Philippine Post Office launches colorful Year of the Rabbit Stamps to mark Chinese Lunar Year

Wazzup Pilipinas!?




The Philippine Postal Corporation (Post Office) released the commemorative "Year of the Rabbit" stamps to mark the celebration of Chinese New Year 2023 held at Seascape Village in Pasay City.

“The celebration is a manifestation of our solidarity with our Filipino-Chinese friends. For us, the Lunar New Year is an occasion to celebrate the rich heritage that both our nations have treasured”, Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio said.

Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) Executive Vice President Ms. Mary G. Ng said that recognition and respect for both the Filipinos and Chinese is being represented through the stamps”.

The Chinese New Year is said to be the most important and longest holiday celebrated not just in Asia but in other parts of the world. The celebration begins on the first day of the lunar calendar, and it is considered the beginning of “Spring”.

The Chinese Zodiac has twelve representative animals, namely: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. During this auspicious event, Filipino-Chinese and even the general public practice age-old traditions and joyous festivities associated with the holiday.

The Chinese calendar has sparked "a lot of interest" in recent years among Filipinos who "collect the (Chinese zodiac) stamps”, the Philippine Post Office, which is under the Office of the President, said in a statement.

In Chinese culture, the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. The Rabbit is known to many as the luckiest in the zodiac. If one is born under the Year of the Rabbit, it is said that one is friendly, gentle, and kind to others.

Modern Chinese Lunar Year Stamps have bolder colors and designs to make it more appealing to collectors. For example, viva magenta, which is the pantone color this 2023, represents universal harmony and emotional balance. It promotes compassion, kindness, and cooperation.

The Chinese cultural influence has been widely recognized in the country, from eating Chinese food, talking to Feng Shui experts for good luck, as well as reading their Chinese horoscope.

PHLPost in-house artists Ryman Dominic Albuladora, Eunice Dabu and Agnes Rarangol designed the colorful stamps.

The stamps, souvenir sheets, and official first-day cover will be available to the public starting Wednesday, January 25. The Year of the Rabbit ends on February 9, 2024. For inquiries on the stamps, call (02)8527-0108 or (02)8527-0132 and follow and like the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PilipinasPhilately/ for updates.

UP scientists eye nationwide wastewater monitoring for COVID-19, other diseases

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Researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP) are positing the use of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to aid with public health. They presented their findings to the public on January 19.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Dr. Caroline Marie Jaraula of the UP Diliman College of Science’s Marine Science Institute (MSI) was already doing water quality research in the Davao region and decided to expand into WBE, or the analysis of biological and chemical markers in wastewater to provide information on public health. Dr. Jaraula worked with scientists and researchers from UP Mindanao and UP Manila including Dr. Lyre Anni Murao, Dr. Emmanuel Baja, Dr. Vladimer Kobayashi, Dr. Dann Marie Del Mundo and Maria Catherine Otero. The collaboration resulted in multiple studies that underscore the value of wastewater research in public health surveillance.



Invaluable detection tool for COVID-19

In her presentation of their published study, Multifaceted Assessment of Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 in Selected Urban Communities in Davao City, Philippines: A Pilot Study, Dr. Del Mundo explained how WBE research can provide effective and faster analysis of community-level COVID-19 infection using fewer resources.

“Clinical monitoring, such as RT-PCR testing, and contact tracing are limited in the early detection or prediction of community outbreaks and can be logistically demanding and expensive when applied to a large population,” Dr. Del Mundo said.

Wastewater samples from six Davao City barangays contained a high volume of SARS-CoV-2 RNA genetic material even though the barangays were classified as having a low risk of COVID-19 transmission and no reports of new infections. The RNA found in the wastewater “may have also come from pre-symptomatic, asymptomatic, or symptomatic individuals who did not self-report to their local health monitoring unit,” according to the researchers.

Otero further elaborated that the virus RNA was detected in 22 out of 24 samples (91.7%) regardless of the presence of new COVID-19 cases in those areas, echoing similar trends in COVID-19 cases reported via standard clinical surveillance. “Danger of reinfection due to wastewater research will not be an issue because the virus is already dead in the water. They can still be detected because of the RNA, but they are no longer infectious,” Otero assured.



Urging government adoption of WBE

The researchers urged the Philippine government to consider WBE as a powerful and cost-effective tool for public health surveillance.

“Detecting RNA in wastewater could help LGUs forecast what barangay are at risk and may need closer monitoring, rather than a blanket lockdown,” said Dr. Jaraula. “We should consider this as science-based tools to determine which barangay is more susceptible.”

The team has expanded its efforts to look at other possible beneficial uses of WBE. With funding from the Department of Science and Technology Niche Centers in the Regions for R&D (DOST-NICER), they have expanded their work into other areas through the Integrated Wastewater-Based Epidemiology and Data Analytics for Community-Level Pathogen Surveillance and Genetic Tracking (iWAS) Project.

The team is expected to publish further findings on WBE within the year, and are also looking to conduct similar research in other highly urbanized areas outside of Davao City.

 
The researchers of Project iWAS are looking at more ways to monitor public health through wastewater analysis. (Photo credit:Dr. Dann Del Mundo)



REFERENCES:

Otero, M.B. et al (2022). Multifaceted Assessment of Wastewater-Based Epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 in Selected Urban Communities in Davao City, Philippines: A Pilot Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8789; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148789



Links to presentations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-8S0xbgaSU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Buh6_XFoh4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oK_N_pWykY


Cover photo caption:

Dr. Dann Marie Del Mundo, Project iWAS lead, talks about the challenges of designing a wastewater-based surveillance system for COVID-19. She and her team underscored the potential of WBE for monitoring public health across the Philippines.(Photo credit: Shedy Masayon, UPD-CS SciComm)

CreatePHFilms Funding Program Opens Applications for Cycle 1 of 2023

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CreatePHFilms, the local funding program of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) officially opens its new cycle this 2023 to provide funding to Filipino filmmakers and producers for the development and production of their films.

CreatePHFilms Cycle 1 of 2023 opened its call for applications last January 16, 2023 with four funding programs for mid-length and feature films which can be fiction, documentary, or animation:

● Development Fund: A selective and non-recoupable fund of PHP300,000 with mentoring sessions with industry experts.

● Small Budget Production Fund: A selective and non-recoupable fund for the production of Filipino films with an overall production budget of less than PHP15,000,000.

● Large Budget Production Fund: A selective and non-recoupable fund for the production of Filipino films with an overall production budget of at least PHP15,000,000.

● Post-production Fund: A selective and non-recoupable fund of PHP300,000 for post-production companies engaged with post-production companies registered under the FDCP National Registry for Companies.

Eligible applicants must be duly registered and accredited by the FDCP National Registry and eligible projects must be directed by a Filipino.

Strengthening PH Cinema and boosting the economy through CreatePHFilms

For eligible expenses, 100% of the fund must be spent in the Philippines to boost the local economy as this will also provide economic opportunities for local services, artists, crew members, and other film workers.

In 2022, FDCP awarded a total of PHP 4.6 million to 19 grantees: 15 for Scriptwriting and Project Development, two for Small Budget Production, and two for Post-production.

Among the most notable grantees of the CreatePHFilms funding programs are Sundance 2022-winning film “Ang Pagbabalik ng Kwago” (Leonor Will Never Die) by Martika Escobar, Sundance 2023 selection “In My Mother’s Skin” by Kenneth Dagatan, and internationally-acclaimed disaster film “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon” (Whether the Weather is Fine) by Carlo Francisco Manatad, Through this funding initiative, the FDCP aims to amplify the Philippine film industry’s reputation as a growing and thriving film hotspot with local, independent, and innovative creatives in order to attract worldwide attention.

The CreatePHFilms Cycle 1 of 2023 will accept applications until March 17, 2023. To know more about the application process, visit: https://fdcp.ph/programs/createphfilms. For inquiries, send an email to createphfilms@fdcp.ph.