Friday The 13th Haunted Launch?

MANILA, Philippines — Maybe it was because of a human error or technical lapse. Or maybe, it was shot down.

Speculations went around on what went wrong in Friday’s much-hyped rocket launch that even the superstitious had their take – perhaps, the North Koreans failed to consider the date.

It was Friday the 13th.

“It is just a superstitious belief,” said retired general Benito Ramos, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

“But if it is indeed true, well too bad for them. But good for us,” he said.

In the Philippines and some cultures across the world, Friday the 13th is considered as a date when a flurry of bad luck occurs.

In Wikipedia, one theory states that Friday the 13th is a modern amalgamation of two older superstitions: that “13” is an unlucky number and that Friday is an unlucky day.

“In numerology, the number ‘12’ is considered the number of completeness... whereas the number ‘13’ is considered irregular, transgressing this completeness,” it read.

“Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century’s The Canterbury Tales and many other professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys,” it added.

source: mb.com.ph

PHL stocks climb on Wall St. gains, North Korea rocket crash

Philippine shares climbed 1 percent in moderately active trading Friday, with market sentiment carried by gains overnight on Wall Street and North Korea’s failed rocket launch Friday morning.

While the market continued to move within the 4,990-5,100 consolidation window, it reacted positively to the failure of North Korea’s rocket launch and the 180-point advance of Wall Street stocks in New York overnight, said Harry Liu, president of Summit Securities Inc.

The main PSEi gained 50.52 points or 1 percent to close at 5,097.30.

More than 1.498 million shares valued at P5.716 billion changed hands during the morning and afternoon sessions.

However, decliners outpaced advancers 83 to 78 with 47 issues closing unchanged.

Most issues that gained were index stocks that carried the PSEi higher.

Asian markets shrugged off a rocket launch by North Korea before they opened, according to a Reuters report.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said the rocket exploded in the initial minutes of flight, and then fell in 20-odd pieces off South Korea's west coast, it added.

Overnight on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average closed up 181.19 points, or 1.41 percent, at 12,986.58.

The Philippine market needs a couple of weeks of consolidation, because there is still a bit of nervousness about US, China and European economic numbers, said Summit’s Liu.

The goal is to breach the 5,100 resistance level. “Then we’ll see more aggressive market plays,” he added. —GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Govt gears for North Korea rocket launch; warns vs. sea, air travel

The government is gearing for the planned long-range ballistic missile test of North Korea, which will start next week, announcing that it will close down airways and advised against sea travel in parts of Northern Luzon.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the projected path of the missile will be 190 nautical miles northeast of Sta. Ana, Cagayan and 140 nautical miles east of Polilio Island, Quezon, well within the exclusive economic zone of the country.

North Korea is planning to launch its missiles between April 12 to 16, between 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. (or between 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Manila time), despite of protests from various countries.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos appealed to fishermen and other sea vessels in Northern Luzon to refrain from venturing out to sea, particularly in the areas of Batanes, Calayan group of islands, Babuyan group of islands, Aparri, the coastal towns of Isabela, Baler, Casiguran and Polilio Islands.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will also close affected airways during the projected period of the missile launch. A no-fly zone will be implemented from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Manila time, or an hour before and two hours after the launch, from April 12 to 16.

Ferdinand Tienzo, assistant chief, air traffic control of CAAP, said about 20 international flights to and from Japan and South Korea will be diverted to other routes to avoid the path of the rocket.

CAAP said it has already informed the airlines and private aircrafts of the advisory.

"Don't venture out to sea, don't fly out," Ramos stressed during a coordinating conference on Tuesday. "We do not have the capability to shoot down the missile."

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) said that there is no nuclear threat in the missile launch, but it will remain prepared. Dr. Alumanda dela Rosa, PNRI chief, said they are nevertheless ready to activate its "RAD" (national radiological emergency preparedness and response) plan in case of a nuclear threat.

"Out team is ready in case of a nuclear threat," dela Rosa said.

The Philippines reiterated it has no capability to shoot down the North Korea rocket and will have to rely on other countries that have the capability.

Gazmin hopeful, but . . .

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the government remains hopeful that North Korea will heed calls from various countries to stop the missile launch, but admits that "based on historical facts, Korea does not listen to the majority."

"We have done our part, the next thing that we should do when the launch is effected is we have to prepare for the emergencies that will happen just in case it lands, the debris will [fall on] the land area of our territory. We have alerted the NDRRMC to give the necessary information and to do whatever there is to do in order to protect ourselves. We have also given instructions to the Philippine Navy to instruct ships to be out of the path, probable path of the missile test and also the airspace will have to be protected," Gazmin said.

source: interaksyon.com