Alleged NPAs attack rescue team in Masbate

MANILA, Philippines - Alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) attacked soldiers in Masbate on Wednesday morning while on duty extending disaster and relief services.

One of the insurgents died, however, as the government soldiers retaliated, said Southern Luzon Command spokesperson Col. Generoso Bolina.

He said Disaster Rescue and Relief forces were sent to flood-prone areas in preparation for any disaster. At around 6 a.m. at Intusan in the town of Palawan, a firefight ensued.

Quoting 9th IB commander Lt. Col. Jun Pacatan, Bolina said: "I immediately sent a platoon to the area to assist the people but as my platoon was approaching the village, they were fired upon by the rebels."

The firefight lasted 18 minutes. Government soldiers recovered later the body of the insurgent, an M16 rifle, an M14 rifle, two landmines and other war materials.

Col. Felix Castro Jr., 903rd Brigade commander, has already directed the soldiers to stay in the area "for possible DRR operations amidst heavy rains."

"They did not wait (for the worse to come). There is already a weather alert so they went to the area, so that if something happens they can immediately render assistance,” Bolina said.

He asked the rebels to allow the soldiers to do their work in rendering assistance.

"They (rebels) should stop their attacks. We should join hands in rendering assistance to the people. Let us not fight each other at this time and help each other in assisting the people," he said.

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ABS-CBNnews.com | August 8, 2012 | Article Link

Philippine mudslides, floods kill estimated 100

By TERESA CEROJANO, Associated Press Writer

MANILA, Philippines – Dozens of landslides in the rain-soaked mountains of the northern Philippines killed an estimated 100 people, as a lingering storm and excess water from dams turned a portion of one province into "one big river," officials said Friday.

The latest calamity brought the death toll to more than 400 from the Philippines' worst flooding in 40 years after back-to-back storms started pounding the country's north Sept. 26.

About 100 people were feared dead in landslides in two provinces — Benguet and Mountain — along the Cordillera mountain range, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Manila, said Olive Luces, regional Office of Civil Defense director.

Landslides blocked the roads to the mountain city of Baguio in the heart of the Cordillera region and exact figures were hard to get.

"We are still accounting, but all in all our estimate is there were about 100 dead in the four major landslides," Luces said. "Retrieval operations are ongoing."

About 100 landslides have struck the region since the weekend, said Rex Manuel, another relief official.

Seventeen bodies have been recovered so far from Kibungan village in Benguet's La Trinidad township, which was almost entirely buried in mud and debris late Thursday, Manuel said. Up to 40 villagers were estimated to have died, while more than 100 were moved to safety, he said.

In Buyagan village, also in La Trinidad, only three out of about 100 houses remained visible after Thursday night's landslide buried most structures there. Some 50 residents were saved but it was not clear how many died, Manuel said.

In neighboring Mountain Province's Tadian township, at least 28 people were reported missing and several bodies were recovered after the side of a mountain collapsed.

Another landslide hit a second village in Tadian early Friday. No immediate casualty reports were available.

Forecasters said Tropical Depression Parma was still lingering off the northeastern coast for more than a week, dumping rains overnight. It was the second major storm to hit the country in two weeks.

Thousands of residents of Pangasinan province, about 105 miles (170 kilometers) north of Manila, fled to rooftops and scrambled for safety after dams released excess water from recent heavy rains.

Pangasinan provincial Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias said she was getting frantic text messages from residents asking to be rescued, adding: "Eastern Pangasinan has become one big river."

Heavy rains, plus water discharged late Thursday night from a dam in Pangasinan, inundated 30 out of 46 towns along the Agno River in the coastal province, said Boots Velasco, the province's information officer.

"There was really heavy rain, so water had to be released from the dam, otherwise it would have been more dangerous," said the government's chief forecaster Nathaniel Cruz. "Even our office was flooded and our staff had to move to the rooftop. It's near the river that they were monitoring."

Heavy army trucks could not penetrate the area, and Primicias appealed for helicopters and boats to move people out of danger.

Mayor Nonato Abrenica of the Pangasinan's Villasis township said rain and water released from a nearby dam caused floods to rise quickly, isolating his town. He asked for food, water and medicines to be airlifted and for boats to rescue stranded residents.

The government's disaster relief agency said it had requested that the U.S. Embassy redeploy hundreds of American troops from the massive cleanup in and around the capital, Manila, to the flood-hit areas in the north.

Two U.S. Navy ships were positioning in the Lingayen Gulf in Pangasinan to provide helicopters and rubber boats for the rescue mission in the province, said U.S. Marine Capt. Jorge Escatell. ___

Associated Press writers Hrvoje Hranjski and Oliver Teves in Manila and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Yahoo News

Fresh flooding hits Philippines after days of rain

MANILA, Philippines – Officials say fresh flooding has hit about 30 towns in the northern Philippines, sending residents fleeing to rooftops and scrambling for safety. The floods came after dams released excess water from recent heavy rains.

Pangasinan provincial Vice Governor Marlyn Premicias said Friday that she was getting frantic text messages from residents asking to be rescued. The San Roque dam released water along the Agno River on Thursday night, inundating 30 out of 46 towns in the coastal province.

Forecasters say Tropical Depression Parma is still lingering off the northeastern coast, dumping rains overnight. It's the second major storm to hit the country in two weeks. Storms and flooding have killed more than 300 people since Sept. 26.

