genius in discovering the medicinal value of indigenous Philippine plants, the Ateneo de Manila.University is proud to confer its Lux-in-Domino Award upon Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit, M.D.

His remains are waked at Sanctuario de San Jose, Greenhills East starting tonight. We ask the University community for your prayers for Dr. Dayrit and his family.

BIENVENIDO F. NEBRES, S.J.
President

"
[endofquote]

Condolence to Toby and family.

Farewell, Dr. Conrado Dayrit.

In prayers,

Raffy

10/14/07

Congratulations, Hector Guballa (Pisay '71A)

Note: This piece of information was shared to me via e-mail (10/13/07, 10:30 p.m.) by Ciel (Dr. Cielito Habito), president of the Philippine Science High School National Alumni Association (PSHSNAA) and the PSHS Alumni Association (PSHSAA) and fellow Ateneo faculty member. Hector and I were both former officers of the PSHS Foundation.

Guballa Appointed Director for Development at Ateneo de Manila University

(Source: http://www.ateneo.edu)

Mr . Hector P. Guballa (AB Economics 1975, ADMU) has been appointed Director for Development of the Office of University Development and Alumni Relations (OUDAR) effective September 24, 2007.

Guballa comes to the Ateneo with extensive business experience. Most recently, he was with San Miguel Corporation (1999-2007) where his last position was president and general manager of Cosmos Bottling Corporation (2002-2007).

He also had extensive experience in the East Asian Region, notably in Hong Kong and Korea, as marketing director for SC Johnson Hong Kong and Korea Johnson Co. (1981-1991).

In April 2007, he took early retirement from San Miguel Corporation and joined the Ateneo John Gokongwei School of Management, teaching Strategic Management and is a member of the Board of Directors of the JGSOM Business Resources Center. Guballa is married to Cathy Babao-Guballa (BSBM 1986).

In a memorandum to the community, university President Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, said "We believe that Mr. Guballa brings to this position both great expertise and extensive experience and a deep love and commitment to the Ateneo. ... We look forward to his leadership at this critical juncture in the Ateneo de Manila’s life as we enter the final countdown for our 150th anniversary, our Sesquicentennial in December 2009. "

Congratulations, Hector!

Cheers,

Raffy

The Pisay '77 Blogger

10/13/07

Partial Hadamard Matrices and Error Correcting Codes

Last Thursday, October 13, 2007, the Mathematics Department of Ateneo de Manila University had a guest lecturer: Dr. Jose Andres Armario, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, University of Seville, Spain.

Dr. Armario gave a talk on: "Partial Hadamard Matrices and Error Correcting Codes."

Below is the Abstract of Dr. Armario's Talk:

"Levenstein described a method for constructing error correcting codes that meet Plotkin's bound, provided that suitable Hadamard matrices exist. The uncertainty about the existence of Hadamard matrices in all the orders of the multiple of 4 is a source of difficulty for the practical application of this method.

In this talk we will give some ideas about how to extend the method to the case of partial Hadamard matrices. Since efficient algorithms for constructing partial Hadamard matrices are potentially available from the literature, "good" error correcting codes may be constructed in practice.

We will illustrate the method with some examples."

For more information about "Partial Hadamard Matrices and Error Correcting Codes", readers may e-mail Dr. Armario at armario@us.es

Raffy
10/13/07

Congratulations, Dr. Rodel Lasco (IPCC Wins Nobel Peace Prize With Al Gore)

Note: This morning (10/13/07) I received a very welcome e-mail from my PSHS '77 batchmate, Dr. Rodel Lasco, professor at the University of the Philippines - Los Banos, informing me (via our batch e-group) that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize together with former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore.


Below is a copy of Rodel's message:

[startofquote]
"Dear All,

As some of you may have heard, the IPCC won the Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore. I am pleased to be one of the hundreds (thousands) of scientists who belong to the IPCC. Below is the letter to all of us from the IPCC Chair.

Our report can be found in http://www.ipcc. ch/ I co-wrote Chapter 20 in Working Group 2.

All of you have been part of my life-- so it gives me great pleasure to share this with you.

To God be the glory!

Rodel

***

12 October 2007

Dear Colleagues,

I have been stunned in a pleasant way with the news of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for the IPCC. This makes each of you a Nobel Laureate and it is my privilege to acknowledge this honour on your behalf.

