Filipino Rotaractors raise funds for COVID-19 test kits

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Ignited by the eagerness to extend humanitarian aid during this COVID-19 pandemic, the Pilipinas Rotaract Convention 2021 Organizing Committee, mainly composed of Rotaractors from Rotary International District 3770, in partnership with the Pilipinas Rotaract Multi-District Information Organization, conducted a fundraising campaign entitled Project #SAMPU Sama-Sama sa Mas Pinatibay na Ugnayan Laban sa COVID-19 from April 14-27, 2020.

The campaign aimed to raise an amount of Php 160,700 to purchase 100 GenAmplify™ COVID-19 rRT-PCR Detection Kits in support of the mass testing program. GenAmplify™ COVID-19 rRT-PCR Detection Kit is the low-cost test kit invented locally by a team of scientists from the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health, the Philippine Genome Center, and the Manila HealthTek, Inc.

With humble hopes of purchasing only 100 COVID-19 Testing Kits, the donation drive surpassed its target in just four days after the launch of the campaign. This was through the ripple effects of donations coming not just from Filipino Rotaractors but also from Rotarians and even family and friends outside of Rotary. At the end of the campaign last April 27, the team was able to raise Php 259,484 which funded the production of 161 COVID-19 test kits turned over to the University of the Philippines – National Institutes of Health last July 6, 2020. The donations came from 73 Rotaract Clubs, 4 Rotary Clubs and other donor groups and individuals across the country. 

Pilipinas MDIO is a Rotary international-recognized organization which aims at strengthening the Rotaract movement in the country. It is run by the District Rotaract Representatives and chaired by an elected Past DRR from a member district. Its programs and services are administered by a team of volunteer past club and district Rotaract leaders across the country. One of the core purposes of the MDIO is to promote multi-district service projects such as this fundraising campaign for COVID-19 test kits.

161 PCR COVID-19 test kits donated by Filipino Rotaractors to UP National Institutes of Health testing center

Turnover of COVID-19 test kits donation of Pilipinas Rotaract MDIO represented by Chair Louie De Real and Chair-Elect Manuel Joseph Franco (sixth and seventh from the left) to UP National Institutes of Health represented by Dr. Karen Sotalbo (fifth from the left)

Thank you marker to Pilipinas Rotaract MDIO posted by UP National Institutes of Health in their COVID-19 task force center

Dear Sagittarius, Libra, Virgo, Capricorn, Etc.: Your Star Sign Has Changed

Wazzup Pilipinas!

So you’re telling me I’ve been a Libra for 50 f*cking years and now all of the sudden i’m a Virgo? Nope f *ck that ima keep considering myself a Libra.

l'll know when a #Libra enters a room, they brighten it up with their calculated & balance selves. That was the truth I know since I started believing in horoscopes.

This “new” #starsign has been known about for a longggggg while, they chose not to include it. Your star sign hasn’t changed. Do your research. Ophiuchus is not a zodiac sign, it is a constellation.

I literally had to let so many people kno today because my facebook was filled with this, it started to bother me seeing for the 10th time. I could’ve sworn I had read and researched this before! Probably just people trying to scare people that don’t know about this constellation.

I remember it coming around a few years ago, guess it’s just blown up a lot now because it’s 2020 and anything can happen.

As far as I can see, the only reason people are freaking out is because a bunch of tabloid papers decided to take parts of a NASA blog post from 2016 out of context and present it as new information. It’s just super awkward seeing everyone freak out when it’s not even real news.

Your star sign could change depending on weather you are using sidereal or tropical astrology. But that's another story.

Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is now OFFICIALLY EFFECTIVE

Wazzup Pilipinas!

SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIVERED: The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 or Republic Act No. 11479 is now OFFICIALLY EFFECTIVE.

The Anti-Terrorism Law was signed by Duterte on the third of July 2020 and takes effect on the midnight July 18. Because of the unclear definitions and context of “terrorism,” it is the fear of many that this Act will be used against people who dare to criticize the Philippine government.

DOJ Sec. Menardo Guevarra: "The law will take effect even without the IRR, because the promulgation of the IRR is not a condition for the effectivity of the law."

Despite the widespread controversy and opposition, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is now in effect.

The new Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 excludes advocacy, protest, dissent, stoppage of work, industrial or mass action, and other similar exercises of civil and political rights as among those considered as terror acts.

Several petitions have already been filed in the Supreme Court against this law.

Diin ng administrasyon, binibigyang ngipin ng batas ang mga awtoridad na tumugis sa mga umanong terorista. Pero ayon naman sa mga nababahalang abugado, mambabatas, at human rights advocates, masyado malawak ang depinisyon ng terorismo sa batas.

Many are collectively saying "Junk the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020!"

SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka said the four latest petitions involving Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 “have also been consolidated together with the four earlier petitions consolidated last week.”

An eighth petition challenging the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 was filed on Monday by the party list group Sanlakas.

Workers from twelve labor centers and unions came together to file a petition against Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. They call the law anti-people, anti-worker and kontra-unyon. The group believes the law is proof of the de facto Martial Law in the country.

