The Tubbataha Reef: 7 Natural Wonders Nominee

Photo by Phua Boon Wah

The Philippines’ very own Tubbataha Reef is nominated in the global poll to name the new seven natural wonders of the world. The 96,000 hectare reef ecosystem in the middle of the Sulu Sea, touted as Asia’s best marine park, is one of over a hundred natural attractions from around the world vying for the distinction.

Surprisingly, the reef is our country’s lone entry in the list of 77 nominees. There are definitely many more natural attractions from the Philippines that deserve to accompany the Tubbataha reef on that list, and it’s a shame only one got through. (I've nominated Albay's Mayon Volcano)

Still, the Tubbataha Reef certainly deserves to be part of the top seven. This ecologically-rich reef composed of two atolls located 92 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. In 1993, Tubbataha Reef was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site “in recognition of its outstanding universal value in terms of marine life species diversity and richness.”

Find out how to vote after the jump.

Photo by lexmanxxx

Comparable in diversity to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, Tubbataha is home to over 300 species of coral and 400 species of fish including giant jacks, hammerhead sharks, barracudas, manta rays, palm-sized moorish idols, parrot fishes, and moral eels. The rare hawksbill turtle also call Tubbataha home. Thousands of migratory seabirds also flock to the island during their annual migration.

The stunning diversity makes the Tubbataha Reef a favorite destination for divers. And yet the reef has been protected for years from exploitation due to its own remoteness and inaccessibility.

Photo by pinay_diver

Personally, I find the poll ridiculous. All the wonders of the natural world can not possibly be given justice in a measly list of only seven. Still, this is yet another chance to showcase our well-known Pinoy solidarity when it comes to online polls. Let us vote for the Tubbataha Reef because it definitely deserves to be there. As of January 25, 2007, the reef is steady at the 34th spot. Tubbataha needs to enter the top 21 rankings to be considered as a finalist candidate. Voters from around the world will then choose the new seven natural wonders from the finalists. Click here to vote!

Photo by Lawrence Yung

The Bird's Nest and the Water Cube

One of the most anticipated events this year is the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing, China. With the slogan One World, One Dream, the Games of the XXIX Olympiad will draw thousands of athletes from around the world to compete in 302 events in 28 sports.

The Beijing Olympics also holds a special significance because it is widely seen as China's monumental step into world prominence, a chance for the giant nation to build goodwill and showcase itself to the world. To make Beijing worthy of its role as Olympic host, the Chinese built a number of new structures and landmarks for the games.

More than the spectacle of sports and fanfare, I am looking forward to these two new structures that are sure to become architectural icons: the new Beijing National Stadium and the Beijing National Aquatic Center.

The Beijing National Stadium, the centerpiece of Beijing's Olympic Green, is nicknamed the 'Bird's Nest' because of its unique nest-like design composed of an interweaving grid-like enclosure and retractable roof. This astounding feat of engineering is designed to embody the 'Randomness of Nature'.

Not only is it an engineering and architectural marvel, it's also environmentally-friendly - with its own rainwater collection system, a translucent roof that provides essential sunlight for the grass below, and a natural, passive ventilation system. The $500 million stadium is designed by Herzog & De Meuron and will hold 100,000 spectators.


Meanwhile, the Beijing National Aquatic Center, standing opposite the 'Bird's Nest', is destined to be one of the most exciting venues at the 2008 Games. Nicknamed the 'Water Cube' or [H₂O]³, it features a soap bubbles-inspired architecture achieved by using a steel spaceframe clad with hundreds of square meters of ETFE, a kind of plastic.


The ETFE cladding makes the Water Cube 30% more energy efficient by allowing more light and heat penetration than traditional glass. At night when the structure is lit from within, the Water Cube would be a stunning sight.

I hope the Philippines will also have an iconic stadium of its own soon. We definitely need a new world-class stadium to hold world-class events. The historic but antiquated Rizal Memorial Stadium simply wouldn't suffice anymore.

Click here for more information and photos
Check out construction photos here

Tagged: Why Do I Blog?

I'm supposed to be working on some pending projects here at home, but my mind is wandering somewhere else. I just can't focus. Argh. I guess I need a break from working on the same old stuff for weeks. So for the meantime, while I refresh my mind, I'll answer this tag from Neil, a co-forumer from SkyscraperCity.

How long have you been blogging?

My blogging experience has been intermittent at best. I first had something that resembled a blog back in late 2004 via the old Blogger. It's dead now. Hehe. I simply wasn't able to maintain it and it died of neglect. Between '04 and '06, I made several attempts to start blogging again but somehow I just couldn't keep it going.

In 2006 I had an anonymous blog at WordPress - I opted for anonymity because I had some quite personal stuff going on there. But that blog is dead too. Hehe. I guess I'm not really at ease having too personal blog posts for everyone to feast on. The current incarnation of my blog is doing well, I think. I started posting stuff two years ago and It's still alive. Hehe.

What inspired you to start a blog and who are your mentors?

A lot of things inspired me (and continue to inspire me) to blog, or generally, to write. Maybe the most important reasons that motivate me to write is the yearning for self-expression and creativity. For the past few years, writing has become my life - because it is my job and it pays the bills. But writing out of necessity is never as fulfilling as writing to express one's thoughts and to explore and share things that are interesting for me. Thus, I blog.

I don't remember having any blogging mentors.

Are you trying to make money online, or just doing it for fun?

It is tempting to monetize a blog, but this is still first and foremost a personal blog. I simply love writing stuff and sharing them to anyone who cares to read.

