Harry Roque judging the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Grand Finals

Wazzup Pilipinas!

""Never thought judging Ms Universe Philippines would be this difficult! The Filipina, simply put, is the best!" the Presidential Spokesperson, who seems to have found time to judge a beauty pageant despite his busy schedule, said in a tweet."

The MUP Grand Finals has Harry Roque as one of the judges.

Why the fuck is Roque everywhere but where he’s supposed to be?

Never thought that the mouthpiece of the misogynist/sexist murderer inutile would be a judge in Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) 2020. Women empowerment left the room. 

Roque judging MUP means candidates who explicitly hold the current administration accountable are automatically barred from getting the crown. This is another form of fascism where the government tries to pacify everything including the pageantry.

Alam na natin kung sino mananalo. DDS Michelle Gumabao of Quezon City or Alaiza Malinao of Davao.

He, together with Eric Yap, like seriously? They are practically ruining a beautiful event with their presence. There are more capable personalities to be among the panel of judges.

Imagine Roque asking one of the contestants about their stand on current issues like the Manila Bay white "dolomite" synthetic sands and the contestant will say "It's a total nonsense to implement during the pandemic" 

And the Malacañang spokesperson will be like "wide-eyed but frowning"

I'm excited for questions about political stands and human rights. 

The Miss Universe Philippines will be thrilling to watch, after all.

Sa kung sino mang kandidata na makakakuha sa pangalan nina Harry Roque at Eric Yap, pagkakataon ninyo na ito. Ilaban ang mga Pilipinong ginago nila. Aim for the crown and morality in one fight.

Harry Roque's possible question and the kind of answer he is looking for.

What’s Harry Roque’s added value in the matter? Advocate ba siya ng mga Pinay women who are confidently beautiful with a heart? Parang hindi naman! He hates empowered women.

Individuals with official capacities should not be part of any other events that are not related to their posts. This is another disaster of the year 2020.

Imagine it's some of the judges that are the ones red tagging strong and empowered women. MUP, make it make sense please!

Are they're actually there to find another woman to red tag? (this statement is a joke)!

"Antonio Parlade Jr. going after outspoken women celebrities and beauty queens while no less than presidential spokesperson Harry Roque gets to have a say on the country's representative to an international beauty pageant says... a lot about this government's anti-women efforts.

Beauty pageants are still problematic institutions but they can be useful platforms to amplify advocacies and voices of dissent as we've seen with Catriona Gray and Pia Wurtzbach using their platforms to speak against the Anti-Terrorism Act. This macho-fascist regime fears that.

Having no less than the president's spokesman as judge sends a chilling effect in a pageant where women are encouraged to speak up—and it looks like an effort from this macho-fascist regime to ensure that the country's representative toes the line and is not a voice of dissent.

The military's empty platitudes about "protecting" women celebrities—while red-tagging them and sending veiled death threats against them—frankly reveals the military's patronizing and misogynistic view of women as individuals who can't speak, discern and speak up for themselves.

This macho-fascist regime wants to silence and scare women away from speaking up against an anti-woman and anti-people regime, its human rights abuses, and attacks on the people—but Catriona Gray has this to say: "Please don't ever allow your voice to be silenced." Abante, babae!" - @pmjamilla

So that's why we don't see Liza Soberano, Angel Locsin, Catriona Gray, Pia Wurztbach, etc. in the judges list. This is the first time that the MUP is a DDS-sponsored event. I guess it's safe to say that the organizers of the MUP are DDS too.

I bet naghahanap sila ng parang magiging spokesperson/kakampi nila na pleasing to the eye. Sa totoo lang ang papangit kasi nila at ang bobobo pa. Lol.

Don't go pointing a finger at us, KC Montero. We're not trying to ruin the MUP Grand Finals. The organizers did a very good job ruining it on their own.

#NoPaulinianLeftBehind trends to uphold students' right to due process

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"As the country grapples with the effect of the pandemic, the education system drastically shifts to online classes. Students across the country called for mass promotion, tuition fee refund and more compassionate policies. 

Students gathered the courage to speak up against unjust school policies, holding the Deped, CHEd and the Duterte admin accountable for a botched pandemic response resulting to millions of Filipino youth left behind."

I join the call to uphold the Paulinian students' right to due process.

IS THE STUDENT HANDBOOK MORE POWERFUL THAN THE CONSTITUTION?