How the Supreme Court will rule on the petitions filed against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 will measure the integrity and independence of the justices, House Assistant Minority Leader, and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said.

We vehemently oppose the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 as it lapses into effectivity on this Midnight. As the Duterte regime continues to weaponize the law to silence the public, we must all come together and exhaust all options to stop it!

This law can be utilized against activists, and honestly, the reason why a large number of people oppose the bill is that we don't trust the state enforces that will be implementing the law - considering their recent activities - murdering soldiers, raping women, and trespassing.

How can you make people trust a rogue institution that systematically prohibits their uniformed men from being accountable? Simple, reform the PNP and dismiss every officer with a criminal complaint.

Leading youth environmentalist Greta Thunberg has expressed her opposition to the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 which will give more powers to the security forces in the Philippines against terrorist organizations operating the island.

At least 45 American lawmakers have called on the Philippine government to immediately repeal the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act 2020.

Those US congressmen who called on the Ph Congress to repeal our Anti Terrorism Act of 2020 should read their own Anti Terrorism Act of 2001, compare the two laws and examine their heads, then admit to being first rate and world class hypocrites.

These American politicians focused more on PH anti-terror bill but they have no solution nor remedy in order to stop racial discrimination which turns into violence in the US.

Now that the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 is the law of the land it remains to be seen if it lives up to the hype. The law allows the government to silence the voice of Filipino citizens by setting their own definition of "terrorism." Without a competent military and police force everything will remain the same. Time will tell.

#TanginaMoBongGo Trends on Twitter

Wazzup Pilipinas!

If taken literally the #TanginaMoBongGo is cursing his mother instead, so please use a different hashtag otherwise we are as bad as him. How about #TaenaMoBongGo

Palitan natin hashtag kasi parang yung nanay niya minumura natin eh.

"[putang ina mo] is a common enough expression [...] to express anger or displeasure. It is seldom, if ever, taken in its literal sense [...] as a reflection on the virtues of a mother." Reyes v. People, G.R. No. L-21528, March 28, 1969

#TaenaMoBongGo seems better or does it sound the same as #TanginaMoBongGo ?

#TanginaMoBongGo... that felt good..indeed especially if you are one of those so disappointed with what is happening throughout our country.

Filipinos online curse Senator Bong Go after NBI probe into critics’ posts.

Lawyers of Bong Go filed a cybercrime case vs a college student who SHARED a post criticizing him. Instead of just saying Bong Go is a snowflake, a puppet to the president, unworthy of senatorial seat, we made #TanginaMoBongGo trend. THIS IS HOW TIRED WE ARE.

The hashtag tops Twitter’s trending list as netizens lambast the senator for being thin-skinned. Was he the only politician ever to seek help of the NBI against bashers?

"A public official, more especially an elected one, should not be onion skinned. Strict personal discipline is expected of an occupant of a public office because a public official is a property of the public."
Yabut vs. Office of the Ombudsman, G.R. no. 111304

Bong Go issuing a subpoena to a student over a criticizing post and using "due process" as an excuse. Now that is a joke.

Bong Go is too busy going after critics but couldn't even accept accountability for the implications of his Balik-Probinsya Program or explain his contentious presence in cabinet meetings while he is a senator (separation of powers).

Kasi nga there’s no good thing to say about him. Just stay as P.A and palace photobomber kasi doon ka may silbi kaysa senador.

This is the prize of being a public servant na palpak. Snowflake ass.

Oh how I would love to see Bong Go get roasted by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago  if she's still alive now.

From having a strong lady in the senate like Miriam Defensor Santiago who ‘eats death threats for breakfast’ to now a guy that subpoenas people who hurt his fragile feelings. Our taste for senators really went downhill noh?

Sen. Risa Hontiveros has been called worse (puta, terorista, mamatay ka na) but we've never seen her weaponize the law vs citizens. She never used her position to intimidate the public & shield herself from criticism.

That's probably why this is trending.

Look at Bong. He did it again! Scaring us and weaponizing the law. How did he get elected again? Does the 7-hour glitch sound familiar to him? Isn't his original function is just to take pictures of his boss?

According to Rodrigo Duterte, cursing is not a crime. So tuloy-tuloy lang ang saya?

I just read and also watched the statements of Senator Bong Go. He pointed out that criticism is okay UNLESS you get to the point of making 'fake news'. That is why I don't get the memes and accusations brought by #TanginaMoBongGo.

If in some way I'm wrong, correct me. Please enlighten me.

The #TanginaMoBongGo hashtag could only mean 2 things: 1) that it is really "tangina" that we have to endure that whom the Comelec 7-hour glitch had produced; & 2) that it is really "tangina" that the Anti-Terror Law is what most of us fear.

To my friends on Twitter,

Please, stop making #TanginaMoBongGo trend.

We should respect government officials & stop saying things like #TanginaMoBongGo. They have feelings too. What do u think will they feel when they open social media and see #TanginaMoBongGo trending?

