The Rogue Assassin

When I first see the trailers of this movie about ayear ago, the title was "War", that's all. I wondered why they changed it into "Rogue Assassin." It was war because it is about "war" between two notorious Asian mob, the Triads and the Yakuza, that is being triggered by an assassin. Maybe they changed the title because "war" does not have the necessary appeal to attract audience and it sounds unfit to the plot and focus of the story. War might be an overdescription about the movie. The movie is more focused on the assassin, not on the conflict between the two gangs, probably the reason why "Rogue Assassin" sounds more fit.

For those who have not seen the movie yet, here is a short spoiler. If you don't want me to spoil your entertainment, stop reading at this point. :-) ...... Hmmmm... so you are really interested huh... Here it is:

An FBI agent, Jack Crawford, becomes personal about hunting the assassin of his partner. Three years after the death, traces of the Rogue appeared in a series of crimes. The assassin has no identity except only that he is known as the Rogue, maybe because of his tendency to turn against his bosses. Being unknown, having the supreme killing power, and driven by his supreme objective only him is aware of, the Rogue is now making frenzy about killing members of both the Triads and Yakuza, triggering the bloody war between the two crime organizations. It turned out the Rogue was......a former operative of the Black Briar Project of the CIA. He took matters into his own hands seeking revenge to those responsible for the death of his wife and child. Of course, that was before Jason Bourne found out his own true identity and exposed the project. But by this time, the Rogue has already made a new identity not known to his bosses in the CIA.

I really do not want to spoil somebody's entertainment so I made a slight twist here. My own twist. :-)

Agricultural Engineering Board Exam 2007

"The tables have turned", so announced Cherie Fae P. Ancheta and Gerald A. Tarampi of Xavier University. Perhaps this is the first time in the history of Philippine Agricultural Engineering that UP Los Baños, should I say, is toppled from the top place. Xavier University has grabbed the top place with 92% passing rate (12 of 13) from UP Los Baños with 88% (35 out of 40).

Most Agricultural Engineers, not only those from UP but also including those from other universities, would react to this year's result with "what happened?". In fact, this is the first time that the ranking of schools has been talked about. In the previous years, UP Los Baños has dominated the top place in terms of passing rate that it became the default school for "No.1", that is, when there is no announcement what school ranks first, people would automatically assume that it is UP Los Baños. Not anymore, it seems.

Glorious for XU, alarming for UP. But looking at the wider perspective, this result is actually good for the entire Philippine Agricultural Engineering. Xavier is actually doing UP a favor by giving a good competition. In the past years, there has been a probable deterioration in UP Education which was covered by lack of competition. UP could conveniently lower its standards and still rank no.1 because no.2 is way far behind. But the tables have turned indeed. Gone are the days when "there were only two universities in the Philippines." Now there seems to be 3!.

Congratulations to both UP and XU! I wish for a more tighter competition in the years to come!

Below are the successful examinees who made to the top 10! My salute to all of you. (Click on the table for a larger view)



In addition to the above achievers, below is also the complete list of successful examinees. My congratulations to all of you!