The Saint Paul administration dwells on the Student Handbook to justify excluding students which it identified as organizers of the Mass Email Campaign (MEC).

The MEC participated by +500 students last June 19 appealed for the following: 1) academic freeze, 2) breakdown of fees, 3) refund of unused fees, 4) non-mandatory enrolment for summer term, and 5) support for teaching and non-teaching personnel.

The provisions in the Student Handbook which they allegedly violated revolved on "bringing disrepute to the name of the university".

Our freedom of expression and right to seek redress are guaranteed in the Philippine Constitution, the highest law of the land. 

This is why the campaign for addressing the exclusion of 9 students in Saint Paul is not a trivial matter. It is a campaign for upholding our democratic rights.

Students will be made to cower in fear and will never break their silence on problems in the school if we'd let things pass.

This is not just for Saint Paul students. It is for every student, every citizen who trembles in fear for exercising his/her democratic right. 

Students are losing the will to study knowing their friends were excluded because of the campaign. During online class, they're having a hard time facing their computers knowing that some of their classmayes were deprived to continue their studies in SPU.

We don't know why they only exclude selected students where in fact there were hundreds of students who participated on the said campaign.

Are they afraid they might lose some money if they’ll end up removing all those who participated in the campaign?

It's not a crime to ask for transparency! The students did NOT tarnish your institutions' image, you are doing it yourselves. Uphold the Paulinian students' right to due process.

"There maybe times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."  TO OUR PAULINIAN FRIENDS, YOU'RE THE BRAVEST. WE ARE WITH YOU.

The school should focus for the outcome not the income.

The call for dialogue between the affected students, their parents and the SPUP administration is reasonable and sound within the framework of a democratic society. Unless Tuguegarao, Cagayan is otherwise.

We appeal to academic institutions to ensure that each and every student is granted access to quality education amidst the pandemic. Hence, no constituent must be excluded from the formulation of policies.

I know this is just ONE story of the families of the NINE excluded students of SPUP, but I want everyone to know!

and if you had the opportunity to speak up, SHOUT ALL U WANT HUN. 

During these times wherein the fascist system victimizes people who seek for changes, we stand in solidarity with the Paulinian students’ call.

This is not just for Saint Paul students. It is for every student, and every citizen who trembles in fear for exercising his/her democratic right. 

Together we'll be louder, stronger.

Alex Gonzaga and family recover from Covid-19

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Vlogger Alex Gonzaga revealed in an October 23 vlog entry that she had contracted the coronavirus, along with her parents, her fiancée Mikee Morada, and household member Sophie."

Did she vlogged about it for clout and monetization benefits, or to let us know and realize that the Corona virus is not a joke?

Well, she is indeed getting the views that will equate to a huge sum eventually, but it could also mean her fans are curious to know how she dealt with the traumatizing experience?

By the way, were they asymptomatic or symptomatic? Maybe you go watch her vlog to find out. Lol!

They've all recovered and are all well already but netizens are divided with some bashing her for having the nerve to document her recuperating journey so she could monetize the views, while others are saying it's her job as an "influencer" to let her followers know that the virus should be taken seriously.

As I understand, she was supposed to get married this month but didn't push through. A lot of other plans were also put on hold. All because one of their housemates craved food and went outside. 

This is giving me anxiety because we go out often to do errands like daily to buy food to cook, and weekly for groceries. While my wife is required by the Department of Education to report twice a week, and additional days for other extra activities, I'm already attending events, not online but onsite.

We also visit our other home in Montalban, Rizal at least every two weeks otherwise it will be all ruined by rats, pests, the weather and other nuisances if not maintained.

We are happy that Alex Gonzaga and her family, fiance and others survived Covid-19 and that she's finally out of danger. It breaks our hearts that she had to go through it. It's not easy to open up about it but she wants to spread awareness and educate people. 

One thing you need to understand about her being the Most Popular and Most Influential Female YouTuber is that she will never release a vlog if it's only for clout and views.  She only releases a vlog once a week. Is that an indication that her channel was never made for fame and money?

The 51st Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation Box-Office Entertainment Awards accorded to her the award. 

Unlike any other YouTubers, does Alex uses her platform properly!? As a social media influencer, does she knows her responsibility to her audience? Is she is at par with or better compared to her contemporaries?

