Last 16 Dec 2011, I emailed the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) with regards to several inconveniences I had personally experienced being a first-time ePass System user. Let me share with you the texts of my email to DTI:
Category Archives: Personal
Mozilla Philippines Localization Team MozCoffee 28 JAN 2012

As I was recently appointed Localization Lead for the Firefox Aurora Tagalog translation efforts of the Mozilla Philippines Community. Two (02) weeks ago, I called for a MozCoffee event to all interested individuals to participate in the Tagalog Firefox project. The meeting was actually held this afternoon at McCafe Greenbelt 1; iced (or hot) mocha was on us!
Upon registration, each of the attendees received their coffee stub, which entitles them to a free hot or cold McCafe Mocha …
It was a very fruitful initial meeting, seeing old and new faces within the local IT circle. Most of them were not that aware of the localization (translation) efforts being made for Mozilla products, more particular: Firefox.
Thanks to the awesome people of McDonald’s Greenbelt 1! They managed to reserve a corner of their busy branch to accommodate the meeting attendees.
All those present during the meeting went home with some swags sent by Mozilla HQ (you are all awesome!).
We are now in the planning stage for the next meeting sometime middle of February this year. I’m thinking of having a hands-on type of walk-through about the Narro. Please do watch out for this event. Details will be posted in this blog soon.
If you want to be part of the Mozilla Philippines Localization Team, you may join our Facebook Group {[email protected]} and be sure to follow @TagalogFirefox in Twitter. Mabuhay!
Problem Solved: Stuck with a Blue Swirl & Welcome Screen in Windows 7
It was last Monday when I first encountered this problem:

After entering my Windows 7 user account password, I am stuck with a blue swirl and the Welcome screen on my laptop. I waited for a while, and when it seems that nothing is happening to my computer, I forcibly removed the battery from my laptop and rebooted. Then, it was back to normal.

Today, 23 Jan 2012 the entire Catholic church celebrates the feast day of one of its most loyal servants, San Ildefonso (Archbishop of Toledo, Spain; St. Ildephonsus in English). He died on 23 Jan 667. He is honored in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Story behind the picture above (excerpts from here):
It is recounted that on this feast of the Mother of God, Archbishop Ildephonsus, together with some of his clergy, hastened to church before the hour of Matins to honour Our Blessed Lady with their songs. Arriving close to the church, they found it all ablaze with a heavenly radiance. This so frightened the little band that all fled, except for Archbishop Ildephonsus and his two faithful deacons. Deacons, take note! With wildly beating hearts, these entered the church and made their way to the altar. A great mystery was about to unfold.
A Chasuble from the Treasury of Heaven
There, seated on the Archbishop’s throne, was the august Queen of Heaven surrounded by choirs of angels and holy virgins. The chants of paradise filled the air. Our Blessed Lady beckoned Ildephonsus to approach her. Looking upon him with tenderness and majesty, she said: “Thou art my chaplain and faithful notary. Receive from me this chasuble, which my Son sends you from His treasury.” Having said this, the Immaculate Virgin clothed Ildephonsus in the chasuble, and instructed him to wear it for the Holy Sacrifice on her festivals.
The account of this apparition, and of the miraculous chasuble, was deemed so certain and utterly beyond doubt, that news of it spread through the Church, even reaching the Ethiopians. The Church of Toledo honoured the event with a special proper Mass and Office. What was the miraculous chasuble like? Artists through the ages have sought to depict it, more often than not in rich brocades of gold and blue.
San Ildefonso, pray for us.
Help Translate Mozilla Firefox in Tagalog (Filipino)
Want to help in the localization efforts of Mozilla? Join us via this link:
http://a.maimult.ro/lmo/projects.php?l=tl-PH&f=0
You can always send me an email should you be requiring assistance or check this article on Localizing with Narro. Thanks!
Speaking at the Junior <form> function() & .class (JFFC)
I was invited to be one of the speakers in the upcoming Junior <form> function() & .class Web Design Conference organized by the UST TomasinoWeb (TomWeb) and the Philippine Web Designers Organization (PWDO) on the 11th of February 2012 at the AMV-COA Multipurpose Hall at the University of Santo Tomas.
Junior <form> function() & .class (JFFC) will be the first web design conference for students in the Philippines, organized by UST TomasinoWeb (TomWeb) and the Philippine Web Designers Organization (PWDO). JFFC is the student counterpart of PWDO’s <form> function() & .class which is the first community-organized web design conference in Asia.
Visit http://tomasinoweb.org/jffc for details on how to register to this event (open to all students and students at heart).

My Favorite Android Honeycomb Apps
I had been using my Asus Eee Pad Transformer running Android 3.2.1 Honeycomb for quite some time now, and let me give you a rundown of my favorite useful apps to make my day-to-day life easier.
Evernote
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.evernote | Price: FREE
As of the moment, the primary use of my Asus Eee Pad Transformer is a substitute to my good old laptop computer whenever I am attending meetings, most especially if they are held outside of the office building (i.e. at client locations). Note-taking on the tablet is never the same, thanks to Evernote! I can insert pictures in my notes using the tablet’s built-in camera, or from the Gallery. Formatting text is never a hard task to accomplish in this app. Another plus in using Evernote is the ability to sync my notes with a desktop PC counterpart of the Android app. Now, how kewl will that be not to mention that this is a FREE app?
FlightBoard
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mobiata.flightboard | Price: PHP176.02
While reading the tweets of @naiaguy, I noticed that he/she/it is using this Android app that mimics the flight information display found at airports. True enough, there was this app called FlightBoard, which can tell you almost every single flight detail (Arrival, Departure, Destination, Origin, etc.) in major airports around the globe. This app actually relies from the feeds of FlightStats.com. Being in the aviation industry, I must say that the data presented by this app is 95% accurate.
MobileSheets
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zubersoft.mobilesheets | Price: PHP220.13
During weekends and during my free time, music is my favorite past time aside from using computers. But with the advent of technology, such as MIDI and PDF, I was able to get rid of the bulky clear books I bring every time I will play during the holy mass. All I need to bring now is my Asus Eee Pad Transfomer, loaded with all the music sheets I need while serving during the holy mass. MobileSheets allows you to catalogue your music sheets in image file formats such as JPG, PNG, and GIF or even in PDF. One kewl feature of this app is that it has a built-in Metronome, as well as the ability to attach an audio file alongside the music sheet(s). It also has an “auto scroll” feature that minimizes the tapping on your tablet’s screen during performances. If you’re an Android tablet owner and is also a musician, you should have this app in your device.
Mozilla Firefox for Android
https://market.android.com/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox | Price: FREE
Mozilla recently launched the most awesome version of Firefox for Mobile – the one for Android devices. I should say, aside from loving your very own, this is the most responsive version of Firefox that I had tried and tested on an Android Honeycomb device. Please check this blog post of mine regarding Mozilla Firefox for Android.
Tablet Talk
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.apdroid.tabtalk | Price: PHP131.90
Weeks after using my Asus Eee Pad Transformer, you will have this feeling of being envious with Samsung Galaxy Tab users – they have the freedom to play with an Android tablet and use the same device for their GSM communication needs (read as SMS). Just recently, I found out about this app, which just cost the same amount of Philippine Peso you will spend for a cup of glorified coffee in cafes that enables you to sync your Android mobile phone SMS messages into your Android tablet; and actually lets you send SMS from your Android tablet, which is connected via Bluetooth to your Android mobile phone. This app comes in handy, most especially if you’re in business meetings – they will think that you’re taking down notes, but actually you’re exchanging SMS with your friends as you’re bored already with the meeting :-)
Twitter for Android
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.twitter.android | Price: FREE
Question:
What will your mobile-internet-connected life will look like without Twitter?
Answer:
Senseless!
So far, those are the Android Honeycomb apps that I frequently use and are truly my favorites. Will update the list from time to time, so be sure to check out here more often.
Viva Señor Nazareno!!!
It’s More Fun in the Philippines
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT) launched before the weekend its new campaign slogan: “It’s more fun in the Philippines” – international; and “#1ForFun” – domestic. Within minutes after the word of the new slogan was unveiled, it became the number 1 trending topic in Twitter (#ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines hashtag) for more or less two hours.
To show my support to the recently-launched campaign, here’s my own “more fun in the Philippines” photos:


