(From the SDmags.net Editors: This article is part of a series of articles related to the 24th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution.)

Democracy in the Philippines was restored when the 1986 People Power Revolution ousted former President Ferdinand E. Marcos from power. After two decades of strongman rule, Filipinos regained the freedom to live their lives according to the rule of law and reason. And the cultural and artistic scenes were among the immediate beneficiaries of the restoration of democracy in the country.

1987 Constitution

The different elements of culture are said to be primarily an expression of the people’s ideas. The 1987 Constitution ensures that Filipino ideas—especially on and related to culture and cultural advancement—will not be stifled again. In fact, the 1987 Constitution even mandates the State to provide Filipinos with an appropriate atmosphere for the enrichment of Filipino culture. Two sections of the constitution support the idea of an atmosphere conducive to cultural and artistic development.

Article III (Bill of Rights) Section 4 states that “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.”

Article XIV (Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture, and Sports) Section 14 states that “The State shall foster for the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression.”

Post-People Power Cultural Scene

With the highest law of the land lighting the way, many Filipino artists were reinvigorated with new ideas related to the expression of artistic ideas and the development of their craft. Suddenly, the chance to express nationalist sentiments and social commentaries were no longer confined to activists, as was the case during the Marcos administration. Many Filipino artists felt the need to tackle political and social issues and bring these to the attention of their fellow Filipinos.

Immediately after the People Power Revolution, Filipino singers immortalized the legacy of the revolution by composing the song “Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo”. It was a song that chronicled the triumph of Filipinos in effecting change in society through peaceful means. The song, “Magkaisa”, on the other hand, emphasized the need for Filipinos to unite and cooperate for the common good.

Artists such as the APO, Gary Granada, Noel Cabangon, Francis Magalona, the Eraserheads, and Yano also presented their political and social commentaries through their songs. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the Pinoy band explosion also gave focus on themes such as graft and corruption in government, inequality, poverty, peace and order, and politics. Music became a powerful tool for Filipinos to air their grievances and call for government action.

The same situation was evident on television (TV) and films. The late 1980s saw the emergence of the TV program, “Sic O’Clock News”, a satirical news program that poked fun at government, government officials, and the Filipino attitude and way of life. Although the impersonation of famous—and infamous—personalities had been done before, they were usually part of the underground press movement during the Marcos administration. “Sic O’Clock News” brought the same idea on a more mainstream and national level.

This was also the case during the early 1990s when the TV program “Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata” became popular. The program was also a satire on the way of life of Filipinos who belong to the poor, middle class, and powerful sectors of society.

The media also had a rebirth after the People Power Revolution. Print and broadcast journalists and practitioners were no longer under the control of a Marcos media machinery. Columnists were again writing about issues that were critical of the government. Artists such as Jess Abrera and Pol Medina used their artworks, wit, and humor to make social and political commentaries, following the trend set by Larry Alcala.

Private radio and TV stations, such as ABS-CBN, were reopened and offered a more comprehensive coverage of events and issues as compared to government media stations during the time of Marcos.

Culture and Democracy

Other artistic and cultural fields—theater, visual arts, and alternative (independent) film making—also contributed in presenting a new and revitalized cultural scene in the Philippines after the Marcos years. Indeed, Filipino artists have shown that culture and the arts will thrive better if presented to the people under circumstances that have more freedom instead of being shrouded in fear, apprehension, and violence.

(From the SDmags.net Editors: This article is part of a series of articles related to the May 10, 2010 national and local elections.)

Elections are often seen as “democracy in action.” They reinforce the freedom and rights of people. More importantly, elections allow the people to practice sound judgment to determine a country’s future.

Despite the countless years that elections have been practiced all over the world, the importance and integrity of elections remain. However, change and technology have prompted much needed innovation and more convenient and credible ways of going about the electoral process.

On May 10, 2010, the national and local elections are expected to make history as the Philippines’ first automated elections. With this welcome and much-needed development, we—whether voters or not—should know what changes are to be expected and how this would affect the process of electing national and local officials.

Old Versus New
The traditional voting process involves writing down on a ballot the names of one’s chosen candidates for particular elective posts. This process is liable to spelling errors and mismatched names and political posts. There is also the decades-old issue of vulnerability to electoral fraud or cheating as ballots could just as easily be discarded as it could be duplicated.

In the automated system that will be used in the May 2010 elections, voters will use a special ballot with the names of the political candidates already given for a particular position. It only requires the voter to shade the oval provided beside a candidate’s name. It is important to remember that voters should also completely shade—and not mark with a check, X, dot, or any other marking—the oval.

Voters are required to vote for only one presidential candidate, and only one vice president, governor, vice governor, congressional representative, mayor, vice mayor, and party list. Meanwhile, they have to vote for 12 senatorial candidates, and a specific number of provincial board members and city and municipal councilors.

Voters are also cautioned against “overvoting” or casting more than the required number of votes. For example, shading two or more ovals for the position of president invalidates the vote for that post. However, “undervoting” in positions that call for voting more than one candidate is allowed. For example, voting only 11 candidates out of the required 12 senatorial posts is still valid.

Hi-tech Ballot Box
After voting, the ballot is taken to the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine for the votes to be counted. Only the voter is allowed to feed the ballot into the PCOS machine. After doing so, the voter will have his or her index finger marked with indelible ink to distinguish from those who have not yet voted.

A screen on the PCOS machine will tell how many ballots have been inserted. After the voting is done, the election results are printed using the machine’s thermal printer. The results will then be electronically transmitted to the municipal or city board of canvassers, the provincial board of canvassers, and the national board of canvassers.

One of the main considerations for switching from manual voting to automated elections is the speed at which the elections results are known. With the new system, the Commission on Elections may readily post the elections results on a secure Web site hours after the elections.

More Changes to Come
The automation of elections in May is a change welcomed with mixed reactions—from some who think it is a long overdue innovation to others who regard it as needless. Either way, we can be sure that more and bigger changes will come after all the votes have been cast and counted; and the winners have been proclaimed.

image courtesy of:
http://specials.sunstar.com.ph/election2010/2010/02/04/important-reminders-on-election-day

I know, I know! It’s been quite a while since this column was last updated, and I do apologize for that. I’ll just elaborate on my explanation regarding my long absence in the coming columns (Keeping my fingers crossed! Shhhhhhh!). Right now, however, there are many things that we, Filipinos, should be excited about in 2010, especially the subscribers of Student’s Digest, S&T Digest, and V2day, and of course, the loyal followers of SDmags.net.

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Although all of the grade school, high school, and even college readers of SDmags.net and Chop Suey have not yet been born in 1986, I’m sure many—if not all—are aware of the importance of the People Power Revolution in contemporary Philippine history. The recent passing of former President Corazon C. Aquino reminded Filipinos about the four glorious days of 1986 that changed the course of the country’s political landscape and history.

February 22, 1986 marked the start of the four-day (February 22 – 25) revolution that captured the world’s imagination and became the symbol of a peaceful means of achieving change in society. Twenty-four years later, we are still enjoying the fruits of that historic event. Democracy is very much alive today. We have more freedom to do what we want to do within the bounds of the law. The country’s media, no matter what critics say, is still considered as among the most independent and freest in the world. And Filipinos, despite the occasional apathy and complacency, will no longer allow another dictator to rise in power.

SDmags.net will run a series of People Power-related articles to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the four-day nonviolent revolution. It is our hope that today’s young Filipinos will continue to be inspired by the legacy of the People Power Revolution.

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For the first half of 2010, the most awaited event in the Philippines would naturally be the historic May 10 national and local elections. Historic because it will be the first automated elections in the country. As early as 2009, focus had already been given on how the elections would be conducted using the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine. More importantly, Filipinos are anticipating that the automated elections would minimize if not totally eliminate electoral fraud that—for the longest time—has been the cause of low credibility of Philippine elections.

To help you learn more about various election-related issues and events, SDmags.net will feature various articles on the May 10, 2010 national and local elections. Although many of you are not yet eligible to vote, it is also important that you become aware of the different issues, the platform of government of the national and local candidates, and the elections itself.

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Finally, as you may have already read in issues seven and eight of Student’s Digest and in the “Headline” section of SDmags.net, your favorite Social Studies news magazine will celebrate its 30th anniversary in school year 2010 – 2011. And the editors and staff writers of SD Publications, Inc. would like you, dear readers, to become part of this special celebration.

For starters, we will be posting here on SDmags.net trivia and bits of information about Student’s Digest to give you an idea regarding its history and development during the last three decades. A special anniversary issue of Student’s Digest will also come out during the school year so watch out for that. We are also in the process of finalizing the mechanics of an essay writing / blogging contest that we will conduct. We will keep you posted here on SDmags.net about the different activities that we have lined up for school year 2010 – 2011.

