My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague

Saturday, October 13, 2018

Life at the University of the Philippines, Diliman in the Early 1950's

https://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2012/11/photo-memories-of-my-college-years-as.html

Some members of the UPSCA-LA Chapter with Fr John Delaney, 1954.

About a year ago, I joined the Narra Residence Hall (UP Men's South Dorm) FaceBook group. I had numerous discussions with several members of the group about life in University of the Philippines(UP) during the 1950's and had published a number of photos during my college years. Among the active participants in our discussion were: Oscar Evangelista, Dan Etsirc, Willy Banlaoi, Guillermo Canlas, Ricky Sasil, James Esquerra and Kalder Eduardo.

This blog is a response to the query of Ricky Sasil regarding my activities in the mid 1950's in UP Diliman. I searched my souvenir files today and found the following events that I have attended ( I have still the ticket stubs/souvenir programs of the five events in my scrapbook. This is in addition to the monthly socials sponsored by the Women's Club and UPSCA Meetings that I attend regularly. I was an Active UPSCAN and consider myself one of Fr John Delaney admirers/worshippers.

I was in UP Diliman from 1953 to 1955 as a Chemistry student and a later as a Chemistry Instructor from 1956 to 1959. I stayed at the South Dorm ( Narra Residence Hall) from 1953 to 1959.

South Dorm Officers, 1954. I am in the first row kneeling from the Left.

The five events are as follows:

1. A Song Recital of Helen Traubel, world-famous soprano, sponsored by the Conservatory of Music and the President's Committee on Culture, January 16, 1953

2. A Garden Party in honor of the visiting members of the International Olympic Committee and the Heads and members of the Delegation to the second Asian Games, Kawilihan, Mandaluyong, Rizal, May 9, 1954

3. Lecture Forum, The Intellectual and his Faith, sponsored by the Iota Eta Sigma and conducted by Rev Horacio de la Costa, S.J., July 24, 1953

4. A song recital of Aurelio Estanislao, baritone with the UP Symphony Orchestra, conductor, Ramon Tapales and Accompanist Regalado Jose, January 12, 1955

5. A dramatic presentation by the UPSCA Dramatic Guild, The Woman of the House directed by Alejandro Casambre. Some of the actors were Isabel Seviila, Letty Tison, Violeta Mariano and Rudy Aluyen, Feb 22, 1955. Other names associated with this play were Basilisa Manhit, Dionisia Rola, Conception Dadufalza, Angelina Villanueva and Ma Luisa Lorenzo.

I have attended several other plays, lectures, recitals and dances, but the above five events I will always remember.

UPSCA General Meeting, UP Diliman, 1954

Pleasant Memories, Indeed!

lhttps://davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2012/11/photo-memories-of-my-college-years-as.html

Thursday, October 11, 2018

I am Getting Old-My Oldest Son will be 60 years Old This Week

My oldest son, Dodie ( Disdado Jambalos Katague) will be 60 years old this coming October 15. Macrine and are proud of his accomplishments. Dodie and Ruth have three adult children, Philip, Alix and Marina. My three grandchildren are all college graduates and have grown to be responsible adults and an asset to society. Happy Birthday Dodie, Love You, From Mom and Dad!

Here's a summary of his accomplishments from his Link-IN page.

1. 32 years as a career prosecutor for the Contra Costa County District Attorney.
2. Specialize in High Tech Crimes Prosecution and have expertise in the presentation of digital evidence in the courtroom and legal analysis.
3. Have lectured on Internet Crime Prosecution, Identity Theft Prosecution, Presenting Digital Evidence, basics of the ECPA and PPA.
4. Have authored and advocated for California legislation regarding Internet harassment and Search Warrants that became law.
5. Also the author of a fiction novel, "Cloyne Court", about college life during the 1970's at the infamous student cooperative at UC Berkeley.

Currently he is slowly working on a new fictional novel, "Devil Mountain DA". He plans to early retire in two years. Plans on travelling and devotes this time finishing his novel "Devil Mountain DA" during his retirement years.

