Tamaraw Society Aims to Raise Funds for Mindoro’s Tamaraw Rangers

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Frontliners come in all shapes and sizes.

If not for the dedicated rangers of the Tamaraw Conservation Programme (TCP) and Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP), the tamaraw might well be extinct. In 1969, the global population of this elusive forest buffalo was thought to have dropped below 100.

After decades of dedicated conservation work, tamaraw numbers rose to nearly 600 and are poised for recovery. Then COVID-19 happened.

The pandemic crippled businesses and operations globally. Since March 2020, most of the Philippines has been under general or enhanced community quarantine. The country’s national parks were closed to prevent the virus 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. Indigenous people are particularly hard-hit by the pandemic because they lack access to relief and medical services.

To cover a years’ worth of salaries for these tamaraw frontliners, the Philippine Parks & Biodiversity NGO is forming the Tamaraw Society. Comprised of an initial 20 organizations, the society’s members shall commit to donate or raise PHP20,000 each. The funds will be disbursed through the TCP under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“Our campaign is a COVID-19 emergency response to unite concerned groups by securing much-needed salaries and allowances for the retrenched frontliners who protect them,” says PH Parks & Biodiversity representatives Nella Lomotan and Ann Dumaliang.

Eight entities have already confirmed their commitments as of July 2020: WWF-Philippines, Masungi Georeserve, Eco Explorations, D’Aboville Foundation, Planet CORA, Fund the Forest, Ecoheroes Philippines and Mr. Oscar Lopez Jr.

This complements #TogetherforTamaraws, a campaign launched in July 2020 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.

“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,” explains Onno van den Heuvel, BIOFIN global project manager.

The park’s wardens serve as guides and porters for tourism and research expeditions while both TCP and park rangers keep poachers at bay, in case the lockdown entices some to illegally enter the park and hunt animals.

Today, only 23 TCP rangers and three MIBNP wardens are patrolling a core area of 2500 hectares inside the 106,655-hectare MIBNP, which hosts at least 480 of the world’s last 600 tamaraw.

“This pandemic should bring forth empathy and not drive us to apathy,” says Occidental Mindoro Congresswoman Josephine Ramirez-Sato. “Let us all show the spirit of Bayanihan by helping our rangers and wardens in saving the tamaraw.”

A total of 20 organizations will comprise the 20 for 20 Campaign. Organizations can help through bit.ly/TamarawSociety or by emailing phparksandbiodiversity@gmail.com.

Tired of Relationships? Then better have a Slice of Yummy Cakes!!!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

From the outer side, it looks very pleased to be in a relationship and everything seems to be very cool and loving. But no wonder what is going on in between two people who are with each other. There are fights and arguments between couples. Ultimately there comes a point when they wish to end the things between each other. Sometimes you will realize that it is better to stay single than be in a relationship. It is because being in a relationship gives you a constant fear of being dumped or cheated. In such situations, being single is a blessing for sure.

There are plenty of things in a relationship that forces anyone to quit it. From fighting over petty issues to getting ignored from your partner; and many more reasons exist. This is why it is better than at such time you quit the relationship and rather do something that you love. So, what about eating cakes? Many of you might find it funny but hell yeah, it is better to invest your time in cakes rather than people. At least they will give you back the same pleasure that you must have out in getting them for you.

Let us have a look at how online cake delivery can loosen up your mood with ease. So, let us get started!!!

Satiate your Taste Buds

The best thing about these yum delicacies is their delectable taste which will put a period to your hunger pangs. It is very much possible that you must be having cakes for a long time. I have often seen people in a relationship always fighting and not eating at all. So, make sure that you get a cake immediately, once you are out of your relationship. This will help you rejoice the taste and enjoy it to the best without anyone stopping you.

Boosts Up All Your Occasions

Can you remember when the last time you celebrated in the relationship was? Don’t have an idea!!! If yes, then this is the right time for you. Order a birthday cake if it is your dear one’s birthday or an anniversary cake if it is your parent’s anniversary. Only remember that you now need not leave any stone unturned for making the best out of all celebrations.

Can share it with Others

When in a relationship we always avoid sharing each other with the third person. But the same is not the case with the cake, as you can surely share it with the people around you. They will be amazed to see how much you care about others, which you must have forgotten when in a relationship. Sharing a cake would, therefore, spread happiness around you while people could bless you for giving them the finest dessert in the world. Giving cakes on your major occasions or daily life, you just bring happiness and joy to everybody's life.

More you Know about Cake, the Better it Tastes

If you love cakes, then make sure that you learn about it. Since then you will come to know more about the cakes and their baking procedures. All of us need to learn about the things which we love and cakes are surely one of them.

So, make sure that you place an order for a delicious cake from the online cake shops. We bet that these delicacies will surely help you get out of the bad relationships. Also, eating sugary things will release happy hormones in your body. Hope that helps you to forget about the past!!!

Pinoys Lead Names Submission for Mars Journey

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Who wants to go to Mars?

The Philippines leads in the number of names submitted for a spacecraft bound for Mars which will carry the names.

Guess Filipinos are desperate to leave the country. The farther the better. Are they running away from the Covid-19 virus or the veerus president that announced at his 5th SONA that he is inutil against China?

NASA has launched its $2.7B nuclear-powered "perseverance" mars rover, carried by the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, from Cape Canaveral in Florida. The rover will take 7 months for a 300 million miles journey to arrive on the planet.

It's the first step of NASA's newest effort to hunt for signs of ancient microbial life and collect samples that will eventually be returned to Earth.

If you are running away from the virus, please bear in mind that China may have already been there....and left you a big surprise.

But some Filipinos also believe thst Senator Cynthia Villar has already struck the flag of Camella there.