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Whew! It’s really nice to be back! Until the next serving of Chop Suey, kids!

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For comments and / or suggestions, you may also send an e-mail to your Chop Suey writer at rick@vibalpublishing.com.

(From the SDmags.net Editors: This article is part of a series of articles related to the 24th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution.)

“Music is the language of the soul.”

To Filipinos, there is, indeed, a semblance of truth to this old saying. This was especially true during—and immediately after—the 1986 People Power Revolution. This changed not only the leadership in the Philippines. More importantly, the People Power Revolution led to the realization that Filipinos must now become aware and vigilant that their newly won freedom would not be forcible taken away again by anyone. This fact was immortalized through the music inspired by the bravery of Filipinos against the dictatorship.

The Music

Two songs composed by Filipino lyricists and musicians typified the sentiments of Filipinos back then. The euphoria of the momentous event of the time inspired artists to lend their talent to something that not only represent the people’s victory against the dictatorship. More importantly, the songs served as a reminder to Filipinos that they were part of the victory and, therefore, must also be part of its preservation.

The compositions also started a trend in Philippine popular culture in which music became a tool for bringing pressing issues in society to those who are concerned. A few years after the People Power Revolution, the airwaves would be filled with songs dealing with the environment, globalization, graft and corruption, and other problems and issues confronting the country and the Filipinos.

“Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo”. Composed by the APO Hiking Society, the song, “Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo”, was recorded by 15 singers (including the members of the APO) and was released in April 1986. It was also released a year later in Great Britain and an English translation (“A New and Better Way”) was launched in Australia.

Magkakapit-bisig libu-libong tao

Kay sarap palang maging Pilipino

Sama-sama iisa ang adhikain

Kailan man din a paaalipin

The song dramatized and symbolized the effort and sacrifice of Filipinos to win back their freedom. It described the events that happened during the People Power Revolution in EDSA wherein the people faced the soldiers not as individuals or belonging to different social classes but as one—as Filipinos.

Di na ko papayag na mawala pa muli

Di na ko papayag na muling mabawi

Ating kalayaan kay tagal na nating mithi

Di na papayagang mabawi muli

“Handog…” also clearly brought to light the promise made by Filipinos as emphasized in the opening lines of the song—that never again would they allow a leader (or leaders) to take away their freedom.

Handog ng Pilipino sa mundo

Mapayapang paraang pagbabago

Katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan

Ay kayang makamit nang walang dahas

Basta’t magkaisa tayong lahat

The song also gave highlight to the fact that change was effected through peaceful means. Through the refrain heard all over, Filipinos showed that society could achieve changes without shedding blood or sacrificing the lives of Filipinos. That was the legacy of the People Power Revolution that was evidently became the inspiration of peaceful revolutions in various countries immediately after 1986.

“Magkaisa”. Another song captured the hearts and minds of Filipinos during the same period. Entitled “Magkaisa”, the song—composed by former Senator Tito Sotto and Homer Flores and sung by Virna Lisa—gave highlight on the aftermath of the revolution and what, in the thought of everyone back then, should be the focus of Filipinos after a divisive chapter in the country’s history.

Magkaisa (may pag-asa kang matatanaw)

At magsama (bagong umaga’t bagong araw)

Kapit-kamay (sa atin siya’s nagmamahal)

Sa bagong pag-asa

“Magkaisa” was more mellow that “Handog…” for the former veered away from the subject of struggle against the dictatorship. Instead, the lyricist saw it fit to focus on the theme of reconciliation, set aside differences, and work together to rebuild a divided country. This theme of working together and offering the hand of peace to people from the camp of ousted President Ferdinand E. Marcos would dominate the political and social discussion in the country for the next few years after 1986.

“Handog sa Pilipino ng Mundo” and “Magkaisa” again got extended airplay in radios and television when Filipinos were mourning the death of former President Corazon C. Aquino, the icon of democracy and the People Power Revolution.

Soul of Filipinos

The music inspired by the People Power Revolution not only brought to attention the talent and artistry of Filipinos. The two songs also bared the soul of the people regarding love for freedom and of country. Indeed, music is the language of the Filipinos’ soul.

(From the SDmags.net Editors: This article is part of a series of articles related to the May 10, 2010 national and local elections.)

Ready! Set! Go!

The May 10, 2010 elections will be the Philippines’ first nationwide automated polls. Using this new system, voters will choose a president, vice president, nearly 300 lawmakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and more than 17 600 local government officials. Adding to the “excitement” and the “election fever” is the usual list of colorful local and national candidates.

The focus, however, is on the race for the highest office of the land. Now that the campaign period has officially started and the candidates have already launched their respective campaign sorties, voters will now have the chance to think and choose who among the candidates for the presidency would be a worthy successor to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

With less than three months to go before the elections, who among the presidentiables do you think your parents will vote for?

‘Presidentiables’
The following are the ten presidentiables and their respective running mates:

Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino III and Senator Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas III (Liberal Party);

Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos G. de los Reyes and Dominador Chipeco (Ang Kapatiran);

Former President Joseph “Erap” E. Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino – PDP-Laban);

Senator Richard J. Gordon and former Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando (Bagumbayan);

Senator Ana Consuelo “Jamby” A. Madrigal (no running mate; independent);

Jesus Nicanor P. Perlas (no running mate; independent);

Former Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” C. Teodoro, Jr. and actor Eduardo “Edu” Manzano (Lakas-Kampi-CMD);

Evangelist Brother Eduardo C. Villanueva and former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Perfecto Yasay (Bangon Pilipinas); and

Senator Manuel “Manny” B. Villar, Jr. and Senator Loren Legarda (Nacionalista Party).

Jose “Jay” Y. Sonza (Vice Presidential Candidate of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan)*;

Campaign Strategies
The candidates launched their respective campaigns in various parts of the country. As expected, they all pressed hands with vendors, businessmen, students, construction workers, and children as they trooped from town to town, visiting markets, parks, and churches on the first day of the official 90-day campaign period.

Surveys front-runner Aquino, the son of former President Corazon C. Aquino and former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr., went to his hometown of Concepcion, Tarlac. He and Roxas called for a “new kind of people power” in their drive for the presidency. Aquno also promised to redistribute the family-owned 6453-hectare Hacienda Luisita to its tenant farmers within five years in accordance to the new agrarian reform law.

Villar, Aquino’s closest rival based on various surveys, chose Calamba Laguna, the birthplace of Jose Rizal, to formally launch his candidacy. Villar and Legarda are running on the platform of uplifting the lives of the poor and protecting the environment. They kicked off their “star-studded” campaign rally with games and song numbers rendered by several popular entertainment personalities including television host and comedian Willie Revillame and singer-actress Sarah Geronimo.

Administration candidates Teodoro and Manzano held their proclamation rally at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, Rizal. They were joined by the Lakas-Kampi-CMD senatorial candidates. According to Lakas-Kampi-CMD Deputy Secretary-General Ray Roquero, they chose Antipolo City as the site for the proclamation rally because a higher ground is considered beautiful and lucky.

True to their “Transformers” tag line, Gordon and Fernando launched a motorcade aboard a truck designed to look like a fictional robot character from the film Transformers. For their proclamation rally, the 10-wheeler truck took the pair from Marikina City, where Fernando once served as mayor; to Imus, Cavite, hometown of Gordon’s great-grandfather.

Estrada held his proclamation rally at Plaza Miranda where he also declared former Manila Mayor and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Joselito “Lito” Atienza as the PMP mayoralty candidate in Manila.

Villanueva, his running mate Yasay (a former Securities and Exchange Commission Chairerson), and the Bangon Pilipinas senatoriables, held their proclamation rally at the Rizal Park. They signified their call for a “New Philippines” by unfurling what they claimed as the “biggest Philippine flag” during the proclamation rally. The flag, measuring 180 by 92 meters, reportedly costs around P10 million and was sewn by businesswoman and Bangon Pilipinas supporter Grace Galindez-Gupana.

Madrigal, de los Reyes, Perlas, Acosta, and their respective running mates—running without the help of a nationwide party machinery—launched their campaign without the same hype surrounding the other candidates’ campaign launch. All of them, however, reiterated their desire to advance various causes that would benefit Filipinos, including good governance, environmental protection, and educational and health reforms.

And the Next President Is…
In a few weeks time, the Philippines will have a new president, vice president, and thousands of other national and local officials. With the call for change in the way our leaders handle government affairs and lead the country, it is now up to the voters—and even students like you—to be responsible and intelligent enough to select those who are truly capable and sincere in their desire to be the country’s next set of leaders.

