MSU-IIT Web gets new look

Finally, the MSU-IIT website has made a bold move of changing its then old site to a newer one implementing a more dynamic, feature-rich website powered by Joomla.

For years, there are only countable changes in the University's website with slight changes on its content and features only a number of resources and information.

But now, with the composition of a new web team, the site's future is bright. Expect more things to come in our Alma mater's online portal, that will soon virtually bind to that same unity we had in our good old school days.

And I am very glad to be part of the team that made it happen. I love to help, so long as there is to help.

I have already created two themes for the site, but I love more the last version which is currently being used as the site's design template.

If ever, I could contribute more components/modules, in addition to the one I created months ago.

Well, it's good to know that the site is back - and back with a great splash!

Tinago Escapade

My legs have tasted pains just after a 7-minute walk. Yes 7 minutes. But this is a walk where the path is inclined close to 85 degrees with a trail of a thousand stair steps, probably.

The downhill walk was so easy and exciting. We were greeted with the magnificent beauty of Tinago falls several hundred feet down in Brgy. Buruun. The trip wasn't even that long. And our timing was perfect.

We arrived around 10 o'clock in the morning with excitement flowing through our veins. This was the second time I came here. But it is in this time that I was more set to dive in the cool, blue waters of the splendid falls.

The scene is breath-taking. The rustling sound of the waters is just so inviting.

There is still the bamboo raft that had enticed me during my first visit to get soak in the freezing waters and go home wearing the same wet clothes.

This time, we visited the marvelous tourist attraction in a larger group - from our Church's Youth Choir. And this just doubled the fun. It was my first time to see a rough with around 18 people aboard. And we enjoyed a lot, rushing through the dripping falls and the weight of the waters that is falling some 20-30 feet above seems like a pat on our back, a relaxing tap on our bodies. It was so cool, really cool.

The feeling of swimming across the vast waters was exhilirating. Yes, I manage to swim 21 feet across the ends, with the help of a life vest(each one is required to wear one ;) ). I thought that was my longest swim. And now I felt how it is to swim against the stream and what amount of energy to succeed. I barely reach the end on my first and last try. I just don't have enough air and strength.

But above and the most important of all, I was able to enjoy, relax and escape my 15-hour work schedule.

And yes, we got all home safely... satisfied and fulfilled.

Here are a taste of the place they called "Tinago" (Cebuano word for Hidden)

Midweek congestion

The semester is coming to a close but my tasks just keep piling up. I had bunch of papers to check, grades to compute, student projects to test, programming assignments to accomplish and of course, since I am a student now, exams to comply. This must be my busiest week of the year, noting that I had things to do like repairing my pc, and my bicycle, following-up the status of my gadget under warranty, my church assignments, etc. This must be too much to put my eyes on.

But I am still enjoying. And that's the most important. Enjoying what you are doing, even it is above to the things that you normally do.

Do you want a game with me on NBA Live '07? I still have time. Really

This might be a week of congested task but I am slowly catching up. So far so good.

Maybe, I am just used to this kind of life.

Budgies For Sale!

It just started with 2 pairs of Budgies which my Ate brought from Plaridel. Now, their number grows to above 40 and counting, after over a year.

And now, we are selling some of these lovely birds that we popularly called "Love birds".

Commercially, it is sold at P300 per pair. But we sell them at a 50% less tag with that of the existing price in the market - at P150.

Maybe we will sell around 5-8 pairs of them, for now.

We are planning of expanding their shelter. So they could multiply more. And we could sell more!

See posters and print ads for details ;)

I am a Filipino, I am for a Filipino

I could never be rightly called Filipino if I sided with foreigners or place my bet against my countryman.

But that would not be the case for me. I am proud to belong to this race. There are so many good things to think why one could be so happy to be a Filipino and even die for the Filipino people or just to be one.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

One of this good thing is the good showing of our countrymen in the international scene. Just recently, our very own Manny Pacquiao has again shown the world our class, excellence and the good things about us amidst the crisis our country is facing. Facing the odds, Manny beat a world champion - a second time in their second encounter!

Yes, the long awaited bout of countryman Manny Pacquiao had raised some doubts by the international audience, including me. Add to that the strong will of his opponent to avenge his stunning lost in 2003 via an 11th round TKO with the southpaw from General Santos. This speculations had rose to occasion for several reasons and what has transpired in his months-long preparation.

