DID YOU KNOW?

35 years ago on this day, the US Space Shuttle carried all seven aboard including a school teacher who was destined to be the first civilian to travel in space. The US Space Shuttle named “Challenger” (OV-099) had exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Florida.

All passengers involved in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster consist of Francis R. Scobee, the Commander; Michael J. Smith, the Pilot; Ronald McNair, the Mission specialist; Ellison Onizuka, the Payload specialist; and Christa McAuliffe, the Payload specialist and a high school teacher.

The spacecraft was designated over the Atlantic Ocean at 11:39 AM that day. The O-ring seals that were used in the joint were not naturally designed to handle the unusually cold conditions that were present which later resulted in the failure of the mission.

The crew compartment and other vehicle materials/fragments were eventually recovered from the ocean after a recovery operation. However, the exact timing of the death of the crew inside is still unknown, whereas some crew members are known to have survived the initial break-up of spacecraft. The shuttle has no escape system, and the impact of the crew compartment with terminal velocity with the ocean surface was too violent to be survivable. 17 percent of the US Population have witnessed the space mission on live television broadcast because of the presence of high school teacher McAuliffe, who was supposed to be the first teacher to ever be in space.

It has been stated that the NASA Managers failed to address this problem properly. They disregarded the warnings and cautions from the engineers about the danger of launching posed by the low temperature of that time. Hence, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster had been used as a phenomenon study in many discussions that are related to engineering safety and workplace ethics.

ARTICLE | Ruben Gabas

PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

DID YOU KNOW?

January 21 every year is considered to be the National Hugging Day.

The celebration was first held in 1986 as “National Hugging Day” and was created in 1986 by Kevin Zaborney. He had chosen January 21^st because it was the time between the winter holiday season and the new year’s birthdays, which he noticed was a time when people tend to feel blue and low in spirits. He also felt that Americans were often too embarrassed to show affection in public and hoped National Hugging Day would change this kind of custom.

The widespread adoption of hugging over the recent years has been debated due to two primary reasons: the reduced formality of dress codes and manners between relationships, along with the changing behaviors of political figures in pursuit of a more relatable, warm-hearted perception of the public.

However in present times, with COVID-19 being a prevalent threat to public health, it looks as though National Hugging Day will be postponed for next year, as to social distancing protocol, same goes with the government rules, and health standards, have otherwise given leeway to preventive measures. Hence the question now is: how does one celebrate National Hugging Day during these times? The thought of enjoying time with your friends and family, as well as casually asking your friends how they are, is enough to give them the metaphorical warm embrace a hug can give. The purpose of National Hugging Day is to help everyone show more emotions in public. The only way to celebrate this day is by offering a hug to anyone and everyone you want to hug.

Sources:

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/hugging-day/

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-hugging-day-january-21/

ARTICLE | Tomas Franco Tagra
PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

DID YOU KNOW?

Celebrated on this day, January 14, the “World Logic Day” is observed every year as proclaimed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). As it first began in 2019, the said observance aims to spread awareness about the intellectual history, conceptual significance, and practical implications of logic to the public and communities inclined by science.

In association with the International Council for Philosophy and Human Sciences (CIPSH), the indicated date was also in commemoration of the birth of Alfred Tarski and the death of Kurt Gödel, who were two of the most acclaimed and well-known logicians of the 20^th century. The observation of World Logic Day will furnish a better understanding of logic and it would be a pathway towards a future of innovation and implication in the field of science and technology.

In Vienna, Austria, mathematical logic and its application to various sciences as the central interests have been a long and rich tradition. With the help of the Vienna Center for Logic and Algorithms at the Vienna University of Technology, several research groups are given attention ranging from Computer Science, Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy, Linguistics and many more.

As the celebration started to become international, the CIPSH and other related organizations considered the global and annual celebration to foster cooperation around the globe through the support of associations and institutions that all help in their desired ambition to promote logic and its development through research and learning.

According to the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, logic and rationality has been ever-present in our daily lives and yet, we continue to remain unaware of the fact that the ability of thinking and reasoning are one of the most distinguished features of humankind. “Logic is a contemporary universal. Yet despite being surrounded by logic, we remain quite unaware of its ubiquity,” said Azoulay. Thus, January 14 has been proclaimed by UNESCO to draw much attention to the importance of logic and its contributions regarding educational and scientific advancements.

