Newly-engaged couple Jeremy Jauncey and Pia Wurtzbach have vowed to continue with their philanthropy and advocacies even after they are married and have a family of their own.
Both Jeremy and Pia are ambassadors of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines. They're all out in supporting the non-government organization's cause to protect the environment and address the current climate crisis.
Jeremy noted that people abroad only know about the beaches and other beautiful places in the Philippines. The bad thing is that the Southeast Asian region is prone to natural disasters, like strong typhoons, and these have a profound impact on nature and the livelihood of people in the affected communities.
Pia admitted that she is a changed person ever since she and Jeremy became involved with WWF. " A few years ago, I was just focused on my career and the pageant scene. But meeting people in the sustainability space opened my eyes to a lot of things," she revealed.
Last April, the celebrity couple went to Albay to meet the folks of Lagonoy Gulf - a fishing community which is the subject of WWF's “Build Back Better” initiative to help fishers improve their livelihood.
“Build Back Better” boats have been designed to replace those which have been destroyed or lost during previous typhoons. The new boats will be made of a combination of fiberglass and steel, making for sturdier hulls that can withstand increasing storm intensities. The boats will also have features that will help maintain the quality of tuna catch and support other conditions of the tuna fishery’s sustainable certification.
WWF hopes to raise P21 million to deliver 27 units of these Build Back Better boats. One new boat is equivalent in capacity to three traditional fishing boats, and would translate to support for more than 200 families in 15 municipalities in the Lagonoy Gulf area.
“It’s high time that our local fishers have more access to stronger boats to make their living. The stories of our fishers represent the challenges faced by thousands of Filipinos who continue to work hard for their families, and we are inviting everyone to help them recuperate through the ‘Build Back Better’ campaign,” Pia, the Ms. Universe 2015 said.
Parties interested in supporting the “Build Back Better” Boats campaign may visit Pia and Jeremy’s SimplyGiving fundraising page at simplygiving.com/event/pia-jeremy-wwf .