Govt continues counting 'habagat' cost as death toll mounts

MANILA, Philippines -- The government continued to count the cost of this week’s destructive floods, caused by days of torrential monsoon rains, as the death toll continued to mount.

Saturday morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said at least 66 people had died -- 11 of them in landslides, 47 from drowning, the rest of other causes -- six others injured, and 10 more were still missing.

The floods affected close to 600,000 families, or more than 2.6 million persons, in 156 towns and 34 cities in 16 provinces of Region 1 (Ilocos), Region 3 (Central Luzon), Region 4-A (CALABARZON), Region 4-B (MIMAROPA), Region 6 (Western Visayas) and Metro Manila.

Late Friday night, 19 roads and bridges remained impassable.

Although most of the floods had receded, the NDRRMC reported new floods in Antipolo City, Binangonan, Jalajala, Baras, San Mateo, Tanay and Taytay in Rizal; and in Kalayaan and Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

More than P138 million worth of infrastructure was damaged and close to P20 million in agriculture, while more than 8,000 houses were damaged in affected areas.

A total of 39 towns and cities, including in Metro Manila, have declared themselves in a state of calamity.

source: interaksyon.com

US Filipinos organize fund drive for flood victims

Over the last week extremely-heavy rainfall battered Manila and the northern Philippines wreaking havoc on the Philippine capital and surrounding areas much like Typhoon Ondoy in 2009. The death toll from the flooding has already risen to 51. More than 1.2 million people are affected, including 850,000 who have been displaced from their homes. Although the current rains are expected to recede, many more storms and typhoons are still expected to worsen the situation.

The National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), with member organizations throughout the US calls on our families and friends to once again lend our love, prayers and monetary support to flood-affected communities by activating its Bayanihan Relief for Flood Victims in the Philippines.

NAFCON is collecting exclusively monetary relief  and ensures that donations go quickly and directly to the communities of the Philippines who are adversely affected by the typhoon identified as Saola. Donations will be coursed through Migrante International, our partner organization on the ground with a long and respected reputation of serving Filipino communities.

“Our kababayan back home can count on overseas Filipinos in the US. In response to Ondoy and Sendong, NAFCON along with other supporters has raised nearly $100,000 and we will continue to support our families and friends in need.” said Terry Valen, NAFCON President.

NAFCON has established cash and check collections centers throughout the US and will take donations via Paypal at http://tinyurl.com/nafconrelief3 or on our website at http://www.nafconsua.org/.

For mailed checks please make payable to “Tulong Sa Bayan” and send to 519 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. On memo please write: NAFCON Bayanihan Relief and your city of residence. Donations of $250 or more will be tax deductible.  Please include return address with donations.

For more information on fundraising and relief activities in your area please contact NAFCON regional coordinators nearest you or go to our website.

Northeast: Anne Corotan ne@nafconusa.org (516) 901-1832

Midwest: Lorena Buni mw@nafconusa.org (224) 678-3415

Norcal: Ryan Leano nc@nafconusa.org (626) 534-4971

Socal: Alex Montances sc@nafconusa.org (253) 381-7444

Local Monetary Drop/Send Sites (Please make all checks payable to “Tulong Sa Bayan”)

Northeast: Philippine Forum: 40-21 69th St. Woodside, NY

Midwest:         Good Shepherd Congregation:          4707 W. Pratt Ave Lincolnwood, Il 60712

Norcal: Filipino Community Center: 4681 Mission St. San Francisco, Ca 94112

Socal: Tulong Sa Bayan 519 S. Spring St., LA, CA 90013

source: asianjournal.com

Australia provides P88 million for flood relief efforts in Luzon

The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, has announced Australia will assist Filipinos who have been affected by severe flooding in Metro Manila and surrounding areas by making available up to PhP 88 million (A$2 million) in food and emergency supplies, to be delivered through the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

As part of its disaster preparedness program in the Philippines, Australia works with partners to pre-position emergency supplies, which enables a rapid response to natural disasters and emergencies.

The Australian Government has provided PhP 44 million (A$1 million) for emergency kits for distribution to families which include medical supplies, mosquito nets and water containers, and another PhP 44 million (A$1 million) for 1000 tons of rice.

Senator Carr expressed his particular concern for those families who had been without a home for up to two weeks. “We’re providing $1 million to WFP and we’re backing that up with nearly $1 million made available to the Red Cross for those in need,” he said.

“The Australian Government has made these items available through the PRC and WFP so that they can be immediately accessed in serious humanitarian situations, such as the current flooding in and around the capital,” Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, Bill Tweddell said.

“We know that prompt response is essential to saving lives during disasters. Australia, through our arrangements with the Philippine Red Cross and WFP, is able to assist the Philippine Government to respond quickly and effectively.”

