‘Juan Time’ begins midnight Tuesday

 by Edd K. Usman

Manila, Philippines – Starting on New Year’s Day, 2014, “Juan Time,” or the Philippine Standard Time (PhST), will be formally introduced to Filipinos through the traditional midnight countdown.

Communications giant Smart and Globe are joining the Department of Science and Technology in support of the new official time in the Philippines aimed at getting rid of the notoriously late “Filipino Time.”

The UP Sundial. Built in 1973 by UP engineering students, this sundial, like other sundials, tells the time of day by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day (Photo from iskwiki.upd.edu.ph)

In a statement emailed Monday to journalists, DOST Secretary Mario Go Montejo appealed to Filipinos to start using PhST in their daily lives.

“We urge Filipinos to synchronize their watches with PhST in welcoming New Year’s Day,” he said.

Montejo said DOST’s campaign for the use of Juan Time is meant “to reverse the negative connotations of ‘Filipino Time’ from tardiness to punctuality, discipline, and utmost regard for other people’s time.”

He said being late translates to “missed opportunities.”

“What we want is for Filipinos to arrive on time as the new norm,” said Montejo.

Network giants Globe and Smart are two of the first to respond positively to the DOST’s call.
“Smart is pleased to be an active partner of the ‘Juan Time’ Philippine Standard Time Campaign of DOST,” said Ramon Isberto, head for Public Affairs of Smart Communications.
He added: “The theme ‘PinoyAko, On Time Ako’ is very appropriate in the context of keeping our diverse country of more than 7,000 islands in step with the world. Smart is committed to do its part in making sure that its 50 million subscribers will benefit from this Philippine Standard Time campaign.”

Globe Telecom Corporate Communications is not to be left behind.

“Globe actively supports the observance of the National Time Consciousness Week by activating various initiatives through the power of our modernized network and social media to reach out to all Filipinos, enjoining them to observe a common reckoning of time across the country,” said Yoly Crisanto, head of the network’s Corporate Communications.

“With the implementation of the Philippine Standard Time, we are one with our countrymen in starting 2014 on time and observing thereafter Filipino Time as being Juan Time, On Time,” she assured.

http://www.mb.com.ph/juan-time-begins-midnight-tuesday/