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A note for the future: Wyeth Nutrition commits to support Philippine education of underprivileged youth

MANILA, Philippines; 6 June 2013 – It was Pablo Picasso who said – “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” He may have said this decades ago, but these words still ring true until now. After all, how many children – all brimming with promise and creativity – just fade away when they grow up?

Today, Wyeth Nutrtion and Synergeia Foundation are working hand-in-hand to do their part by nurturing future generations through education. And they’re doing it through a simple but ingenious way – by giving notebooks to thousands of underprivileged schoolchildren all over the country.

“A notebook may not seem anything special to some, especially for kids who have had the benefit of growing up with cellphones, tablets and gaming consoles; but for a same-aged child, who’s not as fortunate, a simple notebook can represent his canvas for the future,” says Richard Arboleda, Associate Director for Communications, Wyeth Philippines.  

Arboleda shares that what makes the notebooks extra special are their designs, which were specially made by three gifted artists who are schoolchildren themselves.  The child artists are Allie Arroyo who began painting at 5 and is now improving her craft under noted artists Bambi Manosa and Elaine Herbosa; Antonio Tordesillas, who has already had a solo exhibit at the age of 14; and Marco Flores who hails from the art capital of the Philippines, Angono, Rizal.

“Our aim is to promote literacy and to encourage children to be creative and value education; we are able to achieve that through the gift of these three children. Access to notebooks leads to more writing and reading, which then fosters an increase in proficiency,” says Arboleda. 

From June 15 to August 15, Wyeth Nutrition and Synergeia Foundation will be launching the Nurture.Inspire.Give. campaign. Here, any purchase of Aqiva (900g), Progress Pre-school Gold (900g and 1.6kg), Promil Pre-school (900g and 1.6kg), Bonakid Choco Boost (800g), Bonakid Pre-school (900g, 1.2kg and 1.6kg), Enercal Plus (900g), or ProMama (900g) comes with a free limited edition notebook and a scratch card. The scratch card has a promo code, which one can use to register through SMS to be eligible for the raffle promo and to enable a child to receive his/her own notebook.

Wyeth Nutrition will give away P20,000 worth of gift certificates for school supplies and an educational gift pack worth P5,000 to 50 raffle winners on July 17 and another 50 winners on August 16.

Wyeth Nutrition and Synergeia Foundation pledge to give away notebooks equal to the total number of registrants. 10,000 registrants would mean 10,000 notebooks to be given away to less fortunate schoolchildren in the Philippines.

 “No one understands children better than children themselves; and it is because of this that we chose to have Marco, Allie and Antonio design the notebooks,” notes Arboleda. “Looking at their designs, it’s no exaggeration to say that we may be very well looking at the future of Philippine art.”

Arboleda is also proud of Wyeth Nutrition’s partnership with Synergeia Foundation, which implements programs to improve basic education to nearly 1.5 million schoolchildren in 250 municipalities in the Philippines. Since 2011, the organizations have collaborated to implement feeding programs and inspire employee volunteerism.  “What they do is travel to the remotest barangays in the country to work with communities in order to upgrade basic education – and that’s why we’re sure that help really reaches those who really need it.

“It’s our hope that this initiative will serve to inspire and somehow influence the future of children. This is, after all, what Wyeth Nutrition is all about – nurturing generation after generation of Filipinos.”

Yesterday’s Dream. During Wyeth Nutrition’s launch of “Nurture. Inspire. Give.” through the Synergeia Foundation, students from BagongTanyag Elementary School performed, “Yesterday’s Dream,” as a way to say thank you to Wyeth Nutrition and artists, Marco Flores and Antonio Tordesillas, for presenting them with the limited edition notebooks designed by the young artists. 

GIVE. From one student to another. Young artist, Marco Flores, presented notebooks with his design to pupils from BagongTanyag Elementary School.

Nurture. Inspire. Give. (L-R, back row) Wyeth Nutrition’s Associate Director for Communications, Richard Arboleda, talented young artists, Marco Flores and Antonio Tordesillas and Dr. Milwida Guevara, Chief Executive Officer of Synergeia Foundation with the pupils from BagongTanyag Elementary School during the launch of “Nurture. Inspire. Give.”

A note for the future. The little girl from the left shows off her new notebook to her classmates. The covers of the notebooks given away by Wyeth Nutrition bear artworks of other young students as part of “Nurture. Inspire. Give.”

An Inspiring Partnership. Wyeth Nutrition’s Associate Director for Communications, Richard Arboleda andDr. Milwida Guevara, Chief Executive Officer of Synergeia Foundation during the launch of Wyeth Nutrition’s corporate promo “Nurture. Inspire. Give”. Wyeth Nutrition and Synergeia Foundation are working hand-in-hand with this promo – nurturing future generations through education. Behind them are the artworks of the three young artists, Antonio Tordesillas, Marco Flores and Allegria Arroyo which will be the covers of the notebooks that will be given to underprivileged schoolchildren.