1 ABAD, GLADYS RANCHEZ
2 ABANTES, JANNETTE DUMASIG
3 ABLANQUE, JUNEL WONG
4 ACERO, JOSE PAOLO OQUIAS
5 ACLON, FIDES LOVELLA VILBAR
6 ACUÑA, EMMA RAMOS
7 ADANZA, MICHAEL JAMES PILLO
8 ADARNA, RAY NAVASCA
9 AGATO, TERESA AGBUYA
10 AGUILA, HERMES RANA
11 ALASKA, WEMERSON MONZALES
12 ALEJANDRO, LANIE SALAZAR
13 ALFORNON, RYAN JOSEPH BAULITA
14 ALIMUDDIN, SADRINA LAGAYAN
15 ALOSNOS, ELMER DELA CRUZ
16 ALTO, DULCE MARIA ABIGAIL LLAMERA
17 ANGNI, JABBAR CASTRE
18 ANSELMO, CLYDE CARIÑO
19 ANTONIO, GILMORE GIÑOSO
20 ARIDA, CARLO VIC JUSTO
21 ARIENDA, ROSE ANN CESTINA
22 ARUGAY, ORLANDO BINAYUG
23 ASONG, EMMIE LOU BENITEZ
24 ASUNCION, CAROLINE TUMA-OB
25 ASUNCION, JONATHAN ESLABRA
26 AVES, RIZA ORPILLA
27 AÑORA, BADDY JAY MESIONA
28 BADDONGON, MARC ADRIAN CASAYURAN
29 BALANDANG, DONNA RHEA FELICIANO
30 BALBAS, MARK ANTHONY LACUESTA
31 BAMBALAN, SIONY FIEROR
32 BARCELA, JANICE MORAN
33 BAUTISTA, CONNIELYN SUMOBA
34 BERNARDO, OLIEGVER TAMAÑO
35 BETRIOLO, ELIZABETH TAGAO
36 BOGUEN, SHARON ROSE SOTO
37 BOHAWE, JERRALD PAYUSAN
38 BRETINIA, CONNEY DOCDOC
39 BRICENIO, LOUIE FIBRE
40 BUDIKEY, GLAESON POLOPOL
41 BUEBOS, MAXIMILIAN JORDAN
42 BUELLA, ELISEO JR BUARA
43 BULAYANG, EUGENE BELOWAN
44 BUMANLAG, GERARDO CRESPO
45 CABALLERO, EFREN JR LEODONES
46 CABEBE, JHUN ARREOLA
47 CABRILLAS, EMMANUEL ROSARIO
48 CALABIAS, JORGE DAMILO
49 CALUZA, JOSE IV SAN MIGUEL
50 CAMASO, VON ELIEL BAUZON
51 CAPIN, ARMAN ANDRINO
52 CAPISPISAN, JEREMIAH WE
53 CASALME, MARIA CRISTINA GALGAL
54 CATUBIG, JOAN CECILIA MEDINA
55 COGA-AY, OSLER PASOL
56 COLOMA, VALENTINE BATANGAN
57 CONDE, ARJAY FRANCIS ONRUBIA
58 CORTES, CHARITY CANDA
59 CORTEZ, ERWIN FERRAREN
60 CRISANTO, ROLANDO BALACANO
61 CUBELO, IVYJUNNE CORESIS
62 DAMIAN, GUILLER BONGBONGA
63 DE GUZMAN, ERMALYN MORIDO
64 DE LA CRUZ, JED SAGUCIO
65 DE LA ROSA, RHOALYN DADUYA
66 DE LA TORRE, RACHELLE NIERVA
67 DE LEON, PAULO BARBOSA
68 DE LOS SANTOS, CINDYRESSA CAMPANA
69 DE LOS SANTOS, JONALYN BALISI
70 DEIPARINE, RUTH VERGARA
71 DELA CRUZ, ANALYN ABON
72 DINONG, TEODORO JR INIEGO
73 DIOQUINO, OSCAR JR ATENCIANA
74 DITARRO, CORAZON DELFIN
75 DOMINGO, GEORGE LUKEN
76 DOMINGO, MARIO IBARRA
77 DOMINGO, MAY CALAUOD
78 ELEDIA, JIMMY JR GATUSLAO
79 ELIZARDE, ELIZA MARQUEZ
80 ENDAYA, DARWIN ANYAYAHAN
81 ESCALANTE, ANDREW ABAJERO
82 ESLLER, MA ANTONINA BARTOLATA
83 FAJEL, MAYFLOR FOS
84 FERNANDEZ, JENNIE LYN CABUSORA
85 FERNANDEZ, MELANIE MAGPANTAY
86 FLORES, FIDELINA TUMACA
87 FORONDA, EDWARD ALLAN APOLINARIO
88 FRANCISCO, THERESA GAMO
89 GALENG, CARLITO SEMEON
90 GALERA, MOISES GAMIAO
91 GALUPAR, ADRIAN LARROZA
92 GARAGAN, QUEENIE CABRERA
93 GARCIA, EARVIN CHRISTIAN ANTHONY CANIN
94 GARCIA, JOFFER EXIOMO
95 GARCIA, LAWRENCE DEAN BASISTO
96 GESIM, NOEMI BORJA
97 GIONGGO, CYBELLE MERZA
98 GLARINO, REINALYN AGUILAR
99 GOHETIA, ERIC CABUGUANG
100 GORDOLAN, NOEL CLAVE
101 GUICO, JOSUA MENDOZA
102 GUNDA, NORIEL HERNANDEZ
103 HELIANE, JEAN CANSANCIO
104 HERMIDA, GIL BERT MEMBRERE
