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Izah Morales INQUIRER.net Is your school engaged in green and eco-friendly activities? All public and private elementary, high school, and colleges are encouraged to join the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools. The competition is the response of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to Republic Act 9512, which is a law promoting environmental awareness through education. "With their efforts recognized, we can encourage students, faculty and school administrators to adopt and promote eco-friendly practices in their schools, homes and communities," DENR Secretary Jose Lito Atienza said. Interested schools are required to submit a brief description of their environmental project in line with the theme, "Sustainable and Eco-friendly Initiatives." Only one entry per school will be accepted. Elen Basug, Chief of Environmental Education and Information Division of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), said that participating schools should first download an official entry form from EMB's website. Entries can be supported by documents, such as memoranda, school policies, photos of activities, videos, published articles, certificates, among others. For those joining the elementary and high school category, three copies of the documents should be submitted to DepEd division offices. For the tertiary level, entries shall be accepted by the EMB regional office. Winning schools in the national level shall receive P 50,000 (1st prize), P 40,000 (2nd prize), and P30,000 (3rd prize) with plaques of recognition. On the other hand, finalists in the regional level shall be given certificates of recognition and a P 5,000 cash prize. The winning entries will be displayed during the national awarding ceremonies in November 2009. The DENR launched this initiative along with the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education and Smart Communications. Entries should be submitted on or before April 30, 2009. For online submission, entries should be in JPEG format with a resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi), a minimum size of 1536 x 2048 pixels, and a maximum file size of 1MB and should be sent to ecofriendlyschools@gmail.com.

By Izah Morales INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines -- Mass hysteria caused the unusual behavior of a number of students at the Pedro V. Panaligan Memorial National High School (PMNHS) in Calapan City, report from a medical team deployed by the Department of Education obtained by INQUIRER.net said. The team -- composed of psychiatrist Dr. Ma. Arlene Briones, psychologist Jennilyn Ebio from the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), and Dr. Minda Meimban, medical officer IV of DepEd Health and Nutrition Center -- conducted psychosocial intervention sessions or PSIs of faculty members and the supposedly possessed students on August 27, 2008. Based on the PSI sessions, the team reported that before the students experienced the so-called “initial attacks,” most of them had family-related problems, such as parents separating and deaths in the family. Students reportedly declared on August 8, 2008 that “the gates of hell will be opened and bad spirits will be let out to roam the Earth.” During the supposed possessions, students who were affected experienced chest pains, difficulty in breathing, cold sensations on the palms and weakening of the knees, the report said. However, the medical team stressed that while the students were allegedly possessed, most of them could still hear and understand what people around them were saying. Based on the diagnosis of the medical team, they suggested that special counseling be given to afflicted students after a month, while all school personnel were advised to undergo PSI or Critical Incidence Stress Debriefing training during the second week of September. The alleged spirit possession of PMNHS students, which caused what appeared to be seizures, began on July 25, 2008. It was reportedly recurring every Tuesday and Friday until the number of afflicted students increased to 26 on August 8, 2008. Here are video clips of the alleged possessions.