Does it break your heart to see Alex Gonzaga crying if it's not tears of joy? She is about to share her journey to all of us tomorrow! 

Are you thrilled, or in shock that she announced she will be releasing a vlog about her quick recovery?

Alex and her family are too rich and ka-DDS to die from Covid-19, so there's no shocker there!

Getting infected by Covid-19 is a serious matter. Noone deserves to go through it. So no matter how much you hate a person, don't ever wish him or her dead....and though many have survived from the virus, there were also a lot of lives lost.

For all individuals that are affected by the Coronavirus, please stay strong. Keep your faith. You'll get through it. If Alex Gonzaga and everyone who won the battle against covid can make it, you too can do it (especially if you're rich). God is the ultimate healer. Laban lang tayong lahat!

Eric Yap and Harry Roque among the judges at Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Grand Finals?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"The Miss Universe Philippines Organization has released the names of those included in the roster of judges for the #MissUniversePhilippines2020 Grand Finale tomorrow.

Among the judges are Presidential spokesman Harry Roque and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Eric Yap"

#MissUniversePhilippines2020 finals judges:

1. Janine Tugonon 

2. Ariella Arida

3. Jackie C. Aquino

4. Samuel Salonga Versoza, Jr.

5. Rep. Eric Yap

6. Raymond delos Santos 

7. Venus Navalta

8. Harry Roque

9. Baguio First Lady Arlene Magalong

10. Arthur Peña

Eric Yap and Harry Roque?! Seriously? Way to invalidate the hard work of the candidates by inviting scum to the judging panel. Another reason we want to puke while watching this pageant. 

If this beauty pageant really wants to be legit, they must have judges that are members of cause-oriented groups or people from reputable industries, not politicians or politician-wannabees.

Binigyan nyo talaga ng spot sa selection committee sila? Totoo ba Shamcey Supsup, Jonas Gaffud, Atty. Ana Licaros, Lia Ramos, and so many others homaygaaaad gisapot ko ha. The UP community is not happy (char not char).

Anong alam nung dalawa sa women empowerment?

Harry Roque is not even doing his job for the country then mag jujudge pa siya sa Miss Universe Philippines.

Roque defended the dire warning of Parlade to actress Liza Soberano and 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray, remarks that have been slammed as threatening and a form of red-tagging. Now how would he be effective as a judge to Miss Universe Philippines?

Roque must have thought he's gonna judge zombies there. Please just stay on the lawn and pack it up, wall-nut!

Meanwhile, Duterte ally Eric Yap, was among those who voted not to give ABS-CBN a franchise, among many other sins to the Filipino people. 

Remember when he claimed that he met with House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte in Metro Manila, but the location tag or “geotag” of his post suggested it was in Davao City?

What has happened to the Miss Universe Philippines organization. They are ruining their image by inviting these two insignificant personalities.

Thus, we will have to raise our eyebrows to whoever will win in the pageant.

Reinvent your customer experience with conversational AI

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably changed the way organizations operate. During a time when many businesses are struggling to survive, it has become more crucial than ever to be able to differentiate your business from the competition. While this means different things to different organizations, one factor that remains constant across industries is the adoption of digital solutions to improve customer services and support.

Enhancing customer experience has become the number one priority for organizations across the globe; and in order to fulfil this goal, many businesses are turning to chatbots as a first line of response in customer communications. Well-planned chatbots are an excellent way to extend fast, personalized, and scalable conversational support. From booking movie tickets to setting up clinic appointments, the scope of today's virtual assistants has grown by leaps and bounds.

Like most other countries in the region, companies in the Philippines are beginning to realize the value of the technology. Though, according to Kearney, a U.S. based consultancy firm, the investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI) per capita is poor (less than $1), as much as $92 billion could be added to the country's economy (12 percent of its expected 2030 GDP) by embracing the technology more.

Furthermore, given the fast-paced, technologically advanced world we live in, customers expect nothing short of instantaneous, highly personalized services. Almost every interaction these tech-savvy customers have with businesses is digital, and they expect their queries and concerns to be addressed in an immediate, hassle-free manner. Thus, the truly revolutionary future of perfecting customer experience lies in the hands of virtual assistants.

Investing in customer relations

Great businesses are built on the foundation of great relationships they build with their customers and great relationships are built on accountability and transparency. Thus, maintaining a steady channel of communication with your market is of utmost importance. However, providing round-the-clock customer support can be an extremely resource intensive process. Thankfully, virtual assistants can make this job a lot easier.

