the previous weeks

The previous weeks have been quite stressful for me. Not that I underwent extreme physical labor. What I experienced were more of disappointments and upturn of unexpected events that made my life more difficult and complicated, at least in this job hunting phase I'm in right now.

While in an interview in Ortigas:

"Is the company earning?" asked the General Manager of a multinational company who gave me a quantitative graph for analysis. I immediately said yes, noticing that the graph showed an increasing trend. That was the start of the booby which until now leaves me clueless as to why it happened to me.

It was as if a total black out closed down the entire circuitry of my brain. I was totally incapable of analysis, much less doing simple arithmetic operations. Imagine, I couldn't even arrive at the answer of - guess what - 5.3/1.06. It took me five minutes (or even more) to compute it. It was really a shame - a big shame on me. I spent four years in the university solving calculus problems and analyzing more complex graphs and just end up clueless as to how to determine simple ratios using arithmetic.

Later on when asked to explain the graph and still clueless, I went on stating the most stupid analysis I have ever made in my entire life. I watched in horror as my interviewee changed his facial expression, as if wondering if I ever am a UP graduate. Nevertheless, I got back on my senses towards the end of the interview and, to my consolation, I did answer correctly some of the questions. But it was too late already to undo what happened earlier. I went home wondering why it all happened. My important lesson: at least I learned that 5.3/1.06 is equal to 5!

During the PAASE international scientific conference in Century Park Hotel:

Being chosen as one of the presentors, I was supposed to speak about my undergraduate thesis. Hours before my presentation, GMA dropped by to deliver her keynote address to the scientific community whom she impressed with promises and financial support (well I do hope that at least half of them will be realized). She also took lunch there. Upon leaving, I was one of those who shook her hands (talk about being shtar shtruck! Hehehe).

When it was my turn to present, I was really very nervous. I thought that a three-day preparation was not enough, especially that I was going to talk in front of scientists from here and abroad. But thank God, everything went well. During the Q&A portion, the question asked by Dr. Baldomero Olivera (who, by the way, is this year's Harvard Scientist Awardee) was the one I expected the most: What is semidominant mutation? Thus, I gave the perfect answer (modesty aside, ahemm).

But the thing is that because of my trying too look and speak excellently in the conference, I’m now offered a job by Dr. Olivera and Dr. Concepcion in the Marine Science Institute of UP Diliman. They wanted me to join their group on their research on Conus and Turrid snails. Undoubtedly, these creatures are among the very amazing invertebrates on earth. They are very venomous (and many people don’t know about this) and live all throughout the archipelago (shallow or deep sea water). There have been reported incidents of people dying or injured because of these snails. More importantly, these snails hold a lot of promise for drug discovery – their venom is rich with a plethora of pharmacologically active peptides.

Surely, research work is very noble, intellectual, and, in the Philippine setting, very patriotic. However, I can’t see myself doing it. Though I finished molecular biology, I am now more inclined to pursue a career in the corporate world. And honestly, finding one is very difficult provided my background in science and my lack of technical knowledge in accounting and business. But I’m really trying hard to get a good job. Hopefully I’ll start working again in two weeks’ time.

Hence, I might not accept the job offer though I admire the efforts of Filipino scientists to advance science and research in the country amidst tremendous challenges. Indeed, what the Philippines needs is a robust scientific and research background to make it competitive. Yet, Filipino scientists and researchers, in spite their international fame and significant contribution to science, remain the most underpaid professionals in the country. How I look with utmost respect many scientists I meet in UP, but can’t resist feeling sorry over how their intellectual value is deemed insignificant by a society too preoccupied with other concerns, valid or not. They should also be called bagong bayani. I hope the government and the Filipino people will realize this soon, lest more and more Filipino talent, ingenuity, resource, and opportunity to excel in the international arena will be lost.

Presently:

Today is Ash Wednesday so I already heard Mass this morning. Earlier this morning I was observing the bird couple nesting in our garden. They're now teaching their fledglings how to fly! I’m now on my way to an interview in Makati in a company involved in mass media. Wish me luck!