I am sure you would agree with me that all of us should be appreciative of the support of and facilitation that we have received from all the governments that are part of the IPCC.

The fact that the IPCC has earned the recognition that this award embodies, is really a tribute to your knowledge, hard work and application. Indeed the Co-Chairs of the Working Groups, the TSUs attached to various wings of the IPCC have a large measure of the credit that the award carries. They have provided the leadership and support that accounts for your success to a large measure.

May I thank you deeply for this signal honour. I on my part will not only continue but intensify the effort that I have been making to project the work of the Panel to the outside world.

Heartiest congratulations and deep thanks for your outstanding achievement.

Yours sincerely,

Patchy

***

"
[endofquote]

Rodel has also won other major awards in the past which include (1) "Ten Outstanding Young Scientists Award" given by the National Academy of Science and Technology of the Philippines, and (2) "Gawad Lagablab" (for Outstanding PSHS Alumni) given by the Philippine Science High School Alumni Association.

I will feature Rodel in another blog entry in the future.

Meanwhile, below is a copy of the IPCC press release (Source: http://www.ipcc.ch/press/prpnp12oct07.htm)


IPCC expresses surprise and gratitude at announcement of Nobel Peace Prize

Geneva, 12 October 2007 - The awarding of the Nobel peace prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (jointly with former US Vice-President Al Gore) is a remarkable testament to the dedication and commitment of the thousands of experts and participants who have produced the Panel's rigorous and comprehensive assessments of climate change research.

"This is an honour that goes to all the scientists and authors who have contributed to the work of the IPCC, which alone has resulted in enormous prestige for this organization and the remarkable effectiveness of the message that it contains" - says Mr. Rajendra Pachauri, the Chairman of the IPCC.

"It is the most significant recognition that the IPCC has received for providing policymakers with objective and balanced information about the causes and impacts of climate change and possible response measures" - says Renate Christ, the Secretary of the IPCC.

Hundreds of authors from all regions of the planet have devoted an incredible amount of time and labour to writing and reviewing the reports. None of them has been paid for their time.
The IPCC assessments are based on peer-reviewed scientific and technical literature. The IPCC reports are written by teams of authors from all over the world who are recognized experts in their field. They represent relevant disciplines as well as differing scientific perspectives. This global coverage of expertise, the interdisciplinary nature of the IPCC team, and the transparency of the process, constitute the Panel's strongest assets.

"The IPCC's doors are open to every expert who is qualified and willing to make a contribution as author or reviewer" says Renate Christ. "This voluntary network of thousands of scientists and experts is what makes the IPCC truly unique."

The number of experts involved in the IPCC process has expanded considerably since the Panel was created in 1988. The procedures governing the writing and approval process have also become increasingly rigorous and transparent. This has been the key to enabling the IPCC to connect the very different cultures and requirements of the scientific and political worlds.

"The IPCC's strength lies in the processes and procedures that it follows. Most important is its ability of carrying out rigorous scientific assessment, which undergoes the scrutiny of government representatives and therefore is accepted by governments. There is no other body in the world that is able to meet these twin objectives simultaneously," says Mr. Rajendra Pachauri.

The IPCC was created almost 20 years ago to response to growing concern about the risk of anthropogenic climate change. The General Assembly of the United Nations asked the two UN bodies most engaged in the issue, the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, to set up this Panel to provide balanced, objective policy advice.

The First Assessment Report of 1990 was submitted to the UN General Assembly, which responded by formally recognizing that climate change required global action and launched the negotiations that led to the adoption of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In one exact month from now, the IPCC Plenary will meet in Valencia, Spain, to adopt the fourth and final volume of its "Climate Change 2007" assessment report. This short and extremely readable "Synthesis Report", explicitly targeted to policymakers, represents the final step in integrating and presenting the enormous amounts of scientific information contained in the three volumes released earlier this year. The Synthesis Report will be launched on 17 November.

Mr. Rajendra Pachauri of India was elected Chairman of the IPCC in 2002. He succeeded Robert Watson of the UK (1997 - 2002) and Bert Bolin of Sweden (1988 - 1997). During his Chairmanship, Mr. Pachauri, regarded as an effective team builder, has emphasized the world-wide coverage and interdisciplinary nature of the IPCC work.

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

Congratulations, Rodel! Our batch (PSHS '77) is very proud of you and your achievements.

