WVSU tops ForeSTAR 2025 short film competition

 

Wazzup Pilipinas?!

 

Student filmmakers from West Visayas State University recently bagged the grand prize in ForeSTAR ng Pasko: A Short Film Competition, organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Forest Management Bureau in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

“Handong” by Sine-Mariit of WVSU also won Best Screenplay, Best Production Design, and Best Cinematography during the awarding ceremony held at the BGC Central Square Cinema.

DENR-FMB Executive Committee members led by Assistant Director Atty. Ray Thomas F. Kabigting, FDCP Project Development Officer Gaby Velazco, judges Dr. Joselito Delos Reyes and Seymour Sanchez, and faculty and students from participating colleges and universities, graced the event.

“ForeSTAR continues to be one of our most meaningful initiatives because it gives students a platform to express their connection to nature and to share stories that inspire action for our forests,” Kabigting said in his welcome message.

“This competition reminds us that environmental stewardship can be expressed in many ways – and that storytelling is one of the most powerful. Through film, our young participants have shown us their perspectives, their hopes, and their commitment to protecting our forests for future generations,” Kabigting added.

ForeSTAR ng Pasko was a celebration of environmental advocacy and student creativity, proving that the best holiday stories are the ones rooted in nature. After screening films that placed forests at the heart of the Filipino Christmas spirit, major awards were handed out to the young filmmakers.

“Pamasko ng Gubat” by Commerkadas of Leyte Normal University was awarded second prize.

“Bisperas” by Lucky 8 Media Entertainment from Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila took home the third prize trophy and the Best Poster award.

“Monito” by Pelikulang Daluyong Productions of Laguna University got fourth place while “Paskong Nilala” by Beda.Comm of San Beda College-Alabang came in fifth.

The DENR-FMB’s partnership with FDCP marks a new chapter for the ForeSTAR competition.

While past years focused on parol-making, on-the-spot banig-painting, bamboo belen-making, digital art, Christmas tree-making, fashion shows, and chorale competitions, the short film contest allowed students to explore the connections among forests, forest-dependent communities, and Filipino Christmas traditions on a grander scale.

“ForeSTAR opened a critical avenue for short films that mainly tackles the delicate balance of environment and our modern existence. It provides us with a panoramic window of talents presumably confined in urban-centric universities. I hope DENR-FMB ForeSTAR will continue to be a platform for budding filmmakers and communicators,” Delos Reyes shared.

Ross Flores Del Rosario and Wazzup Pilipinas: The Voice That Leads the Machine

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The Social Architect, Digital Synergy, and the Human Heart of Media

Every media revolution redraws the map of influence. But only a few individuals ensure that the map leads back to the community.

In the landscape of the Philippine digital era, that role belongs to Ross Flores Del Rosario, the founder of Wazzup Pilipinas. Not just as a blogger. Not as a digital marketer. But as a social architect who understands that technology is a megaphone, and a megaphone is only as valuable as the truth it amplifies.

Community as Responsibility in the Digital Age

For over a decade, Ross Del Rosario has championed a singular vision: Digital presence is not just about reach. It is about impact.

When the wave of Artificial Intelligence began to reshape journalism and content creation, he did not retreat into traditionalism. He leaned into the future with a sense of stewardship. Instead of fearing the "machine," he sought to lead it, ensuring that as Philippine media becomes more automated, it remains fundamentally Filipino.

That commitment became the bridge between the old guard of blogging and the new frontier of AI-driven media.

Wazzup Pilipinas: From Blog to Digital Institution

Wazzup Pilipinas was born out of a desire to give the "little guy" a voice. It transformed from a community blog into a multi-awarded national platform by staying grounded in the grassroots.

In the context of the AI revolution, Wazzup Pilipinas serves as the ultimate laboratory. Ross Del Rosario uses the platform to demonstrate that AI should not be used to create "fake" content, but to scale "real" stories. By integrating AI tools into the Wazzup Pilipinas ecosystem, he has empowered a new generation of creators to compete on a global scale without losing their local soul.

The Architect of Digital Synergy: Humans + AI

Ross Del Rosario’s philosophy is built on the concept of Digital Synergy. He views AI not as a replacement for the writer's hand, but as a propellant for the writer's reach.

The Curator’s Eye: While AI can generate text, Ross insists on human curation to maintain ethical standards and cultural nuances that an algorithm cannot feel.

The Intelligence of Connection: He utilizes AI to analyze trends and sentiments, not to manipulate the public, but to better understand what the Filipino community truly needs to hear.

Through his leadership, Wazzup Pilipinas has become a beacon for "Responsible AI in Media," proving that the machine works best when a human heart is at the controls.

Leading the Machine: Beyond the Screen

Ross’s influence extends beyond the digital page. As a frequent speaker and community leader, he has taken on the role of an educator for the "AI-Curious."

He demystifies the complexities of the digital shift for MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises), showing them how AI can level the playing field. To Ross, the "Machine" isn't an elite tool for big corporations; it is a ladder for the Filipino entrepreneur.

His mission is clear: No Filipino storyteller or business owner should be left behind by the pace of technology.