By Allison Lopez Inquirer MANILA, Philippines--They may not see a night sky filled with stars from their homes in the city, but an amazing simulation of one inside the Planetarium in Manila certainly made kids scream and clap their hands in wonder and perhaps, in appreciation. “Ang galing (It’s great)!” said a girl from the Industrial Valley school in Marikina City as she and her classmates stared at the bright dots moving slowly on the ceiling. “It’s an exact copy of the real night sky,” said Bel Pabunan, officer in charge of the Planetarium division. “Here in Metro Manila, the kids don’t see a night sky like that because of pollution and bright lights. But with the Goto Projector, we can simulate the night sky and project the planets and other deep space objects like satellites.” The construction of a planetarium was conceived by former National Museum director Godofredo Alcasid Sr. who proposed it to former First Lady Imelda Marcos in the early 1970s. The dome-shaped building with a 300-seating capacity on Padre Burgos Street in Ermita district, a few meters away from Rizal Park, took nine months to build and was formally inaugurated on Oct. 8, 1975. Still in operation Today, the aging structure may seem like one of the city’s abandoned buildings although the Planetarium is still very much operational. Pabunan said they often draw elementary and high school students to their four daily shows that take spectators on a trip out of this world. Called “Journey to the Solar System, an interplanetary adventure,” the show kicks off with a “sunset” -- which is when the lights dim and the wonderful night sky is shown. It ends with “sunrise,” when the lights brighten, complete with roosters crowing in the background. While the star projector, a large machine in the theater’s center, is the Planetarium’s “heart,” slide projectors complement the lecture by showing stark features of the heavenly bodies, including Mercury’s craters and Saturn’s rings. Aside from the major constellations that showed the hunter Orion’s belt, the young audience was also astonished when little by little, the planets grew larger until they seemed within arm’s reach. The lecture, added Pabunan, is updated with recent scientific advances such as Pluto being classified as a dwarf planet. Sometimes, however, the visual effects drown out the narrator’s hypnotic voice. According to Pabunan, they are currently developing another feature on “The Ring Planets” which are composed of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto. “Our real purpose is to disseminate information and complement textbooks in schools, but we present it in a way that we show their real features and colors,” said the senior museum researcher. Renovation of the 32-year-old structure, she revealed, was also long overdue and will begin before December. The first rehabilitation was done in 1991 after the inner dome that served as the screen collapsed due to old age and the effects of the earthquake the year before. “We’re due for a repair of the ceiling leakages and offices, plus some repainting. More than that, we want to change the exhibits because ever since, these have not been updated,” she said, adding that the Planetarium would remain open during the restoration which would take 150 days. P4-M renovation The rehabilitation would cost around P4 million, she said, excluding the updating of the exhibits. Outside the theater, indeed, were exhibits on comets, meteorites and space explorations that featured yellowing photographs. Aside from being outdated, they hardly generated interest among the visitors. Given the funds, Pabunan said they would create more interactive exhibits and modernize the current ones with interesting tidbits. Photo displays would be part of Phase 1 while hands-on exhibits would form part of Phase 2. But for schools and other institutions whose students are unable to go to the Planetarium, a mobile version will soon be coming their way. Pabunan said that although the 4x4 meter mobile Planetarium could only accommodate 30 people at a time, it may be a cheaper alternative to hiring buses and paying the entrance fee. Lectures on outer space would also be held simultaneously with the mobile Planetarium that has reached only as far as Isabela province. Pabunan, however, hoped that even students from Visayas and Mindanao would soon experience the wonders of the universe, even through the smaller version of the Planetarium. The Planetarium is open from Tuesday to Saturday with shows at 9-10 a.m., 10:30-11:30 a.m., 1:30-2:30 p.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m. Admission fee is P30 for students and P50 for adults. Call +632 5277889 for more details.

By Alex Villafania INQUIRER.net THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute will reveal in November the 450 successful applicants in the online mathematics and science teacher training program. In an interview, DOST-SEI Director Ester Ogena said they received a little over 500 applications to the training program, which was more than what they expected since they only introduced the program two years ago. Under the program, public elementary teachers in mathematics and science would be provided with additional information and techniques in teaching the two subjects to students. One unique feature of this training is that it will be delivered online, theoretically reducing the hassles teachers face in attending a classroom-type environment. “The teachers may come from different parts of the country but they will be able to see each other through the Internet wherever they may be,” Ogena said. This program is a first in the Philippines and is an attempt by the DOST-SEI to improve the teaching capabilities of public school faculty. To help teachers through the training, the DOST-SEI will waive the P6,000 training fee, as well as giving a monthly P500 allowance to buy Internet prepaid cards. Likewise, the teachers can purchase the computers that will be issued to them at half the price, at P7, 600. Ogena noted that they had technical problems with their website, www.e-training.ph but that this was resolved about a month ago. “We’ll make sure it runs smoothly from now on.”

