PiNoY SoCiaL WeB

Bayan Patroller's video of Compostela Valley landslide

2012-01-05T02:18:00.000-08:00

This video by Bayan Patroller Saul Pinggoy shows an eroded hillside in Bgy. Napnapan, Pantukan, Compostela Valley. The landslide happened around 3 a.m. on Thursday killing at least 25 people with more than 100 feared buried. -- courtesy of BMPM

Police: Death toll from Compostela Valley landslide rises to 25

2012-01-05T02:10:00.000-08:00

(Updated 10:30 a.m.) The death toll from the landslide that occurred at dawn Thursday at a small-scale mining site in Pantukan town in Compostela Valley has risen to 25 while 15 were reported injured, a provincial police report said.

Past ComVal landslides

Thursday's landslide in Compostela Valley is not actually the first in the province.
In fact, several other landslides have been recorded in Compostela in the recent past years.
In a report aired over GMA News TV's Balitanghali, reporter Mariz Umalis said that the most recent landslide in Compostela Valley also occured in Pantukan town in April 2011.
A report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that at least 14 were confirmed dead while 14 were injured in the landslide.
Two landslides likewise occured in Maco, Compostela Valley in September 2008 where 28 people were killed while another landslide in May 2009 in the same province killed 24 people. Umali said three separate landslides also occured in the province in 2004.
The report said the landslides, which usually killed small-scale miners, were usually caused by heavy rain.
Umali quoted Pantukan Mayor Cesar Sarenas as saying that they had already prohibited mining in their area but the small-scale miners asked for an exemption because they had no other means of livelihood.
He said he permitted them on condition they would not live in the area and would not mine when it rains.
However, Sarenas said that the miners did not fulfill their end of the bargain.Read more

In an interview on GMA News TV's News To Go, Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy said information reaching his office indicated that as many as 150 people were still missing. "Mga small scale miners. Nasa mining site talaga sila," he said.

Heavy rain and a predawn quake were eyed as possible causes of the landslide, according to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) head Benito Ramos.

"Dalawa ang theory dito, nag-uulan pa rin diyan at maski malayo ang low-pressure area doon, apektado ang probinsya ng Compostela Valley. May report din na (may lindol) sa Davao Oriental. Ang Davao Oriental at Compostela magkatabi yan," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Ramos said rescuers have to manually dig for survivors as equipment is still on its way to the area.

Senior Inspector Werenfredo Regidor Jr., chief of police of Pantukan, said at least 16 bodies were recovered hours after the landslide that occurred around 4 a.m.

In an interview on dzBB radio, he said initial reports indicated that as many as 100 people were missing after the incident. Most of these are likely small-scale miners and their families who stay in the mining site, he said.

"Doon natutulog, doon nakatira ang nagmimina ... Maraming tao sa area," he said.

He said there were few other details as the cellular phone signals in the affected area were weak.

"Madilim kanina nang nag-landslide. May contact person tayo sa area pero mahirap kumuha ng details kasi walang signal," he said.

Citing information from the Pantukan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC), the Compostela Provincial Police Office said two Armed Forces of the Philippines choppers and several personnel were on standby at the Pantukan Municipal Hall.

Brig. Gen. Rainier Cruz III, deputy commander of the 10th Infantry Division was also in the area, the report added.

Culpability?

Compostela Valley Governor Arthur Uy said there was a ban on residential construction near the small-scale mining area in Sitio Diat I and II in Barangay Napnapan.

"Hindi natin pinapayagan... pero napakalayo ng lugar at mahirap i-monitor kung may bumabalik na mga miner doon ... I want to talk to the mayor bakit nakabalik ang minero," Uy said in a separate interview on dzBB radio.

"Sitio Diat I and II are old small-scale mining areas," he said. Local officials had ordered the forced evacuation of residents from the area after a recent landslide, the governor added.

He also said it had been raining in the area for at least two weeks.

"Since Dec. 16 may advisory tayo sa lahat na minahan to vacate the area," he said. "Some people are really hardheaded and sneaked back despite our warnings."

Quake and rainfall

Ramos of NDRRMC said the agency is not discounting the possibility that an earthquake, even if relatively weak, may have triggered the landslide.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology had recorded a magnitude-3.0 quake at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, with the epicenter traced to 121 km southeast of Mati, Davao Oriental.

"Mahina ito, Intensity III, pero apektado ang lupa dahil sa ulan," Ramos said.

Citing initial reports reaching the NDRRMC, he said the 16 initial fatalities included six from Sitio Diat I and 10 from Sitio Diat II.