#TanginaMoBongGo is a proof that the government and elites will never silence critics and dissenters.  This is a collective action by twitter locals.  Bong Go can never file a case to everyone who participated. 

We have the power and freedom to speak up!

Let's make this trend reach more than 1Million tweets. Let's make NBI struggle to issue 1million subpoena. Then we all meet up at the Supreme Court and party hard asf and shout #TanginaMoBongGo
#DudutLangMalakas

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that this tweet does not, in any way, suggest rebellion or terrorism. It’s just a mere expression of disappointment over how this country is being ran by these clowns.

Instituto Cervantes screens online Spanish masterpiece El Sur

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This weekend Instituto Cervantes invites to enjoy for FREE another Spanish classic movie: EL SUR (The South). Directed by Víctor Erice in 1983, the film had an immediate international recognition that would confirm Erice's status as an auteur.

Based on a story by Spanish writer Adelaida García Morales, El sur is set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. It depicts the childhood and adolescent life of Estrella, a girl fascinated by her father, a brooding doctor haunted by a secret past.

The film will be available with English subtitles. Please note that it will be accessible from the Philippines only on July 18 & 19 (Saturday & Sunday). 

To access the film and the password kindly click here: https://cultura.cervantes.es/manila/en/El-sur/134430

Alongside with the screenings, Instituto Cervantes and the Embassy of Spain have programmed for every Sunday, at 5 pm (Manila time), an online discussion about the film shown during the weekend.

The next videotalk is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at 5pm (Manila time), and will be about EL SUR. It will be moderated by Jessica Zafra, who will be joined by filmmakers Baby Ruth Villarama and Sally Gutiérrez, and professor Richard Bolisay. If you wish to attend the online discussion kindly access through this link: https://zoom.us/j/95779208392

Further information on the film is available at this page: https://cvc.cervantes.es/artes/cine/hojas/el-sur.htm

The film, presented by Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, and the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain, will be in Spanish with English subtitles. Admission is free. For further information and updates on this film series, please check out http://manila.cervantes.es or Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila

WWF-Philippines Welcomes Pia Wurtzbach As Newest Ambassador

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This July, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines welcomes their newest ambassador – Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach.

The third Filipina to bring home the Miss Universe crown, Wurtzbach joins the WWF family as an ally and advocate for the conservation of the Philippines’ natural resources.

“I’ve been thinking of getting involved for a while now. Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, it gave me the time to really think about my priorities and where I’ve been investing my time and efforts in. With what’s happening in the world now, I decided it’s time that I do my part. If you’re thinking about getting involved, the time is now. It’s not too late to #ChangeTheEnding,” says Wurtzbach.

Recently, she launched her own fundraising effort amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of procuring and distributing 25,000 face masks to hospitals across the country. Wurtzbach has been known to use her international platform to highlight relevant issues. Named Goodwill Ambassador for Asia and the Pacific for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV / AIDS in 2017, Wurtzbach has used her platform to share information on combating the virus.

She has also spoken up for the rights and recognition of the LGBTQ+ community in the Philippines, citing her family upbringing and her childhood in Cagayan de Oro as a source of her openness to diversity. 

Although new to the WWF-Philippines roster, she has already lent her support to a number of the organization’s fundraising efforts, including a Digital Fundraising Hour held with now-fellow WWF Ambassador Jeremy Jauncey.

The fundraising hour, held on the night of July 15, saw hundreds of attendees from across the globe join the couple as they shared their experiences with conservation, as well as the sustainability practices they themselves follow. Through WWF-Philippines, Wurtzbach looks forward to learning more about sustainability and sharing messages of conservation with the rest of the country.

“Buksan natin ang mga isip at puso natin, tumingin tayo sa ating kapaligiran, ang lahat ng ito, ang lahat ng meron tayo ay may hangganan. Pero hindi pa huli ang lahat. Kung lahat po tayo ay gumagawa ng kanya kanyang paraan sa pagtulong, malayo ang mararating nito. ‘Wag po nating pabayaan ang kalikasan. Ako, ikaw, tayo po ang inaasahan niya. Excited na po akong matuto pa at i-share sa inyo ang lahat ng matututunan ko dito sa WWF,” added Wurtzbach.

WWF-Philippines looks forward to working alongside Pia. Her passion and support will go a long way toward the organization’s goal to urgently #ChangeTheEnding on the current environmental crisis.

Brands are tapping Instagram Influencers

Wazzup Pilipinas!

More and more brand now are tapping instagram influencers to market their campaign.  With more than 500 stories published daily. This is now the new trend to showcase business products and service. I also noticed from friends both buyers and sellers that they purchase and sold products on instagram a well.

Facebook bought instagram, so it is very clear that instagram is a treat  to the most popular social media platform. And it is the new trend of today’s social media world. So how can you take advantage of the market out of this situation? The answer is simple get more followers, likes and comments. And convert that likes and comments into a sale.

Getting more likes, engagements and comment on your post will give you more campaign or sponsorship. So see this link to get info on how to get free instagram followers. Also some of the techniques in which you can get free instagram followers instantly.  Also example techniques on how to to get free instagram likes.