By Ma. Diosa Labiste Inquirer ILOILO CITY--If life’s a lotto, science teacher Josette Biyo has won it several times. On Sept. 19, she copped another grand prize, the Presidential or Lingkod Bayan award, given by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to government workers in recognition of their commitment to the ideals of public service. And Biyo, 49, who is also the director of the Philippine Science High School in Western Visayas, exemplifies that dedication as a government employee. Biyo, who has a doctorate in biology, was cited for “developing a culture of science among the youth through research, resulting in the high quality of researches of students and faculty members, gaining both national and international recognition.” Her work on “introducing science research modules and innovations, giving motivational speeches makes her a world-class teacher worthy of emulation,” according to the CSC. Biyo is one of the five individual recipients of the Lingkod Bayan awards. Other awardees are Air Force Capt. Giemel Espino, Trade Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya, Chief Supt. Samson Tucay and Gov. Rolando Yebes of Zamboanga del Norte. Two institutional awards were given to the Benguet State University for developing potato and sweet potato varieties for the Cordillera, and the Philippine General Hospital. Most meaningful “I have won many top awards but this (Lingkod Bayan) is the most meaningful of them all. The screening was rigid and I didn’t expect to emerge as one of the five winners,” said Biyo. She felt honored to have competed with politicians and ordinary government workers who must have spent years doing their work unrecognized. Biyo, who joined the government in 1994, is proud to be recognized as an outstanding public employee, aside from being a science teacher. As a winner, she is entitled to an automatic promotion or a salary equivalent to the next higher position, but the latter is more likely since she is already holding the top position as a director. The award also comes with a prize of P100, 000. Past awards Before she received the Lingkod Bayan award, Biyo had won several coveted national and international awards that come with handsome cash prizes. The biggest was the 2002 Intel Excellence in Teaching given in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. She not only bagged $5,000 but, as part of the recognition, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln laboratory also named an asteroid after her. The Intel award propelled her to celebrity status and opened the door for more awards (a room in her house is filled with these awards). She received an honorary degree of doctor of humanities from the Manila Central University and numerous invitations to give speeches in the country and abroad. She also became an endorser of insurance and a pharmaceutical company that eventually supported some science research projects of students, and received citations and medals of merit from President Macapagal-Arroyo, the Senate and expatriates in the US for being the first Filipino and the first Asian teacher to win the Intel award. Biyo was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men in 1998. She received the Metrobank Outstanding Teacher in 1997 and the 2004 Metrobank award “for those who stand out for continuing excellence and service.” The first one has no cash reward, but Metrobank gives P100, 000 to winners. Press darling Biyo was recognized as outstanding Ilonggo in the field of education by the Iloilo provincial government in 2003. She is a “press darling” or a bankable personality to be profiled by magazines and coffee table book writers. The stories they wrote conferred on her more recall, giving a face to an otherwise cut-off world of science teaching, and an interesting hook and angle that attracted more readers. For example, the repeated quote was from Biyo’s book published in 2005 and titled “A Trip to Planet Biyo: I dreamt of stars … I got a planet.” The book, which she distributed to students, schools and private groups, has the message “Being a teacher is a noble profession; being a Filipino is something to be proud of.” Biyo said many had listened to her message, as shown by the e-mail, letters and feedback that she got. She believed that she “has inspired individuals and companies to pursue their dreams, and even convinced several people, especially teachers, doctors and nurses to stay in the country.” Biyo tries to wear her celebrity status lightly. She said through SMS: “In winning the awards, you don’t have to be somebody else. Just be yourself and enjoy what you are doing. No rocket science needed. Just consistency of purpose and giving the best of your self for the glory of God and country.”

By Alex Villafania INQUIRER.net THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology Science Education Institute (DoST-SEI) is calling on public elementary school teachers to be part of an online training program to improve their teaching capabilities in Mathematics and Science, according to a statement by the DoST. The training is the third conducted by the DoST-SEI, with the first having been held in 2005, it said. The third e-training on Mathematics and Science will begin this October and will end July 2008, it said. The subjects to be covered in the training include Elementary Mathematics and Science from Grades Three to Six, it said. In a phone interview, DoST-SEI Director Esther Ogena said the e-training was part of an ongoing project to deliver continuous learning for public elementary school teachers. She said that for this training period, they have allotted 450 slots for teachers compared to about 300 in the previous training sessions. "We want to cover more teachers this year. Hopefully, these Math and Science teachers would also share their knowledge to other teachers," Ogena said. Ogena noted that the Department of Education was part of the group that helped in developing the materials for the e-training. She also noted that the DoST-SEI would be spending about P1 million for the entire e-training until October next year. Teachers who will be part of the training will have other benefits, such as the waiving of their P6,000 training fee, free materials, a monthly allowance of P500 for Internet connection, and roundtrip transportation expenses for on-site orientation sessions and examinations, said Ogena. Likewise, the DoST-SEI is also subsidizing half the cost of the computers if the teachers would buy the equipment they would be using during the training. "The cost of an entire computer is roughly P16,000 but we have a special arrangement with the Department of Budget and Management that would allow a teacher to buy the PC at just P7, 600," Ogena said. Ogena added that during the training, the University of Santo Tomas would provide the system maintenance. More information about the e-training program is available at www.e-training.ph.

By Alex Villafania INQUIRER.net THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD) recently held several writing workshops in different parts of the country to develop online learning modules focused on agriculture and forestry. The workshops initially focused on goat production and health and organic fertilizer production and application. The modules would be part of the e-learning program delivered by the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture, which conducts the nationwide K-Agrinet (Knowledge Networking towards Enterprising Agricultural Communities), aimed at developing and modernizing the country’s agricultural sector. The e-learning modules on goat, organic fertilizer and bamboo are funded by PCARRD through its Enhancing FITS for Rural Development project. The modules will also form part of the e-learning program offered by the Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture. The goat enterprise materials were developed by professors from the Central Luzon State University and the Leyte State University. Likewise, the University of the Philippines Los Baños-Institute of Plant Breeding (UPLB-IPB) developed the module for organic fertilizer production. Another module on bamboo production is also set to be developed.