Ramos said the local government is sending some equipment while the Davao Mining Corp. had also been requested to send a payloader.

In the meantime, he said rescue teams, including members of the Army's 71st Infantry Battalion at the site, may have to conduct search operations "mano-mano (manual rescue operation) for now." — with a report by Mark Merueñas /LBG/KG/YA, GMA News

Blood money, inihahanda para mailigtas sa bitay ang OFW na nakapatay sa Saudi Arabia

2012-01-04T16:47:00.001-08:00

DFA: 1,500 Pinoys in four critical areas in Syria

2012-01-04T16:45:00.000-08:00

UPDATED 4:00 p.m. - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said there are about 1,500 Filipinos in four critical areas in strife-torn Syria, where a mandatory evacuation of Filipinos is going on.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said although most of the Filipino population is concentrated on the country’s political capital Damascus, about 1,500 are in the critical areas of Daraa, Homs, Hamah, and Idlib.

View Hotspots for Pinoys in Syria (January 2012) in a larger map

“The four areas I mentioned are considered as conflict-stricken; you do not have access in the area, we’re not allowed to be there. We’re not allowed to leave Damascus without permission from the government,” he said.

Even though the Philippines has placed the alert level in Syria at "4," which entails mandatory repatriation, Del Rosario said many Filipinos want to stay there because of the lack of economic opportunities in the Philippines.

“I did not see many people who wanted to be repatriated. In fact, I did not talk to anyone who wants to be repatriated,” he said in a press briefing, adding that they are looking at repatriating only 10 percent of some 10,000 Filipinos in the area.

Del Rosario said around 95 percent of Filipinos in the area are domestic workers—most came to Syria illegally and who earn only $150 a month.

“If you are trafficked [and you make] $150, it may take you the full contract of three years for you to pay for your obligations. So our people are placed at the disadvantage,” he said.

However, Filipinos there who have good employers “don’t feel particularly threatened” because there is a sense of protection, he said.

“I think those signing up for repatriation are those who are not treated well by their employers,” he added.

Meanwhile, Del Rosario also alleged that there were law enforcers in the Philippines who facilitated the exit of Filipinos to Syria, taking them to a three-month trip that goes through Zamboanga and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

He said these workers are victims of human trafficking, which is one of the things he brought up with his meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem.

The minister, however, said their government’s priority for the moment is bringing peace back to the country.

Unsure numbers

Del Rosario said one of the difficulties they are facing in their repatriation efforts is that 90 to 95 percent of Filipinos in Syria are undocumented.

He disclosed that he also sought the foreign minister’s help in re-building the database of the Philippine Embassy in Damascus, which has currently registered around 5,000 people – including those who came without proper documents.

The embassy in Beirut used to hold the database, which showed that there were 17, 000 Filipinos in the area as of 2008.

Del Rosario admitted that it is hard to track down all of the Filipinos because majority of them came in the country illegally.

He said there are many ways for Filipinos to work in Syria, like traveling there as tourists then going to an employment agency that can secure them a working contract.

“They’re recorded on the Syrian side, but not on our side, so that’s our problem… We think there are more out there, so we continue to seek these people out,” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario's visit to Syria

Meanwhile, Del Rosario said one of his agenda during the two-day visit was to Syria over the New Year weekend was to coordinate with Syrian officials on how to get in touch with Filipinos in the isolated areas.

“[Foreign Minister Al-Moallem] said the people are not allowed to go near the place, but he said that if we could nominate to the ministry which people we have there we want to be repatriated, they will contact the local officials and locate them for us,” he shared.

“These four areas are critical to us because we need to know who’s there, how they are, and if they would want to get out,” he added.

Meanwhile, a BBC report on Monday said that according to the United Nations (UN), more than 5, 000 people have been killed “in a crackdown on anti-government since March” of last year.

— VVP/TJD, GMA News

Aquino reveals stand on FOI bill, tells Cabinet men send it to Congress

2012-01-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

Updated 10:12 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday revealed his stand on the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill — legislation designed to lift the shroud of secrecy over government dealings and data — and told some of his Cabinet men to finalize the Palace version and send it to Congress.

Aquino told administration officials to “push ahead” with the much-delayed FOI bill during at a two-hour meeting with some members of the Cabinet earlier in the day, said Communications Group Undersecretary Manolo Quezon III at a press briefing on Wednesday.

“The President’s marching order to us was — and these were his words — to push ahead with Freedom of Information,” Quezon said.

It means "Finalize [the Palace version] and send it to Congress," presidential spokesperson Edwin Laciera told GMA News Online.