* On March 4, 2010, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) officially declared Vetallano Acosta, the supposed presidential candidate of KBL, a nuisance candidate. The decision came after the COMELEC initially denied a petition for Acosta’s disqualification that Liberal Party standard-bearer Senator Noynoy Aquino filed before the poll body. Acosta was disqualified on the basis of his own pronouncements that he was not supported by Kilusang Bagng Lipunan (KBL) members including his running mate Jay Sonza.

Acosta, who was earlier quoted in an interview, said that he will no longer campaign and join presidential debates, and that he would leave his candidacy to God. Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said Acosta’s own statements prove that he would be unable to wage a national campaign, which is a requirement for a presidential candidate. Acosta, the Comelec also noted, refused to meet with media members and had failed to announce a legitimate platform.

image courtesy of:
http://www.filipinovillage.com/uploads/homepage-images/presidential%20candidates.jpg

(From the SDmags.net Editors: This article is part of a series of articles related to the 24th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution.)

The declaration of Martial Law. Curtailment of freedom. Illegal arrests of those who were against the government. The assassination of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. Massive cheating in the 1986 snap presidential elections. These and other similar events tested the patience and resolve of Filipinos that eventually led to the historic People Power Revolution. The four glorious days of February (22 to 25) 1986 was the culmination of years of Filipino struggle against the Marcos dictatorship. Let us revisit this historic event that has become a source of pride of Filipinos.

Withdrawal of Support
On February 22, 1986, two key leaders of the military under former President Ferdinand E. Marcos withdrew their support for Marcos and his government. Minister of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Vice Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Fidel V. Ramos announced their withdrawal of support and accused Marcos of cheating in the snap elections. Along with a few hundred soldiers, the two leaders used Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo—both along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Quezon City—in the defense of what they feared would be an inevitable attack by soldiers loyal to Marcos. Enrile and Ramos would later on consolidate their forces inside Camp Crame, since it is the smaller camp and, therefore, easier to defend.

The Gathering
It was at that point when the two leaders sought the help of Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin. The cardinal went on air on Radio Veritas to ask Filipinos to go to Camp Crame and aid the rebel soldiers. Instead of worrying that they might be up against the entire military machinery of Marcos, thousands of people gathered around Camp Crame, providing support to the soldiers inside. The number of people quickly swelled, mostly due to word of mouth and through Radio Veritas—quite a feat since this was before the advent of text messaging and the Internet. At the height of the People Power Revolution, it was said that as many as two million Filipinos had gathered in and around EDSA to join the call for the ouster of Marcos.

People’s Revolution
The mood of the people around the camp was surprisingly festive. They were helping one another, praying, singing nationalistic songs, and forming a human barricade when loyalist soldiers would try to attack the camp. For four days, Filipinos from all walks of life were together and shared a common goal—to help restore democracy in the Philippines. With the sacrifice and heroism of Ninoy, Cory Aquino, and other Filipinos like them as inspiration, the people braved the tanks and the possibility of violence and bloodshed to participate in a historic revolution that would eventually capture the world’s imagination.

As Filipinos gathered around Camp Crame, military forces loyal to Marcos tried to attack the rebels. Tanks and armored vehicles were used in attempts to disperse the people. However, the people stopped the loyalist soldiers at every turn leading to the camp. And instead of fighting back, the people offered flowers, food, rosaries, and appeals to join the people against Marcos. Marcos loyalist soldiers also used various attempts to attack Camp Crame but each time, thousands of Filipinos barricaded themselves in front of military vehicles. Each time, no shots were fired and violence did not erupt. In the succeeding days, various military units continued to defect to the side of the people.

Beginning of the End
On February 25, 1986, Cory took her oath of office as President of the Philippines at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan. She was sworn in by then Senior Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee. Salvador “Doy” Laurel was also sworn in as vice president. In attendance were Enrile, Ramos, and members of the opposition against Marcos. However, victory was not yet secured as Marcos was still in Malacañang, refusing to yield power.

On the same day, Marcos also took his oath of office at the Malacañang Palace in front of thousands of his supporters. The broadcast of his inauguration, however, was cut off the air as rebel soldiers were able to capture Channel 4, the government-owned television station. The station resumed broadcast a few hours later but already in the hands of the rebels.

