Earth hour

“I Will If You Will” is a simple promise and a challenge. Dare anyone to accept your challenge and help protect the Earth or accept the challenge of someone else.We only have one planet. You can help protect it. Participate in the world’s largest single campaign for the planet: Earth Hour. It starts by turning off your lights for an hour at 8:30 pm on March 23, 2013 in a collective display of commitment to a better future for the planet. Think what can be achieved when we all come together for a common cause.

 

2012 Bar exam results

Congrats to UP's 2012 Bar topnotchers: April Carmela Lacson 3rd (84.48%) Maria Graciela Base 5th (83.99 percent). Patrick Henry D.Salazar, 7th (83.71%) Francis Paolo Tiopianco, 10th (83.25%). Six Ateneo students were in the Top 10, 4 came from the University of the Philippines and one from Aquinas University.A total of 949 out of 5,343 examinees passed the Bar exams. This is a mere 17.76%.

 

From 1913 to 2012, schools which have produced bar topnotchers (1st placers) are as follows:

• University of the Philippines College of Law - forty-six (46) bar topnotchers
• Ateneo de Manila Law School - twenty two   (22) bar topnotchers
• San Beda College of Law - seven (7) bar topnotchers
• Philippine Law School - five (5) bar topnotchers
• University of Manila College of Law - four (4) bar topnotchers
• Far Eastern University Institute of Law - four (4) bar topnotchers
• University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law - three (3) bar topnotchers
• University of the Cordilleras (formerly Baguio Colleges Foundation) College of Law - two (2) bar topnotchers
• Manila Law College Foundation (formerly Escuela de Derecho de Manila) - one (1) bar topnotcher
• Manuel L. Quezon University College of Law - one (1) bar topnotcher
• Holy Name University (formerly Divine Word College of Tagbilaran) - one (1) bar topnotcher
• University of the East College of Law - one (1) bar topnotcher
• San Sebastian College - Recoletos - one (1) bar topnotcher
• Arellano University School of Law - one (1) bar topnotcher

More women than men have made it to the top ten in the last 12 years of the exams: (71) female Bar topnotchers against (59) from their male counterparts from 2000 to 2011.

The Bar exam in September 2008 had the most women topnotchers. Of the 12 topnotchers, 10 of them were women, led by Judy Lardizabal from San Sebastian College with a rating of 85.70 percent.

Former senator Tecla San Andres-Ziga was the first woman to top the Bar in 1930, with a rating of 89.4 percent.

Men, however, have dominated the top spot more often than women since the new millennium began, with seven male law graduates occupying the pinnacle in the last 12 years.

They are:

• Eliseo M. Zuniga Jr of  UP (2000);
• Rodolfo Ma. A. Ponferrada of UP (2001);
• Aenas Eli S. Diaz of Ateneo (in 2003);
• Noel Neil Q. Malimban of the University of the Cordilleras (2006);
•  Reinier Paul Yebra of the San Beda College (84.88 in 2009); and
• Cesareo Antonio Singzon of the Ateneo (89.00 in 2010).
• Raouel Angelo Atadero of the Ateneo (2011).

Meanwhile, the five women who topped the Bar exam in the new millenium are:

• Arlene M. Maneja of the University of Sto. Tomas (92.90 in 2002);
• January A. Sanchez of UP (87.45 in 2004);
• Joan A. de Venecia of UP (87.20 in 2005);
• Mercedita Ona of the Ateneo de Manila University (83.55 in 2007); and
• Judy Lardizabal of the San Sebastian College (85.7 in 2008).

Miranda rights and the Philippine constiution

DATELINE: March 18, 1966: the Miranda rights  became a major doctrine when US Supreme Court released its decision on    Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966).

Under this doctrine, prior to any questioning during custodial investigation, the person must be warned that he has a right to remain silent, that any statement he gives may be used as evidence against him, and that he has the right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or appointed. The defendant may waive effectuation of these rights, provided the waiver is made voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently. 

 The US Supreme Court overturned Ernesto Miranda's conviction for rape and kidnapping based on its ruling.

The Philippines Constitution even adds the more stringent requirement that the waiver must be in writing and made in the presence of counsel. Section 12, Article III of the Constitution reads:

SEC. 12. (1) Any person under investigation for the commission of an offense shall have the right to be informed of his right to remain silent and to have competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice. If the person cannot afford the services of counsel, he must be provided with one. These rights cannot be waived except in writing and in the presence of counsel.

(2) No torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means which vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Secret detention places, solitary, incommunicado, or other similar forms of detention are prohibited.

(3) Any confession or admission obtained in violation of this or Section 17 hereof shall be inadmissible in evidence against him.

(4) The law shall provide for penal and civil sanctions for violations of this section as well as compensation to and rehabilitation of victims of torture or similar practices, and their families.

