Wrong scientific names/Don Moen returns

An invitation to  lunch with scientists and educators in the home of Gus and Toti de Leon introduced me to  Dr. Virginia S. Carino, PhD, vice president for student and alumni affairs of Kalayaan College, who told me  the scientific names of the animals/fauna illustrated at the back face of the new Philippine bills were not correctly written. “I was extremely shocked that such a serious error had been committed,” she  said. “Truly a sad  reflection of the state of science  in the country!”

In an email she sent me after our meeting, she said her grandson told her that at the time the new bills came out there had come out criticisms about their color, including the errors in the scientific names. “I was quite surprised because I thought I was always in touch with events, so, how did this escaped me? My conclusion was that the scientific guffaw did not catch enough public attention. Even if it has been over a year since the bills came out, I think attention should still be given to the matter since this is something that we, the civilized members of Philippine society, should not take lightly. Was there any erratum released so the public may know the correct way  scientific names are written?

“Many afterthoughts bog my mind, like: Did the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas work all by itself independently of all other agencies of government? Were the new bills ever shown to the members of the Cabinet? Was the Department of Science and Technology and its many knowledgeable agencies shown the pictures of the animals and their scientific names (that were not correctly written)? How about the Philippine National Museum and its many experts?

“Here is how the scientific names were printed and how they should be written:

Paradoxorus Hermaphroditus Philipinensis should be: Paradoxorus hermaphrodites philippinensis; Caranx Ignobilis should be Caranx ignobilis; Rhincodon Typus should be Rhincodon typus; Tanygnathus Lucionensis should be Tanygnathus lucionensis, and Pinctada Maxima  should be Pinctada maxima.

“The scientific name of living things, described as binomial, is made up of the name of the genus (capitalized) and the name of the species (in small letter/lower case). They are preferably italicized since they are Latin terms.

“Maybe the BSP will shrug this off as a no big deal. However, any student who learned his science  will be shocked. I hope not so many will notice the unforgivable errors. Unforgivable because they reflect on the science culture of a nation.”

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My colleague Ricky Lo, who was described by the late Philippine STAR publisher Max Soliven as “the biggest revenue maker” for the company, wrote a comprehensive column last week on his telephone conversation with Don Moen, the popular singer-songwriter-producer who is returning to perform at a special concert on Thursday, November 8, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. 

The concert, titled “God Will Make A Way! Philippine Tour 2012,” is the inaugural event of a concert series that also includes performances at the Bohol Wisdom School Gym in Tagbilaran City on Nov. 10, and at the FSUU Gym in Butuan City on Nov. 11.

Those who read Ricky’s heart-to-heart conversation with Don Moen  could not help but be amazed at the American performer’s attracting millions during the past three decades with his praise-and-music songs that interpret closely the words of the Bible, such as “God Will Make A Way,” “Thank You, Lord,” “God Is Good All The Time” and “Give Thanks.”

Let me give you a few words on Don, a native of Minneapolis Minnesota, whose musical talents bloomed while he was attending Oral Roberts University in Oklahoma. During the late ’70s and early ’80s, he was a Living Sound musician for Terry Law Ministries, after which he joined Integrity Inc., author of the “Hosanna! Music” praise-and-worship series, in 1984.

He then began recording  albums of his own, starting with the first album, “Worship with Don Moen (1992),” and including two in Spanish, “En Tu Presencia” and “Trono de Gracia.” His music has total global sales of over five million copies.

He worked for  20 years in such positions as creative director and president of Integrity Media, president of Integrity Label Group and executive producer of Integrity Music albums, then moved to  Integrity Media in 2008 to start a new venture, the Don Moen Company, which eventually acquired MediaComplete, the church software company that created MediaShout.

Don received a Dove Award for his work on the musical, “God With Us,” and Dove Award nominations for ”God Will Make A Way” and eight other songs two years earlier.

A greatest hits compilation featuring 19 top hits and aptly titled, “God Will Make A Way: The Best of Don Moen” was released by Integrity in 2003.

Don’s album, “Hiding Place,” became his first studio album which was recorded at Paragon Studios in Franklin, Tennessee and was released in the autumn of 2006, followed by “I Believe There Is More” in the fall of 2008 and “Uncharted Territory” on March, 27, 2012.

Due for release last October is his new Christmas album, “Christmas: A Season of Home,” with some songs recorded at a studio in the Czech Republic.

Don has released a new album, “Hymnbook,” as a celebration of his reaching over one million pieces on his Facebook page.

The Philippine tour  is produced by Ovation Productions in cooperation with 2nd Avenue, Diva Universal, Jack TV, Talk TV, Edsa Shangri-la Manila and RJ 100.3 FM.  It is also supported by the Philippine STAR, Manila Bulletin, BusinessWorld, Inquirer.net, philSTAR.com, 96.3 Easy Rock, Monster Radio RX 93.1, Mellow 94.7, 97.9 Home Radio and OptimaSignsolutions.  

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 My deepest condolences to the family of Luis (Cito) de Guzman of Marikina who passed away Friday last week. Soft-spoken and mild-mannered, the 62-year old civil engineer  succumbed to diabetes complications. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Gloria  “Bebot” Aranas de Guzman, and three sons,  Paul Michael, Eduard Roy, and David William.

Ten days earlier, I was a guest at the celebration of the 100th birthday celebration in Dumaguete City of the late Pedro Aranas, Cito’s father-in-law. Aside from serving a sumptuous lunch, the Aranas children had scheduled a series of activities, including a medical mission headed by Bebot as a contribution of her Pan Hellenic  Society, and free legal consultations led by Atty. Coleta Aranas at the family farm in Camanjac outside  the city. The medical mission drew 400 indigent patients who were diagnosed and treated by Bebot (one of two medical doctors in the family). Two patients had cysts incised, and several women had pap smears for the first time in their lives. Children and teenagers were given medications for coughing,  diarrhea and worms.     

Characteristically, Cito, Bebot’s husband, a Mapua graduate, stood quietly at a corner observing goings on during the medical mission, and at the lunch held the next day at the gazebo a few meters away from the nice family building he had designed and constructed.  The couple left for Manila two days after the celebration, with Cito feeling restless until he was confined at the St. Luke’s Medical Center where he  passed away.

Pan Hellenic Society members,  Silliman University alumni living in Manila, classmates of Cito,  and co-Rotarians  have said good things about Cito.  Bebot talked about her husband’s being gentle and loving, who brought up their three sons to be humble and courteous practically by himself as Bebot was busy attending to patients at the family hospital, and he  never complained even when he was sick.  

Cito’s remains will be interred tomorrow at the Loyola Memorial Park following a mass to be held at the Midtown Chapel.

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