The FOI bill seeks to implement Article III, Section 7 and Article II, Section 28 of the 1987 Constitutionand guarantees the rights of people to access information and documents of public interest, “subject to reasonable conditions prescribed by law.”

“Basically, everyone has been asking where does the President stand on this? Does the President have any more reservations or questions or is he getting in the way of this? And I think this is as categorical an answer as everyone has wanted to hear and he is saying ‘push ahead’,” Quezon said.

Also present during the meeting were Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head Ricky Carandang, and presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Malacañang decided to adopt the version of the bill filed by Deputy House Speaker Lorenzo Tañada.Quezon said the Palace will introduce its proposal as amendments to retain the integrity of the bill and maintain the momentum at the committee level.

“As you know it is pending in committee already and from the very start we were very transparent in saying that the view we were looking at… it will be introduced… instead of a competing bill, it would be introduced as a series of amendments either in the committee or plenary,” Quezon said.

A consolidated version of the FOI bill has been pending before the House committee since February last year. Various versions of the proposed legislation, separately authored by 11 senators, are also pending committee approval at the Senate.

Rep. Tañada acknowledges Aquino directive

Tañada acknowledged Malacañang’s announcement.

“Together with the champions and advocates in the House, I will organize talks with the Speaker and the committee on public information chair for the next concrete steps and definite timeline,” he said in a statement.

“I welcome the announcement of the Palace regarding the FOI bill. It is now incumbent on both chambers of the legislative branch to work for the passage of the FOI in their respective chambers before June 2012,” Tañada said in a text message.

House members will give weight to the Palace proposal in the same manner that they took into consideration the inputs of other stakeholders, former journalist and now Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone said in a separate text message.

Evardone, chairperson of the House committee on public information, said he sees the smooth passage of the FOI bill at the committee level and at the plenary once the Palace submits its version to Congress.

“We have been very anxious of this development. This will definitely hasten the approval of the FOI bill,” Evardone said.

He added, however, that his committee will not automatically adopt the Palace version of the measure.

“It does not mean that we will adopt it hook, line and sinker,” he said.

Another layer of bureaucracy

The only change the President did to the draft bill was remove the proposed Information Commission, Quezon said, because the President felt the commission would just add another layer of bureaucracy.

“The overall intention of this whole exercise, besides making it as democratic and consultative as possible, was precisely because we were all working under the view that we had to make the constitutional injunction making information a right of the public a living reality,” he said.

With the President’s approval, Quezon said the ball is now in the hands of the Congress.

In June 2010, the House of Representatives failed to ratify the bill due to lack of quorum, as well as objections from some congressmen. — KBK/RSJ/ELR/VS, GMA News

Sandiganbayan 4th division to handle Arroyo graft cases

2012-01-02T02:31:00.001-08:00

The graft cases against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the botched $329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal with the Chinese firm ZTE Corp. have been raffled off to the Sandiganbayan’s 4^th Division.

A GMA News Report quoted the anti-graft court’s spokesperson, Renato Bocar, as saying that the cases against former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, former Transportation chief Leandro Mendoza, and former poll chief Benjamin Abalos were also assigned to the same division.

Associate Justices Gregory Ong, Jose Hernandez and Maria Cristina Cornejo comprise the Sandiganbayan 4^th division.

Last week, the Office of the Ombudsman filed two graft cases against Mrs. Arroyo for the NBN-ZTE deal, saying the former President was “fully aware” of the irregularities in the contract but allowed it to be signed during her term. Mrs. Arroyo cancelled the deal a few months after it was signed.

The same report added that the anti-graft court may come up with an arrest warrant against Mrs. Arroyo and other officials within 10 days if it finds probable cause to try the accused of the cases.

Mrs. Arroyo is currently under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. She was arrested at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig, where was confined for a bone problem, on November 18, the same day the Commission on Elections filed an electoral sabotage case against her for alleged rigging of the 2007 polls.

The Arroyo camp has repeatedly denied the charges against her and her husband.

National broadband controversy

The Philippine National Broadband Network controversy (also known as the NBN/ZTE deal) involved allegations of corruption in the awarding of a construction contract to the Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE for the proposed government-managed National Broadband Network (NBN).

See: ZTE controversy timeline

The contract with ZTE was signed on April 20, 2007 in Hainan, China. After accusations of irregularities surfaced, Mrs. Arroyo cancelled the National Broadband Network (NBN) project in October 2007. - VVP/YA, GMA News

Foreign Affairs chief arrives in Syria for repatriation of Pinoys

2012-01-02T02:30:00.001-08:00

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario is now in Damascus, Syria to facilitate the repatriation of some 4,000 Filipinos there, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said Del Rosario arrived in Damascus on Monday morning (Manila time) and was scheduled to meet with Syrian officials to ensure the Filipinos' safety.

