Letter from a Student (Aug 05 09)

Dear. Dr. Manalastas,

I'm not sure if you remember me. I graduated from the MS program back in 1991. I was one of the only Americans in the program at the time. You were one of my instructors. I was on the Ateneo site searching for some information and came across your name. I wanted to let you know that you were one of the best instructors I ever had, and that includes the instructors from UC, Berkeley and University of Oklahoma where I earned other degrees. Just wanted to send my regards...

Best Regards,
Mike Hawkins


Dear Mike,

Of course I remember you, and your heuristic for the travelling salesman problem! Actually, you were my favorite student, although I did not tell you that before. You work hard and are always first to submit homework. And you get good grades.

I have retired, and now teach part time only, one course in the University of the Philippines, and one-half in Ateneo Quezon City. I also volunteered as IT consultant for the U.P. College of Law Policy Study on Computerized Election 2010 (www.aes2010.net). You will probably find out that the computerized Philippine national elections on May 10, 2010 will be the biggest ever computerized elections in the whole world. This one will use paper ballots, computerized counting at the precincts, mobile internet to transmit results to canvassing centers, and computerized canvassing to determine winners. There will be 50 million voters, 82,200 precinct counting computers, and 2,000 canvassing center computers, and will cost the Filipino taxpayer PHP7.2 billion - PHP11.4 billion.

I also have a blog, and I might be the oldest blogger in the Philippines: http://pmana.multiply.com/journal.

Thank you for your letter. It comes like a gift from heaven, to rejuvenate my dying soul.

Pablo Manalastas