upibalon.com - The UP Ibalon Web Community

It took nearly two weeks before Philippine authorities finally revealed that there had been 2 million kilos of milk imported from China from January to August this year. As the scare of melamine-contaminated milk exploded in the news, about 53,000 children, mostly from China, have been sickened by the adulterated milk which causes urinary malfunction and kidney stones. There are some reports of death. Melamine, an industrial chemical used for the manufacture of plastics, has been added to milk to make it appear thick and proteinaceous. (see blog entitled “Import ban of 30+ generic drugs from India & melamine-contaminated m Readmore

Side by side with the financial crisis rocking America, the threat of terrorism showed its ugly head when Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, made a controversial speech in the United Nations (UN) in New York City today September 23, 2008, highlighting the impotence and hypocrisy of current world politics. His allusion to a pessimistic outlook of America is as though the United States is alone in its march towards a rough ride into the future. Faced with a global economy, exploding population, dwindling resources, differing value judgments and relativist view of truth,Readmore

The Ateneo Blue Eagles wrap up the best-of-three men's basketball championship series 2-0 to beat traditional arch-rival De La Salle University Green Archers and win the UAAP Men's Basketball Championship. In 2006, quiet and gloom pervaded the Ateneo campus when the Blue Eagles lost narrowly to University of Sto. Tomas. The University of the Philippines hosted this year's UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines). In May this year, UP President Emerlinda Roman had talked to us about her dream of getting the UAAP Men's basketball championship. Reality check tells us that this is a long shot. In the past decade UP has been a consistent cellar-dw Readmore

Last weekend, I joined a medical mission in Tinalmud, Pasacao, Camarines Sur, a far barangay reachable only by boat travel through the Ragay Gulf, along the coast of the Bicol Peninsula. Aside from a welcome break from almost 24/7 Internet works, the occasion also gifted me with the rare chance to personally confirm that whalesharks (Butanding), considered "gift from God" by the people of Donsol Sorsogon, now also inhabit the coastal waters of Pasacao Camarines Sur.   Very few people in the world have had the chance to enocunter these lovable, awe-inspiring giants. So I am proud to be just one point short of the record of the great sea explorer, J Readmore

As excitement of Penafrancia fiesta fades, we have something tantalizing to remember. To be part of the merriment blessed in heaven, in Calauag, Naga City, UP Ibalonian Pitoy Moreno aka Pitmo and his lovely wife Lala opened their warm and cozy home to friends. The Morenos successfully pulled through with plenty of help from their two bubbly kids---Ira Nicole, the special 7-year old with a gift of gab who served as Pitoy’s most valuable receptionist. The cute little “miracle girl” whose heart condition called pulmonary stenosis seemed far away, was as Readmore

The 12th Orgullo Kan Bikol Regional Trade Fair promises to be a best selling fair this year as it once again brings to the fore the beauty and bounty of Bicolandia on October 2-5 at the SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. “For the first time we are going to show to the public, especially to our institutional buyers, what other natural resources Bicol has to offer thru the “Raw Materials Showcase”, Regional Director Jocelyn L. B. Blanco of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) disclosed. The Bicol Designers Association (BIDEAS) will set up a Special Setting showcasing these different raw materials that had been transformed into novelty artworks. Readmore

The 2008 Transparency International report on corruption is out. In a field of 180 countries, Philippines slipped to 141st place from last year's 131st. RP's 2.3 score out of 10, ties the country with Cameroon, Iran and Yemen, among the bottom countries with marked corruption. Manila Auxiliary Bishop Teodoro Bacani in a reaction to the 10-point drop said, ““We as a people have not learned our lesson. “Corruption is an addiction: like an addict, corrupt people do not care about other people's negative perceptions of them and continue doing their unscrupulous deeds.” Inqu Readmore

Dr. Yasmin Paje-Banzon took time out from mentoring students in British Columbia, Canada and so did her sister Dr. Leida Paje who had to be away from her private dental practice in California. Dr. Vines Nolasco-Reis, a toxicologist from Indiana drove alone to Culpeper to meet Dr. Totie F. Mesia and Dr. Marietta F. Mesia from New York. The Ibalonian doctors' visit turned out to be off from what was originally thought by Min’s brother, warm-host Errol Paje with gregarious wife Corrine in their beautiful new home in 808 Persimmons St, Culpeper, Virginia on September 21 and 22, 2008. Dr. Ray Rayel of Wisconsin couldn’t leave his cardiology patien Readmore