Cheers,

Raffy
The Pisay '77 Blogger
10/13/07

Congratulations, Dr. Catherine Vistro-Yu

(Photo caption: WOMEN POWER: (Left to right, standing) Elizabeth Lee, Hilly Anne Maria Roa-Quiaoit, Alyssa Peleo-Alampay, Philippine Daily Inquirer president Alexandra “Sandy” Prieto-Romualdez, Eva Ma. Cutiongco-de la Paz; (2nd row) Catherine Vistro-Yu, Ma. Corazon de Ungria (3rd row) Glecy Cruz-Atienza, Maria Ressa and Dina Ocampo. RODEL ROTONI. From Philippine Daily Inquirer)

I read on the Philippine Daily Daily Inquirer today (10/12/07) that my colleague in the Mathematics Department of Ateneo de Manila University, Dr. Catherine "Cathy" Vistro-Yu, is one of the recipients of this year's Ten Outstanding Women in the Nations's Service (TOWNS).

(See: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_id=93973 )

[startofquote]

Cathy was cited for raising the standards of the “deteriorating” teaching of math in the country. “We teachers get flak for the poor achievements of students in math. But both [female] and male teachers are really working to create a framework, which is a big step in standardizing math teaching,” she said.

[endofquote]

Cathy is actively involved in mathematics education. She is President of the Philippine Council for Mathematics Teachers Educators (MATHTED).

Congratulations, Cathy!

Cheers,

Raffy
10/12/07

Message From The DLSU-Canlubang President (ACM ICPC Philippines 2007)

(Photo Caption: A statue of St. La Salle inside De La Salle Canlubang. Photo by Raffy Saldaña.)

.

Note: It is seven days to go before the ACM ICPC Philippines 2007 (First Philippine National Inter-Collegiate Programming Competition. Below is a welcome message from Br. Joaquin S. Martinez, President of De La Salle Canlubang, this year's host institution for the ACM ICPC Philippines 2007... Raffy, 10/12/07)

MESSAGE


Welcome to De La Salle Canlubang.

We are most privileged to host the First National Inter-Collegiate Programming Competition (ACM ICPC Philippines 2007).

As a national competition among the best Computer Science majors in the country that would select the contestants to be sponsored to the regional competition in Singapore and eventually the world finals in Alberta, Canada, the ACM ICPC Philippines 2007 is a veryworthwhile project.

Barely 5 years old, De La Salle Canlubang is happy to be a part of ICPC 2007.

I congratulate the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP) for organizing the event in cooperation with such a prestigious organization as the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM).

Education is one essential key to moving the country forward. Being the science and technology campus of the De La Salle Philippines, with a Lasallian education tradition that is turning 100 years in the year 2011, we look forward to joining hands with the CSP, ACM, and the many universities in the country in being at the forefront of computer science educationand research.

I hope that the ACM ICPC Philippines 2007 would facilitate educational experiences that will help Computer Science majors in their future careers as much as helping our country achieve prosperity for everyone.

In St La Salle,

Br. Joaquin S. Martinez FSC, D. Min.
President, De La Salle Canlubang

Congratulations, Dr. Arlene Lorica: Pisay Alumna is One of the '100 Most Influential Filipina in the U.S.'

Today (10/11/07) I received a forwarded e-mail from my fellow Philippine Science High School Alumni Association Board Member, Butch Zaldarriaga, a member of PSHS Batch '80 and incoming PSHSAA president. (Note: Butch was in first year high school when I was already in fourth year high school in PSHS or Pisay).

Butch's message is about her batchmate, Dr. Arlene "Bambi" Antonio-Lorica. Bambi is a recipient of the '100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States' award.


Below are some details about Bambi and the Filipina Women's Network in the U.S.A.

---------- Forwarded message -----------------

Arlene Marie "Bambi" A. Lorica, M.D.
Georgetown University
Potomac, Maryland

From: Marily Mondejar Date: Sep 27, 2007 5:28 PM

Subject: Builders & Emerging Leaders - 100 Most Influential FilipinaWomen in the U.S.

To: "Arlene Marie A. Lorica"


Dear Bambi:

-Our warmest CONGRATULATIONS!

The Filipina Women's Network's nationwide search for the 100 MostInfluential Filipina Women in the U.S. has ended and YOU have beenselected a Most Influential Filipina Woman in the U.S.