Amidst the presence of a pandemic, the World Logic Day 2021 still continues this year by holding it virtually through the ‘Vienna Logic Day Lecture’ led by scientist Georg Gottlob as the speaker.

ARTICLE | Eldrin Steven Dones
PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

DID YOU KNOW?

Some say that when they hear the word December, they instantly think of Christmas since it is the most anticipated time of the year. But did you know that there are other events to be celebrated in December? One of them is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Human Rights Day is celebrated every year on the 10th of December. The United Nations General Assembly first adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948 at Palais de Chaillot, Paris, after World War II. This was one of the first significant achievements of the United Nations. The UDHR is a milestone document that proclaims the inalienable rights to which everyone is entitled to as a human being. Regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other viewpoints, national or social origin, property, birth, or another status, your human rights exist.

An important pledge from the declaration states: "Now, therefore the General Assembly proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction."

The following are such rights that are discussed, included, and recognized during Human Rights Day.

The Right to:

• equality

• life, liberty, personal security

• be considered innocent until proven guilty

• marriage and family

• own property

• rest and leisure

• education

Freedom from:

• discrimination

• slavery

• torture

• arbitrary arrest and exile

Freedom to:

• belief and religion

• opinion and information

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the most translated document in the world, with over 500 languages of translation.

ARTICLE | Precious Mae Mercado
PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1967, Surgeon Christiaan Barnard and his team made history as they successfully performed the first human-to-human heart transplant at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. This paved the way to normalizing organ transplant operations around the world.

The operation was done in the early hours of December 3rd on Louis Washkansky, a grocer who was 54 years old. Washkansky was diabetic and a smoker with peripheral vascular disease. It lasted for 5 hours and required a massive medical, nursing, and technical team to ensure that the operation would go well.

The organ donor was a woman named Denise Darvall, who had been declared brain dead by doctors, Coert Venter and Bertie Bosman due to an accident that took away her life while crossing a street in Cape Town, South Africa on the 2nd of December, 1967. Based on examining her body at Groote Schuur Hospital, Darvall’s skull sustained two severe fractures, with her brain lacking any electrical activity. Furthermore, there weren’t any manifestations of pain when ice water was poured in her ears. Venter and Bosman then proceeded to ask Darvall’s father if Denise’s heart could be donated for the first-ever heart transplant.

Washkansky’s recovery from the operation was monitored not just by the doctors, but by the world. The people were eager to hear every bit of information and updates on the health of the first-ever recipient of a heart transplant operation. He was able to recover quickly as his new heart performed strongly. But not until 2 weeks later, his health dropped, and soon enough, he developed radiographic infiltrates in the lungs. He died due to severe pneumonia and septicemia 18 days after the operation. Since then, Christiaan Barnard has continued to operate heart transplants on various patients who require it. With most patients being able to survive for a month leading up to 2 years.

With today’s technology, Heart Transplant operations are now much safer, and it’s all thanks to Christiaan Barnard, who opened the doors for another medical breakthrough, making the medical world more reliable and effective.

ARTICLE | Prince Robel Tecson
PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

DID YOU KNOW?

Eighty years ago, in November 1940, the Nazis forced half-a-million Jews from Warsaw, Poland, to live within a more than one square mile walled ghetto by sealing it off with brick walls, barbed wire, and armed guards. These Jews are the people who were confined in the area after the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. They were taken by the German soldiers for forced labor that was made mandatory for all Jewish men and boys aged 14-60 but was extended to aged 12-60 in January 1940.

Workers were not paid for their efforts, and the living conditions in the Ghetto were unbearable for being restricted from the rest of the population outside the area. Anyone caught leaving was shot on sight which left people desperate to survive. Since then, struggling between survival and death from diseases or starvation became common as the Nazis controlled the amount of food being brought to the ghetto.

With its walled Ghettos and poor condition, Warsaw had killed over 80,000 Jews as a result of appalling overcrowding and deprivation.

Children fidgeted through the sewers to enter the city outside to sneak food back into the ghetto. Others were climbing the 10-foot wall, while some were paying the Nazis gate guard. Smuggling food was their most prevalent survival method since the rations were minimal, making people perform maneuvers to survive.

Nevertheless, despite abysmal living conditions, the walls of the Ghetto could not neglect the cultural activity of its inhabitants. Artists and intellectuals continued to do their creative endeavors as the deportation to the Treblinka death camps began in July of 1942.

On August 2, 1943, thousands of Jewish prisoners secured weapons from the camp's armory for the revolution, several months after the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began. Many were captured and executed, right after hundreds of inmates escaped.

ARTICLE | Rhaine Eisley Bortanog
PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

DID YOU KNOW?

Colegio de San Juan de Letran will be commemorating its 400th founding anniversary on the 24th of November, 2020. Letran was founded by Don Juan Gerónimo de Guerrero in the year 1620, wherein its main purpose of establishment is to educate the children of Manila. It was established as an institution named Colegio de Niños Huérfanos de San Juan de Letrán, which was then located at his residence. During the same time around, another institution was established by Fray Diego De Santa Maria, OP, named Colegio de Niños Huérfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo. Both the institutions shared the same discernment; thus, building a strong foundation of friendship. As a result, the institutions decided to merge and were then called Colegio de Niños Huérfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo de San Juan de Letrán. In 1706, about 86 years had passed since its establishment, it officially adopted the name Colegio de San Juan De Letrán.

The name “San Juan de Letran” was derived and inspired by the major basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, which is considered as the Mother of all Christian churches. Early in the Colegio’s history, its chapel was granted many of the dispensations enjoyed by the major basilica. The said basilica was named after Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Colegio.

In 1941, the Colegio experienced a time of defeat when the Japanese Forces took over Letran and used the school as their garrison during World War II. The growth of the Colegio was temporarily hindered because the building was bombarded and destroyed. The Colegio took a temporary shelter at the Dominican Sanctuario, a Dominican church in San Juan del Monte, Metro Manila. After the war, the Colegio returned to its home in Intramuros, where the rehabilitation and construction of infrastructures have soon started.

Throughout its establishment, the Colegio produced several notable alumni that eventually became revolutionary heroes, Philippine presidents, poets, and even Catholic saints. These alumni of Letran include St. Vincent Liem de la Paz, Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel L. Quezon, Sergio Osmena, Francisco Baltazar, and many more. These are the names of people who are admired, respected, given tribute to, and are enshrined in the hearts of Letranites and the Filipino people.

Over the years, Colegio De San Juan De Letran has made numerous improvements and has achieved various accomplishments. It has also created concrete demonstrations of alumni who have contributed in various fields for the goodness of our nation.

In its Quadricentennial era, may this remarkable learning institution keep soaring and striving into greater heights for its celebration of another excellent milestone, for Deus, Patria, Letrán Siempre Arriba, Siempre Letran!

ARTICLE | Thea Tugade
PHOTO | Letran Official Page
PUBMAT | Anthony Beronque

DID YOU KNOW?

According to Presidential Proclamation No. 829, the period from November 10 to 16 of every year, will be declared as the “Deaf Awareness Week." The said proclamation is intended for the need for public awareness regarding deafness prevention and rehabilitation. Under the auspices of the Philippine Institute for the Deaf, Philippine School for the Deaf, and other relevant organizations, the Deaf Awareness Week aims to create a community that would allow persons with disabilities, especially those who are unable to hear, to help them become productive and to dignify their presence by raising awareness about the disability itself.

This year’s Deaf Awareness Week Celebration adopts the theme “We Hear as One: Defying Communication Barriers for the Empowerment of Deaf Persons.” Through informing the public of its causes and background, early detection and prevention might be necessary and essential to the lives of many people, primarily if such disabilities exist, and intervention can be promptly taken.

In many countries around the globe, the “International Week of the Deaf” is observed as well through the involvement of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD). The WFD seeks to promote human rights and the use of sign language about breaking the barriers of communication through various events.

The Deaf Awareness Week is purposed to appreciate those who have been disabled to listen and perceive sound. Through empathizing with their experiences, we may continue to resonate with the thoughts and emotions that keep us going and we may be the ears that will help and guide them in their everyday lives.

ARTICLE | Anne Margaret Lorenzen
PUBMAT | Elijah Gimena

DID YOU KNOW?

