WWF-PH Earth Exhibit concludes with a fundraising auction featuring works by Olivia D’aboville, Agnes Arellano, Jao Mapa, and more local artists

Wazzup Pilipinas!


The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines’ Earth Exhibit initiative is set to wrap up this December with a fundraising auction featuring curated items from partner local artists, celebrities, and WWF-PH ambassadors, in partnership with Gavel & Block by Salcedo Auctions and Bid for the Future.

The auction, which aims to raise funds to provide food assistance and livelihood equipment for 209 partner Dumagats and their families in Ipo Watershed, will feature over 100 art pieces and pre-loved items by celebrities, including pop diva Kuh Ledesma and WWF-PH Ambassadors Pia Wurtzbach, Rovilson Fernandez, and Enzo Pineda.

“Definitely, artists have a voice. They have fans that will listen to them. When they speak, people are attentive especially when it is a positive message. We could be more purposeful with the messages that we put out there whether on social media or even with the things that we wear like t-shirts with positive messages. There are also many artists who show their homes to share ideas. The way artists speak also influence their followers. People listen when they speak loudly about causes like the conservation of our environment and most specially for the far-flung places. When artists are doing their part to use their voices and their names to send out powerful messages to restore, to protect, and to conserve our environment, then we have done a good service to our country and our fellowmen, ang ating mga kababayans,” said Ledesma, who is an active supporter of WWF-PH’s fundraising efforts. 

WWF-PH Ambassador Pia Wurtzbach, who has also mounted her own fundraising drives for the organization’s partner communities and environmental frontliners, encouraged art aficionados to participate in the auction and find meaningful gifts for the holiday season.

“I donated some items and I wish you guys bid for them because they are really important to me, but I’m willing to share these items for WWF!” said Wurtzbach.

Salcedo Auctions Managing Director, Mr. Victor M. Silvino, shared their team’s excitement to work with WWF-PH and its partners for the initiative.

"We're excited to partner with WWF through our subsidiary, Gavel & Block, as the official auction platform for their fundraiser. There's always been a close link between art and nature. Artists either take inspiration from nature or take their paint pigments from it! But more than that, it's the power of art to communicate ideas and experiences that this partnership highlights. With WWF, we're helping artists and collectors find new ways to share and discuss important issues about nature and community," Silvino said.

Australia-based Filipino artist Emmanuel Santos, who has committed cotton rag archival prints for the auction, encouraged fellow artists to use their platform in creating awareness for environmental conservation.

“If art is the manifestation of beauty and grace from master creators of the universe, then we must unleash it and embrace it, after all every single creation that we live within our planet is a unique masterpiece of our heavenly creator. We experience the beauty, the harmony which gives birth to inspiration for music, poetry, writings, sculptures and paintings. Each dawn is a new color and each dusk is a reflection of the theatrical day that’s been. And this is repeated over and over without end. So let’s not let it fade, let’s nourish and nurture our nature and be the warrior of light for planet Earth. Life is short, art is eternal,” Salvosa shared.

The auction will kick-off on December 5 and feature pieces by Olivia D’aboville, Agnes Arellano, Jinggoy Buensuceso, Rom Villaseran, Jao Mapa, Carmen Westendorp Brias, and more local artists. To browse the auction catalogue and bid, simply log on to Salcedo Auctions’ official website at https://salcedoauctions.com/ and register an account for bidding.

WWF-Philippines is set to launch more fundraising initiatives to #ChangeTheEnding for the environment and to help our environmental frontliners and partner communities. For more information, log on to https://wwf.org.ph or follow WWF-PH on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade nanawagan sa mga tsuper na lumahok sa ‘Service Contracting Program’ ng pamahalaan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Muling nanawagan si Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade sa mga tsuper ng mga pampublikong sasakyan (PUVs) na magpa-rehistro at lumahok sa “Service Contracting Program” na isinusulong ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Kasalukuyang ginaganap ang general registration at orientation program para sa Service Contracting ng LTFRB sa Quezon City Memorial Circle Covered Basketball Court. Nagsimula ito noong Miyerkules, ika-25 ng Nobyembre hanggang Linggo, ika-29 ng Nobyembre, alas otso ng umaga hanggang alas singko ng hapon.

Kasabay ng isinasagawang general registration at training sa QC circle, mayroon ding nagaganap na general registration at training para sa service contracting program sa iba’t-ibang mga rehiyon sa bansa, tulad ng CARAGA, Regions 1, 6, 7, 9 10, 11 at 12.

Sa ilalim ng Service Contracting Program, ang mga tsuper na lubhang naapektuhan ang kabuhayan dahil sa COVID-19 ay maaring makatanggap ng dagdag na pagkakakitaan.

