Philippines speeds up relief in typhoon-hit north
Reuters - Monday, October 12 MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines shifted its efforts on Sunday to sending relief in northern provinces devastated by floods and cut off by landslides as the death toll and damages from two typhoons this month rose to art least 530.
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MMDA hires residents affected by floods
Philstar.com - Monday, October 12 MANILA, Philippines - To help in the ongoing clean-up drive in Marikina City and other areas hit by tropical storm "Ondoy," the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has employed more than 100 persons through its mobile recruitment program.
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Report: Rice at P60/kg, fuel stock runs low in Baguio City
GMANews.TV - Sunday, October 11 Rice sold for up to P60 per kilo while gasoline stations and stores ran low on supplies as Baguio City has remained virtually cut off in the wake of typhoon “Pepeng" (Parma).
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Nograles: House may OK P10-B additional calamity on Monday
ABS-CBN - Sunday, October 11 MANILA - House Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. on Sunday said that the House Committee on Appropriations has approved a joint resolution to allocate an additional P10 billion to calamity funds which have already been depleted caused by tropical storm Ondoy, typhoon Pepeng, and other weather disturbances that have hit the country so far.
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Cyclones postpone voter registration in ARMM
GMANews.TV - Sunday, October 11 The devastation caused by recent cyclones "Ondoy" (Ketsana) and "Pepeng" (Parma) have forced the postponement of registration in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by a week.
Philippine floods recede but death, damage tolls mount
AFP - Saturday, October 10 Floodwaters from tropical storm Parma receded in much of the northern Philippines on Saturday but the toll from heavy rain rose further as more bodies were recovered, officials said.
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State of calamity lifted in Visayas, Mindanao
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 Malacañang lifted on Saturday the state of calamity in the Visayas and Mindanao but stressed that it will remain in effect in Luzon, possibly until the end of the year due to massive destruction in the area due to widespread flooding and landslides.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde announced over government-run radio station DZRB that President Arroyo lifted the state of calamity in the Visayas and Mindanao effective Saturday.
This, he said, was upon the recommendations of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Defense Secretary and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Chairman Gilbert Teodoro, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Peter Favila, and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap following a meeting in Malacañang last Friday.
"This decision is based on the obvious absence of bad weather in those regions, as well as the President's determination that it is no longer necessary to maintain price ceilings nationwide in order to ensure the effectiveness of price ceilings for the protection of calamity victims in Luzon," Remonde announced.
"The state of calamity will remain in place for the time being for the rest of Luzon as it is still subject to the problems brought about by typhoon 'Pepeng'," he said.
Remonde stressed that the state of calamity in Luzon is "subject to constant review by the President based on weather developments, the stability of price ceilings, the speed of rehabilitation efforts, and other changes in conditions on the ground."
"May I remind everyone again that whereas the state of calamity has a nominal term of one year, the price ceilings are fixed for a period not more than 60 days only," he said.
Remonde said the state of calamity in Luzon "is not going to last a year," adding that it may take only up to December if typhoons will spare Luzon.
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Manila Bulletin Fund Drive to help Tropical Storm Ondoy Victims now totals P5,520,808.48.
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 The following is the list of concerned Donors and Amounts received by Manila Bulletin as of Saturday, October 10, 2009, totalling P181,267.28.
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Massive floods hit 21 Southern Negros villages
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 ILOILO CITY (PNA) - A total of 21 barangays in five municipalities in Southern Negros Occidental have been flooded as a result of continuous rains spawned by the Fujiwara effect of Typhoon Pepeng.
A report reaching here from the Provincial Disaster Management Team (PDMT) in Negros revealed that the massive onslaught of floods has affected some 2,405 families composed of 11,721 persons.
The Negros PDMT said 105 families are presently housed in various designated evacuation centers in the local government units (LGUs) hit by floods.
The PDMT said Valladolid municipality has the most number of displaced families with 565 people living in four barangays submerged by floodwaters; Isabela town with two barangays was also affected with 143 displaced families; even as flloods in Sipalay City hit six barangays, displacing 648 families.
Massive floods have also rendered eight barangays in Ilog town, but the local disaster council has yet to consolidate the number of displaced families there.
In the southernmost town of Hinoba-an, a lone barangay was similarly inundated, forcing the evacuation of four families to higher ground for their safety.
The respective Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices of affected local government units and the provincial government of Negros Occidental have already extended emergency relief and food assistance to evacuees.
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State of calamity lifted over much of Philippines
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 MANILA, October 10, 2009 (AFP) - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has lifted the "state of calamity" imposed due to the menace of two destructive storms over the central and southern Philippines a week ago, her spokesman said Saturday.
But Arroyo is maintaining the state of calamity over the main Philippine island of Luzon which bore the brunt of Tropical Storm Ketsana (locally named as "Ondoy") and Typhoon Parma (locally named "Pepeng") over the past two weeks, said spokesman Cerge Remonde.
The order effectively lifts price controls over the central islands of the Visayas and the southern island of Mindanao and their surroundings which were untouched by the storms, he said.
Arroyo had earlier placed the capital and its surroundings under a state of calamity on September 27 after Ketsana struck, bringing the worst flooding to the areas in four decades.
She expanded this to the entire country on October 2 as Typhoon Parma approached the north.
"This decision is based on the obvious absence of bad weather in (central and southern) regions as well as the president's determination that it is no longer necessary to maintain price ceilings nationwide," Remonde said.
Under a state of calamity, government agencies are allowed to tap special funds and price controls can be imposed on essential items like food and medicine.
Manila had justified the declaration of a nationwide state of calamity as a way to ensure traders would not take their goods from areas covered by price controls to sell them elsewhere.
Remonde said that the state of calamity, including the price controls, would remain in place in Luzon at least until December.
Over 600 people were killed by the two storms that have devastated farmland, homes and factories in Manila and the northern regions.
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Six persons arrested for illegal recruitment
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 Vice President Manuel "Noli" De Castro on Saturday announced the arrest of six persons for illegal recruitment during an entrapment operation in Manila recently.
De Castro, who is also chairman of Task Force Against Illegal Recruitment (TFAIR), said the suspects were collared based on the complaint of a certain Ryan Barreto, an overseas job applicant.
The Vice President identified those who were nabbed as Carmela Liong, Gilda Camasura, Ginny De Jesus, Jimmy De Jesus, Edwin Ondoy, and Rodolfo Malenas of the GMC Consultancy, a recruitment agency in Malate.
In his complaint, Barreto said Liong promised him a high paying job abroad in exchange for a huge sum of money.
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More flooding feared
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 If the rains continue to pour in Laguna de Bay, 192 more barangays will be submerged in water, leaving more than a million residents affected, the Laguna Lake Development Authority warned on Friday.
LLDA General Manager Edgardo Manda said his agency already sent letters to mayors of affected cities and provinces, advising them to have their constituents evacuated as the water level of Laguna de Bay is expected to rise following the rains brought by typhoon "Pepeng," which has been battering the Northern Luzon.
"If these rains continue and the lake hit the 14 meter-high water level, 192 more barangays will be under water," he warned in a press conference in Malacañang's National Executive Building (NEB).
He said it will take 144 days before the water level in Laguna de Bay, which is now at 11.5 meters high, recedes.
The LLDA said they have been constantly reminding the residents near the bay to find halfway houses since the flood in their areas continues to rise because of the rains.
He noted that the waning signs have been installed since August 15.
"We have been advising them to move out and we also asked the local executives to make contingency plans since these waters will remain until three months or December," Manda said. (Charissa M. Luci)
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Permanent disaster control plan pressed
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno ordered on Saturday all local officials, especially in calamity-stricken areas, to map out permanent disaster control and rescue plans following the devastations left by tropical storm "Ondoy" in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and typhoon "Pepeng" in Northern Luzon.
"They were given one week to prepare and submit the rescue plans.
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Foreign aid reaches over P4-billion
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said humanitarian assistance from the international community has reached more than P4 billion.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto G. Romulo reported to President Arroyo that the financial donations for "Ondoy" victims have reached a total amount of US $94,703,203 (approximately P4,418,472,639) as of October 8.
