Pinoys on time: 'Juan Time' launched

By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star) 
Updated September 24, 2011 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched yesterday the “Juan Time” campaign that aims to promote time-consciousness among Filipinos.

“With Juan Time, Filipino time will come to mean on time and no longer late,” Science Secretary Mario Montejo said.

The DOST’s Science and Technology Information Institute said the campaign was aimed at promoting the nationwide use of Philippine Standard Time (PST). Juan Time is a word play on “One Time,” with “Juan” being the common name for Filipinos.

Montejo urged the public to synchronize all watches with the official time, which can be viewed on the website of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph.

According to the DOST, “Filipino time” describes the Filipinos’ penchant for starting, or arriving at, events some 15 to 30 minutes later than the set time.

“It has become a notorious habit that, unknown to many, pulls back the country in terms of lost productivity,” the DOST said.

“PST, the country’s official time, sets only one common time in the archipelago’s more than 7,100 islands,” Montejo said.

He said Juan Time reminds Filipinos that keeping to the PST avoids the difficulties of having confusing, unsynchronized time.

The PST was established decades ago under the auspices of PAGASA, an attached agency of the DOST, but was never strictly enforced.

PAGASA has been the country’s official timekeeper since 1978 per Section 6 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 8.

The PST is set via PAGASA’s timing system that consists of rubidium atomic clock, Global Positioning System receiver, time interval counter, distribution amplifier, and a computer. The system automatically calculates its time difference with every satellite within its antenna’s field of view.

To effectively implement the Juan Time campaign, the DOST has partnered with the SM Mall of Asia, Metro Manila Development Authority, SM Supermalls, Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center, Team Manila, Lamoiyan Corp., and Discovery Channel.

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