Jongjong and Manette’s Wedding

Last January 3, 2008, Ernesto Babida, Jr. and Marinette Bachiller exchange vows at St. James the Elder Cathedral, Bangued, Abra, Philippines. Jongjong as what they fondly called Ernesto was my brother-in-Law. The occasion was a big hit, as if it is a movie it is considered a blockbuster. The bride Manette, flew from California ‘coz she was already resides there…together with all her relatives from there. Three of my children were included in the entourage, Jech (secondary sponsor, veil), Vetvet (flower girl) and Botbot (Ring bearer).
Reception was held at Divine World College of Bangued Gymnassium and it was filled by hundred of people including all their relatives, friends, and neighbors from their barangay and other barangays. Night before the wedding, as their tradition there were dancing and lots of games and prizes. And after dining at the reception, the festivities continues at the house of the groom…foods and wines flooded, games continues and singing at videoke filled the air.

To Jongjong and Manette, our family wishes you the BEST. May your tribe grow.

Philippine Construction Company Shifts to Linux

Philippine Construction Company Shifts to Linux for Cost-Effective Infrastructure
Published on: December 30th, 2007 12:00am by: pcelis
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(OPENPRESS) December 30, 2007 — EEI Corporation, one of the Philippines’ leading construction companies, has opted to shift to Linux for their operating system (OS), joining several other industry giants in the country who have already turned to open source.The firm initially used proprietary systems for both OS platforms and various application packages utilized in its operations. However, due to increasing costs of licensing, the company started considering open source applications in order to minimize expenses. “Other concerns, such as virus infection and the increasing cost of hardware also became factors as to why we decided to use Linux,” said Mr. Andy S. Sarmiento, assistant vice president for the MIS department.EEI Corporation is only one of several industry giants in the Philippines which are already using Linux and open source software. Other firms include Jollibee Foods Corporation, Mercury Drug Corporation, International Family Foods Services (Shakey’s) and Nippon Paint Philippines Inc. Several schools, notably the University of the Philippines, are also making use of open source in place of proprietary systems. To ensure smooth transition with no major disruptions on daily operations, EEI sought the expertise of local Linux solutions provider IPSYSTEMS Inc (www.ipsystems.ph). “As one of the country’s leading enterprise, EEI needed a system which it could trust to be stable and scalable. We therefore transformed the company’s enterprise level systems to make use of Linux as their operating system. At the same time, we introduced making use of several other software and applications also based on open source,” said Mr. Carlo Celis, systems administrator of IPSYSTEMS. Free and open source software (FOSS) is called such because its source code is made freely available for modification and redistribution by anyone – thus the term “free” software. An example of such free software is Linux, which is an open-source operating system and is one of the alternatives to the Windows operating system. Linux is distributed under the GNU General Public License which guarantees the freedom to distribute copies of free software.This freedom allows for the software’s cost-effectiveness, as compared to proprietary ones. For example, commercial software licenses such as Microsoft Exchange 2003 server today have an initial cost of around Php 69,000.00 (approximately USD 1,600.00). This price allows up to five licensed computers to connect to the server, while additional computers will need additional licenses (called Client Access License or CAL) to be legally connected to the server. This price also only covers the initial software license cost, and does not include the cost for the hardware or its yearly license maintenance. The cost of having a file server system based on Linux, on the other hand, will cost only a one-time payment of roughly Php 25,000.00 (about USD 580.00), with no other recurring costs for CALs or for license renewals.Since turning to Linux, EEI has experienced improved performance due to the system’s increased stability. “Linux has proven itself to be a fast, reliable and stable operating system. The shift has also required our systems to consume fewer resources and much cheaper licensing costs,” said Mr. Sarmiento.About IPSYSTEMS IncIPSYSTEMS Inc is a Linux solutions provider specializing in Open Source technologies for the server requirements of Philippine enterprises and organizations. Incorporated in April 1998, its technical team consists of seasoned experts in systems integration, development and maintenance, with over ten (10) years of experience in open source.IPSYSTEMS provides the Linux advantage – the benefits, convenience and security of a Linux server – along with the appropriate Linux-based solutions that best answer customers’ communication and network needs. For further details, please visit: www.ipsystems.ph
###Professional Free Press Release News Wire

To the Graduates!

Here, you are challenged as you tried new things
And when you stumble, you strike another luck
to taste and share another foul,
another luck, another day.

The doors are open wide for you
not to amuse nor to divert your once simple mind
but to build up eager and out going attitudes
towards the demanding and complicated business of living.

Yes, there is so much to learn
as you took a step away from home:
as you made a game of searching
you captured the grandeur of world
as the sun, takes time to rise
you simplify the confusion
and when a day is done
you cherish its triumphs and even the hurts
oh what a world you should not lose— your school!!!
April 21, 2007