Once again, Happy Birthday and hopefully many, many more years to come.

Monday, October 8, 2018

Carenna KT-Tearing Walls Apart Video Interview

https://youtu.be/LjQ-Opq9d7k

Here's a short write-up two years ago on Carenna's Song writing guitar playing and other art activities

davidbkatague.blogspot.com/2016/12/carenna-performs.html

Here's more on tearing walls apart in Sacramento:

https://www.tearingwallsapart.org/

Saturday, October 6, 2018

Time for One of My Favorite Music Today

I feel like listening to one of my favorite music today!

My favorite section is On the Trail. Enjoy

Ferde Grofé (27 March 1892 – 3 April 1972) was an American composer, arranger and pianist. During the 1920s and 1930s, he went by the name Ferdie Grofé. Grofé is best known for his composition of the Grand Canyon Suite (1931), a work regarded highly enough to be recorded for RCA Victor with the NBC Symphony conducted by Arturo Toscanini (in Carnegie Hall in 1945, with the composer present). The earlier Mississippi Suite is also occasionally performed and recorded. Grofé conducted the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in his Grand Canyon Suite and his piano concerto (with pianist Jesús Maria Sanromá) for Everest Records in 1960; the recording was digitally remastered and issued on CD in 1997.

My first posting on the Grand Canyon National Park: https://lifeinus1960present.blogspot.com/search?q=grand+canyon+suite

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

I was Bullied in High School and Never Told My Parents

The Bert Kavanaugh confirmation fiasco reminded me of my high school years(1947-1951) when I was bullied by an older and bigger classmate during my freshman year. The bullying was both verbal and physical. I have never told anyone even my parents, except for the high school principal-the person I complained when the verbal bullying becomes unbearable and turned physical.

Today my neighbor and I were discussing the Kavanaugh's confirmation process. He believes Kavanaugh is telling the truth. My neighbor asked me why Dr Ford just came out now and not earlier of the sexual molestation during her high school years. The answer in my opinion is that she is ashamed of what happened and probably partly blame herself of what happened.

In my case I was also ashamed to tell my parents and partly blamed myself for not fighting back. Today, I could still remember the details of my bullying, but I will not discuss it here in detail. Some of the details, I wrote in my autobiography, but a friend suggested I delete it, and I did! The bullying lasted for almost a year. It stopped when I complained to the high school principal.

I believe in Dr Ford testimony. Her story was very compelling and I have no doubts in my mind that Kavanaugh was a drunk. He has told lies and should never be confirmed to the Supreme Court position.

No to Kavanaugh!

Personal Note: When I told my son I was bullied in high school, he asked me if I will come out and tell my story. I told him unless the person who bullied me becomes President of the Philippines, the story of my high school bullying will forever remain in my memory.

Read why the abused do not tell their Parents:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/newsfeature/dear-dads-your-daughters-told-me-about-their-assaults-this-is-why-they-never-told-you/ar-BBNPCiK?ocid=spartandhp

Monday, October 1, 2018

Fauna and Flora of Catague, Bohol, Philippines

The King Eagle

I recently received this letter from Dr Joel Cuello, current President of PAASE. This letter reminded me of my posting about the Fauna and Flora of Bohol. Here's Dr Cuello letter:

I only had an hour to spare in the newly reopened National Museum of Natural History of the Philippines in Manila last week, and so I only had time to enjoy its cavernous and marvelous six-story "Tree of Life" courtyard and visit a couple of its choice Galleries.

In under 40 minutes, however, I had startlingly close encounters with the world's tallest flying bird (Sarus crane), the world's largest and heaviest eagle (Philippine eagle), the skeleton of the world's largest crocodile in captivity (Lolong), the fossilized bones of Rhinoceros philippinensis dating to 709,000 years ago, and big chunks of petrified wood from Cagayan in Northern Luzon dating from the Middle-Pleistocene Epoch around 750,000 years ago.

Breathtaking.

Exhilarating.