“Ang mga drayber ng pampublikong sasakyan ang isa sa mga matinding tinamaan ng pandemya, kaya naman gusto natin silang tulungan. Ito 'hong Service Contracting Program ay kaakibat ng Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, kung saan tutulungan ho natin ang mga tsuper na magkaroon ng dagdag na kita sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng insentibo base sa kanilang performance, na makatutong din upang maitaas ang lebel at kalidad ng kanilang serbisyo,” ani Secretary Tugade.

“Nananawagan ho ako sa ating mga tsuper na makilahok sa programang ito, nang sa ganon ay matulungan sila ng pamahalaan na mabawi nila ang nawala nilang kita dahil sa pandemya. Magtungo ho kayo sa Quezon City Circle at magpa-rehistro. Huwag po ninyong sayangin ang pagkakataon,” dagdag ni Secretary Tugade.

Matatandaan na ang Bayanihan To Recover As One Act o “Bayanihan 2” ay naglaan ng P5.58 bilyon para pondohan at isakatuparan ang “service contracting program” at tulungan ang mga tsuper na na magkaroon ng dagdag na kita.

Sa pamamagitan ng Service Contracting Program, babayaran ng pamahalaan ang mga tsuper sa pamamagitan ng isang “performance-based subsidy”, kung saan gagawing batayan ang distansyang itinakbo ng mga pampublikong sasakyan na minamaneho nila.

Ayon sa LTFRB, ang mga tsuper ng mga tradisyunal at modernong jeepneys ay makakatanggap ng P11 kada kilometro. Samantala, ang mga tsuper naman ng mga pampublikong bus ay makakatanggap ng P23.10 kada kilometrong itinakbo.

Ang “subsidy” o ayuda para sa mga tsuper ay base sa sumatutal na kilometrong kanilang itinakbo sa isang araw. Ang subsidy ay ibibigay kada isang linggo sa mga tsuper sa pamamagitan ng Land Bank of the Philippines.

Layon nitong makatulong sa pang-araw na gastos ng mga tsuper sa kanilang biyahe gaya ng gastos sa krudo, boundary, at iba pang gastusin para tugunan ang mga “quarantine protocols.”

Ang mga tsuper na nais lumahok sa programa ay kailangang magpakita ng “original” at “photocopies” ng kanilang propesyunal na lisensya, isang “certificate” na pirmado ng kanilang opereytor na magpapatunay na sila nga ay isang tsuper, dalawang photocopies ng operator’s valid ID (harap at likod) na may tatlong pirma ng operator, at isang photocopy ng “official receipt” (OR) o “certificate of registration” (CR) ng jeepney o bus na kanilang minamaneho.

Kailangan ding sumunod ang mga tsuper-aplikante sa mga health at safety protocols na pinaiiral sa lugar na pinagdarausan ng event, tulad ng pagsagot sa Health Declaration at Contact Tracing Forms bago pumasok, pagsusuot ng face shield at face mask, at ang social distancing measure.

PHLPost’s pays tribute to Filipino contemporary family in new Christmas Stamps

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In celebration of the National Stamp Collecting Month (NSCM), the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) released new stamps featuring “Pasko (Christmas) 2020”, a loving tribute to all families celebrating together this yuletide season.

Amid this pandemic, Christmas-time is still celebrated by Filipinos, no matter where they are anywhere in the world.

“At the end of this extraordinary difficult year, the Christmas stamp will remind us that spending time together with the Family will bring much needed respite from the worries and adversity, and looking forward for better days to come”, PHLPost said in a statement.

This year has been challenging especially with the onslaught of the Taal volcanic eruption, the ongoing public health crisis brought by COVID-19, and the recent devastation from Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses. 

Despite the darkness presented by recent events, light still shines through.

In the face of harrowing grief we are bound together by our shared responsibility to each other. All of this, we learned from the basic unit of our society, the family.

The “Pasko 2020” stamps features an image of the contemporary Filipino family. They gathered around for support and encouragement, maintaining a positive outlook with the traditional Parol (Christmas lantern) in the background to complement the postage stamp. 

PHLPost has printed 10,000 copies of the stamps at 12.00 each. In-house graphic Artist Eunice Beatrix U. Dabu designed the Christmas stamps.

Stamps and Official First Day Covers of “Pasko 2020” will be available at the Philatelic Counter, Manila Central Post Office, all Mega Manila Post Offices, Area 1, Tuguegarao, Area 2, San Fernando, La Union, Postal Area 4, San Pablo, Postal Area 5, Mandaue, Postal Area 6, Iloilo, Postal Area 7, Davao, Postal Area 8, Cagayan de Oro, and Postal Area 9, Zamboanga.