We celebrateyour professional accomplishments - role modeling for Filipina womenwhat is possible when you share your expertise with others and giveback to the community. We honor you with the Builders & EmergingLeaders award category.

The Builders & Emerging Leaders award categoryrecognizes Filipina women who are making their mark in a workplace environment, displaying high energy and skill in a leadership role at a nonprofit institution, government agency, or organization in any field.

FILIPINA "PINAY" POWER 2012: Changing the face of power in America Developing tomorrow's Filipina leaders today.

We received 202 nominations for the Filipina Women's Network's (FWN) nationwide search for the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S.

Pinay Power 2012 is a dream with a meaningful purpose - double the number of Filipina women leaders by 2012. To achieve this goal, we launched the nationwide search to identify the Top 100 Filipina women who are shaping our community's influence in American society today and how they are impacting our future. We've attached a copy ofthe nominee announcement which will be published in various Philippinenewspapers nationwide. To view the nominee list online, go to -http://www.ffwn. org/InfluentialN ominees.htm

This prestigious recognition is conceived as a working award - theFinal 100 are invited to mentor a protégé and both leaders are invitedto return to the Filipina Summit in October 2012 to celebrate theirpartnership.The announcement of the Final 100 list is the highlight of the 5thAnnual Filipina Summit which will be held October 25-27, 2007 inWashington D.C.

We have designed two events to honor the Final 100's outstanding work -1) Gala awards dinner on Thursday evening, October 25, 20072) "Kwentuhan" - the power of telling our personal and communitystories and how to develop your community legacy by partnering with a Filipina protégé - Friday evening, October 26, 2007.

Both events will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington D.C. If you are available to participate as a resource speaker, please letus know so we can schedule you in the summit agenda. We hope you can be part of this historic event - a gathering of 100Filipina Voices in Washington, DC - changing the face of power inAmerica. FWN invites you to collaborate with us in achieving Pinay Power 2012. We would like to have you partner with a protégé at thesummit and together return in October 2012, a culmination of ourshaping the Filipina image campaign. If you have identified your ownprotégé, we encourage you to have her also attend the Filipina Summit.When Filipina women come in unity, a strong and positive result isachieved. When distinct personalities come together in unity - sharingtheir strengths and differences - a new dimension of excellence iscreated.Our goal is to gather the Final 100 at this historic event. Pleaseacknowledge this email and let us know if you will attend the FilipinaSummit (Oct 25-27) in Washington DC no later than Wednesday, Oct. 3,2007, (if you have not notified us yet). At this time, we will not beable to provide any complimentary summit registrations or any travel support. I have indicated helpful links about the Filipina Summit at the end of this letter. Lastly, we need your help in highlighting your accomplishments duringthe recognition awards.


...

Your dedication and professionalism is a trait to be emulated by all of us at FWN!Once again, congratulations on your selection. We look forward toy our reply and a fabulous awards gala event!

In Filipina sisterhood and on behalf of the 100 Most InfluentialSelection Committee

-Marily MondejarPresident, Filipina Women's Network
415.278.9410

Search Committee for the100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S.
Co-Chairs: Maya Escudero, Ayala Foundation USA & GenevieveHerreria, Levensohn Venture Partners
Members: Cecille Rebong, Consul General New York Elena Mangahas,Co-Chair, Little Manila Foundation Fay Olympia, Editor, FWN Magazine &V-Diaries Marily Mondejar, President, Institute for Image ManagementNida Recabo, MSW, Baptist Hospital of Miami Nini Alvero, PhilippineTrade Commissioner Rose-Ann K. Ubarra, Youth Coordinator, FAHSI SoniaDelen, Senior Vice President, Banc of America Leasing Weng Sanchez, Consul General Shanghai

==============================================
More info about the Filipina Summit

- http://www.ffwn. org/FilipinaSumm it5.htm

FWN's National Steering Committee

-http://www.ffwn. org/FilipinaSummitSteering Committee5.htm
==============================================

PURPOSE OF THE FILIPINA SUMMIT: Every year, the Filipina Women's Network (FWN) brings togetherFilipina women, corporate America's untapped source of leadership at a time when economic, social and political challenges demand new levels of talent and innovation. FWN strives to meet this demand by providing Filipina women the knowledge and resources and by building a networkof women who dare to change the landscape of the leadership in today's workplace. The FWN Summit is held in October in celebration of Filipino Heritage Month. Please join us in three days of compellingconversations on what it takes to lead change and initiatere-invention.