Of the total amount, $14.51 million came from bilateral partners; $3.64 million, multilateral/regional organizations; $76 million, international organizations; $158,505, foreign non-government organizations; $62,842, Filipino communities abroad; $10,082, DFA personnel at various at posts, $18,416, private individuals and $ 258,186 from other sources.
"The increase in assistance from bilateral partners, Filipino communities abroad and private individuals/others has since doubled.
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Palace seeks review of environmental laws
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 In the wake of heavy flooding and landslides in Northern Luzon, Malacañang called on Saturday for a review of environmental laws, including policies on mining and logging.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde certified as urgent the review of the laws, which he said, should be enforced strictly and firmly to protect the environment and people's lives.
He said the Palace is "definitely" bent on reviewing policies on logging and mining after landslides and flooding were recorded in several provinces battered by typhoon "Pepeng."
"These are some of the painful lessons... we have learned and we should ensure stricter and firmer implementation of the laws related to environment and regulations that tend to affect the safety of these areas," he said.
Earlier, Malacañang also ordered the Department of Environment of Natural Resources (DENR) to review the issuance of environmental compliance certificates in flood-prone areas after several subdivisions in Metro Manila submerged in water during the onslaught of tropical storm "Ondoy" last week.
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Pateros taps PayPal for donations
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 The Municipality of Pateros, the poorest local government unit in Metro Manila, has gone the way of electronic commerce (E-commerce) in raising aid for its flood-stricken constituents.
Earlier this week, Pateros began accepting cash donations online through its very own PayPal account.
"Municipality of Pateros is temporarily allowing overseas donors to send donations via PayPal," a link in the town's website read.
PayPal is an electronic alternative to traditional payment methods such as checks and money orders, allowing money transfers to be made through the Internet.
As of Thursday, the municipal government reported that it has received six online cash donations worth roughly an accumulated P35,000.
The Paypal donors so far are Gerald Blair of Illinois, $300; Fahran Boayes, of Carson, California, $14; Maryjane Ocampo, $20; Maria Fe Medina, $250; Cedric Barrera, $100 and Edna Medina Schober, $100, all of Ontario, Canada.
Pateros' website also lists nearly 200 local donors comprising of individuals and groups who gave their aid in the form of money, food items, clothes, and medicine.
"The Municipality of Pateros deeply appreciates the assistance from various individuals and organizations for the affected families by typhoon Ondoy," Mayor Joey Medina said.
The lone municipality in Metro Manila, Pateros has a population of fewer than 100,000. Its 2009 budget amounted to P125 million, 10 percent of which was allocated as calamity fund.
That calamity fund was quickly used up as Ondoy left practically the entire town submerged in floodwater, displacing some 4,500 families.
Flood has persisted in six of the 10 barangays of the municipality, namely Sta.
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Pasig crime rate drops after deluge
Manila Bulletin - Saturday, October 10 The chief of the Pasig City Police Office said the crime rate in the city has been relatively low after tropical storm "Ondoy" struck the country last September 26.
In an interview, Senior Supt.
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Floods, mudslides kill 130
Philstar.com - Saturday, October 10
Pacman mulls going to US earlier
ABS-CBN - Saturday, October 10 MANILA --Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao might go to US ahead of schedule to continue his training as continued rains brought by Typhoon Pepeng are starting to affect preparations for his November 14 fight.
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Urban planning review set
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 With the loads of garbage blamed for the widespread flooding in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, Malacañang has proposed heavier penalties for people who throw their waste in waterways and canals.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde cited the need for proper solid waste management as part of the planned review of the urban planning for Metro Manila to prevent a repeat of the destruction caused by tropical storm "Ondoy."
"There should also be stronger penalties for those who mindlessly throw their rubbish, plastic included, in already choking urban waterways, canals, and the drainage outlets in the burgeoning metropolis," Remonde said.
"The devastation inflicted by Ondoy in Metro Manila suggests the urgency of re-planning for Metro Manila, the country's overly populated industrial and education bosom," he said.
