PHLPost issues “Year of the Ox” stamps to celebrate Lunar Year

Wazzup Pilipinas!


The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) releases “Year of the Ox” special stamps to welcome the Lunar Year.

The lunar year of the Ox officially begins on 12 February 2021, the year of the Metal Ox.

The Chinese Zodiac has twelve representative animals, namely: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Previous years of the Ox zodiac sign are: 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, and 2009.

People born in the Year of the Ox are known for their diligence, dependability, strength, determination and honesty. They are also known to be kind, gentle and steadfast.

PHLPost has printed 50,000 copies of the two (2) different colorful designs of the regular stamps which can be purchased at P12.00 and P45.00 per stamp.

Aside from the regular stamp, celebrate the incoming #LunarNewYear in red and gold with the #YearoftheOx 2021 souvenir sheets.

Stamp collectors can also purchase the special limited edition souvenir sheets of the industrious Ox, embossed with gold hot foil stamping as embellishment, aside from the circular perforation for Php200 each and can be bought together with official first day cover enveloped at Php218 per piece. The stamps can also be ordered and delivered door to door through PHLPost Stamps on Wheels.


The special “Year of the Ox 2021 Stamps” are now available at the Philatelic Counter, Manila Central Post Office, all Mega Manila Post Offices, Postal Area 2, San Fernando, La Union, Postal Area 4, San Pablo, Postal Area 5, Mandaue, Postal Area 6, Iloilo, Postal Area 7, Davao, and Postal Area 8, Cagayan De Oro. For inquiries, please call 8527-01-08 or 8527-01-32 or follow/like the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PilipinasPhilately/ for updates.

Denice Zamboanga Fires Back at Meng Bo’s Two-Round KO Claim

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Fresh from training in Bangkok where she has honed her skills since the pandemic lockdowns took effect in early 2020, ONE Championship female atomweight standout Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga took the time out of her busy schedule to fire back at China’s Meng Bo, who recently had some impactful words for the Filipina fighter.

Meng took aim at Zamboanga recently, with the Chinese star claiming she can finish “The Menace” inside of two rounds should they meet in the Circle.

Zamboanga is the #1-ranked female atomweight while Meng is ranked #2. Both women love to trade punches, both in and out of the ring, making this a potentially explosive showdown should the bout materialize.

“If we were in the ring together, without a shadow of doubt, I would beat her (Zamboanga) up and take her spot as the #1-ranked atomweight in the division,” Meng was quoted as telling the media.

“Denice is a stubborn and tough fighter, but if I was to identify her strength, she’s only good at punching, nothing else. I think my stand-up fighting techniques will be enough to give me the victory. I’m pretty confident that I can finish Denice with a flurry of punches and knock her out within two rounds.”

Zamboanga obviously did not take those comments lightly, and the 24-year-old rising star immediately clapped back with full bravado.

"It's cute that she thinks she can knock me out in two rounds. I'd like to see her try, let's see what happens. Meng Bo likes to talk a lot. But talking doesn't win you fights. She's just asking to be humbled,” said Zamboanga.

"Sooner or later, we will see each other in the Circle and the talking will be over."

Both Zamboanga and Meng are expected to be participants in the eight-woman ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix, set to take place some time later this year. Zamboanga and Meng could potentially meet in the tournament, should they advance through the brackets.

ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced late last year that the winner of the tournament will go on to challenge reigning ONE Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee when she returns from maternity leave.

While Zamboanga declined giving out as bold a prediction as Meng, she did tell media that fans will be surprised.

"You'll just have to wait until we are together in the Circle. I don't really like to talk much unless provoked. I prefer to do my talking in the fight. I think it's going to be a surprise for everyone,” Zamboanga concluded.

“I just want to get back in there and compete.”




Zamboanga is currently training at Marrok Force gym alongside her older brother, fellow ONE Championship fighter Drex “T-Rex” Zamboanga, and their friend Fritz “Kid Tornado” Biagtan. The Zamboangas look to remain in Bangkok for the time being, continuing their training until they receive a call for their next fight assignments from ONE.

PMVIC owners agree to Tugade’s appeal of lowering inspection fee amid the pandemic, waiving of reinspection fee for 1 year

Wazzup Pilipinas?!

As an act of solidarity and a way of heeding the call of motorists, officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announce that Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center (PMVIC) owners have decided to heed the appeal of DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade’s to lower the current PMVIC inspection fee, level it with the current fee of PETCs while there is a pandemic, and waive for one year the reinspection fee for private and public utility vehicles (PUVs).

The move was announced in a virtual press conference today, 11 February 2021, led by DOTr Assistant Secretary for Procurement and Project Implementation and concurrent Chief of Staff Giovanni Lopez, Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Atty. Reinier Paul Yebra, Land Transportation Office (LTO) Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, and other road transport stakeholders.

“Nais ko pong umpisahan sa pahayag na— narinig at naintindihan po ni Secretary Tugade ang hinaing ng ating mga kababayan, maging ang mga isyu na inihain ng ating mga mambabatas ukol sa pagpapatupad ng MVIS,” Asec. Lopez said in his opening statement.

“Dahil dito, nais ko pong ianunsyo na matapos ang mahabang negosasyon at diskusyon, matapos po ang sunud-sunod na dayalogo at mga meetings, napapayag ‘ho ni Secretary Tugade ang mga Motor Vehicle Inspection Center Owners na iparehas ang kanilang singil sa kasalukuyang singil ng mga Private Emission Testing Centers,” he added.

This means that from P1,500-P1,800, the PMVIC testing fee will be lowered to P600 for private vehicles. Nonetheless, the process will still cover all 73 inspection items, including smoke emission, for a comprehensive test of a vehicle’s roadworthiness. Meanwhile, the inspection fee for motorcycles will also be lowered to P500 and P300 for public utility jeepneys.

Aside from lowering the current PMVIC test fee, private owners have also agreed to waive the retest fee for one year.

Earlier, Secretary Tugade issued the appeal of lowering the PMVIC fees in adherence to the request of President Rodrigo Duterte and in order to strike a balance between keeping the roads safe and considering the financial difficulties being experienced by many vehicle owners at due to the present COVID-19 pandemic situation.

For the part of LTO, Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante said that the latest development regarding the lowering of testing fees for vehicle inspection, which is a requisite prior to vehicle registration with the agency, will be effective immediately.

“Kaya ‘yun po ang aming ipatutupad at bibigyan po natin ng kaukulang directive or payo ang mga LTO offices na nagsasagwa ng registration or inspection para makatupad dito sa utos ng ating Mahal na Pangulo,” the LTO Chief said.

Moreover, while the move has gained the support of private stakeholders, they also maintain that MVICs are vital to ensure road safety and upholding the welfare of the people.

“In the same way that we responded to the call of the government about roadworthiness and made the investment without hesitation, we believe that this is a good and worthy program, “President of Vehicle Inspection Center Owners Association of the Philippines (VICOAP) Iñigo Larrazabal stated.

"In this case, in the time of pandemic that we agreed to lower our fees, we will still have to perform our mandate. And this is beyond getting paid. We take seriously our advocacy of road worthiness. We appeal also to the motoring public, this is a good chance for you to check if your vehicle is roadworthy - for the same amount of money that you pay [the old process]," he added.

“Meantime, our life-threatening problems on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases due to unabated motor vehicle emissions and also the needless Filipino deaths yearly due to road accidents or crashes and of course, the equally urgent global problem on climate change cannot wait to be addressed anymore. Like COVID-19, it is also an emergency that we all need to address,” President of Clean Air Philippines Movement Inc. Dr. Leo Olarte expressed.