Have a froggie morning everybody!

Do not say, 'It is morning,' and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a newborn child that has no name. 
                                              - Rabindranath Tagore

March 13, 1138: Antipope election of Cardinal Gregorio Conti as Victor IV,

 DATELINE: March 13, 1138 – Cardinal Gregorio Conti was elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II.

An antipope (Latin: antipapa) is a person who, in opposition to the one who is generally seen as the legitimately elected Pope, makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope,the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were supported by a fairly significant faction of religious cardinals and secular kings and kingdoms. Persons who claim to be pope, but have few followers, such as the modern sedevacantist antipopes, are not classified with the historical antipopes.

History

Hippolytus of Rome (d. 235) is commonly considered to be the earliest antipope, as he headed a separate group within the Church in Rome against Pope Callixtus I. Hippolytus was reconciled to Callixtus's second successor, Pope Pontian, and both he and Pontian are honoured as saints by the Roman Catholic Church with a shared feast day on 13 August. Whether two or more persons have been confused in this account of Hippolytus and whether Hippolytus actually declared himself to be the Bishop of Rome, remains unclear, since no such claim by Hippolytus has been cited in the writings attributed to him.

Eusebius of Caesarea quotes from an unnamed earlier writer the story of one Natalius, a 3rd-century priest who accepted the bishopric of a heretical group in Rome. This Natalius soon repented and tearfully begged Pope Zephyrinus to receive him into communion.

Novatian (d. 258), another 3rd-century figure, certainly claimed the See of Rome in opposition to Pope Cornelius, and if Natalius and Hippolytus were excluded because of the uncertainties concerning them, Novatian could then be said to be the first antipope.

The period in which antipopes were most numerous was during the struggles between the popes and the Holy Roman Emperors of the 11th and 12th centuries. The emperors frequently imposed their own nominees to further their own causes. The popes, likewise, sometimes sponsored rival imperial claimants (antikings) in Germany to overcome a particular emperor.

The Great Western Schism— which began in 1378, when the French cardinals, claiming that the election of Pope Urban VI was invalid, elected Clement VII as Pope— led to two, and eventually three, rival lines of claimants to the papacy: the Roman line, the Avignon line (Clement VII took up residence in Avignon, France), and the Pisan line. The Pisan line was named after the town of Pisa, Italy, where the (Pisan) council had elected Alexander V as a third claimant. To end the schism, in May 1415, the Council of Constance deposed John XXIII of the Pisan line. Pope Gregory XII of the Roman line resigned in July 1415. In 1417, the Council also formally deposed Benedict XIII of Avignon, but he refused to resign. Afterwards, Pope Martin V was elected and was accepted everywhere except in the small and rapidly diminishing area that remained faithful to Benedict XIII. The scandal of the Great Schism created anti-papal sentiment, and fed into the Protestant Reformation at the turn of the 16th century.