=============================

-------- End Of Forwarded Message

Raffy Saldaña
(The Pisay '77 Blogger)
Corporate Secretary
PSHS National Alumni Association
10/11/07

Round Table Discussion on Innovation and ICT

Yesterday (10/10/07) I participated in a Round Table Discussion on Innovation and ICT (information and communications technology). Held at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), the event was organized by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) and the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology (PCASTRD) of the Department of Science and Technology.

I attended this workshop as a member of the Information Technology Technical Panel of PCASTRD, as an officer of the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP) and an ACM ICPC director in the Philippines.

The Round Table Discussion on Innovation and ICT is considered a pre-summit event in relation with the forthcoming National Innovation Summit (NIS) to be held on November 26, 2007.

More details about the Round Table on Innovation and ICT are found in the CICT invitation reproduced below:

[startofquote]
"
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Commission on Information and Communications Technology

8 October 2007

Dear Participants:

We are pleased to inform you of the forthcoming National Innovation Summit (NIS) scheduled to be held on 26 November 2007. This initiative is being undertaken to highlight the importance of innovation in growth and development and providing therefore an environment conducive for innovations. The Summit also aims to strengthen collaboration among all stakeholders in the public and private sectors in developing and promoting innovation strategies for the Philippines. The lead organizations for the conduct of the NIS are the Department of Science and Technology, IBM Philippines, the Asian Institute of Management Policy Center and Ayala Foundation, Inc.

The Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), as the Lead Convenor for the ICT/ICT-Enabled Services Sectors, would like to invite your organization to the Pre-Summit Workshop (in the form of a Round Table Discussion) to be held on Wednesday, 10 October 2007, 1:30 p.m., Soriano Room 3/F AIM Building, 123 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.

The expected outputs of the workshop include identification of bottlenecks to innovation activities, development of recommendations for quick-wins and policies, and drawing up of strategic steps in creating an innovation ecosystem for the ICT/ICT-Enabled Services sectors. These will all become part of the National Innovation Roadmap, which will be presented during the NIS.

...

Thank you very much for your continued support and partnership.

Very truly yours,

SEC. RAY ANTHONY ROXAS-CHUA III
Chairman
"
[endofquote]

Raffy
The Pisay '77 Blogger
10/11/07

RAFFY'S WORLD: 4,000 HITS

I started my RAFFY'S WORLD blog near the end of June 2007 (See http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2007/06/nth-attempt-at-blogging.html ).

.

On August 21, 2007 (the death anniversary of Philippine hero Ninoy Aquino) I installed a hit counter in my blog site.

.

Since then I take note of every thousand 'hits'.

.

Today (10/9/07), my RAFFY'S WORLD blog reached its 4,000th hit since August 21, 2007.

.

To document this moment I wrote a blog entry about it :)

.

Indeed, there is a joy in counting :) [BTW, the branch of mathematics that deals with counting is called 'combinatorics'. I teach combinatorics/discrete mathematics to computer science students at the Ateneo de Manila University.]

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Ang babaw ng kaligayahan ko! (Literally: "My happiness is shallow"!)

Cheers,

Raffy

The Pisay '77 Blogger

10/9/07

P.S. I also installed today a 'countdown' meter. See bottom left portion of this blog site. :)

Countdown to ACM ICPC Philippines 2007

(Photo caption: At the 2006 ACM ICPC Asia-Manila Regionals. From left to right: Dr. Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo, Dr. Rafael Saldaña, Dr. Pablo Manalastas, members of the Ateneo Team Persistence (awarded the Best Team from the Philippines) and Dr. Ma. Assunta Cuyegkeng).

After the UAAP Basketball Finals (De La Salle University-Manila beat University of the East for the championship) and the Pacquiao versus Barrera boxing match, another important competition is coming soon.

On October 20, 2007 the First Philippine National Inter-Collegiate Programming Competition (ACM ICPC Philippines 2007) will be held at De La Salle University-Canlubang. I am directing this contest on behalf of the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP) and in cooperation with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

My fellow CSP Board Member (and Philippine Science High School alumnus) Dr. Arnulfo Azcarraga is the Executive Vice-President of DLSU-Canlubang – this year's ACM ICPC Philippines host university.

