Sis. Loriz Singca Navarro, left, gave a plaque and small gifts to the regular carolers in the month of sacrifice (December 2016) to (right-left) Bro. Allan Sauro, Bro. Jun Quintana, Sis Alyza Igharas, and Bro. Rolly Adducul (guitarist) during a ceremony in early 2017 at the Plenary Hall of Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Palau Locale. I was able to join them twice because I work from 7-11pm every night. There is no caroling in the daytime last year because of lack of workers of God, where Sis. Malou Paster and Bro. Ruel Luis were assigned at PMCC in Halang, Hagonoy, Bulacan (my hometown and province). I received the same award and a Jesus Christ (JC) t-shirt for being a caroling warrior in 2015. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
CAROLING AWARDS TO BROTHERS
AND SISTERS OF PMCC
December 2016 was not ideal for me in as much as caroling for the Medical Mission of Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Palau Locale is concern.
We lack workers in the morning/afternoon caroling. Unlike in 2015 where Sis. Loriz and sis. Malou Paster together with Bro. Gilbert Navarro and Bro. Jefferson Taoingan can do caroling in the morning/afternoon in the far away provinces of Palau.
I was able to attend only 2 caroling in the month of Dec. 2016 because I work from 7-11 pm.
Back in 2015, we had good times and many unforgettable experiences in the caroling. I initiated to sing the Palauan version of "Feliz Navidad" and Palauans esp. kids like it!
December 2015 Caroling
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez--Taken by Malou Paster)
The PMCC Caroling started in Dec. 01, 2015 at Ngerchelong (pronounce Ngerelong –silent ch in Palauan language) State, the very far end of Palau. While in the car, we practice some songs and I suggest that we include in “Feliz Navidad” the Palauan version that is “Kikmal Oureng rak malungil Kurismas (3x), Maungil Becheserrak”, which means “We want to wish you a Merry Christmas (3x), and a Happy New Year.”It’s the start of a better caroling especially to kids as they can sing and feel the spirit of Christmas through singing with us in their native tongue.
But it’s a little frustrating as we get nothing from the first few houses that we do caroling in Ngerchelong. So we move to the next state and things get better.
I was able to join in the caroling if my teaching of my music students is at least at 4pm as we start at 10am and will travel for half hour. On Dec. 3, we go to the place where you can see the Stone Monoliths, which I have visited 22 years ago with my former employer Elena Sutton, her husband judge Larry Sutton driving the 4-wheel pick-up truck.
It’s different now as you have to book a sight-seeing tour at the entrance/office. When we are about to do caroling there, the Palauan in-charge recognized me and ask if I can teach him how to be good at chess. There are 2 American guys there that listen also to our singing. After two songs, they donate also for the Medical Mission of PMCC for the victims of Typhoon Lando in Philippines in October 2015. I gave the 3 guys my card and they are impressed with the information on the card.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Malou Paster)
MEETING WITH TOP M.O.E. OFFICIALS
M.O.E Minister Silton Soalabai, middle standing, accommodated a meeting with Palau Chess Federation officers Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, 2nd from right, Tito Cabunagan, right, and Roberto Hernandez, 2nd from left, with other top ranking officials of M. O. E. The first meeting of PCF and M.O.E officials was held in April this year. (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
BENEFITS OF CHESS FOR YOUTH
(Published at TBN Feb. 02-08, 2009)
THE FOLLOWING IS HIS INFORMATIVE EMAIL:
National Chess Federation of the Philippines President Prospero 'Butch' Pichay, Jr. hailed the move of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus to finally integrate chess in the grade school and high school curriculum starting this coming school year.
This will be a golden opportunity to develop new talents like 15-year-old prodigy Grandmaster Wesley So and catapult Philippines in world chess supremacy.
Please see below facts helpful on why I kept on campaigning that chess is a learning tool for Science, Math, Arts and subjects that deal with logical reasoning.
Facts:
In a Texas study, regular (non-honors) elementary students who participated in a school chess club showed twice the improvement on non-chess players in Reading and Mathematics between 3rd and 5th grades on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills.
A New Brunswick, Canada study, using 437 fifth graders split into 3 groups, experimenting with the addition of chess to the math curriculum, found increased gain in math problem-solving and comprehension proportionate to the amount of chess in the curriculum.
The Venezuela "Learning To Think Project", which trained 100,000 teachers to teach thinking skills, and which involved a sample of 4,266 2nd grade students, reached a general conclusion that chess, methodically taught, is an incentive system sufficient to accelerate the increase IQ in elementary age children of both sexes at all socio-economic levels.
Chess is found as required curricula in nearly 30 countries.
The mathematics curriculum in New Brunswick, Canada is a text series called "Challenging Mathematics" which uses chess to teach logic from grades 2 to 7.
Using this curriculum, the average problem-solving score of pupils in the province increased from 62% to 81%.
The province of Quebec, where the program was first introduced, has the best math marks in Canada and Canada scores better than the USA on international mathematics exam.
Former U. S. Secretary of Education Terrell Bell encourages knowledge of chess as a way to develop a preschooler's intellect and academic readiness.