"We will have to plan anew based on very disturbing facts.
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US troops, aircraft tapped for rescue work in Pangasinan
GMANews.TV - Friday, October 9 On the eve of their departure from the Philippines, US military forces who have took part in rescue and relief work in the wake of tropical storm "Ondoy" (Ketsana) were asked for help again, this time to assist victims of tropical depression "Pepeng" (Parma) in northern Philippines.
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Road dike helps lessen Taguig floods
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 The Taguig City government on Friday said that residents living near the shoreline of Laguna Lake are convinced that the construction of the city's road dike saved them from a possible flash flood at the height of typhoon "Ondoy" that claimed hundreds of lives and damaged millions worth of properties in Metro Manila.
Mayor Sigfrido Tinga said that many Taguig residents, particularly those from the first district or Lower Taguig, have expressed their relief after being spared from "The Great Flood" and have now realized the benefits of the road dike.
The North Laguna Lakeshore Urgent Flood Control and Drainage, or commonly known as the Road Dike, was built to help ease the flood problem in key Metro Manila areas, including Taguig, and to serve as a major road network linking Rizal province to Southern Luzon.
Rene Flores, barangay chairman of Ibayo-Tipas, said he believes the road dike served as their barrier, preventing the water from Laguna Lake from surging to the lakeshore communities and causing a massive flash flood.
"Ngayon, naniniwala na kami sa tunay na intensyon ng pamahalaan noong sinisimulan nilang itayo 'yung dike.
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No place to relocate all squatters, says MMDA
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) admitted on Friday that there is no place to permanently relocate all the thousands of families dwelling along riverbanks in Marikina City and other danger zones in Metro Manila.
"It would be dangerous for the informal settlers living along high-risk areas, but there's no place for them at this point in time," said MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, also Metro Manila Inter-Agency Committee on Informal Settlers (MMIAC) head.
Fernando told local government units to be more responsible in addressing the squatting problem in their localities.
The MMIAC earlier identified at least 5,000 squatter families as the initial beneficiaries of its Comprehensive Shelter Program (CSP) for informal settlers in Metro Manila.
However, Fernando said he expects the number of families needing to be relocated to increase after the onslaught of tropical storm "Ondoy" which swamped the eastern part of Metro Manila two weeks ago.
In Marikina alone, thousands of homeless families along Marikina River will not be allowed to return to their homes along the riverbank.
Marikina City Mayor Marides Fernando said these families were forced out of their homes when the flood rose by more than six feet, submerging their houses.
She said more than 400 families were given housing units in Biñan, Laguna.
"We have no choice but tanggalin na sila doon," said the mayor, those residing in Tumana, Barangay Fortune, Riverside A and B, Malanday, Tanong, and Sto.
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UNO focuses on relief drive
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 Former President Joseph Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay have suspended all political activities of United Opposition (UNO) and urged members to focus on relief work for typhoon victims.
An October 14 activity of UNO was postponed after Estrada and Binay decided to take the lead in extending relief assistance to calamity victims of typhoon "Pepeng" in Northern Luzon provinces.
"Thousands of Filipinos have been affected by the massive flooding and landslides caused by typhoon Pepeng.
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OFWs seek help on rising peso
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 The peso-dollar exchange rate has dropped to P46.46 per $1 from P47.6 to $1 last month, prompting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to call on the Philippine government to intervene and shore up their diminishing purchasing power.
The strong showing of the peso against the dollar particularly meant added difficulties for families of OFWs who were hit hard by two successive cyclones, "Ondoy" and "Pepeng."
The development has prompted an alliance of groups of OFWs in the Middle East, Migrante-Middle East, to call on the government to do an affirmative intervention to help ease the impact of the peso gains against the dollar on the OFWs and their families.
The group said one of the remedial measures that the government could do is to suspend the Bureau of Internal Revenue's documentary stamp tax on OFW remittances.
"With peso seen to rebound against dollar, suspension of the BIR's documentary stamp tax, which is 0.05 percent charged for every $200 remitted by OFW, is more than justified as it would ease the difficulties of the OFWs' families and dependents," John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-ME regional coordinator said in a statement.
