This day, in the year 1861, a hero was born. His name was Jose Protacio Rizal-Mercado y Alonzo-Realonda, a man we simply know as Dr. Jose Rizal.
This year, we commemorate the 154th birth anniversary of our national hero by dishing out 19 things you need to know about this remarkable freedom fighter:
1. He was born in Calamba, Laguna, which enjoys a special non-working holiday today.
2. He was the second son and the seventh out of eleven children born to parents Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso.
3. He manifested exceptional intelligence from a young age while being tutored by his mother.
4. He could read and write by age 5.
5. He spoke multiple languages including Tagalog, English, Spanish, French, German, Greek, Dutch and Latin.
6. He had knowledge of several dialects and languages such as Ilocano, Visayan, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, among others.
7. Dropping the family surname Mercado, he enrolled in Ateneo Municipal de Manila as Jose Protacio Rizal. He graduated with honors under a degree in Land Surveying and Assessment in 1877.
8. A year later, he pursued his passion for the arts with a degree in Philosophy at the University of Santo Tomas, but later on, switched courses.
9. With his mother’s impending blindness, he studied Medicine specializing in Ophthalmology at the same university. However, he left the medical program and went to Spain.
10. He finished both degrees in Medicine and Philosophy at the Universidad Central de Madrid. He also pursued further studies in France.
11. He is also a sportsman, practicing eskrima, a Filipino martial art similar to fencing.
12. He wrote articles for reform in the propaganda newspaper La Solidaridad under the pen name Laong Laan and Dimasalang.
13. He founded La Liga Filipina, a short-lived association that aimed to unite Filipinos and encourage them to be educated.
14. He was the author of two controversial novels – Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which exposed the injustice done by Spanish colonizers.
15 Rizal was romantically linked with different women during his travels in different countries. These women include:
- O-Sei-San of Japan
- Gertrude Beckett of England
- Nellie Bousted of France
- Susanne Jacoby of Belgium
- Consuelo Ortiga of Madrid
- Leonora Valenzuela of Intramuros
- Leonor Rivera of Tarlac
- Segunda Katigbak of Batangas
- Josephine Bracken whom he married two hours before his death.
16. He wrote the poem Mi Ultimo Adios translated as My Last Farewell prior to his execution.
17. He was arrested for treason and purported involvement in the rebellion, and was exiled to Dapitan in Mindanao.
18. He was sentenced by the Spanish Government to execution by a firing squad in Bagumbayan on December 30, 1896 at 7:00AM.
19. Rizal Day is annually celebrated on December 30.
If you think the rains yesterday was a random occurrence, think again. Expect thunderstorm formation later and more rains as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) remains situated across the Visayas.
The axis of the ITCZ is where two different winds converge, bringing cloudy skies and precipitation. It is also known to be the breeding ground of Low Pressure Areas and possible tropical cyclones.
Based on PAGASA’s latest weather forecast, this weather system will bring cloudy skies with rain showers and thunderstorms over the Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Visayas and Mindanao. The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will still experience isolated thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Despite the looming rainy weather condition, the archipelago’s coastal waters remains slight to moderate.
Meanwhile, commuters were stranded due to heavy rains and flooding experienced in Metro Manila yesterday in the late afternoon.
The top three highest rainfall amount recorded are as follows:
State Meteorologist Jori Loiz said that evidently, Metro Manila experienced a high amount of rains, encompassing a big berth of area in the metro.
Everyone is advised to bring umbrellas and to monitor weather updates as we expect another rainy day today.
In other news, today is the beginning of the Ramadan.
Rainy season in the Philippines is expected to commence before June ends.
Among its indicators is the presence of the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat. This word is derived from bagatan, which means southern in Ilocano. State Meteorologist Gener Quitlong explained that the habagat is characterized by warm and humid air blowing from the southwest. Most of its affected areas are in the western sections of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The habagat is capable of bringing heavy rain showers from three days to one week. This year, it is expected to prevail by the end of June up to the month of September.
Rains will still be experienced over Mindanao, Visayas and Palawan due to the prevailing ITCZ or intertropical convergence zone. Cloudy skies will dump light to moderate rains and thunderstorms over these areas. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will have generally fair weather with chances of isolated thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
During the past months, the ITCZ did not affect any part of the country, but when June came, it became one of the dominant weather systems. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza, the axis of the ITCZ moves northward and southward depending on the seasons and the orientation of the sun.
Now that the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere is just a few days away, the ITCZ is expected to oscillate or move northward, affecting the Philippines this June. Its axis can reach, not only the provinces of Mindanao, but also the Visayas area. This weather system is also dubbed as the breeding ground of low pressure areas (LPA), which may develop into tropical cyclones.