I first directed an ACM ICPC event in the Philippines in October 2005. This was the 2005 ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest Asia-Manila Regionals held at the Ateneo de Manila University. I was the regional contest director. Some 100 teams from 40 schools in Asia and the Philippines participated in that event.

The second ACM ICPC event that I directed was in October 2006 – the 2006 ACM ICPC Asia-Manila Regionals held at the Holiday Inn, Galeria-Manila in Pasig City, Metro Manila. There were around 88 teams from 40 schools in Asia and the Philippines that participated.

This year, the ACM ICPC Asia Regionals will be held in Singapore and not in Manila. This will be held on December 13-14, 2007 at the National University of Singapore.

Every year, thousands of students from various colleges and universities in Asia participate in the ACM ICPC Asia Regional competitions in selected countries in Asia to qualify for the ACM ICPC World Finals. The ACM ICPC World Finals will be held on April 6-10, 2008 in Banff Springs, Alberta, Canada.

I have participated in two ACM ICPC World Finals in the past: the first was in Shanghai, China in March 2005. The second was in San Antonio, Texas, USA in April 2006. In both events, our programming team from the Ateneo de Manila University (the reigning Philippine programming champion) competed in the ACM ICPC World Finals.

Since the ACM ICPC Asia Regionals will not be held in the Philippines this year, I suggested to my fellow officers of the CSP that we organize an ACM-affiliated nationwide inter-collegiate programming competition. I made the suggestion during our latest conference (the 7th Philippine Computing Science Congress) held in February 2007 in Boracy, Philippines. Thus, the ACM ICPC Philippines 2007 was born.

As of 8 October 2007, thirty two (32) teams have pre-registered. The deadline for the submission of pre-registration forms is on Wednesday, October 10. It is probable that the pre-registered teams will reach around 40. (The contest in DLSU-Canlubang has a capacity of 60 teams).

The deadline for payment of registration fees is on October 15, 2007.

Related Links:

1. ACM ICPC Philippines 2007: http://icpc2007manila.blogspot.com/
2. ACM ICPC Asia-Manila (2005 and 2006): http://acm.ateneo.edu/
3. ACM ICPC Asia-Singapore 2007: http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~acmicpc/
4. ACM ICPC website: http://icpc.baylor.edu/

Cheers,

Raffy
The Pisay '77 Blogger
10/8/07

A Controversy Between 'Desperate Housewives' and Filipino Medical Doctors

In today's news on Philippine television (10/4/07), one of the "juicy" items is the controversial episode of a popular American television show, "Desperate Housewives", which made a derogatory remark on Philippine medical schools.

Later in the day I received an e-mail message from a colleague which contains a letter of the Filipino Consul General based in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Below is the text of the letter contained in the e-mail that my colleague forwarded to me today.


[startofquote]

KONSULADO PANLAHAT NG PILIPINAS
CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINES
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA

Mr. MARK PEDOWITZ
President
ABC TelevisionNetwork
500S.Buena Vista street
Burbank CA 91521-4551
Fax # 818-460-5636

2 October 2007

SIR:

The Philippine Consulate General in LosAngeles wishesto express its
strong displeasure over a derogatory remark made against Philippine
medical schools in a recent episode of "Desperate Housewives." In the
September 30, 2007 episode, the character, Susan Mayer Delfino, played
by actress Teri Hatcher, said: "Okay, before we go any further, can I
check those diplomas? Because I would just like to make sure they are
not from some med school in the Philippines. "

We wish to point out that the Philippine medical profession is highly
regarded all over the world, as evidenced by the high demand for
Filipino healthcare professionals in many countries, including this
country. The United States recognizes the academic standards of
Philippine medical and nursing schools, and in general, does not
require additional schooling in this county for Filipino healthcare
professionals who wish to work here. Moreover, the Philippines is
considered a top Medical Tourism destination, with many foreigners,
including US citizens, who choose to undergo surgical and other medical
procedures in the country in recognition of its high quality and
reasonably-priced medical services.

We believe that a popular series such as "Desperate Housewives" need
not resort to making such prejudicial statements in order to generate
humor.

It is most unfortunate that the remarks made at the recent episode only
served to create racial stereotypes, thereby tainting unnecessarily the
excellent record of Filipino healthcare professionals all over the world.

We will therefore appreciate the ABC Network's immediate and concrete
steps to rectify the injustice done against Filipino healthcare
professionals.