One Vision, Infinite Connections

Wazzup Pilipinas amplifies the Filipino voice.

Digital Synergy bridges the gap between human intuition and machine speed.

Community Advocacy ensures technology serves the marginalized.

Ethical Innovation protects the integrity of digital journalism.

All of these are connected by one belief: The machine needs a leader, and that leader must be human.

Why Ross Del Rosario Matters Today

The digital world is becoming increasingly automated. Algorithms decide what we see. Bots write what we read. Data dictates how we live.

But algorithms have no conscience.

Ross Flores Del Rosario matters because he reminds us that behind every "like," "share," and "prompt" is a human being. He stands at the intersection of technology and community, ensuring that as we move toward a high-tech future, we do not lose our high-touch humanity.

In a world where machines are learning to speak, we need leaders who know exactly what needs to be said.

The voice that leads the machine is the one that speaks for the people.

Groups Mourn Tragic Cebu Garbageslide, Urge Sustained Rescue Efforts and Accountability

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

(CiRCA, PEJC, EcoWaste Coalition stand in solidarity with waste workers, seek justice for the victims)

12 January 2026, Cebu City. The EcoWaste Coalition extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by the tragic garbageslide on January 8 at the materials recovery facility of Binaliw landfill in Cebu City. The incident, which has now claimed six workers’ lives, left at least 12 injured, and dozens still missing as rescue operations continue, underscores once again the lethal consequences of unsafe waste disposal practices and the persistent neglect of communities living and working near dumpsites.

The collapse of massive piles of garbage struck areas where workers were stationed, gravely endangering landfill personnel—many of whom belong to the informal waste sector, whose labor in recovering recyclable materials is indispensable yet remains largely invisible, undervalued, and unprotected.

“This tragedy did not happen overnight. For a long time, workers had been reporting the dangerous buildup and instability of waste at the landfill. Still, these warnings were not acted upon,” said Anecita “Aning” Abadijas, President of the Cebu Inayawan Resource Collectors Association (CiRCA). “It is deeply painful to see fellow workers losing their lives because known safety risks were left unaddressed. We call on the landfill operator to prioritize the welfare of workers, nearby communities, and the environment over profit, and we urge government agencies to exercise stricter, fair, and consistent monitoring and enforcement so that accountability is ensured and similar tragedies are prevented.”

The Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC), which has been accompanying the affected communities and waste workers in Cebu, also joined the call for accountability. “What happened in Barangay Binaliw is a painful reminder that when environmental laws are ignored or weakly enforced, it is the poor and marginalized who suffer the most,” said Atty. John Menguito, Managing Trustee of PEJC. “There must be a thorough investigation, immediate support for affected families, and decisive action to prevent this from happening again.”

EcoWaste Coalition stressed that honoring the victims requires more than condolences. It begins with prioritizing rescue and retrieval operations, ensuring the safety and welfare of responders and workers, and providing urgent assistance to affected families, while demanding decisive action to prevent similar disasters from happening again.

The group called on local government units and concerned national agencies to take urgent, concrete, and life-saving measures, emphasizing that inaction would only perpetuate a cycle of loss and neglect. Specifically, EcoWaste Coalition urged authorities to:

Ensure immediate and adequate relief, including medical assistance, compensation, livelihood support, and sustained psychosocial services for affected families and workers;

Conduct a transparent, independent, and accountable investigation into the landfill’s operations, structural conditions, and safety protocols, with findings made public;

Shut down unsafe dumps and facilities without delay and fully enforce Republic Act No. 9003 through waste reduction, segregation at source, recycling, and composting—not through practices that endanger lives; and

Meaningfully engage affected communities, particularly informal waste workers, in planning, decision-making, and the development of just transition programs toward safe, dignified, and sustainable livelihoods.

EcoWaste Coalition stressed that the Binaliw landfill incident recalls some of the country’s darkest waste-related tragedies—from the Payatas dumpsite collapse of July 10, 2000, when days of heavy rains triggered a deadly garbage landslide that buried entire communities, to the long-standing crisis at Smokey Mountain in Tondo, where generations of informal waste workers lived and labored amid dangerous piles of waste. These tragedies shocked the nation and helped give rise to Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, to ensure that no community would ever again be placed in harm’s way due to garbage.

“More than two decades later, we are still seeing the same failures repeated,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition. “People are still dying because of waste mountains that should have been dismantled long ago.”

At the same time, the group cautioned against using the tragedy to promote false solutions. “The Binaliw landfill tragedy must not be used as an excuse to justify costly, polluting, and unsustainable waste-to-energy incineration technologies.” To avoid a repeat of such a deadly incident in Cebu and elsewhere, the group urged strict enforcement and compliance with RA 9003 and related environmental laws and regulations. “With strong political will and genuine concern for the people and Mother Earth, Cebu, and the entire country can go Zero Waste.”

“As we mourn the lives lost and pray for those still recovering and missing, let this tragedy be a turning point,” the EcoWaste Coalition concluded. “Justice for the victims means ending deadly dumps, protecting workers and communities, and finally implementing ecological waste management in both letter and spirit."