Advancements in natural language processing and speech recognition technologies have given rise to powerful chatbots that can parse massive amounts of text and learn the best ways to enhance customer service operations. Apart from the strength of their features, chatbots are also known for their adaptability. They can be easily integrated into popular messenger applications where people spend much of their time online. Beyond mobile and web interfaces, conversational interfaces are gaining traction, and customers will soon be able to choose seamless conversational interfaces across products.

These conversational assistants can be used in nearly every aspect of your customer relationship management process. They can act as personal assistants for your customers, readily available at their beck and call. They can also help your customers troubleshoot issues, provide self-help information guides and triage tickets, thereby enabling your customer facing teams to prioritize and attend to the most pressing concerns, while the users with less urgent problems are aided by the virtual assistant itself.

An AI-powered agent model

While the customer facing chatbots can directly interact with the customers, these virtual assistants can be of immense value to the customer service agents, as well. Besides handling a chunk of the workload for an overburdened customer service team, AI assistants can assist agents by providing all the necessary information they need before reaching out to the customer. They can act as the first line of defence in customer services, capturing critical information, and reducing the time it takes to get the required process initiated.

Chatbots can further help agents by not only suggesting specific actions after a ticket has been raised but also anticipating customer needs by learning from previous chat histories, preferences, and context provided. They can thus suggest pre-emptive actions by forecasting customer needs. Furthermore, they can also be integrated into the automated workflows of organizational processes.

Well-designed virtual assistants can also map customer queries and issues to the agents with the right skill sets. This not only helps in optimizing agent handle time, but also minimizes the possibility of escalation events and improves first call resolution rates. A powerful conversational interface will make the handoff from the bot to the agent so seamless that the end user will never notice the transition.

The future of conversational AI

Most of the present day chatbots are built on rule-based systems combined with natural language processing abilities. The fallibility of many of such virtual assistants lies in the fact that if the customer does not provide a clear message with a specific intent, the chatbot will not be able to provide the required information. Additionally, when faced with a query never seen before, the chatbot falters. Natural language processing capabilities give chatbots the ability to process the text in hand to identify the named entities and general intent the query contains, provided they follow a specific pattern. This is where language models come in.

Language models take natural language processing one step further by incorporating contextual understanding, known as natural language understanding. Language models not only identify the meaning of individual words, but also understand the context of a query. Thus, when faced with an unprecedented query, the chatbot can still process the contextual meaning of the sentence and present the likeliest response.

Natural language-based virtual assistants can thus hold conversations with the customers by keeping track of various contexts. A lot of research is going on to make bots sound more like human, including research on mixing code (mixing two languages during conversation) and evaluating the sentiment of the interacting human and responding appropriately.

These deep learning methods have given rise to many language models, such as the GPT-3, which can produce increasingly human-like text. The future of conversational AI thus shows immense promise, with further innovations in the field making it a worthy cause for investment.

By: Priyanka Roy, product consultant, ManageEngine

My Bets for Miss Universe Philippines 2020

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Miss Bohol Pauline Amelinckx was on fire during the Miss Universe Philippines 2020 preliminary round as she took home not just one, but four awards!"

Miss Creamsilk

Miss Downy Sweetheart

Miss Cetaphil Sun

Most Beautiful Face Award 

Do you think that she can keep her front-runner status all the way to the top of the competition?

Basta taga Bohol gwapa jud nah. Parihas sila nawong ni Catriona Gray aww nxt to ms Universe..Proud Bisaja!

"She just exudes that aura of a beauty queen. Fiesty. Her answers during the prelims are meaty. She has climbed the list faster than the bullet trains of Japan! Definitely a TOP contender!"

She was amazing during the previous preliminary interview Q&A portion. Analyze the preliminary interview ni Cavite at Bohol. Grabe banggaan sa constructs. Pero Bohol pa rin ako!

Pinaghalong ganda ni Isabel Oli, Bianca Umali & Michelle Madrigal.

With a Catriona Gray + Sanya Lopez vibes.

Kulang lang sa rampa, but for sure she can easily be trained.

Fun fact: She won Miss Bohol 2017 and Gazini Ganados, the reigning Miss Universe Philippines was her first runner-up! 