Sincerely yours,



MARY JO BERNARDO-ARAGON
Consul General
3600 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 500,
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel. (213) 639-0980;
Fax (213) 639-9990;
E-mail: losangelespc@aol.com;
Website: http://www.pcgenla.org/

[endofquote]

Message From A Friend

Today (10/4/07) I received an e-mail message from a friend. When I read it, I smiled. It made my day :)

Below is a portion of my friend's message:


"
Sometimes in life, you find a special friend;

Someone who changes your life
Just by being part of it.

Someone who makes you laugh
Until you can't stop;

Someone who makes you believe
That there really is good in the world.

Someone who convinces you
That there really is an unlocked door

Just waiting for you to open it.

-- Anonymous

"

Have a good day to all!

Cheers,

Raffy
The Pisay '77 Blogger
10/4/07

Grid Computing, Computational Nanotechnology, And Moore's Law

(Figure Caption: The NanoWire user interface. Image courtesy of nanoHUB)

Note: I receive regularly via e-mail issues of the iSTWG (International Science Grid This Week) Newsletter.

iSGTW promotes grid computing around the world by sharing stories of grid-empowered science and scientific discoveries.

iSGTW is a collaboration between the Enabling Grids for E-SciencE and Open Science Grid projects. It is jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science and the National Science Foundation, through the Open Science Grid, and by the European Commission’s Information Society and Media Directorate-General, through the Enabling Grids for E-SciencE project.

One of the articles featured in iSGTW (Oct. 3, 2007 issue) is an article titled, "Keeping up with Moore's Law":

[startofquote]

"Silicon nanowire transistors are promising devices for future integrated circuits.

Researchers in this field are interested in geometries and properties of materials that vary on an atomic length scale; they study quantum states and the relationship between voltages and currents at these scales. But not all nano-device engineers are nuts for computers. Many prefer to let other people worry about the computational end of things. Since this research depends heavily on simulations of nano-device behavior under varying conditions, the door is wide open for the development of accessible and intuitive computational tools.Enter Gerhard Klimeck of Purdue University, technical director of the National Science Foundation Network for Computational Nanotechnology. Klimeck and his colleagues have developed the user-friendly NanoWire computational tool, accessible via the web-based nanoHUB. On nanoHUB, researchers set up a NanoWire simulation through a graphical interface that allows input of device parameters, ranges of voltages to test, and so forth.

A simple click on “Simulate” transparently sends a set of parallel processes off to Open Science Grid, TeraGrid and/or the local cluster at Purdue. The computers send back complex and enticing electrostatic potentials and quantum eigenstates. NanoWire makes the results easy to interpret, and the researchers are on their way to optimizing transistor designs.

“Users are interested in ease of use, not Unix commands. They need to be able to set up their experiment, explore their data interactively and ask ‘what if’ questions,” says Klimeck. Enter Saumitra Mehrotra and Kenneth Roenker of the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. According to them, one of the leading challenges in producing nanoscale circuits is the variation in device performance due to inherent variability in the fabrication process.Mehrotra and Roenker studied the effects on silicon nanowire MOSFET voltage characteristics of varying body thickness, gate length and gate dielectric thickness.“We ran over 500 simulations on NanoWire and gained an insight into how superior the silicon nanowire MOSFET device is (relative to traditional MOSFETs) and an understanding of its limitations,” said Mehrotra. They were able to optimize a nanowire device design for both high performance and low operating power applications, thus advancing one of the technologies expected to help continue transistor scaling and extend Moore’s Law, according to which the number of transistors on a chip is expected to double about every two years."

- Anne Heavey, Open Science Grid

[endofquote]

Raffy
The Pisay '77 Blogger
10/3/07

Invitation: Seminar on Best Practices in Computer Programming and Mentoring

You are cordially invited to attend a seminar on

"Best Practices in Computer Programming and Mentoring Students for National and International Programming Competitions"

Featuring invited speakers from Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and University of the Philippines

Organized by the Computing Society of the Philippines,
in cooperation with De La Salle University - Canlubang,
and in conjunction with the First Philippine National Inter-Collegiate Programming Competition (ICPC 2007)

Date: October 20, 2007 (Saturday)
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
(Registration starts at 9:00 a.m.)
Venue: Auditorium, De La Salle University - Canlubang
(Map: http://www.canlubang.dlsu.edu.ph/about-us/vicinity-map.php)

PROGRAM (Tentative):

9 - 11 : Registration

11 - 12: Opening Session
- Welcome Remarks
- Introduction of Participants
- General Orientation

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 3:00 Talks on Best Practices in Computer Programming

3:00 - 3:30 Snacks

3:30 - 5:00 Talks on Best Practices in Mentoring Students for National and International Programming Competitions

5:00 Closing Session/ Distribution of Certificates

NOTES:

This seminar is open to teachers, students, information technology professionals, and interested individuals.