Cheesy as it may sound, I do get a sense of fulfillment in the simple joy of having people read and relate with my posts. It feels great when people leave a comment or two. I'm happy when my blog gets good traffic or when one of my posts appear on top of search engine results. Even though I have been a part of the SEO industry for more than four years now as a web copywriter, I'm still basically a newbie blogger, and all of this fascinates me. I still have a lot to learn.

For the meantime, I'll stick only with AdSense on this blog and skip the other revenue-generating stuff. If I get clicks on my ads, that's great. If I don't, that's fine with me too.

Tell me three things you love about being online.

1. I have access to a vast wealth of information and news. For someone who used to pore over encyclopedias, the internet is nirvana.
   
2. I get to interact with and learn from interesting people through forums and other blogs.
3. I get to download stuff. (Hey, don't give me that look, LOL)

Tell me three things you struggle within the online world.

1. Hmm, I 'struggle' with updating my blog regularly too.
2. I'm struggling.... to answer this last question.
3. I'm struggling to keep my eyes open.

Guess it's time to hit the sack. But before I do, I ask Homar, Phoebe, Cristel, Richard, and Abby to continue this tag/meme. Just ignore if you've done this before. Good Night.

How to Start the New Year Right

By now, the high spirits that came with the New Year have most likely worn off already. Most of us have put behind the celebration and have hunkered down to face the nitty gritty of everyday life. Still, it has only been twelve days since 2008 began and the notion of starting the year right is still relevant.

Besides, the New Year is supposed to be the chance to turn a new leaf and become the productive, healthy and happy person we've always wanted to be, isn't it?

But how does one start the New Year right? Making a list of New Year's resolutions would probably be the quick answer. Unfortunately, this so-called list ends up as nothing but unrealized good intentions and broken self-promises - simply because the eagerness to make changes rapidly fizzles like a wet firecracker as soon as the realization sets in that change is a long, arduous process.

To avoid this, we should skip making a new year's resolutions list that is almost always half-serious wishful thinking. Instead, let us work on making a list of goals - not just any kind of goals, but smart goals. SMART meaning: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound. Yes, the SMART project management concept can be used in making our own personal goals for the year.

For every goal you have, apply the S.M.A.R.T. concept. For example, instead of saying 'I have to lose weight this year', it would be more effective to say 'I have to lose 10 lbs. by March 2008 through regular exercise'. Instead of vowing 'I need to save up' you can devote a specific percentage of your income over a specific period of time as savings.

Make sure that your goals are measurable - you have to set down a specific number or amount. This way, you will know if you're on the right track or off the mark. You should also be realistic in setting your goals - know your limitations and work around them. The goals should also be within a specific time frame. Your mindset will be more tuned towards achieving the set goals.

Of course, it doesn't mean that laying down S.M.A.R.T goals is all it takes. It is not easy and there are no shortcuts. A lot of willpower and commitment is still necessary to achieve one's goals. But having S.M.A.R.T goals could be the start of the change we are aiming for. Our goals don’t have to be big and lofty; we can start with small but manageable goals that in turn will help us achieve our bigger goals. Besides, making the change doesn't need to be a single, monumental turnaround. As the Chinese proverb says, we can move mountains by chipping away the small stones.

Personally, I'm still working on my own list of S.M.A.R.T goals for this year. I hope I achieve them all. Indeed, having small but S.M.A.R.T goals could be the best way to start the New Year right.

Happy New Year 2008!

Happy New Year!

* * *

O God of new beginnings and wonderful surprises, thank you for the gift of a new year. May it be a time of grace for me, a time to grow in faith and love, a time to renew my commitment to following Your Son, Jesus. May it be a year of blessing for me, a time to cherish my family and friends, a time to renew my efforts at work, a time to embrace my faith more fully. Walk with me, please, in every day and every hour of this new year, that the light of Christ might shine through me, in spite of my weaknesses and failings. Above all, may I remember this year that I am a pilgrim on the sacred path to You. Amen

Photo by Optical Illusion

Looking Back at 2007

The year 2007 started rather inauspiciously for me - in darkness. Still, despite the absence of electricity to brighten our New Year Media Noche in the physical sense, there was a palpable effort to make the New Year celebration a joyous event despite the odds. For me, that drive to pull through despite the odds was in many ways, the defining point of the entire 2007. This was the year of rebuilding, the year of surviving.

Now as the new year 2008 beckons, I can't help but look back at the past year. I'm thankful that even with many inevitable problems, conflicts, and disillusionment that pockmarked the whole year, it has been a year full of blessings - in the form of new and old friends, a stable job, a loving family that is still together and many more.

When stripped down to the basics, just as we were when the year started 12 months ago, one gets to realize that the best things in life really aren't things. I may not have all the riches and material things, but I'm glad I have the 'best things'. Goodbye 2007! Cheers!

Godspeed, Friends

Some of my colleagues will be transferring to a new department at our company's Pasig office. Through the years of shared experiences and countless hours in the office, most of them have become my friends, close friends even.

The workplace will certainly be very different without them even though this isn't the first time that many of our friends and colleagues have left to pursue new horizons. I am hoping that, like with our other friends who have left before them, the bonds of friendship we've forged will not be diminished or broken by distance.

Still, change and moving on is a natural part of our lives. So, as they follow their own paths, I wish them success in their new endeavors. Goodbyes are only temporary. I know we'll meet again some other time. Meanwhile, here's a toast to my fellow web content writers Mydz and Ailene, and our web marketing colleagues Niki, Jinky, Jeremy, Juliet, Art and Frances. We'll miss you. Make us proud!

* * *

Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.

Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

(Good Riddance) Time of Your Life
Green Day