Tag: June 10, 2012

BACK then, I availed myself of the services of a school bus even when our home was just a 10-minute walk away from high school.

Back then, I thought commuting from our residence in Makati to Ayala was tedious when in fact travel would only take a 20-minute jeepney ride. Funny how I only trusted taxi cubs to take me around places.

But when I entered college and went beyond the comforts of our city, España in Manila did not even seem so distant, too.

Truth be told, as you grow up, your world gets smaller—and you get tougher. It gets smaller to the point that one does not mind going home very late amid the possibilities of being jammed in traffic, or worse, held up.

MORE than a culinary ingredient, another species of pandan may soon be used to treat tuberculosis, leprosy, and other bacterial and viral infections.

Mario Tan, a College of Science chemistry professor and researcher at the UST Research Center for the Natural Sciences, discovered two new alkaloids from a type of pandan commonly found in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

A nitrogen-containing chemical compound, an alkaloid is important in developing painkillers and anti-asthma drugs.

MILK and tea are not necessarily a healthy combination.

Both beverages are good sources of nutrients and antioxidants, but studies show that mixing them result in a number of negative effects.

True enough, tea has anti-diabetic properties and improves cardiovascular health. But when milk is added, its anti-diabetic properties and antioxidant potential are reduced.

A team of researchers in Charite Hospital at the University of Berlin in Germany said milk also eliminates protective effects of tea against cardiovascular diseases.

The researchers also discovered that milk proteins called caseins reduce the efficiency of the tea compound called catechin, which protects the heart from diseases.

AGUA de Mayo—a Spanish term which means “water of May”—refers to the first rainfall of May that is believed to have healing properties.

The rain drew much attention as it became a trending topic in Twitter, a social networking site. Questions about the “miracle” that comes with it have been raised here and there.

However, according to reports, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that there is no truth to the belief that Agua de Mayo brings healing.

TONY DeZuñiga did not leave the world for nothing.

After passing away last May 11 due to stroke, Tony’s legacy continues to flourish, inspiring Filipino comic illustrators to pursue a more global mindset.

His achievements would serve as a gateway for Filipino illustrators to gather international recognition.

At 16, Tony’s potential and passion in making comics was evident when he started out as a letterer for Liwayway’s Lagim comics.

He was initially reluctant to finish his studies for he was already earning money. But he changed his mind and went on to finish a Commercial Art degree through a sponsorship offered by the owner of G. Miranda & Sons Bookstore in Manila.

IT WAS not sheer luck that brought this local designer’s name to worldwide acclaim. It was passion sewed up with a patch of ambition.

Thomasians once again took pride in one of the University’s alumni as fashion guru Francis Libiran’s designs and creations were showcased in the American reality television show America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) last April 30.

With the help of ANTM’s Fil-Am producer Michael Carandang, Libiran’s ANTM stint has become another milestone in making Philippine fashion known all over the globe.

Every journalist yearns of gracing the front page, having his own column, or publishing a bestselling book. Thirty five years into the industry, UST journalism alumnus Ruben Nepales has done them all.

Now based in Los Angeles in the United States, Nepales writes a column and is the Hollywood correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He has published a book on the Filipino “connection” in the American movie industry on top of recognitions for his entertainment writing.

Nepales fell in love with writing at a very young age, mainly influenced by his mother Socorro, a teacher. His passion was such that he would share his pieces to his classmates at fifth grade.

IF MARRIAGE is about love, should two people of the same sex be allowed to marry, just like two people of the opposite sex?

“Same-sex marriage” has become an even hotter topic ever since US President Barack Obama came out in support of it as he began his bid for another four-year term. In the Philippines, celebrities, activists, and netizens have joined the bandwagon, taking the cue from high-profile endorsers such as Hillary Clinton and Lady Gaga.

In the first place, why is the Church opposed to same-sex marriage? Is the Church against homosexuals?

SAGADA, Mountain Province will soon have its first Catholic house of worship.

The idea of building the church came amid soaring tourism and visitors’ search for a Catholic haven on the serene mountaintop, Sagada mission rector Fr. Pablo Lumiwan said.

To address the lack of funds and resources and assist in the church’s construction, a fund-raising concert, Sagada In My Mind, was held at the Santisimo Rosario Parish last May 4.

“This is an appeal for help to build a Catholic church in Sagada [because the] less than 2,000-peso monthly income of the Catholic church in Sagada will never [cover for the establishment of the church],” said Bishop Rodolfo Beltran, apostolic vicar of Bontoc-Lagawe.

SPANISH Dominican Fr. Eladio Neira loved the country so much that despite his illness, he asked to be brought back to the Philippines. He wanted to die here.

Neira, whose ministry is distinguished here and abroad, succumbed to throat cancer last April 25. He was 81.

Neira was former regional vicar of the Holy Rosary Province, the Spanish Dominican Missionary province, and UST secretary general from 1964 to 1966. Born in Zamora, Spain in 1931, he joined the Dominican Order in 1947, when he entered the Convent of Avila.

Neira studied in UST as well as schools in Spain and California. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1954.

As a missionary, Neira was sent to Sri Lanka, where he served from 1958 to 1961.