The seminar fee is:

PhP 1,000 for faculty members and other professionals

PhP 700 for students (who are not contestants/alternates in ICPC 2007)

The seminar fee includes lunch, snack, ICPC 2007 souvenir t-shirt, and certificate of participation.

CSP members (who have paid their membership dues for the year 2007) will get a 20% discount.

For more information and attendance confirmation, contact:

Dr. Rafael P. Saldaña
Contest Director
Philippine ICPC 2007
Tel./Fax.: (02) 4266125, (02) 7090907
Mobile Phone: 0928-5043121
E-mail: raffysaldana@gmail.com
Website: http://www.csp.org.ph/
BLOG: http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/

------------ --------- --------- --------- -------
PRE-REGISTRATION FORM

__ I/We would like to participate in the "Seminar onBest Practices in Computer Programming and MentoringStudents for National and International ProgrammingCompetitions"

Name/s School/Affiliation
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Name of Contact Person:
Signature:
School/Affiliation:
Position:
Tel. Number/Fax:
E-mail Address:

Notes:

1. Send this registration form to The Secretariat,Computing Society of the Philippines, c/o Rm. 317, SECBldg. A, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights,Quezon City. Tel./Fax.: (02) 4266125, (02) 7090907,E-mail: computingsoc@ gmail.com

2. Mode of Payment:

a. CASH - cash payments can be made ONSITE
b. CHECK - Make checks payable to COMPUTING SOCIETY OFTHE PHILIPPINES

3. Deadline for submission of pre-registration forms: October 12, 2007.

PLEASE REGISTER EARLY. PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO: (1) those who have pre-registered, and (2) those who aremembers of the Computing Society of the Philippines.

Lecture on 'Digital Signatures for Author Identification'

On the Development of Digital Signatures for Author Identification

by

Prof. Wayne Patterson
(joint research with Robin Williams and Suganthi Gunasekaran)

SEC Lecture Hall 3, Ateneo de Manila University
4:30-6 pm, October 8, 2007

.

Abstract:

With the increasing numbers of books converted to a digital format, represented generally with underlying ASCII text, it is now feasible to perform frequency analyses on the components of a book. This leads to the question of whether or not frequency analysis can be used as a biometric tool to determine authorship, in other words, to be usedas a digital signature for author identification. The results of this study indicate some positive findings, and that there is potential in further study of this type of analysis. The importance of this area of research is intensified because of the current projects to digitize all of the world's literature.

About the speaker:

Prof. Wayne Patterson obtained his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Michigan, and later his M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of New Brunswick. He has published more than 50 scholarly articles, and a leading textbook, Mathematical Cryptology (Rowman and Littlefield, 1986).He is a Professor of Computer Science at Howard University, but he is presently on loan to the US National Science Foundation as its Program Manager for International Science and Engineering in Developing Countries. He also taught Mathematics and later Computer Science at several other universities that include Université de Moncton in Canada, University of New Orleans, and University of Charleston, South Carolina.

.

He held various positions in universities and some organizations:. Chair of the Department of Computer Science, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, at the University of New Orleans;. Vice President for Research and Professional and Community Services, and Dean of the Graduate School, at the University of Charleston, South Carolina;. Dean in Residence, and later, member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools, the national organization of graduate deans and graduate schools in the US;. Senior Fellow for International Programs and Academic Program Review in the Graduate School, and as Associate Vice Provost for Research , at Howard University;He is also involved in the Project SEED, a project that serves tens of thousands of at-risk students in the US and elsewhere, annually, first as a teacher of algebra and calculus, then later, and even up to now, as member of its Board of Directors.He served the Government of Canada, as Special Assistant and Economic Advisor to the Secretary of State and later the Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. He also was a candidate for the House of Commons of Canada, and the Legislature of the Province of New Brunswick; and was twice elected as the national Vice-President of the Liberal Party of Canada.