Meanwhile, Mendoza added that due to the expected El Niño intensification in the coming months, stronger tropical cyclones are also possible. During the years when the country experienced El Niño, the number of cyclones decreased but the intensities were much stronger than the usual.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is in need of 8,000 volunteers for the Metro Manila Rescue Volunteers Corps to be deployed in case of earthquake. The group’s primary commitment is to serve as additional manpower to the existing 6,000 MMDA rescuers.
Eligible volunteers must be 18 years old and above and willing to undergo a three-day earthquake response and rescue training facilitated by the MMDA. Volunteers must be physically fit to fulfill search and rescue duties if and when the West Valley Fault moves. Volunteers will be grouped according to expertise and will be coached by batch of 30s.
Students whose families live in provinces that will not be affected by The Big One and those who live in the University Belt are encouraged to join the corps.
Aspirants will be screened by MMDA upon filling out the form at www.bepreparedmetromanila.com/ .
Sendai, Japan – After marathon meetings and negotiations at the 3rd United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), the HFA 2.0 or Hyogo Framework of Action for 2015-2030 was released on March 18, 2015. This is the revised document from the initial HFA that proposed DRR methods on a global scale, originally drafted in 2005.
The 5-day conference, held once every decade, was attended by world leaders from multi-sectors such as governments, non-government organizations, media, women’s groups, people with disabilities, private sectors, children and youth.
The HFA 2.0 addresses 4 priorities:
Priority 1: Understanding disaster risk
Priority 2: Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk
Priority 3: Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience
Priority 4: Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction
The HFA has 7 global targets :
1. a substantial reduction in global disaster mortality
2. a substantial reduction in numbers of affected people
3. a reduction in economic losses in relation to global GDP
4. substantial reduction in disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, including health and education facilities
5. an increase in the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020
6. enhanced international cooperation
7. increased access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessments.
Building Resilience
This framework comes four years after the Great East Asia Earthquake in Japan. As one of the hardest hit areas of the tragedy that claimed 20,000 lives, the city of Sendai has shown the world their resilience through recovery efforts. Proof of this is their successful hosting of the conference with over 10,000 attendees.
However, in areas where the tsunami occurred, it would still take years for their complete rehabilitation. With soil drenched by salt water from the sea, agriculture in these areas was not possible at the moment.
Current recovery efforts included building better roads, elevating them by three meters as protection against tsunami.
Affected communities were relocated by their original clusters, which allowed residents to still live in close proximity with neighbors after transferring to safer areas.
Philippine contingents contribute to HFA
With the Philippines being of one the most disaster-prone countries, Filipino representatives at the conference significantly contributed to the drafting of the HFA 2.0.
Their input comprised of the following:
Inclusion of the elderly in policy making. Aside from the fact that the elderly have had years of experience on disasters, their participation will also allow the framework to develop DRR methods that consider their welfare.
Inclusion of the indigenous people. With traditional knowledge built by years of living in close contact with nature, the indigenous sector is a valuable contributor to the development of climate adaptation and disaster resiliency.
Highlighting the role of migrants. Migrants will also assist communities and societies in the structural design and implementation of DRR efforts.
Utilizing the sectors of the academe, science and research. These entities shall be focusing on disaster risk factors and scenarios, as well as emerging hazard risks in medium and long-term periods, in both regional and national levels—a wealth of information that can aid policy-makers.
Linkage with business, professional associations and private sectors. Doing so will be able to sustain DRR efforts. These sectors shall be integrating DRR in their business models to promote resiliency and continuous sustainable development of communities.
The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) also shared their multi-hazard tool called Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards), which highlights maps that identify areas prone to floods and storm surges. Dr. Mahar Lagmay introduced WebSafe, a newly developed tool that provides visualization of the possible extent of a disaster and its impact to the people.
A national framework on Comprehensive School Safety, which incorporated disaster management in the school curriculum, was discussed by Education Assistant Secretary Laguda. The framework includes activities related to the arts, music and play, which students can share with family members.
Climate Change Commissioner Lucille Sering explained the importance of the Eco-town framework being done in the Philippines. This is a local implementation mechanism of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) that gives direction to sustainable economic growth from 2011 to 2028. Through Eco-town, municipalities in areas most vulnerable to climate risks are given methods on mitigation and prevention.
Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman, who led the Philippine delegation, said in an exclusive interview with Panahon TV, “Napakahalaga ng conference na ito dahil nangyayari lamang ito every ten years. Yung mapagkakayarian, magiging batayan ng kilos, pagtulong at pakikipagtrabaho para babaan ang risko,” (This conference is really important because it only happens every ten years. And what will be agreed on this will be our new guidelines in implementing the revised framework for reducing risks.)
Children and Youth
As the HFA 2.0 paved the way on how countries could unite in addressing DRR, the children and youth sector also actively participated in the conference through the Children and Youth Forum, where they presented practical and innovative solutions for DRR.
