PhilRice Courseware Now Taking Shape

The RSTC (Rice Specialists' Training Course) courseware, which this blogger is heavily involved in its development, is now taking shape. The Lesson Plan (print component) is around 90% complete, while the Powerpoint supplement for each Lesson is now being prepared.

As of this posting, the RSTC courseware on PalayCheck portion has 9 modules representing each Key Check in the system plus a module on the general concepts, principles and practices of the PalayCheck system.

As envisioned, the Courseware shall include Social Tech component and PalayCheck-related modules like the state of rice industry, morphology of rice, biomass utilization, climate change and other relevant issues in rice industry development.

Aside from this blogger's involvement in the overall development process of PhilRice courseware, he is particularly working on RSTC component as co-author of the Lesson on Harvest and Postharvest Technologies (being a former Postharvest bureau's training officer of DA). He is also assigned to prepare the Powerepoint supplement for Key Check 2 (Land Preparation), Key Check 5 (Nutrient Management), Key Check 6 (Water Management), and Key Check 8 (Harvest and Postharvest Technology).

It is hoped that the maiden edition of the Courseware shall be made available before the current batch of RSTC graduate on October 29, 2010. They will be the recipients of the first edition, and shall also serve as the test group to field-validate such courseware. (JSF Blogs)

HI International Summit Starts on Sept. 16 @ Marriott Hotel Phils.

The Philippines will host a 3-day international summit of Haggai Institute (HI) alumni on Sept. 16 - 18, 2010 at Marriott Hotel, Metro Manila. Its objectives are (1) to refresh and renew commitment to HI Vision and HI Mission, (2) to look afresh at the Strategic Coverage and Quality focus in selecting participants for HI training, (3) to discuss the focal Importance of HI National Ministries in Asian countries and their sustainable development, and (4) to have a common understanding and vision of reaching un-reached parts of Asia with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through HI Programmes.

The summit is organized by PHIAA (Philippine Haggai Institute Alumni Association).

HI is a global ministry group which aimed at evangelizing the world particularly those "unreached" by the Gospel where Christianity is a minority.

By this blog, all alumni and friends of HI are encouraged to participate, with particular mention to this blogger's batch, M0810 (see photos). (JSF Blogs)

Life-Saving Campaign of PhilRice

This is the huge billboard at the main gate of the Philippine Rice Research Institute, in its bid to prevent rice postharvest loss from the farm on to consumers' dining table. Over 30% of rice harvest is lost from the time the crop is cut (reaping) until it reaches our plates.

This time, the Institute's focus of campaign is on the consumers' end, who may waste this staple food through careless washing of rice, under- or over-cooking, and even the deliberate rejection of excess food in the plate. Our practice of including our pet dogs in our rice budget is another issue worth-looking into.

Indeed, the rice we save today will feed us tomorrow.

Meanwhile, this morning during PhilRice flag-raising ceremony, this blogger was assigned by his host Division, the TMSD, to give the weekly Exhortation, where he gave a truly life-saving message - believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly on how one will liberate himself from the bondage of sin. He particularly cited Romans 8:12, wherein man, because of his sinful nature, will never ever reach perfection no matter how he "beat himself up". That one should live under God's grace and not on laws.

Praise God, PhilRice people do not live by rice alone, but also on God's words. (JSF Blogs)

Birthday Fellowship for Bro. Migs @ Floating Resthouse

15 August 2010, Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija. The Church of Christ at Sto. Tomas/CLSU tenderred a lunch fellowship today at the CLSU-BFAR Floating Resthouse, as an advanced celebration for the birthday of its minister, Bro. Miguel Nad, Jr. (Bro. Migs for short). His actual birthday is on Wednesday yet, Aug. 18, but the brotherhood decided to have the natal fellowship ahead, as everybody seems busy this mid-week. Moreover, Bro. Migs has a regular campus ministry fellowship every Wednesday, and this advanced celebration is very much welcome for him. Another birthday celebrator in the congregation is Sis. Janine Roque (Aug. 17).

Bro. Migs is serving 2 local congregations, the STCC and the Maligaya Church of Christ, both belong to Cluster 5 churches. Bro. Nad hailed from Romblon, graduated from ICCM, and now serving in Nueva Ecija. Currently, Bro. Migs enrolled some units at CLSU College of Business Administration, for self-improvement. (JSF Blogs)

Reinventing My Life After Retirement?

When I retired last May 2010 from the government service, I thought all the while that my life will be reinvented; that is free from the 8-to-5 officework. Not yet. . . as I accepted a short-term assignment from a government corporation, PhilRice. No regrets, as my assignment is quite educational, and as I always quote, "education is a lifelong process".

Only that I miss those escapades in fine beaches of my hometown Mindoro and my much-awaited farm life, where I could reminisce my childhood days back in Masaguisi. (JSF)

Rice Generalists in the Making?

With my current post-retirement assignment at the Phil. Rice research Institute (PhilRice), will I be a rice generalist in-the-making? Currently, I am reviewing and rewriting a courseware on rice technology featuring the Institute's PalayCheck systems.

The courseware is expected to assist if not outright make PhilRice training facilitators and the RSO's (Rice Sufficiency Officers) as rice teachers themselves. They (myself included) are expected to take over the role of Rice Specialists (e.g. entomologists or water management specialists) as the resource person in a given rice training course.