In the afternoon of February 25, negotiations started regarding the safe passage of Marcos and his family. They were eventually transported to Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga and eventually flown to Guam and finally to Hawaii.

Essence of People Power
In EDSA and all over the country, Filipinos celebrated the momentous event as a triumph of the people and a start of a new beginning for the country. After two decades, Marcos was forced out of power not with the use of the military, arms, or violence but with faith, courage, and the belief that they can win back democracy and their freedom in a nonviolent way—the very essence of people power. Until today, the People Power Revolution is still the world’s model of a nonviolent method in effecting change in any society.

The UbD conference was also the venue for the Department of Education (DepED) to formally unveil the 2010 Secondary Education Curriculum (SEC) that will be initially implemented in the first year level (public school system) starting school year 2010 - 2011. DepED was a major partner of FAPE in organizing the conference.

Core of the Curriculum

The conference provided an opportunity for the thousands of participants-school administrators, teachers, curriculum developers, and educators in general-to learn from the two speakers and seasoned educators about the important concepts underlying Understanding by Design (UbD) and Differentiated Instruction (DI).

Professor Everett Kline gave a lecture on the nature of UbD as a curriculum model while Jeanne Purcell Vautour, Ph.D. talked about the key principles and strategies involved in DI. Both Kline and Vautour are affiliated with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), an educational leadership organization in the United States.

‘UbD’, ‘DI’, Workshop

The conference proper was divided into three parts, namely the lectures of Vautour and Kline on the first two days, and the presentation of the 2010 SEC and subsequent workshop on the third day.

Kline, working on the framework developed by UbD proponents Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, emphasized that UbD is about “teaching for understanding” instead of merely teaching for “knowledge acquisition.” He further elaborated on the said idea by discussing an important component of UbD, which is the six facets of understanding. These six facets include the students’ ability to explain, interpret, apply, show perspective, empathize, and have self-knowledge about a given topic.

Kline explained that UbD entails a reorientation in curriculum planning in which the “backward design” is utilized. In this design, teachers should first identify the desired results (or goals), plan the assessment needed, and plan and develop learning experiences and instruction. Kline emphasized that teaching should focus on identifying the content and performance standards as well as the essential questions and essential understanding that should guide the teaching-learning process.

Vautour explained that DI is a “curriculum model that provides a framework for addressing learner variance within the context of high quality content.” DI is also defined as “a teacher’s reacting responsively to a learner’s needs” She said that DI is simply about attending to the different levels of students’ learning abilities through various activities, instruction, and assessments that teachers provide. Vautour also added that DI addresses the issue of learning gap between and among students with various levels of intellect, interest, and background.

Dr. Lolita M. Andrada, Director of the Bureau of Secondary Education of DepED, presented the 2010 SEC and the standards that will be used in the implementation of UbD in public schools. The workshop focused on the application of UbD in the different secondary level subject areas. Parallel workshops on UbD were also given for principals and heads of schools, and for administrators of teacher education institutions.

‘Edukasyon ang Solusyon’

In his keynote address delivered on February 6, 2010 (the third day of the conference), DepED Secreatry Jesli A. Lapus used the slogan, “Edukasyon ang Solusyon“, to emphasize the important role of education in addressing the problems of the country. He said that education in the Philippines, particularly the secondary education, needs major improvements. He also pointed out the need to retool and update the country’s human resources to upgrade the country’s educational system. Information technology, particularly its application in education, should be given importance if the country wants to be competitive in the international market.

Lapus shared that statistics indicate many Filipino high school graduates are “ill-equipped with the necessary tools to be competitive in seeking jobs.” He added that important skills, especially in communication, are wanting from high school graduates.

Along these lines, Lapus said that closing one’s mind to change would result in being left behind. He added that in the field of education, “we start change with our teachers.” And transfer of technology becomes possible by breaking down resistance to change.

Stressing the importance of the new curriculum framework of DepED, Lapus believes that schools should facilitate a smoother transition of students from school to work. In this regard, he enjoined the educators to lead students to reflect, rethink, and revise; and to “teach by understanding and design, and not by accident.”