"If the peso continuously gains against dollar, this would diminish the purchasing power of OFWs' families and dependents and this would mean another round of 'belt tightening' and reduce consumption for foods and other basic needs," he said.
The group said President Arroyo could order the BIR to stop charging the documentary stamp tax on OFW remittances, noting that the agency is under the direct supervision and administrative guidance of the Department of Finance, which is under the Executive branch.
Migrante chapters around the world have been actively campaigning for the removal of the BIR documentary stamp tax on OFWs remittances, claiming that such "would equate as indirect tax imposed by the government on OFWs channeled through remittance service centers."
The group said the government earns P60 million yearly from the imposition of the BIR's documentary stamp tax.
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QC launches massive declogging of drains
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 Following the heavy flooding that submerged large parts of the metropolis, the Quezon City Engineering Department (QCED) has embarked on a massive declogging of the drainage system, collecting an average of close to 1,000 fully-laden dump trucks of wastes and silts daily from the inlets and waterways.
Joselito Cabungcal, chief of the QECD, said aside from the road repair works, his men are continuously retrieving garbage and wastes that have already settled and found their way into canals, manholes and drainage mains at the height of tropical storm "Ondoy."
"Bihira na ang malakas at rumaragasang agos ng tubig sa paghinto ng malakas na ulan kaya ang mga basura ay kumpol-kumpol at nagkakabara-bara na sa mga waterways ng Quezon City," Cabungcal said.
Cabungcal said the waste-retrieving efforts of the QCED are facilitated by the city government's acquisition of two state-of-the-art vacuum sewer jet machines with each gadget capable of extracting at least five cubic meters of waste in one setting.
The P34.1-million flood control equipment is being fully utilized with the increasing volume of wastes clogging the city's inlets, canals, esteros and drainage mains.
Aside from the massive de-clogging work, Cabungcal said he has scheduled the cleaning of Diliman Creek, Culiat Creek, Mariblo Creek, La Mesa Creek, Lagarian Creek, Arayat Creek, Estero de Valencia, Buwaya Creek, and various water tributaries and waterways in the city.
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TESDA graduates urged to volunteer services
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Augusto Boboy Syjuco urged TESDA graduates and scholars who are now owners of automotive, air conditioning, and refrigeration repair services to help the victims of storm "Ondoy" by volunteering repair services.
"At some point in our lives, we have to give back the good graces that we received.
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Pia pushes centers for breastfeeding
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 Senator Pilar Juliana "Pia" Cayetano on Friday pushed for "breastfeeding-friendly" evacuation centers as health authorities fear an outbreak of diarrhea and malnutrition among babies of families affected by storm Ondoy.
Cayetano said breast milk remains the cheapest, safest and most effective emergency response against malnutrition and the outbreak of diseases, particularly among infants and young children staying in evacuation centers.
This, she said, even as she expressed support to the Department of Health's (DOH) move to promote and encourage breastfeeding among mothers even in times of calamity.
Cayetano also said she has been urging mothers affected by typhoon Ondoy not to be dependent on formula milk saying this would be counter-productive for them in the long-run.
"Breastmilk is free and remains the most potent means of addressing malnutrition, diarrhea and respiratory illnesses among 'Ondoy babies," said Cayetano who authored the "Expanding Breastfeeding Act."
"It gives them natural protection from diseases that easily spread in highly congested areas like evacuation centers and flood-stricken communities," she added.
Cayetano noted that the intervention of local government officials and disaster relief workers is crucial to prevent mothers staying in evacuation centers from stopping breastfeeding and becoming dependent on infant formula milk.
"Improper milk feeding and contaminated water used for preparing milk formula can be a deadly combination.
Formula-fed babies will be more prone to contracting diarrhea since potable water is scarce in evacuation centers where water supply and sanitation have been compromised due to leaking pipes and continued flooding," she explained.
"Mothers who become dependent on milk formula while in evacuation centers will eventually stop producing milk and will face difficulties once they start returning to their own homes where they won't have access to milk formula," she also said.