How will we do this? That is what the PhilRice Courseware Development team is trying to package, a courseware that would facilitate the learning process, even in the absence of an SMS (subject matter specialist).

Thus, when I really go directly into rice farming soon, I would be confident that what I'll be doing would create tangible (positive) impact in rice production. (JSF Blogs)

Farewell, Brod Ely Cadapan; Thanks for the good memories we shared under the 2-headed eagle.

Dr. Eliseo Cadapan is a renowned entomologist of international caliber. In the Gamma Epsilon fraternity, he is fondly called Brod Ely, having entered into this Greek-lettered University-based student organization in 1971, just a year after I did in 1972. What is interesting with his joining the Fraternity was, he did this at the time that he was a graduate student already, whereas I joined when I was sophomore.

Without demeaning our fraternity, we have the same story with Brod Ely as to how we joined fraternal organizations like GE - the name sounds like Upsilon (for Upsilon Sigma Phi, which was the most popular during our college days). Like him, I was recruited first to USP, but landed to our beloved GE. No regrets whatsoever, afterall we both love GE true and through.

Brod Ely took his doctoral degree in America. Shortly after he came back after completing his PhD degree in USA, he served as consultant of Philippine Cotton Corporation in mid-70's where I also worked as Technical Assistant. I remember then he was talking to me in Berkeley accent to my amazement (me still having that colonial mentality and perceived everything foreign as superior).

Brod Ely, while serving as a top-caliber entomologist at UPLB, developed interest and in fact, succeeded in the field of business. "Ellen's Fried Chicken" as owned by Brod Ely became a buzz word in the UPLB community. Brod Ely was indeed, not only an excellent entomologist, he was a successful businessman worthy to emulate. I also heard that he entered too in the realty business, having succeeded in many deals involving real properties. One joke in his circle, "No, Bro. Ely is not selling his experimental area in UPLB, he's selling lots in a subdivision".

Bro. Ely's wife Ellen originated in my second hometown here in Munoz, Nueva Ecija. Once upon a time, we talked informally of constructing a GE Frathouse in every university where this organization is active. We tried to think and apply here in the Philippines the culture of student fraternities in developed countries like USA, where mere membership is already a good indicator of one's professional success. The organization shall be responsible for your employment, and this is highly possible through networking with successful alumni. Brod Ely has really many good ideas for our organization.

Definitely, his untimely demise is a big lost to our organization.

Brod Ely's remains lie at the Heaven's Garden in Los Banos, Laguna. Interment will be on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 as posted by Brod Rolly Labios. To our beloved brother ELY, farewell. Thanks for all good memories we share under the wings of the two-headed eagle, the Gamma Epsilon fraternity. (Brod Josh blogs)

Dr. Manuel Jose Regalado is the new PhilRice Deputy Exec. Director for Research

A long old-time colleague, former Santos Dorm-mate @ UPLB, and a Gamma Epsilon fraternity brother is now a second ranking official of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). In a flag ceremony this morning, Dr. Regalado was announced as the new Deputy Executive Director for Research (DEDR), taking over the post from Dr. G. Romero who holds the position on an acting capacity before I joined PhilRice last July 1, 2010.

During the Monday-flag raising ceremony, Dr. Regalado led the entire PhilRice family in reciting a pledge of commitment on attaining rice sufficiency through postharvest loss prevention from harvest to the dining table. In such a pledge, it was mentioned that over 22 million people may be fed annually out of the losses and wastage incurred. This seems to be a renewed campaign of this blogger’s previous mother unit the National Postharvest Institute for Research and Extension (NAPHIRE as NFA subsidiary) which battle cry then was “the rice you save today will feed you tomorrow”.

Dr. Regalado complements another critical post in the Institute, the Deputy Executive Director for Development (DEDD), the office where I am based as Consultant (SSRS), headed by another old-time colleague from the Philippine Cotton Corporation (now CODA for Cotton Development Administration), Ruben B. Miranda.

PhilRice is currently headed by Atty. Ronilo A. Beronio as the 3rd executive director after Dr. Santiago R. Obien and Dr. Leocadio S. Sebastian. (JSF Blogs)

Grandchildren of Veteran Church of Christ’s Preachers Now @ ICCM

As I call the roll of my Philippine Literature class in this Bible college, I came across with family names like Baronia-Roxas, Orlina, Irorita, etc., names which ring the bell for me, as these family names are some of the earliest in the CoC preachers' circle.

ICCM is now the choice of the grand- and perhaps great-grandchildren of veteran preachers; those who served the Lord even before the outbreak of WW II in the early 1940’s.

This development is very encouraging in the light of its modest and somehow “controversial” beginning as another bible seminary under the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement in Metro Manila.

With CHED-accreditation of ICCM (now on its third year), and with the passing of one alumna (Ms. Carizza Arevalo) in the recent LET (Licensure Exams for Teachers), this Bible college is becoming the popular choice of students wishing to take up Bachelor of Theology, with either second employment or going into full-time ministry, in mind.

To date, all but one of the 26 members of the 1st two batches of CHED-accredited graduates are either in part-time ministry with other job or in full-time ministry. Come April 2011, some eleven shall be joining the list candidates for graduation, and here’s praying that may God continue to guide them especially in their studies, and use them for the furtherance of His Kingdom anywhere here on earth. (JSF Blogs)