105 HERMOSA, DENNIS CAFE
106 ITTIW, JOCELYN NGAYA-AN
107 IZRAEL, SAMBAI SALUD
108 JUALO, ALONA LINGUTAN
109 JUBAY, IMEE MONDEJAR
110 LABIANO, REYNANTE ABONGAN
111 LAGASAN, ZURAIDA ULAMA
112 LAVILLA, ERNESTO BALBUENA
113 LIGLIGEN, JONATHAN GAYO
114 LLAVORE, MIRELLE FANUGA
115 LOPEZ, AIZA TERESA MENDOZA
116 LUMANOG, JOEY RAMOS
117 LUMAPAC, NORBERT PERDILAN
118 MACALIMPAS, RAHIMA AYOB
119 MALICAY, CHERRIE MAE CARRIEDO
120 MANGABO, JONNIE JR JABONITALLA
121 MANGADAP, RODOLFO JR BALIGOD
122 MANGSI, SANCHEZ JAVIER
123 MANUEL, LUTHER JOHN REYES
124 MENDIOLA, MARC AURELIUS TOLENTINO
125 MOQUIA, WILMAR COMIQUE
126 NAZA, MELISSA ROSALES
127 NEVARES, DARWIN MONI
128 OBRA, DARWIN MADRIAGA
129 OCAMPO, ERWIN MANDANI
130 ODTOJAN, GLENN DUERO
131 OLIGARIO, ABRAHAM ANTONIO V SOLLEGUE
132 OMAS, RANDOLPH DELFIN
133 ORTEGO, MA CRISTINA GALERO
134 PADRON, MARY LOUISE MANDIA
135 PAINAGAN, MARILYN SANTIAGO
136 PALAWAN, IRENE PEJANO
137 PALOMA, SHIERYL LUZANO
138 PANERIO, SHYNETTEE CLIDE BARREDO
139 PANGILINAN, MARY-ANN BASCO
140 PANTUHAN, GUILLERMO PAÑA
141 PAPA, ERVIN FERNANDEZ
142 PASCUAL, GLENN JERSON MIRANDA
143 PAULIN, SUNSHINE GABONADA
144 PELARION, CORA MAY JOMOC
145 PENEYRA, MARIBEL BONITE
146 PERIÑA, SHARON ANTONE
147 PETINGCO, MARVIN CARPENA
148 PLAZA, BRYAN BARTONICO
149 PONTILLAS, JAYSON REPONO
150 PORCADILLA, MARIDELL MOLINA
151 PULVERA, REY LAMPARA
152 PUMATONG, CRISTY AMOR AÑASCO
153 PUNO, VLADIMIR TONGOL
154 QUEJA, REY MANUEL BAGALACSA
155 QUINTOS, KHAREN BUNDOC
156 RAGASA, JOEMER DELA CRUZ
157 RAGEL, JOJIT DE GUZMAN
158 RAMIREZ, RHON ERIC RAYOS
159 RANOCO, GRETCHEN ELARDO
160 RAYOS DEL SOL, CARLOS MANUEL ROXAS
161 REAL, OLIVIA MONICA KUINISALA
162 REONAL, FRANCIS LLARENA
163 REPATO, MEDY SOLDAO
164 REYES, MARVIN CALABIO
165 RIMAS, REY EQUE
166 ROA, EMMANUEL BEN JR EBALANG
167 SACDALAN, JOHN PAULO CARAAN
168 SAIK, JUN BATUA
169 SALVANIA, THEDA MAE LAGA
170 SALVIEJO, RIC LUIS
171 SANCHEZ, PAOLO ROMMEL PAGARIGAN
172 SANCHEZ, RACHELLE MARIE EULOGIO
173 SANSOLIS, CLARK IAN GUMIA
174 SANTIAGO, MARIBE PESUELO
175 SARIP, MELODY MORA
176 SESE, RONNIE MACAPAGAL
177 SION, MAY ANN PECDAEN
178 SOLTI, ARLINA SEGUNDO
179 SOMERA, CAROLYN GRACE GALO
180 SORIANO, RANDY TULAO
181 SUELLO, MARY GRACE BULAMBOT
182 SUMAMPONG, RUBEN BATOON
183 SUMARIBUS, LEAH AMARDECER
184 SUMAYAO, ELVIN POCLIS
185 TACLINDO, JOSE FRANCO BORATA
186 TAGUDA, LEX CHICAY
187 TALATTAD, ANGELA TOLOSA
188 TANIZA, JOHNSON VILLANUEVA
189 TELEN, PETER JOSOL
190 TEÑOZO, ROY DUAT
191 TOGÑO, ALEX VALENCIA
192 TOLENTINO, REGGIE DEL PUERTO
193 TORRECAMPO, ELVI TATEL
194 TULAO, MARLON ESPINOZA
195 TUMALE, FELICIANO JR CORTEZ
196 UNTALAN, ALBERT PEREZ
197 VALLEJO, JULIUS PERALTA
198 VEDRA, OLEGARIO JR DEMORITO
199 VENDIOLA, AMOR JR MAURICIO
200 VENTURILLO, MARILYN REGONDON
201 VILLANUEVA, ALLEN RAY REQUITA
202 VILLARUEL, JASON GEM LARIDA
203 VILLOTA, RODRIGO ACUPIDO
204 WAYAN, HERBERT LUDINO
205 YA-AO, DOROTHY ELLA
NOTHING FOLLOWS----------------------

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/examresults/20070904_AGRIE09042007.pdf

Which boxes are empty?

This story was told by one speaker during the 2003 Oath Taking of new agricultural engineers. Unfortunately I forgot the name of that speaker.

A soap manufacturing company was having problem regarding empty soap boxes that were dispatched out of the facility. The empty boxes that passed through the manufacturing line occured frequently that it alarmed the company management. They then invited engineers and inventors to find solution to this problem.

An electrical engineer came and presented a technologically advanced scanning device. The device was designed to see through the boxes and thereby determine whether a box is empty or not. The members of the board were amazed by the technology and were even more amazed when the engineer presented the price of the device. Too expensive!!!

Next, a mechanical engineer came and presented a weighing scale which could be installed at some point in the conveyor lines. Much simpler! Empty boxes should weigh less, however, considering the modifications required for the conveyor lines in order to install the equipment, the cost is still too expensive overall.

Finally, an agricultural engineer came in... and to the committee's amazement, he brought in nothing at all. All he did was demonstrate to the committee how light empty soap boxes can be blown away using an electric fan.

The Difference Between a Scientist and an Engineer

I once heard this story during a lecture of a great agricultural engineer who obviously was my idol way back in college. Here it goes:

During a convention, an engineer and a scientist, who actually was a mathematician, were a having a small talk along the corridor. They then a noticed a beautiful lady on the opposite side of the corridor. Being the typical gentlemen that most engineers are, the engineer asked the scientist: "If you are standing exactly 2 meters away from that lady, how many steps do you need to take in order for your lips to touch the lips of that lady on the condition that every step you take is exactly one-half the distance of the step that you have previously made?"

The scientists took a few a seconds thinking and then answered: "Impossible! That is ASSYMPTOTIC, on that condition, you can only get nearer and nearer to that lady but you can never touch her!"

The engineer, who was actually an agricultural engineer, grinned and said: "Oh! Three steps! All I need is three steps and the EXPANSION DUE TO HEAT BUILD UP will cover the remaining distance."

Let's walk the talk

Okay, this so-called "BS Agricultural Engineering" course has ruined many engineering dreams, or at least, hinders career growth. Now what?

A few days ago I received an e-mail from one of the few readers of this blog. It says 'enough for the negative publicity about agricultural engineering'. What is important now is to know what to do. Hundreds of high school graduates will then be lured into this trap, fresh BSAE graduates are now spending considerable amount of money for their licensure exam this month, and even more old graduates, licensed on non-licensed, are now struggling for job that could at least gain them independence from parents and relatives. I have been trying to think of some options to address this issue. Here is a list of what I came up with:

1. Abolish Agricultural Engineering from all colleges and universities in the Philippines. This sounds like a summary execution but this is only an option.

2. Name change. I have worked with quite a number of engineers for 5 years and yet I have not met one who could understand thermodynamics and heat transfer better than agricultural engineers do. I have met electrical engineers who are good in engineering economics but, in general, not as good as agricultural engineers. I also suppose only agricultural engineers can explain "humidity" to a layman farmer. If you say you are an agricultural engineer, would anyone believe that you understand all these things?

3. Agricultural engineers should be allowed to take the licensure exams of other engineering degrees. This would be similar to the case of BS Agricultural Chemistry. Ag Chem is a 5-year course but their licensure exam is that of BS Chem, a 4-year course. For ag engs, maybe those who specialize in irrigation and drainage engineering or agricultural structures should be allowed to take the CE licensure exam, probably with the requirements of some additonal courses. For machinery majors, maybe a few more courses to make them eligible for the ME licensure exam, and so on and so forth. The results would be agricultural engineers with CE or ME license or licensed CE specialized in irrigation and drainage engineering or agricultural structures. Perhaps an ME specialized in agricultural machinery or processing. Just my wild thoughts.