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(UPDATE) 'Ondoy', 'Pepeng' hit areas producing 56%% of RP's rice
ABS-CBN - Friday, October 9 MANILA - Back-to-back typhoons that hit the Philippines' Luzon island put in peril key rice producing areas in the country.
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BSP: Loan defaults from storm-hit areas to reach at least P5-B
ABS-CBN - Friday, October 9 MANILA - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expressed concern that bank loans that may not be paid because of the damage wrought by tropical storm "Ondoy" (international code name Ketsana) and typhoon "Pepeng" (international code name Parma).
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Flood sinks Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 Heavy rains brought by an almost stationary typhoon "Pepeng" wrought massive destruction and flooding in Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija since early Thursday as two major dams - the Pantabangan in Nueva Ecija and the San Roque in Pangasinan - were forced to open their floodgates to prevent a more catastrophic breaching and collapse of the structures.
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RP banks in heavy default risk from floods
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 MANILA, October 9, 2009 (AFP) - About half a trillion pesos ($10.7 billion) in loans are at risk from defaults due to two tropical storms that ravaged the Philippines, Dow Jones Newswires quoted a central bank official as saying Friday.
The figure quoted by Nestor Espenilla, the central bank deputy governor for supervision and examination, is equivalent to nearly a quarter of the Philippines banking systems' loan portfolio, the report said.
Tropical Storm Ketsana killed 337 people as floods swamped 80 percent of Manila on September 26, while Typhoon Parma has so far killed more than 90 people and is currently devastating farming areas in the country's north.
The Manila region accounts for a third of the country's economic output.
Dow Jones quoted Espenilla as saying the central bank is considering other relief measures to help banks cope with the potential loan defaults in the affected areas.
Espenilla said the central bank is considering a proposal that will allow banks to stagger over five years the booking of loan losses from Ketsana and Parma, Dow Jones said.
Last week the central bank announced a raft of temporary relief measures for the banks as a result of the storm disasters.
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John Prats defends dad from Ondoy issues
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 Actor John Prats defended his father Dondi Prats from accusations that he left his co-villagers unattended during the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy.
The elder Prats is president of their village's Homeowner's Association.
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Artists extend help to typhoon victims
Manila Bulletin - Friday, October 9 The one good thing that came out of the devastating typhoon Ondoy is that it rallied every Filipino to take part in the rebuilding and distribution of help needed by the survivors from the worst-hit areas in Metro Manila.
The young artists of the GMA Artist Center have been doing their share of contributing to this beautiful cause.
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Six dead as storm hits northern Philippines
AFP - Friday, October 9
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Malaysian, Japanese NGOs give relief goods for Ondoy victims
GMANews.TV - Friday, October 9 A Malaysian non-government organization on Thursday donated some 52,500 water purification tablets to victims of floods spawned by tropical storm “Ondoy."
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More than 90%% of service lines restored - PLDT
Philstar.com - Friday, October 9 MANILA, Philippines -- Telecommunications giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) announced that it has restored 91 percent of its service lines that have been affected by tropical storm "Ondoy."
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19 fishermen rescued off Palawan return to Lapu-Lapu City
ABS-CBN - Thursday, October 8 CEBU CITY- 19 fishermen from Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu province finally returned home after their fishing boat capsized in waters off Palawan island during Tropical Storm Ondoy.
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Pregnant women in evacuation centers get reproductive health kits
Philstar.com - Thursday, October 8 MANILA, Philippines – The Family Planning Organization and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are now distributing 3,400 hygiene and reproductive health kits to more than 10,000 people in areas hit by tropical storm "Ondoy."
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Condoms, napkins needed for typhoon evacuees
ABS-CBN - Thursday, October 8 MANILA - Concerned health groups are hoping to give more condoms and toiletries to victims of tropical storm Ondoy, in an effort to respond to reproductive health (RH) problems in overcrowded evacuation centers.
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Brillante mulls directing film on Abu Sayyaf
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, October 8 Critically acclaimed director Brillante Mendoza's next film will likely be about the Abu Sayyaf.