Everything now is strategic and technical to make the most out of you social media. So use your mobile phone and time resources wisely. See the step by step process below on how you can increase your followers via android phone and windows PC application.

Product Name: GetInsta

Version: V2.0

Author: OrangeView

File Size: 3.5 MB

Device Requires: Android

Description:

GetInsta is a free app dedicated to help Instagram users get real and free Instagram followers & likes easily, quickly, and organically.

It provides a 100% safe security system to gather real-person at one place to follow and like each other. You don’t need to spend money. Everyone can get free coins by following others or liking others’ posts. 

With the coins, you can get unlimited free Instagram followers or likes for your own Instagram accounts and posts. Sounds good? Really good it is. With its latest version, you are also allowed to directly buy Instagram followers and likes with money.

GetInsta offers a fast but safe way to quickly get more Instagram followers and likes instantly. Some services support followers or likes speedily increase in a short time whereas GetInsta provides a more organically and reasonable increasing mode. Plus, when followers increasing, likes will be increased simultaneously. On top of that, this app is totally free.

It is free but also guarantees the high quality of the followers and likes. All its users are exactly real Instagram users, the followers & likes you get are from only active & real Instagram accounts.

Steps to Get Free Followers and Likes with GetInsta

Step 1: Download GetInsta and install it on your Android phone.

Step 2: Create your account on GetInsta app and login with your account. When you log in, you’ll get some coins instantly, with which you can buy followers and likes.

Step 3: Add one or more Instagram accounts to get started.

Step 4: Select an Instagram account and publish a follower task or a like task for this account.

It will start to get free Instagram followers instantly. You can check the progress of the task from the task list.

How to Get More Free Followers & Likes

To get more free Instagram followers and likes, you need more coins. It is also free to earn more coins. Check the following steps to see how to earn more free coins.

Step 1: Login your account on GetInsta.

Step 2: Tap on “Get Coins” icon. Here you can see the like and follow task published by others. Liking a post you’ll get 20 coins instantly. You can skip any coin task you don’t like.

Step 3: Tap on Follow button, you’ll get 100 coins immediately.

How to Buy Instagram Followers and Likes with Money

In addition to getting followers and likes with coins, you can also directly buy them with money in GetInsta app. Check the steps below:

Step 1: Login your account on GetInsta App.

Step 2: Click the “Buy” icon at the bottom of the screen and select an Instagram account you want to increase followers or likes. Then click “Buy Followers” or “Buy Likes” to get Instagram followers or likes with money.

Main features:

- 100% safe and clean, no virus

- Fully compatible with all Android phones

- Totally and unlimited free

- No password, no survey, no risk

- 100% real and active users, high-quality free followers and likes

- Instant and reasonable delivery, changes will be seen in 24 hours

- Support 16 multi-languages

Product Name: GetInsta

Version: 2.0

Author: Orangeview   

File Size: 7.1MB

License Type: Freeware

Requires: Win10/Win8/Win7/Vista/XP

Description:

GetInsta is a free and effective app dedicated to help you get unlimited real Instagram followers & likes easily and quickly.

It provides a very secure and reliable way to get real and high-quality Instagram followers and likes, which helps improve your Instagram presence. Just three steps to make it come true: create an account, earn coins on the app, and get your own followers and likes.

This app is 100% safe and clean. It is also totally free. Just download GetInsta and try it out!

Steps to Get Free Followers and Likes with GetInsta

Step 1: Download GetInsta and install it on your Win10/Win8/Win7/Vista/XP.

Step 2: Sign up an account on GetInsta app and login with your account. When you log in, you’ll get some coins instantly, with which you can buy followers and likes.

Step 3: Add one or more Instagram accounts to get started.

Step 4: Free to earn more coins by following others or liking others’ posts. With the coins, you can get unlimited free Instagram followers or likes.

Step 5: Tap on “Get Followers” or “Get Likes” on the left to publish a follower or a like task.

It will start to get free Instagram followers & likes instantly. You can check the progress of the task from the “Task List”.

Main features:

- 100% safe and clean, no virus

- Fully compatible with Win10/Win8/Win7/Vista/XP

- Totally and unlimited free

- No password, no survey, no risk

- 100% real and active users, high-quality free followers and likes

- Instant and reasonable delivery, changes will be seen in 24 hours

- Support 16 multi-languages

#TogetherForTamaraws Campaign Launched to Help Tamaraw Rangers and Wardens

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines and 35 other countries officially launched #TogetherforTamaraws, an online fundraising campaign to help conservation frontliners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This campaign is led by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) project in the Philippines with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its MIMAROPA Regional Office, plus the Biodiversity Management Bureau.

Dedicated rangers and wardens of the Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) and Tamaraw Conservation Programme (TCP) have been conserving the tamaraw – the world’s rarest and most endangered buffalo species – for decades.

