H:\ saves the day!

by Elai Cruz

The World Wide Web has immense power in bringing the encoded word to netizens scattered all over the world. Unfortunately, you need access to the web to harness this awesome power.

At CLDH, this power remains largely untapped; only 20 computers are connected to the web. Defeats the purpose of having an online newsletter, you might say. Not so!

Emma Espino of ITMD has solved that problem. Most of us may not have access to the net, but almost all of us within the hospital premises have access to the local area network, or what is commonly known as H.

Ah, yes! The wonders of the digital age!

It's simply saving each and every article on the newsletter as an individual file and placing it in a folder on H:\. It's a bit circumferential, I know, but access to the newsletter is granted to anyone who has access to the network.

There is this: you can't interact with the document as you would were you accessing it on the web. So should you click on the links on the page, it's not going to take you anywhere, except this page on Internet Explorer that says that the page cannot be accessed. Why? Because you have no internet connection! Which means that to leave comments or email any of the contributors to the newsletter, you'll have to access the newsletter online.

Where to look for H:\?

1. Go to My Computer. There is an icon on your desktop that calls itself My Computer. Click on that.
2. Look for H:\. Click on that.
3. Enter your password, if you have one. If you don't and need one to access the network, call Emma at local 308 to register.
4. Once in H:\, look for the folder PINTIG Online! Click on that.
5. You're in! Choose an article to read. Click on that.

Enjoy!

Competition winners

by Elai Cruz

The annual Christmas competition among the hospital employees was held on 15 Decemer 2006 during the Christmas party.

The NSO presented first, with an Arabian-inspired number complete with Jinns, fairies, and a Fairy Queen played by Dette Tadena, NSO supervisor. Reminiscent of childhood fairy tales, the number reminds us that innocence is a vital ingredient for a truly magical Christmas. Kristine Calugay choreographed the very colorful and lively number.

The Admin group presented its version of Harry Potter's world, showcasing a ballroom sequence. Very well presented were Professor Albus Dumbldore, played by Jun Candelaria of Admitting, and Rubeus Hagrid, played by Marco Aleño of Budget. Harry Potter himself was played by Henry Maomay. Emma Espino played a very charming Hermione Granger while Jerome Taruc took on the role of best friend Ron Weasley. The entire number was set in a dream while a child slept, played by the diminutive and ageless Nitz Duran.


The Ancillary group presented an interesting number in the half-light, with an angel perched on high. The number started with "enchanters," men in white soutane, envisioned to be the prophets paving the way for the Messiah. The angel then appears as light pierces the darkness, covering the prophets with a bluish glow. She heralds the coming of the Messiah: The prophecy is to be fulfilled! The fantasy element is represented by fairies who emerge from a cocoon. Overall, the presentation evokes the timeless concept of Biblical creation: all are created by one God.

In the end, the Admin group won first prize, follwoed by the NSO in second place, and the Ancillary in third.

Congratulations everyone!

The President's Christmas Greeting

The following is the Christmas greeting of our President and Chairman of the Board, Benjamin S. Paz, M.D., to everyone!

A very merry Christmas to you all.

This season of carols and Christmas trees is a time to take stock; a time to reflect on the events of the past year and to make resolutions for the new year ahead. This December, we are looking back not just on one year, but on the past 41 years of our hospital’s history. More than ever, we are aware of being a tiny part of the infinite sweep of time when we move from one era to another.

And as I look to the future, I have no doubt at all that the one certainty is change - and the pace of that change will only seem to increase.

This is true for all of us - young and old. I am struck by how the inevitability of change affects us all, and how different were my father's early years compared with those of my grandchildren.

For many of their generation, the future is a source of excitement, hope, and challenge. For others, however, the future is a cause of understandable anxiety. There are many, for example, of my age or among the more vulnerable in society who worry that they will be left behind. The sheer rate of change seems to be sweeping away so much that is familiar and comforting.

But I do not think that we should be over-anxious. We can make sense of the future - if we understand the lessons of the past. Winston Churchill said that "the farther backward you look, the farther forward you can see".

The many and varied events that have happened in the last 41 years of CLDH remind us of the importance of bringing the lessons of the past to bear on the aspirations for a better future.

To do this we need to draw from our history those constant and unchanging values which have stood the test of time and experience. Fairness and compassion, justice and tolerance; these are the landmarks from the past which can guide us through the years ahead.

These timeless values tell us, above all, about the way we should relate to people rather than to things; thinking of others, not just of ourselves.

The future is not only about new gadgets, modern technology, or the latest fashion, important as these may be. At the center of all our lives - today and tomorrow - must be the message of caring for others, the message at the heart of Christianity and of all the great religions.

This message - love thy neighbor as thyself - may be for Christians two thousand years old. But it is as relevant today as it ever was. I believe it gives us the guidance and the reassurance we need as we continue into the next 41 years.

I wish you all a merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.