VPHI Participants

Vibal Publishing House, Inc. (VPHI) was one of the many educational publishing companies that sent participants in the FAPE conference. Among those who represented VPHI were editors/consultants Dr. Lilia M. Rabago (Science), Dr. Grace Estela C. Mateo (Social Studies), Dr. Pilar I. Romero, (Christian Living), Dr. Lydia P. Lalunio (Filipino), Mrs. Phebe S. Peña (English), Mrs. Alicia L. Padua (Science), and Mr. Ricardo M. Crisostomo (Science). Rochelle C. Colorina (Mathematics Subject Area Coordinator, Cesar C. Inocencio (Editorial Coordinator), and this writer were also part of the VPHI group.

* FAPE is an organization that promotes the development of private education in the Philippines. Established on November 5, 1968, FAPE works to help “private schools in their quest for academic excellence, managerial competence and financial viability, through the extension of logistic and technical support.”

Early Devices
Danish physicist and chemist Hans Christian Oersted’s discovery of magnetic fields induced by electric current in 1820 led to the invention of the earliest device known in telecommunication—the electrical telegraph. However, it still took 17 years after the discovery of electromagnetism before the first electrical telegraph was perfected by British gentleman Sir William Fothergill Cooke and scientist Charles Wheatstone in 1837. This was also the year when it was first commercially used.

A Morse telegraph (1912)

During the same year, a similar electrical telegraph was produced in the United States. Inventors Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail came up with an alternative design and a different set of telegraph codes. It was also during that year that the Morse code was born.

The Morse code is a character encoding alphabet composed of short and long elements of “dots” and “dashes”. These represent numbers and letters which can be used to send messages. Electrical contacts made by the telegraph keys produce audible signals which are transmitted through a telegraph wire. These are received and transcribed by interpreters on the other end of the telegraph transmission.

One of the earliest telephones designed by Alexander Graham Bell.

Nearly 40 years later, a young inventor who was interested in teaching deaf people how to speak came up with the idea of transmitting and receiving human voice instead of just electric pulses through an electronic device. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray independently invented the telephone. However, Bell was credited for the invention. Two years later, the first commercial telephone service became available.

The original telephone transmission system was based on the telegraph technology. Following the concept of electromagnetism, it used a single iron wire to transmit sound. The telephone system back then was only for short distances. Soon after, physicists from different universities across the United States were laying the groundwork to make long-distance communication in a telephone network a possibility.

The Modern Era
Since the introduction of the telephone, the quest to improve telecommunication technology has never stopped. Between the late 19th century and the early 20th century, countless inventions, discoveries, and devices were made to make long-distance communication possible. The year was 1965 when a groundbreaking event happened, ushering in the era of modern telecommunication.

A bundle of fiber optics.

Charles K. Kao and George A. Hockham of the British company Standard Telephone and Cables worked on fiber optics technology as a medium for telecommunication. Their study was the first to theorize and propose the use of glass fibers instead of copper wires to transmit information.

In a further study, Kao and his team found out that the high purity of fused silica is ideal for long-distance transfer of information. Because of this study, Kao received half of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2009.  He also became known as the “father of fiber optics”.

The use of fiber optics technology in data transmission works through the principle of total internal reflection. When light passes through an optical fiber, it will produce multiple reflections that do not refract until it comes out of the other end of the fiber. Optical fibers are now used in telephone and Internet technology.

The Future of Telecommunication
Today, scientists and engineers are no longer just using underground cables as media for telecommunication, they are also utilizing the airwaves. When radio was first invented during the late 19th century, radio signals were already in full swing. As early as the 1900s, physicists have already tried to improve analog radio frequency signals: amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM).

Photo courtesy of http://www.dishtvtips.com/

Nowadays, satellites are also being used to relay radio signals. Artificial satellites orbiting Earth reflect radio signals being transmitted in space to different points on the ground where an antennae can receive the signals.

Satellite technology is the basis of a recent technological breakthrough. In some countries, transmission signals are being changed from analog to digital. Going digital promises a much clearer sound for radio transmission and a much sharper picture for television transmission. Cellular phones and wireless Internet also use this kind of technology.

The energy from the sun is used to produce electricity.

Energy can be defined as the capacity to do work. It exists in many forms such as kinetic, potential, sound, light, heat, electrical, nuclear, and chemical. Any of these forms of energy cannot be created nor destroyed but can be transformed from one form to another. When energy is transformed, nothing goes to waste, thus energy is conserved. How does this work? How is this possible?

Energy Transformation
One form of energy can often be transformed into another form. For example, the chemical energy stored in the food we eat will be eventually turn into heat energy which our body will use to do our day’s work. This means that if we don’t eat, we feel weak and tired.