During the preliminary competition, Pauline was honored with the “Most Beautiful Face Award.’ She was also given the title of Miss Creamsilk, Miss Downy Sweetheart, and Miss Cetaphil Sun.

Bohol's Pauline Amelinckx's National costume is called "Puwa" by designer Mikee Andrei

 

After watching the preliminary competition, I'll go for Pauline or Michelle. Si Alaiza ay medyo nanerbyos sa preliminary interview at hindi consistent ang English niya. Maganda naman sana siya at ok ang rampa. Cavite could win inspite of being a member of the LGBT community. 

These phenomenal ladies are serving y'all! They are not just there to play, they are there to win that crown! 

I place my bets for #MissUniversePhilippines 

Michele Gumabao, Quezon City

Pauline Amelinckx, Bohol

Alaiza Malinao, Davao City 

Billie Hakenson, Cavite 

Here are the #MissUniversePhilippines 2020S SpecialAwards:

Miss MG Philippines: Quezon city

Miss Downy sweetheart: Bohol

Miss Creamsilk: Bohol

Most Beautiful Face: Bohol

Miss Cetaphil sun: Bohol

Miss Photogenic: Cebu

Best in NatCos: Mandaue

Best in Swimsuit: Iloilo

Best in Evening Gown: Parañaque

With more than 40 women competing at the Miss Universe Philippines 2020, only one winner will be chosen during the coronation event on Oct. 25, 9 a.m. on GMA-7.

*CTTO

Benjamin Alves wins Most Boring Hosting for Miss Universe Philippines preliminary competition

Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Benjamin Alves, gets backlash from netizens after his low energy hosting on Miss Universe Philippines preliminary competition."

Ang energetic ni Benjamin Alves! Grabe! Nag transcend sa screen ko yung energy niya. Char!

Seriously, this host is f*cking terrible.

I get it that it's an empty arena so there's no crowd energy to feed off, but that's why you get a host with good presence. Not this robot reading from a teleprompter.

Benjamin Alves is eating his words. And monotonous din. Many times.

Walang kalatoy-latoy maghost si Benjamin Alves, he's not really into hosting so I wonder why he was chosen?

Pakibigyan nga ng Enervon-C itong si Benjamin Alves, kulang na kulang in everything.  O baka gusto miya ng Milo for energy.

Sana man lang pinainom siya ng energy drink bago sumalang. Jusko, naubos yata energy niya sa Cosmo.

Robi Domingo should be the host for this event. Benjamin Alves doesn't know the uses of rising and falling intonation. They could’ve asked Xian Lim or someone else from the previous pool of talents of ABS-CBN.

Unforgettable talaga yong kay Anne Curtis kamiss siya maghost kasama na rin si Xian Lim kahit paaano. Sana maibalik na sa dati ang ABS CBN para mapunta na ulit sa kanila ang airing and producing ng Miss Universe Philippines. Don't forget about Toni G.

My biggest rant is for the background music. I HATED IT! There are lots of indigenous musical instruments which could have been made use to make beautiful jovial music but we got freaking HOTEL LOBBY MUSIC. Nakakaloka.

So ang galing pala ni Benjamin Alves dahil nagcomplement yung energy niya sa music. Lol!

I guess ibinabagay lang ni Benjamin Alves yung way of hosting nya sa mga tugtog na pine-play. 

Siya na nag-adjust at ayaw palitan ng MUPO ang tugtog.

Ang pangit naman yata kung full energy siya pero ang lungkot ng tugtog. 

Sino ba kasi sound director?

Benjamin Alves and the background music had taken me to Snoozeville during #MissUniversePhilippines. Bawi tayo sa finals ha. Promise me this. Seryoso ako.

Benjamin Alves could've done better. Honestly, sobrang boring niya mag host. Parang hindi pinakain ng dinner hahahaha!

It was evident na nawala yung "spark" ng mga front-runners. 

Kape tayo Benjamin Alves, keri?  Sabihin mo na lang din kung hindi ka masaya sa ginagawa mo. Parang anytime magsasalita siya ng "So Help Me God."

Sayang yung magagandang gown at walks. Tapos yung magagandang kandidata, nakakapanghinayang. Kapag GMA talaga ang gumawa ng pageant, bulok talaga ang presentation.

Kamuning kasi may contract sa MUP besh. Kung Momshie Ignacia sana ang host, perfect.