Sadly, one of the 24 TCP rangers together with 32 of the 35 Taw’buid Mangyan wardens who patrol the area to deter tamaraw hunters and poachers, have lost their jobs due to the MINBP’s closure following community quarantine measures. The wardens also serve as guides and porters for tourism and research expeditions. Now only 23 TCP rangers and three MIBNP wardens are expected to patrol a core area of 2500 hectares inside the 106,655-hectare MIBNP, which hosts at least 480 of the world’s 600 remaining tamaraw.

The campaign was launched to gift tamaraw frontliners with critically-needed field allowances and food so they can continue protecting tamaraw, plus the other endangered flora and fauna of Mindoro.

“We launched this global campaign because we saw local communities and rangers, the frontliners of conservation, being strongly impacted by the loss of income from tourism,” explains Onno van den Heuvel, BIOFIN global project manager. “Exotic places like the Iglit-Baco mountain range might seem distant to most people, but they must be conserved. Rangers and wardens need and deserve our support to keep doing good conservation work.”

BIOFIN hopes to raise approximately PHP1.149M to help secure allowances and provisions for tamaraw frontliners until the end of the year. Readers can give gifts at any amount online through bit.ly/TogetherforTamaraws.

“When our grandparents were still alive, forests were plentiful and full of wildlife. Over 70% of the country was covered in pristine forest, but only a million hectares are now left,” says Titon Mitra, UNDP Philippines Resident Representative. “We’re losing 200 football fields of forest cover daily and in this fix is the tamaraw, of which only about 600 are left. I hope each of you can make a small contribution. In doing so, you play a big part in securing the livelihoods of our tamaraw wardens and rangers who are doing such an exceptional job in protecting this critically-endangered species.”

Since its inception in 2012, BIOFIN has worked with both the public and private sectors across 36 countries to enhance protection for the world’s top biodiversity hotspots by helping secure funds to implement sound biodiversity programs.

The ranger and wardens who were laid-off are members of the Taw’buid, Iraya and Buid tribes, three of Mindoro’s eight Mangyan tribes. They are enforcers and educators for their fellow tribesfolk about the significance of conserving the tamaraw, a traditionally-hunted but highly-revered animal.

“For years, our rangers have been operating without proper patrol gear and equipment. Salaries are often delayed and no one has health or social security benefits,” explains TCP head Neil Anthony Del Mundo. Both MIBNP and TCP rangers regularly ward off poachers, dismantle spring-loaded balatik and deadly silo snare traps and discourage the park’s indigenous tribesfolk from engaging in destructive slash-and-burn farming.

“This pandemic should bring forth empathy and not drive us to apathy,” says Occidental Mindoro Congresswoman Josephine Ramirez-Sato, who delivered the first tranche of relief gifts to the rangers today. “Let us all help our rangers and wardens in saving the tamaraw. This is the spirit of Bayanihan. Even as we wear masks, stand three feet apart and stay safe in the comfort of our homes, we can and we must do our part. Our contributions will go a long way and will make a difference. Bayanihan is possible amidst one of the greatest challenges of our time. Let’s show our families, our communities and the world that we will be together for the tamaraws!”

Though they need our help, the rangers and wardens have decided to voluntarily continue patrolling despite the dangers. “Lockdown or not, we’ll put our own health on the line to protect our tamaraws,” vows Ed Bata, senior TCP ranger.

Communal Gardening Could Help Solve our Food Crisis in this COVID-19 World

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A survey from the Social Weather Station revealed that 4.2 million Filipinos experienced involuntary hunger under the current lockdowns, doubling hunger rates from the end of 2019. The pandemic is revealing cracks in our system that have always been there but now have upturned our way of life. Our globalized food system is rife with gaps that leave vulnerable sectors of society unaccounted for, leading to disparate yet simultaneous problems of obesity and poverty that have existed since long before the pandemic. Issues of food security have continued to deepen, particularly in urban areas such as the slums of Metro Manila. The United Nations states that we are now barrelling towards a global food emergency - but it isn’t too late for us to change that.

What do we mean when we talk about a globalized food system? We refer to the way our food system is constructed and its interactions both locally and with the larger world beyond the Philippines. Market powers and globalization affect the nature of the food supply chain, thereby altering the quantity, type, cost, and desirability of food available for consumption. Our farmers - their livelihoods and wellbeing - are left to the whims of these larger forces.

Before we can think up remedies to the food crisis, we must first understand what the problem is. One of the important pillars of food security is access to food. Various factors - geographical, societal, political - can keep whole communities from having access to good food. Under the current pandemic, these factors have been exacerbated. The poor have become poorer. The hungry have become hungrier. Those with little access to food, now face even greater rifts in accessibility.

Access to food is the source of much of our food security issues. Therefore, the obvious solution would be to close the gap between communities and the food that they eat.

The solution lies in communal gardening.

A communal garden is a small farm that is run and managed by a community for its own consumption and the consumption of their neighbors. These can be backyard gardens, or small farms in empty lots that are managed by nearby households. They need constant supervision and require working hands, but they’re easy to set up and to manage. But what benefit can a communal garden provide?