Another example of energy transformation happens inside a battery. The chemical energy inside a battery can be converted into electrical energy (e.g., in a calculator), sound energy (e.g., in a radio), light energy (e.g., in a flashlight), or mechanical energy (e.g., in a toy car).

The chemical energy in batteries can be converted into many forms.

A wind turbine also follows the same principle. When kinetic energy from the wind passes through a turbine, it will be converted into mechanical energy and then into electrical energy. In a simpler example, the potential energy of a pendulum’s bob is converted into kinetic energy then back again into potential energy as the pendulum swings.

These examples of energy transformation are bounded by an empirical law in physical science—the law of conservation of energy which states that “the total amount of energy in an isolated system remains constant”.

Energy conservation is being shown in a Newton's cradle.

The First Law of Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is a branch of physical science which studies heat energy and mechanical work in a system. Energy transformation and conservation are under the first law of thermodynamics. This law states that energy can be converted from one form to another but it cannot be created nor destroyed. It further says that energy is consumed in any process involving a thermodynamic system and its surroundings.

When we say that energy is always conserved, this means that the total amount of energy in any process or reaction never changes. In other words, the total energy in a system always remains the same whenever energy changes from one form to another even if the energy loses its ability to do work.

Escaping Energy
The first law asserts that the internal energy of a system is conserved and that heat and work are forms of energy transfer. A mixture of chemical compounds is an example of a system with internal energy. When a reaction occurs in the system, work is done and heat may form in the surrounding environment. In such cases, the first law of thermodynamics can be represented by the equation:

∆U = q + w

where,
∆U is the change in the internal energy of the system;
q is the amount of heat transferred to the system; and
w is the amount of work done in the system.

The total amount of energy in a chemical reaction remains the same.

When heat is produced in a system, where does it go? What will happen to it? The heat will escape into the surrounding environment. There is no thermodynamic system that is so perfect that no energy will escape from it. Whatever the system is, there will always be some energy escaping into the surroundings.

This phenomenon could be the only flaw of the first law of thermodynamics. To correct this flaw, physicists came up with the second and third law of thermodynamics. However, discussing these will require two new different stories. So for the mean time, just stick to what you have learn and remember to always practice energy conservation.

This February, you yourself will also experience first-hand how it is to participate in an election. Yes, you will soon be choosing your school’s Supreme Pupil Government (SPG) or Supreme Student Government (SSG) officers. The candidates should have filed their certificates of candidacy by now, and within days they will start campaigning. By the end of the month, you will have elected your SPG/SSG officers for school year 2010-2011.

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The coming SPG/SSG elections will be important for you. First, the elections will give you the power to choose who among your fellow students will serve as your leaders in the coming school year.

More importantly, you could teach your parents and other elder relatives a thing or two about choosing the right candidates and making the most out of the elections.

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I myself was active in school politics especially when I was still in grade school and high school. In all the elections I participated in as a candidate, I tried to serve as a good example for other candidates and schoolmates in general by:

• Following campaign rules – I campaigned only during the official campaign period. I used only allowed campaign materials.

• Waging a positive campaign – I focused on my own capabilities and those of my partymates. I avoided calling attention to the negative traits of those I was running against.
• Not promising things I knew I could not do – I tried to present my party’s plans for the school. However, I did not promise that we will be able to solve all of the school’s problems.
• Not taking things too personal – I kept in mind that the elections were just part of our school activities. I did not take it against my friends if they joined the other party or voted for candidates from a party other than mine.

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In those elections when I did not run for any position, I tried to set a good example for the other students by:

• Evaluating the candidates thoroughly – I did not vote for a candidate simply because he or she was my friend. I studied who among the candidates were the most qualified for the positions they were running for. I encouraged others to evaluate the candidates thoroughly, too.
• Respected the Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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  her students’ choices – Although I actively campaigned for certain candidates I knew were qualified, I did not force other students to vote for the candidates I was supporting. I knew that they also had their reasons for choosing which candidates to vote for.

• Making sure I voted – I did not waste my vote. I knew that every voted counted, so I always voted come election day.

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A lot of things have changed since I was in grade school but one thing remains the same: students deserve the best SPG/SSG they could have. It’s up to you to decide on the kind of leaders who will lead your SPG/SSG next school year.