Benjamin Alves is under empire management. Empire is being managed by Jonas Gaffud. Jonas Gaffud is one of the directors or Miss Universe Philippines. Alam na, bes!

So the most dry emcee award goes to Benjamin Alves!!!! 

On a positive note, I loved the background and the camera works! Finally, no more BBP audience shots (which is impossible for now). hahaha pun intended.

Overall, a good prelims show but please give us a hell of a finals. I hope KC Montero will do better.

Helping the environment just got easier with WWF-PH’s online partners!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Looking for ways to help #ChangeTheEnding for the planet without leaving the comfort of your own home? Don’t fret! With online transactions and e-commerce becoming the norm during these challenging times, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ innovative partnerships with different conservation allies will help you do your part for the environment with just one click! 

GCash for Good

Join WWF-Philippines in helping our environmental front liners and partner communities rise above the crisis through GCash for Good.

Use the country’s leading mobile wallet app to support the lives of WWF-PH’s environmental front liners and partner communities with GCash for Good! To donate, simply open your GCash app and select the GCash for Good category in the bills payment menu. Fill up the form as you normally would with your GCash transactions, confirm your donation amount, and you’re good to go! While you’re at it, you can also use the app’s ‘green’ feature called GCash Forest, which lets subscribers plant virtual trees that will have real-life counterparts, to support the reforestation of the Ipo Watershed.

HSBC Rewards

Use your HSBC Rewards Points to treat the planet! You have an option to convert your points to charity account donations for WWF-PH. Shopping with HSBC cards has never been this rewarding! 

Grab Rewards

Whale shark numbers have gone down by 50% over the last 75 years. #ChangeTheEnding for these gentle giants and other local wildlife by using your Grab Rewards points to donate to WWF-PH’s environmental conservation efforts.

WWF-PH has teamed up with the leading transport network vehicle services provider in the country to bring attention to and help raise funds for our endangered species and the heroes who have dedicated their lives to protecting their habitats. Do your part for Philippine wildlife by exchanging your Grab Rewards points for a donation to WWF-PH’s environmental conservation efforts using the Grab app.

BPI Pagsibol

Help build a better Philippines by donating to the BPI Pagsibol Campaign to help build sustainable foodsheds and grow resilient communities where Filipinos are free from hunger. To help address food security in the new normal and help hundreds of families all over the country, log on to https://bpifoundation.magpie.ph/.

Just One

Make your order count when you order a box of pizza from Shakey's Philippines online by donating to our conservation efforts with #JustOne click! 

Did you know that it only takes ‘Just One’ click to save the planet? Just One to Save the Planet is WWF-PH’s program which encourages leading brands to invite customers to take meaningful action towards saving our planet, one transaction at a time. Make your online orders from local cruelty-free cosmetic brand blk cosmetics, Tiny buds’ natural baby products, and family-favorite pizza chain Shakey’s count by donating any amount upon check-out!

Miss Universe Philippines

Choose WWF-Philippines as your beneficiary when you subscribe to The Ring Light Series to support our community conservation programs.

Be the light to the lives of our fellow Filipinos alongside Miss Universe Philippines by subscribing to The Ring Light Series! By signing up, pageant aficionados can get exclusive access and updates to the candidates’ journey to the crown while helping the environment! Simply choose WWF-PH as your beneficiary to support the organization’s conservation programs. For more information, log on to http://empire.ph/wwf-philippines. 

WWF-Philippines is set to launch more online campaigns and programs with our transformative partners in the months to come. Stay tuned to WWF-Philippines’ official social media pages for announcements and to find out more ways to help #ChangeTheEnding for the environment.

PHP1M to Go to Mindoro’s Rangers this Tamaraw Month

Wazzup Pilipinas!


Pong Capati emigrated from the Philippines to America in 1982, retiring after 30 years of work. Last July, he heard about #TogetherforTamaraws, an online fundraising campaign to help conservation frontliners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I realized that without rangers, we cannot protect the tamaraw. I really wanted to help so I shared the campaign to my family, friends and colleagues. With my niece Sofia, we fused our love for food and art and managed to raise over PHP30,000 for our rangers.”

Other funds were raised in the most creative ways: Ruth Ann Cabria sold items online to declutter her home; Artist Issa Barte auctioned art pieces; Photographer Derald Umali raffled off a film camera.