Perhaps the most important concept behind communal gardening is the idea of democratic food production. The benefit of growing your own food is that you have the ability to decide what crops to eat, with minimized concern for prices at the market. You have control over your production. Your choice of fruits, vegetables, even chicken, fish, and other livestock, rests in your hands and not in the shelves at the local store or supermarket. You and your community can decide for themselves what to eat.

The second is a very simple idea: the closer you are to the source of your food, the more sure you are that you’ll get to eat it. A communal garden means literally having your food right next door, or in your backyard. With a well-managed garden, you can rest assured that nutritious food is a walk away, and maybe a bit of negotiation with your neighbors. This is a far cry over the hunger and uncertainty felt by many vulnerable communities.

A final, additional benefit to communal gardens is what it means for healthy community life. City life, for the most part, has separated us into individual and familial units, tearing down old community sensibilities in exchange for urban isolation. By working together towards the management of a communal garden, neighbors are made to work together to ensure food security for all. Together a community pools resources, decides what produce to invest in, works out work schedules and roles and responsibilities. Jobs and livelihoods are created while food security increases, and communities come closer together as they work toward their mutual benefit.

It’s important for us to bring farms into our cities and our communities, and doing so promises many benefits - but such a task will require much work on a local level. What can be done to ensure that every city and every barangay has its own green spaces with which the people can grow their own food upon?

Firstly, there needs to be some sort of buy-in, a proverbial foot-in-the-door, to get such green spaces up and running. In our experience, we’ve found that introducing community gardens from an enterprise perspective is particularly effective. By providing the initial seeds and capital, an institution or organization can set the groundwork for a fully-functioning communal garden. The promise of further spending power through earnings from the garden can spur townships to continue managing the space.

Those first few green spaces should then serve as a case study for the rest of the community. The communal garden should showcase highly replicable, low-tech, cost-efficient production technologies, to prove to the community that its management wouldn’t be much of a challenge.

Finally, these community gardens should be built with accessibility in mind. Everyone has the capacity to farm. By designing these communal gardens to be accessible to women, the elderly, youth groups, and PWDs, we can create further employment and increase productivity, while highlighting inspirational figures who could champion the cause of communal gardening.

Through the assistance of an initial buy-in, through effective management and replicable, people-intensive technologies, and with accessibility taken into consideration, each communal garden that is built can serve as its own argument for the feasibility of a democratic food system.

Through communal gardening, we are not only providing solutions for the coming food crisis, but also transforming the very fabric of our community lives. We bring our own sources of food right into our own backyards, for us to grow and manage together with our neighbors, our friends, our families. With others. Creating a communal garden is the single biggest political act a community can do because it challenges a broken global food system and unlocks the potential of our interpersonal lives.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that we have a broken food system that has not been able to fully address the gaps that keep us from achieving food security for all. Distances physical, social and financial keep many from the food that they need to lead nutritious lives. If we were to take production into our own hands, though, and if we were to work together within our communities to build democratic solutions to our nutritional challenges, we may be able to provide safe food for all. The solution to the food crisis is in our own hands.

By WWF-Philippines Sustainable Food Systems Program Manager Moncini Hinay

How BellaVita Embraced Digital Lifestyle Amid The Pandemic

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The real estate industry has taken a hard hit from the COVID-19 outbreak as potential clients become slimmer. Face-to-face meetings that are essential to the business can’t be done; discussing the terms and conditions of the contracts also becomes more complicated without physical interaction.

To continue operations, real estate developers need to compromise. One of the best examples to emulate is BellaVita. They capitalized on their online network and expanded from there to continue reaching out to their clients and potential ones.

This is how BellaVita embraced the digital lifestyle amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Virtual House Tours

Even without physical interaction, you can still see your dream house, amenities, securities, and neighborhood through the screen. Another great thing is they conduct these virtual house tours in their different locations around the country.

They also upscale their strategy to be fun so clients won’t easily get bored, especially as they only get to peep through the house on their monitors.

Online engagements

To keep in close contact with their clients, they keep improving their engagements online. As this is the most convenient way that clients and developers can meet halfway, they always come with more strategies to maintain engagements as high as possible.

Some of their effective engagements include online raffles, photo contests, photos, infographics, and videos promoting their brand.

Social media shows

In addition to keeping engagements through contests, they also made shows through their social media pages. This way, potential clients can easily interact with them and vice versa. Best of all, they made this fun to ensure better engagement results.

The topics of the shows include relevant to lifestyle and business. They also release precautionary measures and guidelines so you can have a worry-free living amid COVID-19.

Educational promotions

The great thing about BellaVita is they don’t only focus on their brand, but they also on the real estate industry. They want to keep the business afloat, which is why they present educational promotions relevant to the industry.

Aside from posting educational promotions, they also post inspirational messages to keep the spirits high during this trying time.

BellaVita is doing its best so that they can keep their lines and engagements open for their clients. They’re taking a big compromise from what was once an industry that operates face-to-face to something that can work virtually.

Best of all, their houses are located where areas of businesses and developments are on the rise, making them a good choice for your new home.