For more information, visit www.wyeth.com.ph. Per DOH-FDA Permit No. 0801 Series of 2013.

About Wyeth Nutrition

Wyeth Nutrition, formerly Pfizer Nutrition, is part of Nestlé S.A.  Wyeth Nutrition develops premium-quality nutritional products scientifically-designed to meet the needs of infants and young children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and adults. As pioneers in infant nutritional science, our mission is to provide the best nutritional support for future healthy outcomes. For nearly a century, Wyeth Nutrition has leveraged scientific research, world class manufacturing and product safety standards to drive scientifically-sound solutions that offer parents confidence, help nourish children and support their healthy futures. It employs the same level of excellence in delivering nutrient-rich products to adults.

About Synergeia Foundation

Synergeia started as a coalition of individuals, institutions, and organizations working together to improve the quality of basic education.  Led by former Undersecretary of Finance, Dr. Milwida M. Guevara, Synergeia implements programs that affects nearly 1.5 million schoolchildren in 267 local government units all over the country including ARMM. It mobilizes members of a community and builds their capabilities to design and implement programs that will help their children complete basic quality education. Its flagship activity is “Reinventing Local School Boards” which promotes community engagement in improving education. Through a vibrant school board, Synergeia engages in local governments, the Department of Education, socio-civic groups, schools, teachers, parents and students to implement systemic programs that will improve the processes, systems and structures of learning and teaching.

BIR responds to complaints on new Official Receipts Regulations

Update: BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 44-2013 extending the validity of all unused/unissued principal and supplementary receipts/invoices printed prior to January 18, 2013, the effectivity date of RR 18-2012, from June 30, 2013 to August 30, 2013.  How

However the deadline for filing an application for the printing of new receipts to replace all unused/unissued principal supplementary receipts/invoices printed prior to Jan 18, 2013 shall be maintained as of April 30, 2013, and therefore all applications received after said date shall be considered late application and the penalties for late filing shall be imposed.

After August 30, 2013, all principal and supplementary receipts and invoices printed before January 18, 2013 shall no longer be valid.  Issuance of these receipts shall be deemed to be an issuance of an invalid receipt or deemed as if no receipts were issued, and a violation of Section 264 of the National Internal Revenue Code.

Business Owners, be aware.  The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will push through with the implementation of the new official receipts/ invoices on July 1, 2013.  

Here are samples of how the new official receipt/invoice will look like:

Annex C RMO 12-2013

The full implementation of Revenue Regulations No. 18-2012 requiring the issuance and use of new sets of receipts on July 1, 2013 shall proceed as scheduled. Commissioner of Internal Revenue Kim S. Jacinto-Henares said, “The complaints against the new regulations are without any basis since the tax agency had issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 18-2012 last year and published the same in the January 3, 2013 issue of the Manila Bulletin informing everyone that existing receipts will expire on June 30, 2013. We believe that six months is enough preparation for everyone to comply with such requirement.”

RR No. 18-2012, published on January 3, 2013, provides among others that taxpayers must apply for the printing of their new receipts at least sixty (60) days (or April 30) before the expiry of their old receipts on June 30, 2013 and start issuing the same on July 1, 2013.

Commissioner Henares added that “the BIR issued Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No. 12-2013 on May 2, 2013 to provide for penalties since very few taxpayers were complying with the said regulations.”

The BIR said that taxpayers who apply for authority to print receipts beyond April 30, 2013 shall pay a penalty of P1,000.00. However, those who apply for said authority beyond June 30, 2013 and/or on or before June 30, 2013 but failed to use the new sets of receipts starting July 1, 2013 shall pay the maximum penalty (of P50,000.00) as provided for in Section 264 of the Tax Code.

The tax agency gave the following rationale for the issuance of the regulations:

1) The BIR’s discovery of businesses registered with the tax agency that are not really engaged in any business except to sell invoices thereby defrauding the government of billions in tax revenues. These businesses sell their invoices to entities who are either engaged in smuggling and/or purchasing of goods without receipts. When BIR looked for these companies, mostly Small and Medium Enterprises, they cannot be found;

2) The BIR’s finding that a lot of invoices that were printed in the ‘70s are still being used and the need to clean these up by providing an expiry period; and

3) The issuances are aimed at reforming the process of accrediting printers to address complaints against some BIR personnel engaged in the printing business who make it difficult for taxpayers to register and/or secure authority to print unless they get to print the receipts of said taxpayers. The regulations disqualify printers with relatives working in the BIR. 

Related Post: BIR Sets Deadline to SurrenderUnused Receipts