All put, some 150 individuals and institutions raised over PHP1.1 million to help Mindoro’s tamaraw rangers and forest wardens, many of whom lost their jobs because of the pandemic. The funds shall be turned over on 29 October to cap off Tamaraw Month, celebrated in the Philippines each October.

“These creative fundraising efforts show how the worst times can also bring out the best in people,” says DENR-BMB Assistant Secretary Ricardo Calderon. “Our Bayanihan Spirit lives on through crowdfunding. We thank our partners, donors and contributors in proving how everyone can do their part for conservation.”

Together for Tamaraws

Since March 2020, most of the Philippines has been under general or enhanced community quarantine. The country’s national parks were closed to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.

This left Mindoro’s Iglit-Baco Natural Park with little funding, cutting off the sole source of income for 32 wardens and one ranger, all members of Mindoro’s indigenous Taw’buid, Buid and Iraya tribes. Only 23 TCP rangers and three wardens are currently patrolling a core area of 2500 hectares inside the 106,655-hectare Iglit-Baco park, which hosts at least 480 of the world’s last 600 tamaraws.

“The Tamaraw Conservation Programme (TCP) and Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) are indebted to those who have and will continue to help us,” says TCP head Neil Anthony del Mundo. “The assistance to be given to our wardens and rangers will go a long way in keeping both our tamaraws and protected areas safe.”

Critical Time for Biodiversity

#TogetherforTamaraws is led by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) project under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau and MIMAROPA Regional Office.

In July, the Philippine Parks & Biodiversity NGO further created the Tamaraw Society for its 20 for 20 campaign where they called on 20 organizations or individuals to pledge or fundraise PHP20,000 each. The Tamaraw Society is currently comprised of the following 18 entities: D’Aboville Foundation and Demo Farm, Eco Explorations, Masungi Georeserve Foundation, Ecoheroes, Far Eastern University, Fund the Forest, JaDine Habb Fans Club, Kids for Kids / Bye Bye Plastic Bags, Giselle Sy, Hey Namski x FIASFUD, Michael Montesano, Oscar Lopez, Planet CORA, Elmer and Kitkat Mercado, Ruth Cabria, The Learned Tribe, Thirty Five Studio, and WWF-Philippines.

“This is a critical time for Philippine biodiversity,” says UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Enrico Gaveglia. “With Philippine protected areas undermanned because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat of plant and animal poaching is at its highest. We need to do our part in ensuring that our conservation frontliners have the means and capacity to continue their mission. After all, if not for the TCP and MIBNP rangers working hand in hand with the Mangyan communities of Mts. Iglit-Baco, the tamaraw might well be extinct.”

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, the past few months have been a challenging time for Tamaraw conservation in the country. In September, MIBNP and TCP rangers successfully intercepted and caught three tamaraw poachers drying meat inside the park. The poachers later escaped and are still at large. Kalibasib, the world’s only captive-bred tamaraw, also died last 10 October after 21 years in captivity.

Space Needed for Tamaraw Herds

Today’s tamaraw populations are fragmented, with only four remaining populations spread throughout Mindoro. From an estimated 10,000 heads in 1900, tamaraw numbers plummeted to under 100 heads in 1969. Conservation efforts have paid off tremendously, helping the population recover to over 600. Impressive, but still a far cry from the original population.

"To truly allow the tamaraw population to grow, it is essential to provide more space for the species," says D'ABOVILLE Foundation program manager Emmanuel Schütz, another donor. "This is a landscape approach where local communities must and shall benefit from the environmental enhancement and security that tamaraw conservation induces."

The donation turnover ceremony shall be held at Barangay Poypoy in Mindoro Occidental. The funds shall be used to pay for wages, supplies and equipment.

The DENR-BMB, UNDP-BIOFIN and its allies shall continue fundraising for Mindoro’s tamaraw rangers. Individuals who wish to donate can click bit.ly/TogetherForTamaraws or email biofin.ph@undp.org while those who wish to join the Tamaraw Society can click bit.ly/TamarawSociety.

5 Reasons To Start Your Business In Montreal

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Starting a business is one of the best ways to become more financially independent and even realize your own dreams and needs. But contrary to popular belief, starting your own business is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance.

A Montreal startup, for instance, can be fairly easy to pull off once you know what the city has to offer and what are the steps to start a small business that you should follow closely. Here are the five reasons to start your business in Montreal.