Every November 5, Al Cinco de Noviembre --also known as “Negros Day”-- is celebrated to commemorate the revolt of the Negrenses toward the Spanish colonizers. Under the provision of the Republic Act 6709, it was declared as a Special Non-Working Holiday in the province of Negros Occidental, in which the insurgence of the Negrenses halted the control of the Spanish colonizers among their land that lead them to the establishment of the Negros Republic that lasted for approximately three months.

It was said that the Spanish authorities did not initially suspect an uprising against them. The revolution began on November 5 and was located in Silay. From there, Lt. Maximiano Correa, the commander of the Spanish soldiers, ordered his Spanish Garrison that consisted of ten Spanish Cazadores and seven Filipino civil guards. Upon realizing that the municipal building was surrounded by townspeople who were prepared to burn the building should there be any resistance, they surrendered without a fight. However, to save face, it was requested by Lt. Correa to have it appear on the official records that the surrender was a result of bloody combat.

The governor of the province, Isidro de Castro, sent 25 Cazadores and 10 civil guards to engage toward the rebels who were found camping near the Matab-ang River in Bacolod. Eventually, the Spanish authorities retreated, leaving two of their alliances dead. In the Bacolod Convent, the governor decided to make a stand. It was also where hundreds of Spanish families were found to have taken refuge.

The revolution ended the following day, November 6. Jose Ruiz de Luzuriaga mediated the delegation from the revolutionists and the Spanish authorities. On the same day, the surrendering documents were signed, ending the Spanish regime over the land.

This celebration truly holds a significant part in the history of Negros Occidental as it reminds them of the ideals encompassed by the heroes of their land who fought together in battle. May the bravery manifested by their fellow men remain undying to all the Negrense natives.

ARTICLE | Kylie Niechols Miranda
PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

DID YOU KNOW?

Halloween along with other similar festivals and celebrations are expressive ways to honor heritage, culture, and traditions. They are meant to celebrate special moments and emotions in our lives with our loved ones. They all play an important role in adding structure to our social lives and connecting us to our families and different backgrounds. Throughout the world, there are several festivities that can be commemorated together with our loved ones regardless of cast, color, and economic status, while still following the results that God wants for us.

Among the many traditions of Christians, Halloween, also known as ‘All Hallows' Eve’, is a major festival observed before Christmas arrives. The festival is celebrated on the 31st of October every year as a holiday where children get the chance to wear costumes and receive candies. As time went by, Halloween became much deeper and manifested more spiritual roots than before.

Halloween’s history goes back to the ancient religion of the Celtic tribes (circa 500 B.C.) from the Britons, Scots, and the Irish. Succeeding this, modern-day Britains, Scots, Welsh, and Irish are all descendants from these ancient Celtic tribes.

Moreover, families would gather together and honor their ancestors believing that it was the time where ghosts and spirits could roam around together with the living. This included both bad and good spirits. As a way to ward off those bad spirits, festival-goers wear Halloween masks as a disguise. They would also light bonfires where they prepare and bring food for themselves as well as for their ancestors with whom they want to reconnect with.

Eventually, Christians adapted Samhain into their religious calendar on November 1st, calling it the “All Saints' Day”. They marked this day to memorialize and honor those that had passed away and crossed over into heaven.

With the passage of time, Halloween nowadays is a festival of fun, primarily for kids. It is a day where they can dress up as little monsters, ghosts, or witches with different features and attributes. Meanwhile, the custom of adults dressing up as demons and monsters have changed and the children took over. Every year, children would go from house to house, knock and call out “trick or treat” to ask for goodies. People would then give the children apples or buns and later candy to keep them from being tricked.

It is true that the Halloween festivals had undergone various changes over two thousand years ago and it is now leaning more to carving pumpkins and having spooky costume parties. These festivities now give us the opportunity to welcome the unknown, release negativity, and bring a little extra intuition into our everyday life as earth dwellers.

ARTICLE | Samrin Iqbal

PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

Did You Know?

On this day, 12 years ago, India launched its First Lunar Mission in space. The unmanned space probe called “Chandrayaan-1” was set in motion by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) using a PSLV-XL rocket. The name Chandrayaan means “Moon Craft” in ancient Sanskrit and the said spacecraft was about the size of a refrigerator, with a dry weight of about 522 kilograms (1,160 lbs), and was powered by a solar array. On the 8th of November 2008, the Chandrayaan-1 reached the Moon and subsequently released its moon impact probe on November 14 of the same year.