Conference Highlights
During the conference, Cyclone Pam with category-5 strength, devastated the Pacific Island nation, Vanuatu. President Baldwin Lonsdale appealed to the international community for support.
With over a hundred forums in the famed “City of Trees,” the conference also included the private sector, whose resources and expertise were considered crucial to DRR.
Meteorological organizations, headed by the World Meteorological Organization, presented global figures on weather and climate, as well as new policies and technologies. Meanwhile, various sectors also introduced new applications of technologies in the fields of communication, automotive, construction, and health in exhibitions and at the BOSAI Fair.
Media waiting for HFA 2.0
With reports from Donna Lina-Flavier and George Gamayo
Photos by Garrie David
From tropical depression category, “Betty” has weakened into a low pressure area (LPA) and was last spotted at 885 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora at 4 AM today. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza clarifies the LPA still has no effect on any part of the country. Today, the whole country can expect generally fair weather with chances of isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Moderate to strong winds will prevail over the eastern section of Luzon. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are alerted against moderate to rough sea conditions brought by the nearby weather disturbance.
Meanwhile, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong said the LPA will start to bring rains tomorrow over the eastern section of Luzon. It is also expected to affect the central and southern portions of Luzon. All are advised to monitor updates and further changes.
On the other hand, despite the presence of “Betty” within the PAR, the country experienced a warm weather yesterday. Here are the highest temperatures recorded on March 18, 2015.
The ridge of a high pressure area has been the dominant weather system during the past few days. According to PAGASA, the northeast monsoon or amihan has not been terminated. In fact, it is expected to re-surge tomorrow, bringing slightly colder weather.
Special Non-Working Holiday
Today marks the celebration of “Sulyog Festival” in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. It is a religious festival which includes dances and cultural shows that honor to St.Joseph.
Meanwhile, the people of Canlaon, Negros Oriental will also celebrate the “Pasayaw Festival”. Derived from the combined word of “Pasalamat Pinaagi sa Sayaw” or thanksgiving through dance, it reflects the joy and praise to God through the intercession of St.Joseph.
In line with the mentioned festivals, the palace has declared March 19, 2015 as special non-working holiday both for Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro and Canlaon, Negros Oriental. This aims to give full opportunity to the people to participate in the festivities.
A low pressure area (LPA) is being monitored outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), below the Philippines.
State Meteorologist Jori Loiz said the good news is, it is not expected to enter PAR and has a possibility of dissipating. However, its trough, or the extension of the LPA, affects Mindanao today.
In PAGASA’s latest weather forecast, Mindanao will experience light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.
At the same time, the northeast monsoon returns to affect extreme Northern Luzon, bringing cloudy skies and light rains over the regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos.
The remaining parts of the country, including Metro Manila, will be partly cloudy to cloudy, bearing fair weather conditions.
Meanwhile, temperatures are not as cool as the past few weeks. Loiz says although the northeast winds still affect the country, it will slowly wind down in the following weeks. Its influence on the country’s weather usually lasts up to late March. In 2014, PAGASA officially declared the termination of the Amihan Season on March 26.
WEATHER CONDITION: RAINY OR FAIR?
Today, Panahon TV delivered a trivia on how to determine if it will rain in the next few hours by the type of clouds seen in the skies. Loiz, in today’s interview, shares which clouds also herald fair weather conditions. See the video here: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=863142510396255&set=vb.441729975870846&type=2&theater
Expect a warm and humid Monday as the easterlies prevail over the eastern sections of Northern and Central Luzon.
Coming from the Pacific, th easterlies cause hot weather and generate thunderstorms, affecting the eastern sections of the country where they will bring rains, mostly during the latter part of the day.
In the latest weather forecast, PAGASA said the regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Ilocos, Central Luzon and the province of Quezon can expect cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers today.
The remaining parts of the country, including Metro Manila, can enjoy fair weather apart from localized thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, State Meteorologist Gener Quitlong said in an interview with Panahon TV that the Low Pressure Area outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility has dissipated.
In this case, the country remains free from any weather disturbance. Also, no gale warning has been raised by PAGASA today.
NATIONAL ASTRONOMY WEEK
Starting today until Friday, February 20, PAGASA celebrates the National Astronomy Week with the theme, “Reaching our People: Transferring Knowledge in Astronomy”.
Among this year’s activities are free planetarium shows and telescoping sessions at the Science Garden and the Observatory, respectively.
The Star Party Contest for High School Level is also slated in Laoag City where a seminar / workshop will also be held for public school Science Teachers.
The planetarium shows will be conducted from 8 AM to 5 PM daily as the telescoping sessions and lecture starts 7 PM nightly at the Observatory. All activities will be on a first-come, first-served basis.