The state of New Jersey passed a bill legitimizing chess as a unit of instruction within the elementary school curriculum.
A quote from the bill states "In countries where chess is offered widely in schools, students have exhibit excellence in the ability to recognize complex patterns and consequently excel in math and science..."
I am happy that Chess has been finally recognized in the Philippines as a tool to equip the youth, making the right decisions in life by enhancing their logical thinking.
This pave the way also for employment of chess players who can never let go of wood pushing because of the love of the sport.
At the end of the day, as parents, we ask ourselves what will be the benefits of the sport our children are into.
Career wise, chess is one of the basic foundations of my creative thinking in my magic presentations.
Anticipate the reactions of your audience, just like playing chess, anticipate and analyze the moves of your opponent.
Hope you can accommodate. James
Mr. James Infiesto is now an International Arbiter and performed magic during the 2013 World Youth Chess Championship in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He met there the 2 reps of Palau --Eric and Ksau Anthony Whipps.
BENEFITS OF CHESS FOR YOUTH
(Published at TBN Feb. 02-08, 2009)
Palau Chess Federation’s top 3 officers –President Eric Ksau Surangel Whipps, Vice President Tito Cabunagan and Secretary Roberto Hernandez, had a meeting with the top 5 officers of Palau Ministry of Education on Dec. 16, 2014 regarding the inclusion of chess as part of PE curriculum.
The short but very fruitful meeting might be the start of another breakthrough to make chess popular also in Palau like in the other 181-member countries of World Chess Federation (FIDE).
In this regard, Roberto is reprinting the February 02-08, 2009 issue of Tia Belau as follows:
BENEFITS OF CHESS FOR YOUTH
JAMES Infiesto is a National Arbiter in the Philippines and one of the invited players in the 2nd Ambassador Marino Cup (Palau Invitational Chess Championship). He didn't make it but still continues his sharing of knowledge to Roberto Hernandez through emails.THE FOLLOWING IS HIS INFORMATIVE EMAIL:
National Chess Federation of the Philippines President Prospero 'Butch' Pichay, Jr. hailed the move of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus to finally integrate chess in the grade school and high school curriculum starting this coming school year.
This will be a golden opportunity to develop new talents like 15-year-old prodigy Grandmaster Wesley So and catapult Philippines in world chess supremacy.
Please see below facts helpful on why I kept on campaigning that chess is a learning tool for Science, Math, Arts and subjects that deal with logical reasoning.
Facts:
In a Texas study, regular (non-honors) elementary students who participated in a school chess club showed twice the improvement on non-chess players in Reading and Mathematics between 3rd and 5th grades on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills.
A New Brunswick, Canada study, using 437 fifth graders split into 3 groups, experimenting with the addition of chess to the math curriculum, found increased gain in math problem-solving and comprehension proportionate to the amount of chess in the curriculum.
The Venezuela "Learning To Think Project", which trained 100,000 teachers to teach thinking skills, and which involved a sample of 4,266 2nd grade students, reached a general conclusion that chess, methodically taught, is an incentive system sufficient to accelerate the increase IQ in elementary age children of both sexes at all socio-economic levels.
Chess is found as required curricula in nearly 30 countries.
The mathematics curriculum in New Brunswick, Canada is a text series called "Challenging Mathematics" which uses chess to teach logic from grades 2 to 7.
Using this curriculum, the average problem-solving score of pupils in the province increased from 62% to 81%.
The province of Quebec, where the program was first introduced, has the best math marks in Canada and Canada scores better than the USA on international mathematics exam.
Former U. S. Secretary of Education Terrell Bell encourages knowledge of chess as a way to develop a preschooler's intellect and academic readiness.
The state of New Jersey passed a bill legitimizing chess as a unit of instruction within the elementary school curriculum.
A quote from the bill states "In countries where chess is offered widely in schools, students have exhibit excellence in the ability to recognize complex patterns and consequently excel in math and science..."
I am happy that Chess has been finally recognized in the Philippines as a tool to equip the youth, making the right decisions in life by enhancing their logical thinking.
This pave the way also for employment of chess players who can never let go of wood pushing because of the love of the sport.
At the end of the day, as parents, we ask ourselves what will be the benefits of the sport our children are into.
Career wise, chess is one of the basic foundations of my creative thinking in my magic presentations.
Anticipate the reactions of your audience, just like playing chess, anticipate and analyze the moves of your opponent.
Hope you can accommodate. James
Mr. James Infiesto is now an International Arbiter and performed magic during the 2013 World Youth Chess Championship in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He met there the 2 reps of Palau --Eric and Ksau Anthony Whipps.
Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 3759: 1. Qxd7+!! Rxd7 2. Nc7+ Rxc7 3. Rd8 mate.
This week’s puzzle No. 3760: White to move and mates in 3 (Solution next issue)
Source: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 10
Volume 23
Issue 102
December 22, 2014
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 10
Volume 23
Issue 102
December 22, 2014
Sources: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
To be published as a book in the future
Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 2013 -- January 07, 2016