List of historical antipopes

Pontificate	Common English name	Regnal (Latin) name	Personal name	Place of birth	Age at Election / Death or Resigned	# years as Antipope	Notes	In opposition to
c. 200	Natalius	Natalius					Later reconciled (see above)	Zephyrinus
217–235	Saint Hippolytus	Hippolytus					Later reconciled with Pope Pontian (see above)	Callixtus I
								Urban I
								Pontian
251–258	Novatian	Novatianus					Founder of Novatianism	Cornelius
								Lucius I
								Stephen I
								Sixtus II
355–365	Felix II*	Felix secundus					Installed by Roman Emperor Constantius II	Liberius
366–367	Ursicinus	Ursicinus	Ursinus					Damasus I
418–419	Eulalius	Papa Eulalius						Boniface I
498–499 501–506	Laurentius	Papa Laurentius					Supported by Byzantine emperor Anastasius I	Symmachus
530	Dioscorus	Papa Dioscurus						Boniface II
687	Theodore	Papa Theodorus						Sergius I
687	Paschal (I)	Papa Paschalis
767–768	Constantine II	Papa Constantinus secundus						Stephen III
768	Philip	Papa Philippus					Installed by envoy of Lombard King Desiderius
844	John VIII	Papa Joannes octavus					Elected by acclamation	Sergius II
855	Anastasius III Bibliothecarius	Papa Anastasius tertius						Benedict III
903–904	Christopher	Papa Christophorus						Between Leo V and Sergius III
974	Boniface VII	Papa Bonifacius septimus						Between Benedict VI and Benedict VII
984–985								Between John XIV and John XV
997–998	John XVI*	Papa Joannes sextus decimus	John Filagatto				Supported by Byzantine emperor Basil II	Gregory V
1012	Gregory VI	Papa Gregorius sextus						Benedict VIII
1058–1059	Benedict X*	Papa Benedictus decimus	John Mincius				Supported by the Counts of Tusculum	Nicholas II
1061–1064	Honorius II	Papa Honorius secundus	Pietro Cadalus				Supported by Agnes, regent of the Holy Roman Empire	Alexander II
1080, 1084–1100	Clement III	Papa Clemens tertius	Guibert of Ravenna				Supported by Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor	Gregory VII
								Victor III
								Urban II
								Paschal II
1100–1101	Theodoric	Papa Theodoricus					Successor to Clement III	Paschal II
1101	Adalbert or Albert	Papa Adalbertus					Successor to Theodoric
1105–1111	Sylvester IV	Papa Sylvester quartus	Maginulf				Supported by Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
1118–1121	Gregory VIII	Papa Gregorius octavus	Maurice Burdanus					Gelasius II
								Callixtus II
1124	Celestine II	Papa Cœlestinus secundus	Thebaldus Buccapecus					Honorius II
1130–1138	Anacletus II	Papa Anacletus secundus	Pietro Pierleoni					Innocent II
1138	Victor IV	Papa Victor quartus	Gregorio Conti				Successor to Anacletus II
1159–1164	Victor IV	Papa Victor quartus	Ottavio di Montecelio				Supported by Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor	Alexander III
1164–1168	Paschal III	Papa Paschalis tertius	Guido di Crema
1168–1178	Callixtus III	Papa Callixtus tertius	Giovanni of Struma
1179–1180	Innocent III	Papa Innocentius tertius	Lanzo of Sezza
1328–1330	Nicholas V	Papa Nicolaus quintus	Pietro Rainalducci				Supported by Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor	John XXII
1378–1394	Clement VII	Papa Clemens septimus	Robert of Geneva	Geneva	36/52	15 y, 11 m, 27 d	Avignon	Urban VI
								Boniface IX
1394–1423	Benedict XIII	Papa Benedictus tertius decimus	Pedro de Luna	Illueca, Aragon	66/95	28 y, 7 m, 25 d	Avignon
								Innocent VII
								Gregory XII
								Martin V
1409–1410	Alexander V*	Papa Alexander quintus	Pietro Philarghi				Pisa	Gregory XII
1410–1415	John XXIII	Papa Joannes vicesimus tertius	Baldassare Cossa				Pisa
1423–1429	Clement VIII	Papa Clemens octavus	Gil Sánchez Muñoz				Avignon	Martin V
1424–1429	Benedict XIV	Papa Benedictus quartus decimus	Bernard Garnier
1430–1437	Benedict XIV	Papa Benedictus quartus decimus	Jean Carrier
								Eugene IV
1439–1449	Felix V	Papa Fœlix quintus	Duke Amadeus VIII of Savoy	Chambéry, Savoy	56/65 (†67)	9 y, 5 m, 2 d	Elected by the Council of Basel
								Nicholas V

Source: Wikipedia

March 12, 1947: Truman Doctrine and the Cold War

DATELINE: MARCH 12, 1947 -  The Truman Doctrine was a policy set forth by the U.S. President Harry Truman in a speech on March 12, 1947 stating that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent their falling into the Soviet sphere.^[Historians often consider it as the start of the Cold War, and the start of the containment policy to stop Soviet expansion.

President Harry S. Truman told Congress the Doctrine was "the policy of the United States to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.” Truman reasoned, because these "totalitarian regimes" coerced "free peoples", they represented a threat to international peace and the national security of the United States. Truman made the plea amid the crisis of the Greek Civil War (1946–1949). He argued that if Greece and Turkey did not receive the aid that they urgently needed, they would inevitably fall to communism with grave consequences throughout the region. Because Turkey and Greece were historic rivals, it was necessary to help both equally, even though the threat to Greece was more immediate.

For years Britain had supported Greece, but was now near bankruptcy and was forced to radically reduce its involvement. In February 1947, Britain formally requested the United States take over its role in supporting the Greek government.

The policy won the support of Republicans who controlled Congress and involved sending $400 million in American money, but no military forces, to the region. The effect was to end the Communist threat, and in 1952 both countries (Greece and Turkey) joined NATO, a military alliance that guaranteed their protection.

The Doctrine was informally extended to become the basis of American Cold War policy throughout Europe and around the world. It shifted American foreign policy toward the Soviet Union from détente (a relaxation of tension) to a policy of containment of Soviet expansion as advocated by diplomat George Kennan.

March 11, 2011: Japan earthquake

DATELINE: MARCH 11, 2011 – An earthquake measuring 9.0 in magnitude strikes 130 km (81 mi) east of Sendai, Japan, triggering a tsunami killing thousands of people. This event also triggered the second largest nuclear accident in history, and one of only two events to be classified as a Level 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale.

