Sulong-Agham multilingual children's books launched at UPD-CS

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The newly-launched Sulong-Agham series of multilingual children’s books aims to inspire Filipino children to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by showcasing the lives and work of Filipino scientists.

Professor emeritus and “Doktor ng Dagat” author Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu (fifth from left) is joined by UPD-CS MSI marine scientist Dr. Deo Onda (4th from left) and UPD-CS dean Dr. Giovanni Tapang (6th from left) at the Sulong-Agham book series launch at the UPD-CS Admin Building, December 12. Looking on are (L to R) SSI vice president Prof. Jose Monfred Sy, DFPP chair Prof. Schedar Jocson, UPD-CAL dean Dr. Jimmuel Naval, UPD-CS SAPA associate dean Dr. Lillian Rodriguez, UPD-CS MAPA associate dean Dr. Eizadora Yu, UPD-CS FARM associate dean Dr. Marian Roque, and SSI president Cheeno Marlo Sayuno. Photo credit: Andro Sampang

Born out of a collaboration between the UP Diliman College of Science (UPD-CS) and non-profit organization Supling Sining, Inc. (SSI), together with the UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikang Pilipino (UPD-CAL DFPP), Sulong-Agham was successfully launched last December 12 at the UPD-CS Admin Building.

Limited signed copies of the first book in the series, "Ang Doktor ng Dagat," were given out at the event, which was graced by the author, former UPD-CAL dean and professor emeritus Dr. Rosario Torres-Yu; and the titular subject of the tome, pioneering oceanographer and marine scientist Dr. Deo Florence Onda of the UPD-CS’ Marine Science Institute (MSI). Written in Filipino, Cuyonon, and English, the storybook touches on Dr. Onda’s life and work as the first Filipino and one of the first humans ever to explore Emden Deep in the Philippine Trench — the third deepest place in the world’s oceans.

Following the successful launch of this first volume, Dr. Torres-Yu announced that the next title in the Sulong-Agham series will tackle the life and work of famed Filipino biologist Leonard Co.

The Sulong-Agham book series on the lives and work of Filipino scientists, available in Filipino and other languages.

Dr. Torres-Yu also talked about how “Doktor ng Dagat” began as a passion project during the pandemic. It was, for her, a creative spark of hope at a time when it was most needed: “Sa karanasan kong ito, lalong lumakas ang paniniwala ko na ang malikhaing imahinasyon ang naging sagwan ko sa pag-gaod sa dagat ng takot, kawalang pag-asa, at lungkot upang matuklas ko ang misyong lumikha ng mga kuwentong magbubukas sa mga batang Filipino sa mundo ng agham.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Onda fondly recalled how he all but stumbled into becoming a scientist, initially pursuing a biology degree as the first step to fulfilling his parents’ wishes for him to become a medical doctor. However, he quickly discovered that his interests were elsewhere: “Habang nagba-Biology, doon ko narealize na hindi biyolohiya ng tao ang gusto ko. Isang araw, sumulat ako sa mga magulang ko. Sabi ko sa kanila na hindi na ako magmemedisina. Gusto ko na lang ituloy ang pagiging biyolohista, at maging isang marine biologist pagkatapos.”

He also looked back on the thrill of his adventure in Emden Deep. It was a scary once-in-a-lifetime experience that he just couldn’t pass up: “Ilang beses lamang ba nagiging balita ang isang siyentipiko? Ilang beses lamang ba nagiging kuwento sa buong bansa ang kuwento ng isang siyentista? Napakalimitado. Napakakaunting panahon. Napakakaunting oportunidad.”

But Dr. Onda quickly added that the real story at the heart of “Doktor ng Dagat” is much bigger than himself; it’s about the liberation and empowerment that comes from following a dream. “Sinasabi ko po lagi, ‘yung kuwento ng Emden Deep, mas malayo pa siya sa kuwento ko. Kuwento ‘to ng mga batang nangarap, nangangarap, at tinutupad ang mga pangarap nila. Sana ‘yung kuwento ng Doktor ng Dagat ay maging inspirasyon ng mga batang wala masyadong oportunidad sa buhay. Sana maging daan rin siya para mangarap sila at ‘yung mga taong tutulong sa kanila ay maging inspired rin para tulungan sila.”

UPD-CS Dean Giovanni Tapang wrapped up the launch by highlighting the rarity of children’s books that feature scientists, and his hope that the Sulong-Agham book series could help children see scientists in a more positive light. “Importante na magkaroon tayo ng mga ganitong klaseng libro para bigyan ng ibang klaseng pagtingin ang mga kabataan natin na maganda maging isang siyentista, mag-aral ng agham, kasi ito ang kailangan natin sa ating lipunan ngayon.”

For partnership and sponsorship inquiries, please contact China Pearl de Vera at chinapearldevera@gmail.com. For interviews and other media requests, please contact media@science.upd.edu.ph.


The full proceedings of the book launch can be found here: ​​https://www.facebook.com/UPDScience/videos/829153225012586

A Brief Guide to Get Clients and Contracts for Your Dump Truck Business

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



The truck industry is rapidly rising and is attracting many individuals. But in the process, it can be tough to find clients when you start dump truck business. Even if you have years of experience in the dump truck industry, there's no guarantee that your business will succeed. But with a little hard work and determination, you can make it happen. This article will cover some simple steps to help you get noticed and get contracts/jobs for your dump truck business.


Points to Keep in Mind to Get Clients

As of 2022, there were 28,418 dump truck services companies in the US, an increase of 0.7% from 2021. There are a few essential points to remember while getting clients:


Make the Rounds at Construction Sites

● Talk to the foreman.

● Talk to the project manager.

● Ask for referrals and job application information from other contractors who have worked on the site. If you don't get a referral but still want to bid on jobs at that location, ask for a site tour so that you can see what's going on firsthand before submitting your bid.

● Ask for copies of the project specifications—this gives you an idea of what work has been done there in the past, how much space is available for equipment parking and staging areas, etc.

● Ask for copies of their job bids—this will help give you an idea of what prices they were bidding versus yours per unit (dump truck).




Use Your Network, Especially Your Family

You can also use your network, especially your family. It's important to know that not everyone will be willing to help, and you want to be sure that those who do are qualified and have the same values as you. If they don't, they may become more of a liability than an asset.




Reach Out to Owners of Other Dump Truck Businesses

If you've already been working in the dump truck business, then there's a good chance that you know people who own other dump truck businesses. These are the best people to talk to about getting new clients and contracts for your business.



The first step is finding out where these business owners are located by searching for them on Google Maps or LinkedIn. Then, simply ask them if they have any work for you! You can also offer them referrals from your current customers if they need help finding more work around town.


Go Local with Your Small Business Marketing

You must market to local businesses to get clients and contracts for your dump truck business. Local businesses are more likely to need your services, use them again, and refer you to their friends and family.



For this strategy to work, however, you must have a solid reputation in the community as someone who provides reliable service at a fair price. You should also be willing—and able—to provide on-site service when needed.


Post on Job boards and Freelancer Sites

Posting on job boards is a good way to find clients. Job boards are an excellent place to find clients who need a dump truck business, and they can help you reach lots of people with your services.



Job boards offer various options for finding customers, like posting your resume or posting an ad for your services. You might have to pay for these ads, but it might be worth it because they will reach many more people than other ways of getting clients.


Conclusion

To start a dump truck business, you must ensure you know how to reach out to your clients. Or even before that, you have to make sure that you know the ways or platforms where your potential customers can start your client search. Moreover, if you want to own many trucks to expand your business, you will need a professional driver with a proper license, CDL training, and insurance.

Coins.ph Launches “Pay with QR” to Speed Adoption of Cashless Payments for Everyday Transactions

Wazzup Pilipinas!?



The Coins Wallet is now compatible with the QR Ph standard, the national QR-based payment system developed by the Philippines’ central bank.


Coins.ph, ("Coins" or the "Company"), the Philippines' leading digital wallet provider and crypto exchange platform, today announced the launch of “Pay with QR”, a new feature that will allow Coins Wallet users to make convenient cashless payments to merchants and businesses throughout the country.

“We are very excited to launch our new Pay with QR feature on the Coins Wallet, a service which will make everyday transactions easier not only for our users, but also for millions of small business owners across the country,” said Coins.ph Chief Executive Officer Wei Zhou. “The adoption of cashless payments is a major enabler for financial inclusion because it opens up a whole new world of opportunities for marginalized communities that have previously lacked access to formal banking solutions. We are proud to throw our support behind QR Ph, a great initiative from the Philippines’ Central Bank that we believe will accelerate digital adoption by providing a unified national standard for QR code payments. We will continue to play our part by working closely with the local governments to push the Philippines into the digital payments age.”

 
Starting today, Coins users can simply click “Pay with QR” within the Coins app, scan the QR code displayed by a participating merchant, and enter the payment amount to complete their transaction instantly. Pay with QR is compatible with QR Ph, the QR payment standard for the Philippines developed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippines’ central bank. It is based on the Europay-Mastercard-Visa (EMV) system, which is considered the gold standard internationally for fast and secure payments.
The QR Ph system will allow merchants and small business owners to display a single QR code that is compatible with multiple digital wallets, including Coins.ph. QR Ph codes are already in use at large nationwide chain outlets like Jollibee, and Coins has expressed its interest in working with the BSP and local governments to accelerate their adoption in places like public markets, sari-sari stores, motorized tricycles, and other small businesses. With almost 80% of payments in the Philippines still made in cash, there is ample opportunity for digital tools to help local businesses operate more efficiently and boost local economies.

 
Coins’ mission is to serve as the gateway between the worlds of Web2 and Web3, and its digital wallet offering allows millions of users to spend both cryptocurrency and fiat money where it matters most: in the real economy, as part of everyday transactions. Pay with QR represents a significant expansion of payment options for Coins’ 18 million plus users.

To encourage Coins Wallet holders to explore this new payment option, Coins is running a limited-time promotion which will allow both new and existing users to earn free Bitcoin rewards for using the Pay with QR feature. Details, terms and conditions are available at https://coins.ph/blog/coins-qr-launch/


About Coins.ph


Launched in 2014, Coins.ph is the most established crypto brand in the Philippines and has more than 18 million users. Through the easy-to-use mobile app, users can buy and sell a variety of cryptocurrencies and access a wide range of financial services. Coins.ph is fully regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and is the first crypto-based company in Asia to hold both Virtual Currency and Electronic Money Issuer licenses from the central bank. For further information, contact marketing@coins.ph.
For more information about Coins.ph, visit https://coins.ph and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.