“Being on time to appointments and meetings is a phase of self-discipline and an evidence of self-respect. Punctuality is a courteous compliment the intelligent person pays to his associates.” – Marvin J. Ashton
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In The White Man and the Pachinko Girl, Vann Chow wrote: “Japanese are one of the most punctual people he had ever worked with. They could, he imagined, put the Germans to shame in their high expectation for timeliness.”
Time is of essence. In the United States, American time means showing on time. If the meeting starts at 8 in the morning, you need to be there at 8 am. But Filipino time is different; it means that if the meeting starts at 8 in the evening, the person shows at 9 pm or even later.
I think we have followed what our forefathers had been doing in the past. You see, being late was once considered a status symbol during the Spanish colonial period, according to University of Santo Tomas sociology and political science professor Dr. Louie Benedict Ignacio.
Better late than never, so goes a popular saying.
But should we still follow this tradition today? Let’s listen to the words of Allan Mauro V. Marfal, of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST): “In an era marked by incessant distractions, the art of respecting and valuing one another’s time often takes a back seat, which may cause, in some instances, inconvenience to both parties.
“The pressing demands of modern life, coupled with a myriad of diversions, contribute to the oversight of responsible time management,” he continued. “The consequence, however, extends beyond the individual level, impacting relationships with family, friends, partners, and coworkers in ways often underestimated.”
The DOST believes that the first step of uniting the country to seize the opportunities for a smarter Philippines is to be on time, if not punctual. That’s why it launched the Philippine Standard Time (PhST).
“The Philippines is composed of diverse cultures and people. We may not all agree on everything but the Philippine Standard Time is one thing that will unite us and guide us in the conduct of our activities at home, at school, and at work,” said then Science Secretary Mario G. Montejo.
In 2024, the DOST is again reminding all Filipinos to observe PhST during the National Time Consciousness Week (NTCW) to synchronize all timepieces across the nation from January 1 to 7. With the resonating theme, “G na G! Oras Pinas para sa Bagong Pilipinas,” it wants to create a unified commitment to punctuality and respect for each other’s time.
“As the New Year unfolds, the DOST emphasizes the significance of instilling a habit of punctuality in the minds of every Filipino,” Marfal wrote in a press release. “Beyond the mere ticking of the clock, the department envisions a broader impact on the fabric of society, recognizing that the habit of being on time is a cornerstone in all aspects of businesses and activities.”
The NTCW theme, Marfal said, “encapsulates the spirit of enthusiasm, vibrancy, and commitment towards a new and punctual nation towards a progressive society.” He added the theme is designed to focus on the younger generation.
“The DOST aims to impart the value of punctuality to the youth, emphasizing the profound impact of time management on their future success,” he explained. “By cultivating an understanding of the essence of time, early on, the department believes that young Filipinos can harness this knowledge as a powerful tool in shaping their personal and professional trajectories.”
The advocacy aims to promote the new Pilipino time which is under Republic Act No. 10535 or The Philippine Standard Time Act of 2013.
The law requires all national and local government agencies as well as broadcasting companies to adhere to and display the PhST in their respective offices. This makes these entities not only united but also in sync with each other, a perfect gesture of synergy needed to efficiently run a bureaucracy.
The country’s weather bureau – the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) – is tasked to be the official timekeeper.
However, it was started in 2011 as an advocacy campaign which was called “Juan Time”, a play of words on “One Time” (single or unified time) and “Juan” being the common name for Filipinos.
Thereafter, the main campaign was rebranded two years ago into “Oras Pinas” which hopes to institutionalize the new Filipino culture of being always on time and having only one time as a nation.
According to Marfal, the PhST must be kept according to the Coordinated Universal Time (UCT) — the world’s official time.
How does this office ensure that we get the correct time all the time? Since 2003, DOST-PAGASA has been using a very accurate clock, specifically a rubidium atomic clock for timekeeping. The rubidium clock is one of the two most widely used atomic clocks in the world (the other one being the more accurate cesium clock).
Marfal said the rubidium clock in the DOST-PAGASA station is equipped with a receiver that receives timing signals from at least four orbiting satellites in the Global Positioning System (GPS) within its range. These satellites are each equipped with up to four atomic clocks which are periodically updated from a cesium atomic clock based in Boulder, Colorado.
This system keeps the PAGASA clock synchronized to the UTC. GPS is the same technology being used for modern navigation consisting of 24 satellites that broadcast their location, status, and precise time. Precise time is necessary for the GPS to work, as this will be used to compute the exact location of a receiver using geometry principles.