4. Curriculum change. Maybe we should bring back the days when agricultural engineering was just one of the majors in BS Agriculture. Maybe the curriculum change could make the lives of agricultural engineering students reasonably easier. They should have better career chances as agriculturists rather than "improvised engineers".

These are only my wild thoughts. I know that there brainy and/or more experienced people out there who have better ideas. I would appreciate it very much if you could post your thoughts as comments or replies to this blog.

5 years into the career trap

I am beginning to view agricultural engineering as a career trap; five years for the good ones, 6 on the average, while up to 10 years for the most devoted ones. :). Most students who took/are taking this degree are usually those who want to help this so-called agricultural country, improve the lives of our ever-poorest farmers, and are usually been exposed to the countryside environment at least once in their life. They are the ones who believe that farmers are still the backbone of the country, though not anymore it seems. They are the most adventurous and creative ones.

I remember when I was still a student I imagine myself driving an air conditioned and fully digital tractor with GPS tracking system. Sometimes even tilling a field with a remote controlled tractor or operating a fully automated piggery or livestock farm. Well, all these now belong to the IT guys, but I will have that in another story.

Where are we now? Stucked in the rut! Unemployed, discouraged workers giving up hope looking for job, new graduates in call centers, taking up other courses, machine operators working abroad, and many other sad stories. The most prestigious, I think, are those who have gone into teaching and research jobs. There are very few who are into engineering, though non-agricultural, but are paid way below their conterparts from other engineering fields.

Serving the country? Not realistic! One can not serve other people on an empty stomach. In my case, maybe I will practice agricultural engineering as a hobby later on, not as an income generating career.

I have worked with engineers from other fields, and, in my judgment, our advantage in terms of the use of engineering principles and knowledge is very much apparent. My problem is that I am trapped. Right now, my goal is to get off this career trap; maybe change my title, just the title.

Does it matter if you are licensed or not?

Based on my own experience, no. Based on other agricultural engineers' experiences, still no. It really does not matter if you have passed the board exam or not.

I only know three ways you can go after finishing your agricultural engineering degree. First, which is the most common, work as an employee (probably not as an engineer). Second, start your own business or till your father's farm. Thirdly, despair that you took agricultural engineering at all (because nobody wants to hire you as an engineer).

Are you expecting that the license of an agricultural engineer will have the same function as those of lawyers or civil engineers? Do you expect that you can sign and put your seal on engineering plans and designs after earning your agricultural engineering license? If you know one who has enjoyed his license this way, please introduce me to him/her.

Getting through the Challenges of Being an Agricultural Engineer

Ever since I entered the employment world, I really find my license as an Agricultural Engineer a hindrance towards landing a good job. Agricultural companies are not hiring agricultural engineers, they are hiring agriculturists. If ever they need engineers for their agricultural structures, they seek the help of civil engineers. For agricultural processing, they seek the services of chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineers, which is common in the feed milling industry. Well, there are companies hiring agricultural engineers, but only because they can get them at a lot lower salary than those of other engineers. In most cases, hired agricultural engineers are not given engineering jobs, or not even recognized as engineers at all, but as agriculturists - which they really are not, by educational background.



When I say I am an Agricultural Engineer, which I have not mentioned for quite a while now, people are most inclined to think of soil, crops, poultry, swine, and all those they consider as dirty jobs, which is only part of the whole story. They would then ask me "What are you doing in the city then?", without even asking me what Agricultural Engineering is all about. Too bad, I could not get the title "Licensed Agricultural Engineer" or just even the degree out of my resume. This 2 words in my resume have been preventing me from even being called to an interview.

Can an agricultural engineer do the job performed by "common" engineers? Well, it depends on how he puts his engineering knowledge into use. Based on experience, yes, and often times, even better, probably because agricultural engineers are usually challenged in the workplace and are prompted to prove what they can do. But the greatest problem he could face is how to get hired.

I finally landed on a job which I consider "not bad for an engineer whose greatest handicap is his title." "Sneak attack" seemed effective for me. I did not apply as an engineer. Instead, I applied as a technical writer and offered engineering economic analysis as an added skill. It seemed this is where most engineers are weakest, so I stole the job in a cloaked mode. They then gave me some lighting design jobs at first, and then some proofreading. Eventually they found out that I could do some engineering jobs too, I guess, and so they gave me assignments which I can call "real engineering job."

Truly, it all depends on how you put your assets into use.