I will certainly be coming back in future.

https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail/detail&folder=default0/INBOX&id=965684

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There is a town named Catague in Bohol, Philippines. Thus I have a great interest in the island. My father's named was originally spell with a "C", but when he was in high school he changed it to start with a "K". So, I believe, I have a lot of relatives in Bohol, that I have never meet or will never meet in my life time. If your name is Catague or Katague in Bohol, please get in touch with me via this blog.

Bohol is an island province in the Philippines and its 10th largest island. It is located in the Central Visayas region and has a population of 1,137,000 (2000 census) with an area of 4,117.3 km. The island has unique flora and fauna worthy of discussing in this blog.

The Philippines supports a rich and varied flora with close botanical connections to Indonesia and mainland Southeast Asia. Forests cover almost one-half of the land area and are typically tropical, with the dominant family, Dipterocarpaceae, representing 75% of the stands. The forest also has vines, epiphytes, and climbers. Open grasslands, ranging up to 2.4 m (8 ft) in height, occupy one-fourth of the land area; they are man- made, the aftermath of the slash-and-burn agricultural system, and most contain tropical savanna grasses that are non nutritious and difficult to eradicate. The diverse flora includes 8,000 species of flowering plants, 1,000 kinds of ferns, and 800 species of orchids.

Seventy to eighty percent of non-flying mammals in the Philippines are found nowhere else in the world. Common mammals include the wild hog, deer, wild carabao, monkey, civet cat, and various rodents. There are about 196 breeding species of birds, among the more numerous being the megapodes (turkey-like wildfowl), button quail, jungle fowl, peacock pheasant, dove, pigeon, parrot, and hornbill. Reptilian life is represented by 190 species; there are crocodiles and the larger snakes include the python and several varieties of cobra. Of course Bohol is famous for its TARSIER, the smallest primate( monkey) in the world.

The fauna on Bohol is almost identical to that on Mindanao, Samar, and Leyte, but not that on nearby Negros. Scientists believe that the floral and faunal biodiversity unique to the Philippines is caused by the Ice Age. They also believe that the country has the most severely endangered plant and animal communities on earth.

Recently three unique flying animals/birds,attracted my attention, These are the King Eagle, a rail and a flying fox

The King Eagle-It is the largest eagle in the world. The King Eagle (Haring Ibon) tops in 5 of the 7 external measurements, namely, total length, bill gape, culmen, bill height and tarsus. The Harpy tops in 1 out of 7 measurements, namely the talon. In the wing measurement or wing chord, Haring Ibon is only second but Harpy Eagle is fifth.

Calayan Rail
Calayan Rail: New bird discovered in Babuyan Islands- A new bird species, believed to be found nowhere else in the world, has been discovered on the remote island of Calayan, 70 km north of Luzon. The bird will be named the ‘Calayan Rail’ (Gallirallus calayanensis), after the island on which it was found. Calayan is the largest island in the Babuyan Island group that lies between Batanes and Luzon.

Flying Foxes of the Philippines-
The Mindoro Pallid Flying Fox (Pteropus sp. A) is yet undescribed, but it could possibly be the smallest flying fox in the Philippines. It has been found in Mindoro, in the Anahawin River in Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park, and also in the lowland forest of Tandakan, Mt. Siburan in Sablayan, an area made up of drastic and gradual slopes with riverines in between, near a kaingin area, and in bamboo vegetation. All areas were predominated by trees of the family Dipterocapaceae.

About Me

David B. Katague is an online memoirist and cultural essayist whose writing has appeared on HubPages and Blogger since 2007. His work reflects a sustained interest in Filipino heritage, family history, senior living, art, community life, and the cultural meaning found in everyday experience. Through memoir, reflection, and essay, he explores the personal and historical dimensions of identity, memory, and belonging. His writing seeks to preserve lived experience while offering thoughtful commentary on the traditions, values, and social realities that shape individual and collective life. As a Filipino-American writer, he brings a distinctive cultural perspective to his work, drawing on personal experience and careful observation to create writing that is both reflective and engaging. His online essays and memoir pieces continue to document a lifelong commitment to storytelling, cultural understanding, and the written record of experience.

Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like: