VibeRun: Takbo para sa mga Servant-Heroes on September 1

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) invites you to cover the VibeRun: Takbo para sa mga Servant-Heroes on September 01, 2024 (Sunday) at 4:00 AM at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila.

In celebration of the 124th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (PCSA), the Civil Service Commission (CSC) will kick off the festivities with a nationwide fun run to promote camaraderie, physical fitness, and mental well-being among the 1.9 million civil servants. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Pamanang Lingkod Bayani (PLBi) Program, which honors public servants who have died in the line of duty by providing their families with financial assistance, a scholarship, and a certificate of recognition.

Led by CSC National Capital Region (NCR), the "VibeRun" will feature three running categories at various locations around the country, with the main event taking place at Quirino Grandstand in Manila. CSC NCR aims to draw 20,000 participants, making it the largest simultaneous color fun run by a government agency in the country.

To provide a vibrant and unique experience, the event will use Holi Powder, a vibrant, non-toxic colored powder commonly used in Indian and Nepali holidays. Participants are urged to wear white shirts with their agency logos, and the race will be filled with fun and energy rather than competitiveness, marking the start of the PCSA activities.

Retired Justice Stephen Cruz to champion Manila Central Post Office rehab and revitalized Postal Bank

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Former Court of Appeals Justice Stephen C.  Cruz has taken his oath of office as Chairman of the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), before Executive Secretary and former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin which was held yesterday, August 27 in Malacanang Palace.

On top of PHLPost, Chairman Cruz plans include the restoration, rehabilitation and determination of the "best use" of the burnt historic Manila Central Post Office building together with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the MCPO rehabilitation headed by the Department of Tourism.

He will work for the establishment of a Postal Museum, and allied works related to the promenade and development of tourism, consistent with the various projects of the Marcos Administration.

Also, he will exert all effort for the return and digitalization of the postal bank. The OF Bank (formerly PostalBank) was transferred by the previous administration to Landbank.

Chairman Cruz programs signal a new beginning towards a harmonious working relationship with Postmaster General and CEO Luis D. Carlos especially in the digital transformation of the postal service.

He will likewise lobby for the immediate return of the Postal ID as a functional card due to the insistent demand and clamor of thousands of Filipinos here and abroad who wish to acquire and renew their Postal Identity Card (Postal ID).

Chairman Cruz is a graduate of the Ateneo Law School Class of 1976. He joined former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. office as a legal officer in 1977, the year he passed the bar.  In 1980, he worked as Senior Associate Attorney at Nazareno Law Office.

He served as Presiding Judge of the Lucena RTC Branch 60 for 6 years from 2000-2006, before being appointed to the Court of Appeals-Manila in 2006 until 2020.

With more than 37 years of law practice, Justice Cruz teaches at the University of the East College of Law, Enverga University College of Law, and San Carlos University in Cebu. He also taught at the Philippine Christian University College of Law.

Cruz replaced Mike Planas, who served PHLPost for 3 months, as Chairman of the Board of Directors. 

Young Hearts and Heroes: Meet the teenager who created a children’s storybook with pediatric cancer patients from Bahay Aruga

  

The Adventures of Damgo: Betta and the Dry Lands written by 16-year old Nikki Go is now available from www.bookshelf.com.ph This book features artwork by pediatric cancer patients.

As the country gets ready to celebrate National Heroes Day on August 26 (yes a long weekend is here again) we meet a new set of heroes.

As Arizona Robbins from Grey’s Anatomy said, not all heroes wear capes. Some happen to be tiny humans. Now, another teenager and her friends set out to create a lasting impact in the Philippine arts and culture space by publishing the first book of the ongoing children’s book series, The Adventures of Damgo: Betta and the Dry Lands.

At just 16 years old, Jacqueline Dominique “Nikki” Go is already creating heroic contributions to art and pediatric cancer communities.

As the founder of the Damgo Art Therapy Foundation and the author of The Adventures of Damgo, Nikki’s journey starts with the love for family and art.

Nikki’s artistic interests began in early childhood, nurtured by supportive parents who, despite not being artists themselves, recognized and cultivated their daughter’s creative talents. "I’ve always felt happiest when I get lost creating art," Nikki shares.

This passion for art, however, was juxtaposed against a backdrop of loss and heartache as cancer took the lives of several close family members. "Cancer is hereditary, and I have it on both sides of my family. I’ve lost 3 uncles to cancer, and my grandma and aunt are survivors," Nikki recounts.

These experiences naturally fueled her curiosity and empathy toward cancer patients and survivors, eventually leading her to establish the Damgo Art Therapy Foundation.

Like most youth-led initiatives, the foundation originated from Nikki’s 8th-grade school project aimed at contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

While her peers focused on themes like poverty and sustainability, Nikki chose to explore the impact of art on mental well-being, particularly among teenagers. "I saw a huge lift in happiness when teenagers were exposed to art." Nikki explains. This discovery ignited a deeper inquiry into the beneficiaries of art therapy, ultimately guiding her to Bahay Aruga, a halfway home for pediatric cancer patients.

"When I approached Bahay Aruga, I wanted to offer something more valuable than monetary donations. Something that would have a lasting positive effect on the patients… art therapy had that effect," says Nikki.

The Damgo Art Therapy Foundation was born out of this desire, and it quickly became hope for young cancer patients. Through art therapy sessions, Nikki witnessed firsthand the transformative power of creativity. "One of my students said that she 'couldn’t believe she is able to paint the things she’s done.' She told me how she looked forward  to our art therapy sessions, and she carries this feeling when she goes for treatment."

Inspired by the children’s resilience and imagination, Nikki penned The Adventures of Damgo, a series that takes cancer patients on a cosmic journey filled with limitless possibilities. "I hope that through these stories, children all over the country and the world become inspired to dream big and help each other overcome any obstacle," Nikki says. “Damgo, in Cebuano, also means dream.”

The book’s impact has been profound, forging deep connections between the young artists and the community that supports them. Tragically, two of the contributing artists, Richard and Ralph, passed away before the book’s completion. Yet, their legacy lives on through their artwork and the positive influence the project had on their lives.

"Remembering the moments with Richard, he remarked how he loves the art therapy sessions because it takes his mind off the pain, even for a few hours,'" Nikki reflects. “Meanwhile, Ralph was that one student who didn’t miss a single week’s lesson. He loved the art therapy sessions! He told me that he loved to paint Damgo’s adventures because it makes him imagine that he too, can one day go outside the country and see unbelievable sights.”

Publishing the first book is just the start of Nikki’s big plans for the Damgo Art Therapy Foundation. With two more books in development and a growing partnership with the International School Manila’s Visual Arts Club, the foundation is poised to continue its mission of providing joy and comfort to pediatric cancer patients.

"In the future, I hope to see more innovation in the art therapy execution, and more adventures of Damgo," Nikki says. “Excited for book 2!”