What Are the Main Reasons for Starting A Business?

Before we dive into the benefits of Montreal, it’s important to understand why people decide to start their own business in the first place. Here are some common reasons you might have heard before:

“I want to be financially independent.” – Indeed, this is by far one of the most common reasons for starting a business. Of course, running a business doesn’t automatically mean you’ll become a millionaire, but you won’t have to depend on your boss as much.

“I’ve always dreamed of it.” – Some kids and teens, especially nowadays, are specifically interested in starting their own business, so naturally, when they grow up, that’s what they try to do.

“My father/mother/relative/friend has one, so I wanted one too.” – In other cases, these very children and teenagers have seen other people close to them own a business (and sometimes worked for their parents in their company). Of course, they’ll want to have something similar of their own.

“I wanted to try something new.” – Sometimes the reason for starting a business is way simpler which is especially true for those who are easy-going and don’t take life too seriously. This helps them take risks and experiment from time to time as well as helping them to adapt to new circumstances and easily overcome challenges.

#1 An Existing Strong Business Community

First and foremost, an existing strong business community is probably one of the most important aspects of Montreal. Not every city supports its startups and small businesses, so Montreal stands out and appears in a very favorable light in this sense.

Why is a strong business community important though? Though there will definitely be enough competition in any region, it’s much harder to find partners or even just other business owners who are willing to help you out and collaborate with you. The numerous startup events – both local and international – held in Montreal yearly prove that this city has one of the best business communities you can find.

#2 Affordable Costs on Real Estate and Other Necessities

Another important “environmental” feature for starting a business is the affordability of real estate. If the cost of renting your business office or buying a place for your café is too high, you risk going overboard with expenses and not making enough profit to balance that out. Montreal, however, is not a city that will make you stress about finding the best place for your business that would also be fairly affordable.

As Rick Scott from the writing services reviews site Pick The Writer puts it, “Montreal is great for startups. It has very competitive operating costs and various tax incentives, but the best part is that it has one of the lowest costs of living and doing business among large North American cities.”

#3 Good Startup Support and Bountiful Talent Availability

As mentioned earlier, Montreal’s startup community is very welcoming allowing you to feel like you are wanted. You will be able to find good support and collaborative partners for your business endeavors. On the other hand, Montreal also has bountiful talent available perhaps precisely due to all the previously listed benefits and opportunities that the city has to offer.

For example, let’s say you will need a specialist in the freelance web design field once you launch your business and start looking for employees. You will probably be able to find many experienced and well-educated candidates in Montreal. Moreover, the city is well-known for its creativity and focus on design.

#4 Easy Transportation and International Opportunities

Probably one of the most overlooked aspects of a good startup environment is transportation. When you can’t transport all the goods you need and deliver your products and services, you will find it very difficult to run your business smoothly. At the same time, the international opportunities offered by Montreal can be very beneficial for anyone planning to expand their business and eventually get to foreign markets.

As Kelly Carlson from the custom writing reviews site Writing Judge says, “Expanding your business is a natural stage in the life of your company. Of course, you may want to stay on the local level, but most business owners ultimately decide to grow their business and get on a different level. Of course, to do this, you will need to have a favorable environment where you will be able to meet the right people and make the necessary connections.”

#5 Exceptional Quality of Life and Technological Advancements

Last but not least, Montreal has an exceptional quality of life and is famous for its technological advancements implemented almost in every sphere and industry. The quality of life in Montreal means that you can expect to have clients at any time of the year which will help your business prosper.

Technological advancements, on the other hand, mean that the city isn’t afraid to embrace the latest tech developments and make life easier both for business owners and their customers. You will be able to benefit from a well-developed urban environment while also being able to integrate technological advancements into your own business practices that will set you apart from other small businesses and startups like yours.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, starting your own business is fairly simple, especially if you are doing it in a city like Montreal. You should follow some steps closely and make sure that you are ready for any unexpected challenges – and you’ll be able to start your own business!

If you want to know more about starting a business, you can find relevant information at romanianlawoffice.com.

Jamie Fry - Purposeful and promising author. At this moment he is working in such company, as Writing Judge essay writing service reviews and enhances his blogging skills. Confidently goes to his goal. He has a talent for writing original content. The main conviction in his life: «To be the best in the field in which you are developing». Always in search of fresh ideas.