  It was the most powerful known earthquake ever to have hit Japan, and one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900. The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 40.5 metres (133 ft) in Miyako in Tōhoku's Iwate Prefecture, and which, in the Sendai area, travelled up to 10 km (6 mi) inland. The earthquake moved Honshu (the main island of Japan) 2.4 m (8 ft) east and shifted the Earth on its axis by estimates of between 10 cm (4 in) and 25 cm (10 in).

On 12 September 2012, a Japanese National Police Agency report confirmed 15,881 deaths, 6,142 injured, and 2,668 people missing across twenty prefectures, as well as 129,225 buildings totally collapsed, with a further 254,204 buildings 'half collapsed', and another 691,766 buildings partially damaged.The earthquake and tsunami also caused extensive and severe structural damage in north-eastern Japan, including heavy damage to roads and railways as well as fires in many areas, and a dam collapse.Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said, "In the 65 years after the end of World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for Japan." Around 4.4 million households in northeastern Japan were left without electricity and 1.5 million without water.


The tsunami caused nuclear accidents, primarily the level 7 meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant complex, and the associated evacuation zones affecting hundreds of thousands of residents. Many electrical generators were taken down, and at least three nuclear reactors suffered explosions due to hydrogen gas that had built up within their outer containment buildings after cooling system failure. Residents within a 20 km (12 mi) radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and a 10 km (6.2 mi) radius of the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant were evacuated. In addition, the U.S. recommended that its citizens evacuate up to 80 km (50 mi) of the plant.


Early estimates placed insured losses from the earthquake alone at US$14.5 to $34.6 billion.The Bank of Japan offered ¥15 trillion (US$183 billion) to the banking system on 14 March in an effort to normalize market conditions.The World Bank's estimated economic cost was US$235 billion, making it the costliest natural disaster in world history.

Act No. 2711 - Revised Administrative Code (1917)

DATELINE: MARCH 10, 1917 – Some provinces and cities in the Philippines were  incorporated due to the ratification of Act No. 2711 or the Administrative Code of the Philippines.

Act No. 2711, popularly known as the Revised Administrative Code (1917), embodies the broad concept of administrative law of the Philippines in codified form. According to its provisions, the executive, legislative, and judicial power of the Philippine Government shall be distributed among the three (3) separate branches of government -- executive, legislative, and the judiciary -- which shall exercise the powers the functions conferred on them by law. It contains the following subjects: (a) The organization, powers and general administration of the Philippine government; (b) The organization and administration of bureaus; (c) The government of provinces and other political divisions; and (d) Penalties.

The Administrative Code of 1987 replaced the 1917 Administrative Code, which was promulgated when the Philippines was still a colony of the United States. Efforts were made in the 1970s to overhaul the 1917 Administrative Code, which efforts resulted in the drafting of the Administrative Code of 1978. However, the Administrative Code of 1978 was never published and was later expressly repealed.

SCPS scholarship fund

One of Pasay City’s premier private schools, Sta. Clara Parish School (SCPS) has uncompromisingly been a proponent of quality Christian education true to its thrust of mirroring the Christ of faith, hope and love.  Numerous of SCPS graduates  have become productive and dynamic partners in the various sectors of business, public service, academe and above all the religious.

In recognition of this valuable legacy, the SCPS Alumni Association (SCALA) spearheads fundraising  projects for the benefit of the school, including the  “SCALA Scholarship Fund”.  Your valued contribution will not only help ensure the success of the fundraising events but more importantly also help support qualified but  financially disadvantaged students through a year of free education.

The Fund basically comes from the following source: (a) the fundraising events like the annual homecoming affair;  (b) the alumni fee collected from the graduating batch;  and (c) voluntary donations from the alumni.

The Fund is  given to the SCPS administration in support of  deserving  student beneficiaries.

All contributions received will be acknowledged.  Kindly make your contributions payable to SCALA and the same shall be properly receipted. 

March 8: International Women's Day

 “In societies where men are truly confident of their own worth, women are not merely tolerated but valued."     ― Aung San Suu Kyi  (From a speech read on video on August 31, 1995 before the NGO Forum on Women, Beijing, China)”

 DATELINE MARCH 8, 1975: In 1975, during International Women's Year, the United Nations began celebrating 8 March as International Women's Day. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. For the United Nations, International Women's Day has been observed on 8 March since 1975. The Day is traditionally marked with a message from the Secretary-General.

The official United Nations theme for International Women's Day 2013 is "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women."

March 2: Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

DATELINE: March 2: Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss… Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names  Dr. Seuss.  Geisel published 46 children's books, which were often characterized by imaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use of anapestic meter. His most celebrated books include the bestselling Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Horton Hatches the Egg, Horton Hears a Who!, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!