The main goal of the Chandrayaan-1 was intended not only to be a demonstration of India’s technology in space, but also to bring probable scientific information by collecting data that are mainly focusing on the Moon’s geology, mineralogy, and topography until its scheduled return. Moreover, the estimated cost of the said project was $54 Million.

According to ISRO, the mission carried five scientific payloads from India such as the Terrain Mapping Camera, Hyper Spectral Imager in performing mineralogical mapping, Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument to return information about the moon’s topography, High Energy X-ray Spectrometer to examine the radioactive elements on the surface, and the Moon Impact Probe which was intentionally planned to crash on the Moon’s south pole.

The Chandrayaan-1 and its gathered data contributed greatly in determining the presence of water ice on the Moon’s polar regions which eventually led to NASA’s announcement in September of 2009. The ISRO officially concluded the mission after suffering from several technical casualties including the failure of the star tracker and poor thermal shielding. And on the 2nd of July 2016, NASA used a ground-based radar system to relocate Chandrayaan-1 in its lunar orbit, more than seven years after it was shut down. The said lunar mission has made India to be recognized as the fourth country in the world to ever place its flag insignia on the moon and was later given multiple awards

ARTICLE | Ruben Gabas

PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

Did You Know?

The World Students’ Day is celebrated every year all around the world, on this day, October 15. It is in honor of the birth anniversary of the most loved President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam who was a known scientist, author, and teacher. Among all the noble professions he manifested, he wanted to be remembered as an educator and to give emphasis on his passion for molding the future of his students. Because of his technological advancements in the field of Science, he was also known and considered as the “Missile Man of India” and the “People’s President” for his remarkable efforts in promoting education.

Every year, World Students Day is recognized to honor and acknowledge all students around the globe for their hard work, dedication, and determination to learning. Since initially becoming supported by the United Nations Organization (UNO) in 2010, the celebration of World Students Day since then has been remembered through different acts of social gatherings and by giving importance to the cultivation of knowledge. After passing away in July 2015, the said event was foregrounded to also commemorate his legacy as an inspiration to many.

This year, the theme “Learning for people, planet, prosperity, and peace” is the central idea of World Students Day whereas various humanitarian objectives are produced all with the same goal as to highlight the development ambitions of the students in multiculturalism, diversity, and cooperation.

Let us make World Students Day inspiring and motivational by remembering the famous quotes of Dr. Kalam.

“Be active! Take on responsibility! Work for the things you believe in. If you do not, you are surrendering your fate to others.”

“When your hopes and dreams and goals are dashed, search among the wreckage, you may find a golden opportunity hidden in the ruins.”

“Dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep.”

Through celebrating World Students Day, may we all be encouraged to keep our passions burning and to relive the dreams that we have for ourselves and for the world. We may experience hindrances that hold us back from our aspirations, but we shouldn’t let them forbid us completely. Instead, to use them to our advantage is the best way to be better and wiser as a person. And although we may have many tasks and responsibilities to accomplish, remember to breathe, take a break, and enjoy.

ARTICLE | Eldrin Steven Dones

PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto

Did You Know?

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary - La Naval de Manila and our notable traditions were established due to the fusion of Filipino and Spanish Naval forces during the invasion of the Dutch Republic in the year 1646. Brought by the attempt to conquer the Philippines and control trade in Asia, the combined forces were said to have unceasingly adhered to the intercession of Our Lady through praying the rosary. After the country underwent a series of attacks, our defenders successfully conquered five major battles making them gratify the Virgin Mary and consecutively declared victory on April 9, 1662.

Eventually, Pope Pius X administered the granting of the Canonical coronation on the 5th of October 1907 and Our Lady of La Naval was transferred to its current shrine built inside of the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City still established up to this day.

The celebration of Our Lady of La Naval every year signifies the historical epoch that is rooted in the Christianity of the Filipinos and it is continuously commemorated through the “Grand Procession de La Naval.”

ARTICLE | Eldrin Steven Dones

PHOTO | Bench Morga

PUBMAT | Paulo Luis Jacinto