'Yolanda' exacts P6.87 billion toll on farm sector

MANILA - Damage to the country's agriculture sector brought about by Typhoon 'Yolanda' climbed to P6.87 billion, surpassing that caused by tropical storm 'Santi'.

The latest figure from the Department of Agriculture (DA) is nearly double the P3.7 billion the agency reported earlier.

'Yolanda' lay to waste 134,085 hectares of farmland, of which 81,056 hectares were planted to rice. The typhoon destroyed 137,225 metric tons of palay worth P2.23 billion.

Next to rice, the coconut sector incurred P1.49 billion in losses, as Eastern Visayas, which produces a fifth of the country's coconuts, sustained the heaviest damage among the three regions in the Visayas.

Coconuts are the country's top agriculture export and comprises a fourth of the Philippines' merchandise shipments.

The fisheries sector incurred P1.15 billion in losses, followed by the corn industry, with 9,061 hectares laid to waste, destroying 9,452 metric tons worth P117.41 million.

The damage to irrigation facilities reached P1.01 billion.

In light of the heavy toll on Eastern Visayas, the National Food Authority (NFA) is shipping grains from its warehouses in Central Visayas.

“Food items will be moved from the production areas to affected places utilizing DA-supported market mechanisms such as the Barangay Food Terminal/LGU food trading centers,” said Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

“Functional food warehouses will also be utilized for food stocking,” he said.

Besides rice, the government is sending six refrigerated vans -- three from Manila and Baguio and another three from Albay -- containing frozen chicken, potatoes and other vegetables to Eastern Visayas.

Non-refrigerated vans containing eggs and other dry items would also be sent to Eastern Visayas.
The DA will deploy the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources' 1,200-ton vessel anchored in Cagayan de Oro, as well as smaller ships to ferry food items.
Apart from its own equipment, the government has tapped San Miguel Corp to provide poultry supply.

Alacal said the Philippine Coconut Authority will distribute chain-saws for clearing operations, using idle labor in typhoon-ravaged areas to man the equipment for P300 a day.

As for municipal fishermen, the government will provide 1,300 fishing boats equipped with five-horsepower engines and nets.

source: interaksyon.com

PLDT group provides free call stations in typhoon-hit areas

MANILA – Smart Communications, Inc. has installed free call services in Tacloban City and other areas as restorations works for the company’s network services in typhoon-ravaged areas are still underway.

The free call station, which used satellite services in partnership with Telecoms Sans Frontieres (TSF), was held at the police station near the city hall and started yesterday afternoon until evening. The company said that they expect to resume service today at the same location to rescue groups and affected residents.

“Tacloban is one of the most devastated areas in the Visayas with power and regular communication lines still down. Smart, as part of the Emergency Communications Cluster helping the government, flew in twice yesterday satellite and other telco equipment.” Ramon R. Isberto, Smart public affairs group head, said.

Smart said that its satellite services have likewise been extended to various institutional partners and local government units to expedite post-disaster response coordination.

Meanwhile, free call services from the Sun Cellular network can also be used at the Smart Retail Store in Ormoc City and in Tubigon Community Hospital in Potohan, Tubigon, Bohol.

The public may also proceed to the San Francisco municipal hall in Camotes, Cebu care of NTC-7, and the Smart cell sites in Roxas City proper and Sta. Fe in Cebu for free charging of mobile phone batteries.

Libreng Tawag stations were earlier made available in certain areas in Iloilo, Masbate and Mindoro.

Network restoration

Meanwhile, restoration of Smart and Sun networks in areas most affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda are now in full swing.

Network services have been restored in the following areas: Cabulihan, Maasin in Southern Leyte and the municipalities of Matalom, Bato, Hilongos, Macrohon and Hindang in Leyte; San Carlos, Negros Oriental; Bantayan Island, Cebu; Calatrava, Negros Occidental; Dimiao, Bohol; Badiangan, Ajuy-Culasi, Cabatuan, Anilao, Banate, Maasin, PD Monfort, Janjuay, Sta. Barbara, Leganes, Barotac Nuevo, Pavia, San Miguel, Dumangas, Alimodian, Sta. Barbara, Tiwi, Barotac Nuevo, Mina, Dingle, Zarraga, Pototan in Iloilo, and all of Masbate except for Mobo, Cataingan, Palanas, and Pio V. Corpuz.

Network services have been operational since yesterday in Ormoc City in Leyte as well in the following areas in Western Samar: Calbayog City, Calbiga, City of Catbalogan, Daram, Gandara, Jiabong, Macrohon,
Matuguinao, Paranas (Wright), San Jose de Buan, Santa Margarita, Tarangnan, Villareal.

Because of the post-disaster effects of the Typhoon Yolanda, the company encouraged subscribers of Sun in the Visayas to use the Smart network to boost their network signal by doing the following: go to their phone settings, choose Operator selection, choose Manual, and select SMART. Then return to Automatic mode. This can be used for call, text and data services. This will allow subscribers to use the Smart network while network enhancements for Sun is ongoing. The same rates and rules apply as if the subscriber is on the Sun network.

This service for Sun is available in the following areas in the Visayas; Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Cebu, Eastern Samar, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Siquijor, Southern Leyte, Leyte and Western Samar. Queries can be directed to Sun Hotline 200.

Accepting donations

Smart and Sun subscribers can also use text facilities to donate to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. For donations to the Philippine Red Cross, subscribers can text RED and send to 4143. Ex: RED 100. Denominations accepted are for P10, P24, P50, P100, P300, P500 and P1000.

source: interaksyon.com

Visayas BPOs lock down at height of 'Yolanda' wrath

MANILA - A number of business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in the Visayas temporarily stopped operations amid the onslaught of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’.

Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) president Jose Mari P. Mercado told InterAksyon.com that firms had to prioritize the safety of employees, who would have difficulty going to work amid the harsh weather.

"Some [companies] shut down, some went on lean operations. Our priority stays--safety and security of employees," Mercado said.

Some of the BPO industry's hubs in the Visayas such as Cebu and Iloilo were along the path of Yolanda--said to be the world's strongest typhoon this year.

Mercado said IBPAP has yet to assess the impact of Yolanda, but the sector was "definitely affected" by the typhoon.

Tampa, Florida-based Sykes Enterprises Inc said in a statement that the impact of Yolanda on its Philippine operations “has been immaterial, given the company’s disaster recovery planning and built-in redundant support infrastructure.”

“The company has been operating in the Philippines since 1997, and the number of typhoons and storms the archipelago experiences on average is roughly 20 on an annual basis,” Sykes noted.

Sykes has facilities in Metro Manila and Cebu.

source: interaksyon.com