Officials of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) visited flood-affected areas this week. They have been working closely with the Philippine Government and other donors to ensure the Philippines has the support it needs to manage the crisis.

“We commend the Philippine Government for its quick response, including widespread search and rescue operations for those stranded by floods and buried by landslides,” Ambassador Tweddell said.

Over the past seven years, Australia has provided more than Php760 million in humanitarian and emergency aid to the Philippines. Australia works closely with the Government and other partners to manage disasters and to help people adapt to climate change.

Australia’s program has a focus on Metro Manila and supports hazard and risk analysis, risk-sensitive land use planning, community-based disaster preparedness, capacity building on urban search and rescue, and providing safer settlements for those living in danger areas.

Australia and the Philippines have a strong relationship, underpinned by over 50 years of partnership in development cooperation. The aid partnership with the Philippines is one of Australia’s largest, with more than Php20 billion in official development assistance in the past five years. Australia’s current annual aid to the Philippines is estimated at Php5.5 billion – placing Australia among the top grant donors to the Philippines.

For more information about AusAID’s work on humanitarian and disaster response in the Philippines, visit the Australian embassy website.

source: gmanetwork.com

ABS CBN deluged with calls for help as Metropolitan Manila experiences the worst floods since killer typhoon of 2009

Metro Manila resident Josephine Cruz’s plea was loud and clear over ABS CBN’s flagship radio AM station, DZMM (630 kHz in Metro Manila).  Trapped in her house with her 83-year-old grandmother and 11 of her family members, she frantically cried, “Please rescue my family!” In the last 24 hours, as flood waters continued to rise in Metropolitan Manila as a result of torrential rains brought about by Typhoon Gener (international name:  Saola), similar pleas for help also came through the air.  By Tuesday morning, 60 people have perished, while thousands continue to be transported to evacuation centers.  ABS CBN Foundation International announces the reactivation of Sagip Kapamilya, a disaster rescue, relief and rehabilitation program, as the rescue operations are now a race against time.

What began as a typical, seasonal monsoon for the 12 million residents of the Philippine capital quickly became a deadly deluge of torrential rains that caused the overflow of dams and rivers.  The overflowing La Mesa Dam swelled rivers in the cities of Quezon City, Malabon, Valenzuela and Caloocan which surround the metropolis.  More than 5,0000 residents along the Markina River were immediately relocated as water levels over-indexed by 10 percent above critical levels. By yesterday evening, 50 percent of Metropolitan Manila was under water and more than 30 percent of the capital was under waist- or neck-deep waters, earning its horrifying monicker, “waterworld.”

As of August 7 (Manila time), Sagip Kapamilya’s rescue operations has reached 12,552 residents.  Sagip Kapamilya staff and volunteers are responding to the emergency needs of people inside the evacuation centers.  Special attention is being given to children, expectant mothers and the elderly. The immediate needs in the centers include a steady supply of rice; canned goods and other non-perishable food items; clothes for adults, children and infants; blankets and mats; first aid and medicine.

The collective donation of overseas Filipinos has always been the single largest and most reliable source of support for Sagip Kapamilya.  “We humbly call on all overseas Filipinos and our friends to assist in any way to help Filipinos affected by the recent floods in Metropolitan Manila,” says J. Robbie Fabian, President of ABS CBN Foundation International.  “Because the needs are immediate we encourage gifts of cash at this time.  Our commitment is to remit the donations within 24 to 48 hours of accepting them so items of greatest need can be purchased immediately on the ground.”

ABS CBN Foundation International remits 100% of all donations to Sagip Kapamilya in Manila for use in the rescue, relief and long-term rehabilitation of communities affected by natural disasters.  All donations in the US are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by US laws.

Donations of checks or money orders can be sent to ABS CBN Foundation International at 150 Shoreline Drive, Redwood City, CA 94065.  Contributions also be made online at www.abscbnfoundation.org

source: asianjournal.com

Floods cause P152.13-M initial damage to agriculture - DA

MANILA - The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday placed at P152.13 million initial damage to agriculture affecting some 25,958 hectares of farm lands in 20 provinces in Luzon and the Visayas -- Regions 1, 2, 3, 6, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

This was attributed to typhoon "Gener" and the southwest monsoon.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Joel Rudinas, in a report submitted to DA Secretary Proceso Alcala, said the rice sector incurred the biggest loss valued at P131.49 million planted to 24,780 hectares in 18 provinces.

Rudina, however, said most of the affected crops were in the seedling/vegetative stage and with chance to recover.

Deemed lost were placed at 3,355 metric tons (MT) of palay from the 3,902 hectares in reproductive/maturity stage.

"Only 1,904 hectares were completely damaged while 22,876 hectares have chance to recover," said Rudinas.