Associated Press

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Yahoo News

Arroyo opens Malacañang for ‘Ondoy’ relief ops

09/28/2009 | 03:59 PM

In the wake of rescue and relief efforts for the victims of tropical storm "Ondoy," President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday opened the doors of Malacañang Palace for the setting up of a relief operations center.

"The President (said) na gawing sentro ng relief operations ang Malacañang, even if kailangan mag-move out ng First Family dito," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in an interview on dzBB radio.

(The President said that Malacañang be the center of relief operations, even if the First Family had to move out.)

A separate radio report said the center would help government agencies pitch in their efforts for faster coordination of their services to the storm’s victims.

The report added that Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Remonde were finalizing plans for the installation of an emergency assistance center at the Palace.

Ondoy battered Metro Manila and the Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions on Saturday – its torrential rains left thousands displaced and about a hundred dead, as of Monday noon.

On Sunday, President Arroyo visited the Ortigas Extension in Pasig City to extend her sympathies to the flood victims in the affected area. She later went to Arayat town in Pampanga to commiserate with the victims in her home province.

The radio report said that on Monday, Mrs. Arroyo went to Marilao, Bulacan to distribute relief goods. Her trip was cut short due to strong rains.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Ondoy will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring occasional rains over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon on Monday. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173321/arroyo-opens-malacantildeang-for-ondoy-relief-ops

Pagasa: 2 more tropical depressions may hit RP this week

09/28/2009 | 10:11 AM

Barely had Luzon recovered from the destruction wrought by tropical storm "Ondoy," a state weather forecaster on Monday said two tropical depressions threaten to enter the country later this week.

In an interview on dwIZ radio, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecaster Connie Dadivas said the two weather disturbances are likely to enter Philippine territory late Wednesday or Thursday.

"May dalawang tropical depression sa labas ng Philippine area of responsibility. Ine-expect natin na papasok sa bansa, papasok ito sa boundary by Wednesday hapon or Thursday (We see two tropical depressions outside the Philippine area of responsibility. We expect them to enter Philippine boundary by late Wednesday or Thursday)," Dadivas said.

But another Pagasa forecaster Joel Jesusa, in a separate radio interview, said the two LPAs are still far away to affect any part of the country for now.

"Malayo pa po, sobrang layo pa ang binabanggit nating dalawang LPA, 1,000 km pa ito (The two LPAs are still too far away, they are about 1,000 km away)," he said on dzXL radio. He added that the two LPAs were moving west-northwest as of Monday.

Earlier, Pagasa said Ondoy continued to move farther away from the country Sunday night, and was 560 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales as of 10 p.m. Sunday.

It packed maximum winds of 110 kilometers-per-hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 140 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 17 kph.

However, Pagasa said Ondoy will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring occasional rains over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon.

"Luzon will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms while Visayas and Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," Pagasa said in its 5 a.m. bulletin Monday.

Ondoy struck Luzon on Saturday, bringing epic proportions of floodwater in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. [See: Epic flood in Metro Manila caused by record rainfall]

As of 6 a.m. Monday, the death toll from Ondoy has reached 86 based on the tally by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The figure, however, does not include 12 reported deaths in Antipolo City, 29 in Quezon City, and 58 in Marikina City as announced by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. [See: Death toll from storm 'Ondoy' continues to rise - NDCC] - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173302/pagasa-2-more-tropical-depressions-may-hit-rp-this-week

Death toll from storm 'Ondoy' continues to rise - NDCC

09/28/2009 | 07:59 AM

The death toll from tropical storm "Ondoy" (international name Ketsana) rose to 86 as of early Monday morning, but may go much higher as authorities verify reports of more deaths caused by the cyclone.

As of 6 a.m., the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) also shifted the focus of its efforts from search-and-rescue to relief work.

"Right now we will concentrate really on providing food and other necessities," NDCC chairman and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said at the NDCC's 6 a.m. briefing.

Teodoro said that as of 6 a.m. Monday, NDCC figures showed "Ondoy" had affected 86,313 families or 435,646 people. Of these, 23,126 families or 115,890 people were brought to 204 evacuation centers.

Ondoy struck Luzon on Saturday, bringing epic proportions of floodwater in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. [See: Epic flood in Metro Manila caused by record rainfall]

The death toll rose to at least 86, including seven in Metro Manila, 22 in Central Luzon, and 56 in Southern Luzon. Of the fatalities, five were military personnel trying to rescue residents affected by a landslide in Laguna province.

But Teodoro said the 86 does not include 12 reported deaths in Antipolo City, 29 in Quezon City, and 58 in Marikina City. At least 32 people remained missing, he added.

Damage to property was initially reported at P60 million, including P41.1 million in damage to infrastructure, P19.2 million in damage to schools, and P212,000 in damage to agriculture.

Blue alert

Meanwhile, dzBB reported the Department of Health placed all public hospitals placed on blue alert, meaning all medical personnel are to be on duty 24 hours a day.

Also, the DOH had medical personnel prepare anti-tetanus shots.

On the other hand, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) said at least 50 of its members in Metro Manila and Luzon were affected in Tanay and the cities of Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Parañaque.

"Baka mag-advance sila ng payment sa future claims namin para makabawi... para makaserbisyo (We hope PhilHealth can advance payments for our future claims so we can continue operating)," PHAP president Rustico Jimenez said on dzBB radio.

Also in Manila, the US Embassy said some of its units would be closed for Monday, including those for visa appointment.

In Pasig City, vendors at the Mutya ng Pasig market had to move their stalls to the nearby church, according to a report by dzBB’s Manny Vargas. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173297/death-toll-from-storm-ondoy-continues-to-rise-ndcc