But this has not hampered in any sense the trust we put to our man. And he never failed us. Winning by a convincing margin via a Unanimous decision over a future Hall of Famer - Marco Antonio Barrera. We never saw a knockout. But we have seen enough. The encounter may not have brought us to familiar sights of the run and gun style of the Pacman we knew, but this time we saw a classy, and smart Pacquiao battling for honor and pride for all of us.

I never like the idea of not going for the icing on the early stages of the match. But this win is an exemption. I agree to the idea of not rushing things up. The mexican is a sturdy puncher, brilliant counter-puncher and one can't be complacent, with his age and experience.

Manny did make the match looked too easy and one sided. But what was most special that people all over the world should take notice is how Manny, amidst the deafening celebration, take a moment of silence and say a prayer of thank to the almighty. That is typical pinoy. Maka-Diyos.

LAS VEGAS - OCTOBER 06: Manny Pacquiao kneels in a corner of the ring after his unanimous-decision victory over Marco Antonio Barrera in their 12-round super featherweight bout at the Mandalay Bay Events Center October 6, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

If you review the bout. There's so much you can get to have the pride of proclaiming to the world that you are a Filipino. I had so much to blabber here. But I just leave them for you to think.

Now, if someone would ask, "Are you proud to be a Filipino?"
What is your response?


(Photos courtesy: Yahoo! Sports)

I'm going Green

Yeah. I am now Green-blooded. But wait, not as what you think I am.

I had La Salle as my pick to win the UAAP Season 70 Men's Basketball crown. The reason? Well, I just love that team.

And yes it is. La Salle ended the historic run of UE - finishing a strong 14-0 sweep of the eliminations, with a 2-0 sweep in the Finals at the Araneta Coliseum.

JV Casio and Cholo Villanueva shared the spotlights as Finals MVP.

Here's a video.(courtesy from tagpuan.com)

The scores:

LA SALLE 73 — Casio 17, Villanueva 14, Maeirhofer 11, Tang 8, Co 6, Barua 6, Malabes 5, Walsham 2, Mangahas 2, Cua 2, Atkins 0, Ferdinand 0.

UE 64 — Lee 12, Borboran 12, Gregorio 11, Martinez 8, Cañizares 8, Espiritu 5, Arellano 5, Fampulme 3, Lingganay 0, Bandaying 0, Thiele 0, Llagas 0.
Quarters: 15-11, 34-23, 52-45, 73-64

I'm back

Wow! One month off seems one year for me. I almost forgot I have a space for my blog here, honestly.

In just a month span, lots of things had happened.

For September, I had never tried to etched out new entries for this blog. Maybe this could be explained with my 7am-10pm schedule, not to mention my other commitments too. No, these works are not killing me, only my time.

Well, maybe the most tangible event for September for me is that I added another year for my budding self and I subtracted one valuable possession - my laptop. Yeah, it's sad to loose my daily partner or even my bedmate. But for sure he'll be back in day's time from now. And I should be taking care of that Compaq once I get hold of it again. Promise.

Anyway, the semester is coming to a close. And next week is evaluation time and giving of grades. Whew! I hope that many should pass my subjects. There's still a chance, I think (*wink).

But, I'm glad I'm back with blogging.

Hopefully this is a good start, at second wind.

What happened to that Championship game?

Well, it's over a month off - for me.

What really happened to the Championship Game during the Palakasan '07?

I was so eager to give a recount at the time, right at the end of that monstrous game for my squad.

After all, the day ended so sweet for us, leading most of the way with wide gaps and hanging on to the last seconds to grab an 87-83 decision from a resilient SET quintet.

Yes! We made it!

And we made it with a big impact. And unknowingly it was the fourth time that our college had been on that stage - as men's basketball champs.

We jumped on a big lead early on the game by as much as 10. But they kept their poised and balance. Their endgame rally had held us to the ropes. However, the good combination of players and timely defensive stops at the end put the SET rally and their hopes for a comeback to the grave.

It was a really an exciting ballgame. My first and definitely not my last probably.

Congratulations to my hardworking boys! (Campeciño, Toong, Gueroben, Gascon, Mira, Ucab, Astorga, Sanchez, Jusay, Tarranza, Buniel, Calamba)


(Side notes: We lost the first game of the championship via an 82-83 squeaker. We almost made it, but we lost steam on the dying seconds. We were down but our spirits we still very high - so high that we could smell the victory, we just need to play smartly and with a bigger heart. The first game was played early at 9AM with the second game at 1:30PM. Half of the bleachers were full of avid crowds from both colleges competing in the championship. )