For more information about the location of their homes and their pricing, visit BellaVita website or Facebook page.

PHLPost launches “Stamps on Wheels” door-to-door service

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) launches its innovative “Stamps on Wheels”, a door-to-door delivery service for stamp collectors and enthusiasts who love to collect and use postage stamps for their mails.

By ordering online or through telephone, specially designated postmen or “wheel riders” will deliver these stamps and collect payments through Cash-on-Delivery (COD), a convenient method of payment upon receipt of items.

“Stamp collectors and those who are in their senior years find it difficult to travel or go out of their home to visit the post office during this pandemic period. We are offering this “special service” for the safety and convenience of our clients”, OIC, Assistant Postmaster General for Marketing Maximo Sta.Maria said.

He added, "PHLPost made stamp selling easier by regularly posting the updated listing on the quantity/availability of the stamps released for the information and appreciation of stamp collectors and philatelists.

Stamp collectors shall select items (stamps, philatelic goods) available on “The Stamp on Wheels” Facebook group page. The customer can also refer to the stamp release archive found on the PHLPost website (http://phlpost.gov.ph).

This program hopes to encourage stamp collectors to go back to their hobby now that they have time in their homes amid the threat of COVID-19.

The service is initially available in Metro Manila.

PHLPost continues to serve communities in the country by delivering mails and parcels while keeping its post offices safe for employees and the public.

6 Best Travel Tips To Make You World's Savviest Traveler

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Travel has its unique essence, which every human soul craves. We all have that quest to visit the glittering cities and ancient monuments. But that exemplary delight can be ruined if you haven't done some pre-anticipated preparation. Whether you are an experienced traveler or an amateur one, you have equal chances of facing unprecedented situations. So, you have to be prepared in advance to deal with them.

Here in this article, I have mentioned a few tips that will help you cope with sudden plight.

Always keep a portable charger

Your mobile phone holds substantial importance during your foreign trip. From google translator to google map, every travel-friendly application is within it. You don't want to be lost in a crowded or deserted area with your phone battery dead. To avoid such a disastrous situation, you can buy some portable chargers. The best approach is to buy a solar charger. The portable solar charger uses solar energy to charge devices and batteries. Also, you can carry it along with you and roam around the streets with it using it at the time of need.

Buy high-quality lanyards

You don't want to stroll through a populous or magnificent city and come across some suspicious cops. They are going to demand your passport, so you have to rummage through your backpack or pockets nervously, and there are high chances that you won't find it in time. That is why I recommend having a lanyard and keeping your passport around your neck and hidden in your shirt. This way, you can provide it anytime it is required. With a lanyard, you can easily keep your hired car keys and your hotel room card within arms reach. If you don't want your lanyard to be pried open at any instant, I recommend that you opt for a high-quality lanyard from 4inlanyards.


Opt for travel insurance

Imagine being encountered with an accident during your travel; thus, your travel budget will be consumed in it. To cope with such situations, you can opt for some credible travel insurance. Besides medical emergencies, travel insurance covers all sorts of other unprecedented situations that you may face during travel. Proper travel insurance covers trip cancellations, medical emergencies, trip interruptions, delays, medical evacuations, and damaged, lost, and stolen luggage. So, insurance is the best way to deal with unfortunate happenings without straining your travel budget.


Download some travel-friendly apps

A lot of savvy apps are being introduced by developers keeping travel plights in mind. You have to make sure that you download them before your trip. Google maps and translators are the most popular among them. Google Maps is the most commonly used app around the world. With this marvelous app, you can track the places you want to visit and your location in a foreign land. Also, you can get to know other attractions that are surrounding your destination.

With google translator, you can interact with locals in your mother language as the app plays the role of an efficient translator.


Keep an extra credit card

A disaster can happen at any moment. There are higher chances of being robbed in a foreign land, especially if you are a lonely traveler. So, you have to prepare yourself for every situation in advance. Take an extra credit card along with you and keep it in your hotel room while you are on your voyage of discovering the new land. This way, even if you lose your car, you don't have to be stuck in a remote area devoid of money.

Also, I would recommend that you ought to be diligent in your choice of cards. For travel, you should go for a credit card or an ATM card which does not charge a foreign transaction fee. In this way, you can be frugal and save your hard-earned money and add it to your travel expenditure.


Travel plan

The best way to enjoy your itinerary to the fullest is through pre-planning. It would be best to map out the essential attractions you wish to visit and some delicious meals you want to have in your plan. Having a plan is a good thing, but following it blindly is a fun-killing thing.

Meetings Made Easy with Sheraton Manila Bay’s “Suite Up! Meeting Package”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Successful meetings meet unparalleled safety at Sheraton Manila Bay.

Take advantage of Sheraton Manila Bay’s Suite Up! Room Package in planning your next event. Sheraton Manila Bay promises to deliver not only tailor-made arrangements and amenities to meeting organizers and participants but also a truly convenient and safe meeting experience.

Book our fully-furnished Executive Suite with rates starting at Php 25,000 net or our Presidential Suite with rates starting at Php 35,000 net. Both suites boast of a stunning vista of Manila’s bustling city skyline perfectly framed on dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows and are equipped with high-speed internet access.