Cagayan Province suffered the biggest loss valued at P36 million, followed by Pampanga at P32 million, Bulacan at P26 million, and Bataan at P14 million.

For the corn sector, initial damage was valued at P7.74 million affecting some 1,035 hectares in six provinces, which are mostly with chances of recovery.

Deemed lost were some 666 MT corn from the 574 hectares in reproductive stage.

Rudinas said most affected were the provinces of Cagayan and Kalinga. Around 20 hectares were reported completely damaged.

On the other hand, damage to high value crops was placed at P10.62 million and fisheries at P2.28 million.

Rudinas said high value crops damage were reported in Benguet, La Union and Pangasinan provinces with total volume at 733 MT planted to 143 hectares.

However, he said of the total areas affected for the high value crops, only one hectare was "with no chance to recover."

Meanwhile, Rudinas said effects to fisheries were reported in the provinces of Pangasinan and Cagayan due to damaged fishponds and fish cages.

He said the DA is continuing to gather reports with concerned local government units (LGUs) on production losses as well as damage to infrastructures that are caused by the on-going southwest monsoon.

source: interaksyon.com

'Genesis 8, 7-12': Netizens link Tuesday's floods - and Project Noah - to the Bible

As massive floods submerged Metro Manila and neighboring provinces on Tuesday – and as the government turned to its vaunted “Project Noah” to assess floods in real time – Netizens, egged on by some cryptic tweets, couldn't help but notice that the date, 8/7/12 (August 7, 2012), corresponds to biblical passages in Genesis dealing with Noah's Ark and The Great Flood.

“Genesis 8:7-12" trended on Twitter.

“Coincidence!” some insisted. “Or is it?” others asked.

Genesis 8:7-12 reads:

Noah sent out a raven; it kept flying back and forth until the waters had dried up on the earth.

Then Noah sent out a dove to see if the waters had receded from the surface of the ground.

the dove could not find a resting place for its feet because water still covered the surface of the entire earth, and so it returned to Noah in the ark. He stretched out his hand, took the dove, and brought it back into the ark.

He waited seven more days and then sent out the dove again from the ark.

when the dove returned to him in the evening, there was a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak! Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.

He waited another seven days and sent the dove out again, but it did not return to him this time.

article source: interaksyon.com

Floods again start to rise in Metro Manila amid heavy rains; Pagasa raises rain warning

MANILA, Philippines - Flood waters have again started to rise in key areas in Metro Manila as heavy rains resumed pounding the National Capital Region and nearby areas Wednesday afternoon.

Rains again started flooding Roxas Bolulevared in Pasay City, which seven days ago was submerged in hip-high floods due to a water surge.

Flood waters along the boulevard are deepest in areas near the Japanese Embassy, Central Bank of the Philippines, and Manila Hotel, and in Pasay City's F.B. Harrison.

Also, flood waters have started to rise on the road under Ayala bridge, Carlos Palanca Street in Makati City, and in Manila's Romualdez Street corner U.N. Avenue and T.M. Kalaw corner J. Bocobo Street.

At 3:30 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised the rain warning signal in the metropolis from yellow to green as the downpour intensified.

Again, after hourly rainfall increased to 17.82 meters at 4 p.m., Pagasa raised the warning to red, the highest in the three-color system.

Heavy to intense torrential rains are expected within the next two hours, according to Pagasa.

Meanwhile, Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday afternoon advised DOJ employees to go home due to the bad weather caused by "habagat" or southwest monsoon, which was earlier enhanced by Storm "Haikui."

source: interaksyon.com

DFA reschedules passport processing due to bad weather

The Department of Foreign Affairs-Office of Consular Affairs announced on Tuesday a new schedule for passport applicants who were unable to file their applications due to bad weather.

“In view of the continuing inclement weather brought about by heavy rains, passport applicants scheduled today, August 7, may come to the DFA-OCA and have their passports processed this entire week until Friday, August 10,” it said.

Passport applicants are advised to bring their appointment slips with them, the DFA said.

Earlier in the day, massive flooding due to heavy rain forced the US Embassy to suspend its operations.

The embassy, located along Roxas Boulevard in Manila, was submerged in thigh-deep floodwaters, reports said.

“U.S. Embassy will be closed August 7, 2012 due to flooding in many areas of Manila,” a statement on its website said.

On his Twitter account, US Ambasador to the Philippines Harry Thomas said: "The embassy is closed today due to excessive flooding in the streets and concern for the safety of our employees and consular applicants."

Last week, the embassy was also closed down after huge waves, compounded by high tide, swept past the seawall and a cement embankment along the scenic Roxas Boulevard at the height of the monsoon surge. — Michaela del Callar/RSJ, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com