The Department of Science and Technology through the Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), announces the 2013 DOST Scholarship Examination result where 3,597 high school students qualify as DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholars starting School Year 2013-2014. This is 7.1% higher than the 3,359 number of qualifiers last year. Moreover, the number of municipalities with qualifiers also increased to 1,107 this year compared to 975 in 2012.

It’s so much easier to just go to the groceries and buy your food so why go through the hassle of growing some of it? Here are my personal reasons why I choose to grow some of the food we consume organically in my small urban garden.

1. You know where your food is coming from. The freshest food are those which are sourced close to you and the closest are those grown in your backyard. Ever wonder how those apples Apples naturally can only last up to a month inside the refrigerator. So what do they put on the apples that it can travel from temperate climate countries and reach Philippine soil still looking fresh? Your guess is as good as mine.
2. Easy access to the food you love. When you learn to grow your own food, you get to plant those you love to eat so you get to enjoy them in season anytime you want without going to the supermarkets.
3. Organic food is more healthy and tastier. Food grown without synthetic chemicals are good for the health. More and more chefs are now preferring to cook with organic produce because they taste better.
4. Save on food expenses. I’m sometimes surprised when I go to the groceries and see how much a bunch of kangkong or sweet potato tops cost. These vegetables are so easy to grow even in a small area. Clearly, growing some of your food can save you money.
5. Good for the health. Organic food is not only healthier but growing them can also lead to better health. Gardening can relieve stress and it’s a good exercise. It beats going to the gym.
6. Good for the environment. Organic gardening is nourishing the soil so that the soil will nourish the plants. Without using chemicals and with crop rotation, the soil will eventually regain its natural nutrients.
7. Make use of idle resources. Organic gardening is a good way to make use of your extra time and land. Gardening will also make you recycle containers which
8. A worthwhile activity with your family. Gardening can be a good bonding activity with the family. If everybody has a stake in the garden, everybody will enjoy and value the fruits of their labor. Going organic is a lifestyle which should be embraced by every member of the family.
9. A skill that can be taught to your children. Gardening is a good skill to teach your children and to instill in them the love of plants. By teaching your children organic gardening, you are raising them to become health conscious and environmentalists.
10. Encourage others by being an example. If you want to influence others to grow their own food, the best way is to show them that it is possible.

Motherhood is very demanding but I wouldn’t exchange it for the world. However, every new parents will pass a stage when you feel tired, frustrated and you thought you’re doing everything wrong. I’m glad I came across this post at the BabyCenter for it is exactly what I needed to lift up my spirit.

Dear Mommy and Daddy,

Please keep this letter from me in a place where you can read it and re-read it when things are rough and you are feeling down.

1. Please don’t expect too much from me as a newborn baby, or too much from yourselves as parents. Give us both six weeks as a birthday present, six weeks for me to grow, develop, mature, and become more stable and predictable – six weeks for you to rest and relax and allow your body to get back to normal.

2. Please feed me when I am hungry, I never knew hunger in your womb and clocks and time mean little to me.

3. Please hold, cuddle, kiss, touch, stroke, and croon to me. I was always held closely in your womb and have never been alone before.

4. Please forgive me if I cry a lot. I am not a tyrant who was sent to make your life miserable, the only way I can tell you I am not happy is with my cry, bear with me and in a short time, as I mature, I will spend less time crying and more time socializing

5. Please take the time to find out who I am, how I differ from you and how much I can bring you. Watch me carefully and I’ll tell things which sooth, console and please me.

6. Please remember that I am resilient and can withstand the many natural mistakes you’ll make with me. As long as you make them with love, I cannot be harmed.

7. Please don’t be disappointed when I am not the perfect baby you expected nor be disappointed with yourselves when you are not the perfect parents.

8. Please take care yourself; eat a balanced diet, rest, and exercise so that when we are together you have the patience and energy to take care of me. The cure for a fussy baby is more rest for Mom.

9. Please take care of your relationship with each other. What good is family bonding if there is no family left for me to bond with.

10. Keep the “big picture” in mind. I’ll be like this for a very short time, though is seems like forever to you now. Although I may have turned your life upside down, please remind yourselves that things will be back to normal before long.

Enjoy me – I’ll never be this little again!

Last September 24  I gave birth to a healthy baby girl. It’s not an easy pregnancy and childbirth but considering the circumstances, I’m still very blessed.  Getting pregnant is already a blessing since not everyone was given a chance to have a baby.

I’d like to share my 9-month journey so those who are currently pregnant may relate to my experiences.   It feels good to know that you are not alone in what you’re going through. The hormonal changes a pregnant woman experience are both physical and emotional challenges she has to go through that’s why it’s important that she gets all the support she needs.

I was already 35 when I got pregnant so you can already consider it high risk. I was hospitalized due to viral exanthem during my second trimester and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in my third trimester. I had to go on a diet, monitor my FBS and take insulin shots.  Everytime I see my OB, I would talk to some of her patients. Their stories made me realized I am luckier. There were some women who had to take bed rest for several months due to signs of pre-term labor.

In order to prepare myself, I asked other women on their childbirth experiences and researched on the internet.  The website BabyCenter.com was full of very helpful articles on pregnancy and childbirth. However,  no amount of information can prepare you for the actual experience. Mothers are not exaggerating when they describe the pain they experience at childbirth. I consider myself to have a higher pain threshold than most but there’s nothing I can compare to my labor pains. The pain is so intense that you’ll probably pray to all the Saints you know. I did not scream nor cry but I never prayed so hard in my entire life.

I was only in labor for around 4 hours but at 5 cm dilation I was having contractions in less than a minute interval. I was having so much pain and it was stressing my baby. Her heart rate was dropping that’s why my doctor decided I had to go through Caesarean section. I was scared of having a C-section but I understood the medical urgency why I had to. I was under regional anaesthesia but I can still feel the pushing and tugging at my abdomen area but felt no pain. It’s weird.

It’s true that once you see your child for the first time, the feeling is so overwhelming you wouldn’t even remember the pain you went through. It was love at first sight for me.

But then there’s breastfeeding and diaper changing. A few days after CS operation, you’ll still be in pain, your hormones are still acting up and you’re tired but you are responsible for taking care of another human life. I shed more tears during the first few weeks of nursing my baby than going through labor. After giving birth, my days pass by in a blur of diaper changing, feeding, burping, bathing and naps in between. But I only have to look at her and my heart melts.

Motherhood is definitely not easy but I wouldn’t exchange it for the world.

The 2013 DOST Scholarship Application Form is now ready for download. The Undergraduate Scholarship Programs of the Department of Science and Technology implemented by the Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) are open yearly to talented and deserving students who wish to pursue 4- or 5- year courses in priority science and technology fields.

There are two categories, the RA 7687 Scholarships and the Merit Scholarships. RA 7687 Scholarship are are for applicants whose family belong to the low socio-economic status. The Merit Scholarship are for applicants regardless of their socio-economic status and has to pay a non-refundable testing fee of P200.

Scholarship privileges include tuition and other school fees, monthly stipend, book allowance, and other benefits.

Who may take the exams? Those who are currently forth year high school students who belong to a special science class identified by DOST-SEI or recognized by DepEd or those belonging to the upper 5% of the graduating regular class are qualified to take the exam.

Deadline for filing of application is on 05 October 2011 (Friday) and the nationwide conduct of the DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Examination is on 18 November 2011 (Sunday).

Download the form by clicking the link below:

2013 DOST Scholarship Form

You may visit Science-Scholarships.ph for more information.