The Suite Up! “experience” includes an energizing coffee break and working lunch prepared by our culinary team, a dedicated events planner to provide seamless meeting coordination, and access to cutting edge AV facilities including complementary use of built-in LED TV for AV presentation, complimentary projector and portable white screen (upon request), free-flowing water, coffee and tea setup, video conferencing facility (subject to additional charge), and standard meeting stationaries.

The expansive 178sqm Presidential Suite has a grand double-door entrance that opens up to an elegant suite featuring a lavish two-bedroom, marble en suite bathroom fitted with a luxurious Jacuzzi, kitchenette, powder room, an executive area. Moreover, this penthouse haven is complemented with state-of-the-art conveniences such as 65” Samsung Smart TV, touch switch dimmer, SteamistTM, full body massage and rain shower, bathroom television, walk-in closet, vanity mirror with light adjustment, and kitchenette with electric stove, refrigerator, microwave oven, and coffee and tea making facilities. Likewise exuding elegance, the spacious 126sqm Executive Suite features contemporary interior, an ensuite bathroom with premium amenities, a well-equipped kitchenette as well as separate living and dining areas.

We further level up the ante with enhanced cleanliness and safety protocols to ensure the health, wellness, and safety of organizers and delegates. Our Commitment to Clean provides a safe and comfortable environment during your stay through implementation of enhanced cleaning practices on all public spaces and guest rooms including temperature screening on all entry ports, enhanced cleaning procedures on both public areas and guestrooms, disinfection of high-traffic areas, sanitation amenities, implementation of social distancing measures, installation of protective barriers, and contactless food options. All associates are also geared with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in accordance to local government regulations. Stay-in delegates may also enjoy touchless transactions and services through Marriott Bonvoy app such as Mobile Key, Mobile Dining, eFolio delivery and Mobile Requests.

For reservation, please call +632 5318 0788 or email reservations.manilabay@sheraton.com.


Sheraton Manila Bay is located at M. Adriatico cor. Gen. Malvar Streets, Malate, Manila. Like us on Facebook and Instagram @sheratonmanilabay and Twitter at @sheratonmnlbay.

How to get top blogging opportunities

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Show the world you are real and truly interested with what you are doing....and not just after the    perks and freebies. Consistency on what you post is the key.

Advocate only those that deserve to be shared to your followers. Not just because the brand gave you a rewarding compensation. Learn to decline and say no to those that would obviously be non-beneficial for your followers.

Understand that quality is still better than quantity. Don't sell yourself cheap. Pick only the best among what is available. Never settle for less just to keep getting opportunities.

Your credibility is top priority. Do not be afraid to become too personal. Those who are always neutral are most probably faking it. Getting thoroughly involved is what differentitates bloggers from just paid endorsers.

Speak out, raise your voice, let everyone hear you. For others it is just a job, for you it is a part of your everyday life. Preferable are those who are determined to make noise especially when they deserve to be heard.

However, if the PR or brand wants you to lie about their products, services, or personalities, then they will pick the exact opposite.

Our Government Officials Are Intentionally Disabled

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Hindi ba kapag ang rason mo ay nagkamali ka sa pagkakaintindi ay dahil mahina ang iyong comprehension or dahil may disability (PWD - either bingi yung nakarinig o ngongo yung nagsabi o malabo ang mata ng nakakita) ka?

Excused ka ba makasuhan kung may either one of those disabilities ka?

Paano mo mapapatunayan kung sinadya na hindi intindihin?

Paano kung ayaw aminin na hindi talaga naintindihan dahil sadyang kulang-kulang?

Teka, maka-comment muna sa latest issues para feeling involved, nakikibaka at may pakialam kahit hindi naman nalalaman ang lahat ng pangyayari.

Ewan ko ba kung bakit ang dami nating oras makipag-away sa social media at feeling natin ay mas matalino pa tayo sa mga binoto natin sa gobyerno.

Sana bigyan tayo ng pagkakataong maupo bilang isa sa kanila at baka magawan natin ng solusyon ang lahat ng problema ng Pilipinas.

Malay natin tayo na lang ang hinihintay ng Malacanang para maging kasabayan na tayo ng mga marangyang bansa sa mundo.

Siguraduhin lang natin na wala nga tayong disability dahil karamihan naman talaga sa mga nasa gobyerno ay nagbibingi-bingihan, nagbubulag-bulagan at malala pa sa ngongo dahil hindi natin naintindihan....at syempre marami ring kulang-kulang o walang laman ang bumbunan.

Wala namang aamin sa gobyerno ng kanilang incompetence o mistakes dahil that is like telling the world that their political career is over...and kapag malakas ka sa Presidente, abswelto ka kahit maraming palpak sa trabaho mo o may nagawa kang hindi karapat-dapat.

Also, if one does resign or step down, which is very rare, the Filipino people are quick to forgive and forget. Maghihintay lang ng ilang years at back in business na sila ulit.