Asked in a recent interview if he plans to go to Mindanao for research on the militant Islamic group, he said, "Baka."
The director has also documented "for personal endeavors" the experiences of Ondoy victims.
"Nakita (ko kasi) ang resiliency ng mga Pilipino (nung bagyo).
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Manila Bulletin Fund Drive for Tropical Storm Ondoy victims now totals P5,117,841.90.
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, October 8 The following is the list of concerned Donors and Amounts received by Manila Bulletin as of October 7, 2009, totalling P111,800.00.
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DA working on bigger typhoon aid packages
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, October 8 On top of short-gestation seeds, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is also looking at other production inputs like fertilizers that it will give for free to thousands of farmers devastated by tropical storm "Ondoy" and typhoon "Pepeng" to help them get back on their feet at once and plant anew this quarter.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the DA is now considering a much bigger package of assistance for typhoon-devastated farmers in Luzon that will include, among others, seed and fertilizer support, in the hope that they can catch up and plant again this season.
"The scope of this planned rehabilitation package and the number of target beneficiaries will depend on the final assessment reports that the DA will get from its agency heads and field offices," Yap said.
"Right now, we are waiting for the floods to subside so we can really determine which fields have standing crops that were completely destroyed by the two typhoons and which have crops that could still be harvested and recovered with the help of drying facilities," he said.
Agriculture Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Bernie Fondevilla said the DA will undertake market intervention programs through the National Food Authority, Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) and Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), involving five commodities.
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MMDA to start Pasig, Taguig cleanup operation next week
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, October 8 The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is moving its cleanup and rehabilitation operation starting next week to the cities of Pasig and Taguig, two of the areas devastated by tropical storm "Ondoy," saying that floodwaters would have receded in those areas by that time.
MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said floodwaters in Pasig and Taguig have significantly receded and can now be accessed by the MMDA's heavy equipment and workers.
"These communities need all the help they could get so we have to move fast and come to their aid.
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Flooded areas now hit by brownouts
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, October 8 A fire hit one of the power transformers of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in Barangay Dolores, Taytay, Rizal Wednesday night, resulting in power outages in some parts of the province and Metro Manila, including parts of Pasig that are still reeling from stagnant floodwaters spawned by storm "Ondoy".
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Extra trucks cut QC trash woes
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, October 8 The Quezon City government said on Thursday the additional garbage trucks fielded by the city government have reduced dramatically the volume of uncollected garbage in the city.
Despite the efforts of the city government, Quezon City Council Majority Floor Leader Ariel Inton appealed for patience to residents with uncollected household wastes, assuring that "everything humanly possible is being done" to clean their surroundings.
Instead of complaining, Inton requested local residents to pack their waste materials in plastic garbage bags to facilitate their collection, saying the huge number of discards is simply overwhelming after tropical storm "Ondoy" struck Metro Manila.
"Naiintindihan ko ang kalagayan ninyo pero sana wag na po tayong masyadong magreklamo at ginagawan naman po ng local na pamahalaan na matugunan ang inyong suliranin sa basura," Inton said.
He said the local and national government are not solely to blame for the flooding fiasco, saying that undisciplined and unscrupulous individuals who indiscriminately dump their waste on the waterways are also responsible for what happened.
"May kasabihan na ang tinapon natin pag naglaon ay babalik din sa atin," Inton noted.
Instead of people whining and pointing fingers, Inton said the huge flood should serve as an eye opener not only to local officials but also to the general public as flood control is the responsibility of every sector of society.
Earlier, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. sought the assistance of the local fire department and fire volunteer groups to facilitate the city's cleanup drive.
In a meeting with officials of the city's 142 barangays, Belmonte asked them to come up with accurate lists of families and individuals in their respective turfs occupying areas earlier identified as danger zones.
The danger zones are classified as critical areas near esteros, creeks, canals and other major waterways which are not fit for house or structural construction.
To prevent further casualties, Belmonte said the city government will expedite the coordination with the national government to facilitate the relocation of the informal settlers living near the city's danger zones.
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La Union fishermen seek food aid from government
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, October 8
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