The UP Ibalon Bicol headed by Butch Robredo met at Bob Marlin's in Naga City, Philippines on August 8, 2008 to unveil its improved, user-friendly site: www.upibalon.com developed by Dr. Andy Gimpaya.The attendees were: Butch Robredo, Ann Mariano, Waying Manlañgit-Tam, Sieg Borromeo-Bulaong and husband, Dulce Bernardo-Dionisio, Alaine Alberto-Fornoles, Jun Olin, Totoy Badiola, Dan Daz, May Velasco-Yorobe, and Andy Gimpaya.Here are Dan Daz' photos of the event:Dr. Andy Gimpaya presents www.upibalon.com, the UP Ibalon Web Community's flagship in the Web.Upibalon.com is a full-feature Web 2.0 site and shall also host as sub-domains the UPCAT Resources Site and the UPCAT Readmore

“Divers from Titan Salvage and Harbor Star started their salvage work by taking a survey near around “ground zero," but media were kept away from the operations center.” GMANewsTV (09/25/08, Dedace, S.) Why will government officials disallow the media to observe the conduct of the endosulfan recovery operations in the sunken ship Princess of the Stars? With toxic chemicals on board, the ship owned by Sulpicio Lines sank at the height of Typhoon Frank on June 21, 2008, killing about 800 passengers. For the sake of truth, it’s important that the salvage operation be wi Readmore

Part II: The Colgante Bridge Tragedy of 1972 by Totie Mesia and Mariso Ocampo Desiring to help, many jumped instinctively into the river. With prodding from Naga Policeman Delfin Platon who heroically calmed the frantic crowd, they fished out bodies and survivors until they got lame tired, way beyond exhaustion. Muscle cramps and fatigue overtook the shivering rescuers who got relief from ablutions of “oil of wintergreen,” a liquid balm given by nameless people in the crowd. The injuries were as apparent as the telltale signs of drowning after the Colgante Bridge col Readmore

The 26th Anniversary of the BNAA will be held in New York and New Jersey on July 17, 18 and 19., 2009 Delegates will have the chance to see the United States' most famous landmark---the Statue of Liberty; enjoy the sights and sounds of the Big Apple---dazzling views of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, United Nations Building, Empire State Building, St, Patrick's Cathedral, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Central Park then shop at Macy's---the World's Largest Store; or head south and try their luck in one of those world-class hotel/casinos of Atlantic City and take a leisurely stroll along its famous boardwalk for that cool and refreshing Atlantic Ocean Readmore

When the Supreme Court said that the conversations between Romulo Neri and her President is covered by "executive privilege," I said to myself, "garbage in, garbage out." With a Court of such composition maybe one cannot expect a decision better than that. If the current Court is deciding on that historical claim of executive privilege (the White House tapes), Nixon might have finished his term and subsequently shenanigans of the presidents of the US would forever be hidden from public view.With such a decision of the Court, illegal activities of the president and his/her men/women will forever be secrets. There will be no more witnesses and paper trails will just Readmore

With Sen. Barack Obama gaining fresh lead over Sen. John McCain, the presidential candidate of the Democrats, in projecting that he can do multi-tasking if elected, repudiated McCain’s call to temporarily stop the campaign and postpone the political debate with Obama on Friday September 26, 2008 to help in solving the financial crisis that threatens collapse of the economy, the worst since the Great Depression. In a display of bipartisan leadership, McCain takes another smart move which if successful, will make Obama puny in governance and inexperienced in setting priori Readmore

QUESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF U.P. September 3, 2008 by Washington SyCip PRESIDENT EMERLINDA ROMAN, MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY AND FRIENDS OF U.P. NOT BEING A GRADUATE OF THE LEADING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY, I AM DEEPLY HONORED THAT YOU HAVE INVITED ME TO BE ONE OF THE SPEAKERS IN YOUR CELEBRATION OF A HUNDRED YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE NATION IN TODAY'S TALK I INTEND TO RAISE A NUMBER OF VERY FRANK QUESTIONS SINCE YOU RECEIVE MORE GOVERNMENT FUNDS THAN ANY OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN THE COUNTRY, I, AS A TAXPAYER, MAY CLAIM THE RIGHT TO DO SO. I HOPE YOU WILL NOT CONSIDER THIS AS AN ABUSE OF THE GRACIOUS INVITATION EXTENDED ME BY Readmore