Philippine Post Office releases new stamps featuring PBBM, VP Sara

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The Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) released new stamps to mark the inauguration of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, Jr. and Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.

The Post Office released on Nov. 17 the first day of issue of stamps commemorating the historic inauguration of President Marcos Jr., who took his oath as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines held at the historic National Museum in Manila on June 30, 2022.

The complete set of stamps includes the President’s Oath of Office administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and witnessed by Marcos’ wife, Liza, and their three sons, a Souvenir Stamp Sheet featuring President BBM’s inaugural address, the Official First-Day Cover envelope depicting the first family and the combined souvenir sheet stamped and postmarked on the official First-day cover.

On the same day, a commemorative stamp was also issued to honor Vice President Sara Z. Duterte who took her oath as the 15th Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines, before Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando at San Pedro Square in Davao City on June 19, 2022.

The set of stamps features her oath of office, a photo of the inaugural speech, the combined Official First-Day commemorative cover envelope and a souvenir sheet of the inauguration, and the signing of document which was witnessed by her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, and VP Sara’s mother Mrs. Elizabeth Zimmerman.

“We are not just honoring them by issuing their stamps. We are commemorating a historic event for the country whereby a new president and vice president were elected by the Filipino people. The Post Office being one of the nation’s guardians and recorders of history, we immortalize this significant event through these beautiful and meaningful stamps”, Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio said.

The Post Office has printed 40,000 copies of the Presidential inauguration and another 40,000 copies for the Vice President’s commemorative stamps. In-house Post Office graphic artists Eunice Beatrix Dabu and Ryman Dominic Albuladora did the layout of the said stamps.

The designs feature the official seals of the Republic of the Philippines and the Office of the President and Vice President respectively.

The launching ceremony for the Presidential and Vice Presidential Inauguration Commemorative Stamps shall be scheduled for a later date.

Stamps and official first-day covers are now available at the Philatelic Counter, Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang Bonifacio. For inquiries, please call (02)8527-0108 or (02)8527-0132 and follow and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PilipinasPhilately/ for updates.

SSS offers calamity assistance to ‘Paeng’-affected members, pensioners starting November 17

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The Social Security System (SSS) announced today that it will extend financial assistance to its members and pensioners in areas affected by Severe Tropical Storm ‘Paeng’ starting November 17, 2022 and will last until February 16, 2023.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Michael G. Regino said that the SSS Calamity Assistance Package consists of the Calamity Loan Assistance Program (CLAP) for its members and the Three-Month Advance Pension for SSS and Employees’ Compensation (EC) pensioners.

“We, at SSS, are always ready to assist our members and pensioners in the typhoon-stricken areas. We want to assure them that even during times of calamities, they can rely on the financial assistance from SSS,” Regino said.

Regino said members and pensioners in the areas to be declared under state of calamity by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), or the Sangguniang Bayan, Panglungsod, or Panlalawigan can avail of the financial assistance.

Provinces under state of calamity are Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Masbate, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.

In Cagayan, the towns that are under the state of calamity include Amulung, Enrile, and Tuguegarao. In Marinduque, these areas are Mogpog, Santa Cruz and Buenavista, and in Cotabato, these are Pigcawayan, Libungan, and Midsayap. Other areas also declared under state of calamity include Muntinlupa City, Calbayog in Samar, Sirawai in Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga City in Zamboanga del Sur.

Under the CLAP, qualified members in Paeng-affected areas can borrow a loan equivalent to their one monthly salary credit or up to P20,000. The calamity loan is payable in two (2) years or 24 equal monthly installments with an annual interest rate of 10%.

Likewise, the SSS will provide financial aid to SSS and EC pensioners in typhoon-hit areas. “Pensioners may avail of the Three-Month Advance Pension wherein SSS pensioners will be given three months advance of their total monthly pension,” Regino said.

“We want to help our members and pensioners during these difficult times. We hope that the financial aid that we extended to them will be of big help to rebuild their lives,” Regino said.

Meanwhile, Regino reminded members and pensioners in areas affected by Super Typhoon Karding that they still have until January 6, 2023 to avail of the CLAP and Three-Month Advance Pension for those hit by the super typhoon.

Undersea discovery leads to multilingual childrens’ books on Pinoy scientists

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A children’s storybook about a pioneering Filipino scientist who made a surprising discovery in one of the deepest parts of the world’s oceans has led to a collaboration between the University of the Philippines - Diliman’s College of Science (UPD-CS) and College of Arts and Letters (UPD-CAL) for a series of inspiring multilingual children’s books on the lives of Filipino researchers.

UPD-CAL DFPP Professor Emeritus Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu and UPD-CS Associate Dean Dr. Lillian Rodriguez (2nd and 3rd from left, respectively) hold up copies of the children’s book, “Doktor ng Dagat,” the first volume of the Sulong-Agham Book Series. Looking on are publisher Supling Sining, Inc. Vice President Jose Monfred Sy (leftmost) and the DFPP Assistant Chair Maynard Manansala.

The Sulong-Agham Book Series is set to launch in December with the book, “Doktor ng Dagat.” Written by CAL Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas (DFPP) Professor Emeritus Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu and developed for publication by Supling Sining, Inc., the tome touches on the life and work of Dr. Deo Florence Onda of the UPD-CS’ Marine Science Institute (MSI) who was the first Filipino and one of the first humans ever to explore Emden Deep in the Philippine Trench.

The third deepest place on Earth, Emden Deep is one of the world’s most inaccessible regions even though it is just barely 100 kilometers away from Eastern Samar. And yet, despite its depth and isolation, it was not untouched by humans. You will have to read the storybook to find out what Dr. Onda saw in the depths of the ocean, but it was enough to prompt him to dedicate his life to helping raise public awareness about maintaining the health of our rich marine resources.

Dr. Onda’s life story comes to life in the expert hands of Dr. Torres-Yu, a renowned storyteller and beloved mentor, with illustrations by Paul Eric Roca. Aside from winning and, later, being a judge of the prestigious Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, Dr. Torres-Yu is also the former dean of CAL and former director of the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino. Meanwhile, Roca is a painter, illustrator, and internationally-published editorial cartoonist.

“Doktor ng Dagat” is written in Filipino with translations in Dr. Onda’s native Cuyonon as well as in English. It is the pilot volume of the Sulong-Agham Book Series, done in partnership between UPD-CS and UPD-CAL, which aims to inspire Filipino children to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by showcasing the lives and work of Filipino scientists. Other books in the series will also be published in Filipino and other Philippine languages, with English translations.

“We hope that this series of stories, beginning with Dr. Onda’s, will help bring about a new generation of scientists and a more science-minded public,” Dr. Torres-Yu said.

“This pioneering project between CS and CAL underscores the importance of collaboration between the arts and sciences and invites young readers to experience the wonders of science,” noted UPD-CS Dean Giovanni Tapang.

“Doktor ng Dagat” and the Sulong-Agham Book Series will be formally launched on December 12, 2022 at 4:00pm in the lobby of the CS Administration Building in UP Diliman. Supling Sining is open to sponsors who are interested in gifting the book to underserved communities, at just ₱100 a copy.



To purchase copies of “Doktor ng Dagat” or to inquire about sponsorships, please contact China Pearl de Vera at chinapearldevera@gmail.com. For interviews and other media requests, please contact media@science.upd.edu.ph.