"About five hours ago he landed in Damascus. Makikipagusap siya about 10 a.m. with (the) Syrian foreign minister at ibang opisyal sa Syria para humingi ng tulong sa Syrian government para i-facilitate ang repatriation ng OFWs doon," Hernandez said in an interview over radio dzBB.

Del Rosario is also slated to talk to Filipino community leaders in Syria to disseminate the DFA's appeal to Filipinos to comply with mandatory repatriation.

Del Rosario will also review possible exit points in Syria should the airport be inaccessible and commercial flights be unavailable, he added.

"Titingnan din ang contingency plans in place ng embahada doon," he said.

90 to 95% Pinoys undocumented

Hernandez said "90 to 95 percent" of Filipinos in Syria are undocumented and may not be entitled to government benefits, but will get help in repatriation.

He said the Philippine government is preparing to request employers who refuse to release Filipino workers to allow the Filipinos to be repatriated.

"May kaso na ayaw payagan ng employer kasi kailangan sa household work. Pero pagtawag sa embahada we try to contact the employers negotiate with them," he said.

56 Pinoys home from Syria

Over the weekend, at least 56 overseas Filipino workers arrived home from Syria amid intensified efforts by the Philippine government to repatriate them.

The Filipinos arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in two batches from Syria, according to a report on radio dzBB early Monday.

One batch arrived aboard an Etihad Airlines flight while the other arrived aboard a Qatar Airlines flight, the report said.

For its part, the DFA said this brought to 490 the number of OFWs the government has helped bring home from strife-torn Syria since the start of the political crisis there in March 2011.

Last week, the DFA made a fresh appeal to some 4,557 Filipinos still in Syria to heed the government's call for mandatory repatriation due to the tension there.

"We are appealing to our kababayans in Syria to remove themselves out of harm's way while there is still time by getting themselves repatriated back to the Philippines," del Rosario said last week.

His call stemmed from the Philippine Embassy in Damascus' report that the capital remains on high alert following back-to-back car bombings there on December 23.

Last Dec. 22, the DFA cited the escalating violence in Syria in raising the crisis alert level there to "4," and calling for the mandatory repatriation of Filipino workers there.

The DFA said del Rosario went to Syria Saturday to ensure the conditions of Filipinos affected by the increasing tensions can be made as secure as possible.

Meanwhile, the DFA said the hotline of the Philippine Embassy in Syria is 00-963-116-132626 . Families may also e-mail their requests and concerns through the Embassy's e-mail addresspe.damascus@gmail.com, it said.

In Manila, the DFA also activated hotline numbers for families of Filipinos based in Syria, at 834-3245 and 834-3240. - VVP, GMA News

Hefty $10,000 fine for bringing banned food to US

2011-12-27T02:46:00.001-08:00

The United States Embassy in the Philippines reminded Filipino travelers not to bring into the US prohibited food because this comes with a hefthy $10,000-fine (roughly P430,000).

On its blog site, the embassy said, "If you are thinking of bringing food or food products with you to the United States as either presents or to help celebrate the holidays, you should first investigate what is acceptable to bring and what is prohibited."

"So think before you bring 'a taste of home' to your friends or relatives in the United States, and investigate if it is OK to do so. It may be easier just to bring the recipe and make it once you arrive," it suggested.

The embassy said "restrictions are placed on these products to protect community health, preserve the environment and prevent the introduction of devastating diseases to domestic plants and animals."

The US Customs and Border Protection said the following food are generally admissible:

Condiments such as ketchup (catsup), mustard, mayonnaise and prepared sauces that do not contain meat products
Olive oil and other vegetable oils
Bread, cookies, crackers, cakes, granola bars, cereal and other baked and processed products
Candy and chocolate
Cheese- Solid cheese (hard or semi-soft, that does not contain meat), butter, butter oil, and cultured milk products such as yogurt and sour cream are not restricted.
Canned goods and goods in vacuum packed jars (other than those containing meat or poultry products) for your personal use
Fish- personal amounts of fish, shrimp, abalone and other seafood are allowed and can be fresh, frozen, dried, smoked, canned or cooked
Powder drinks sealed in original containers with ingredients listed in English. However, admissibility is still under the discretion of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agricultural Specialist.
Dried Fruit- things like apricots, barbery, currants, dates, figs, gooseberries, peaches, prunes, raisins, tomatillos, and zereshk
Liquid milk and milk products intended for use by infants or very young children are admissible if in a reasonable amount or small quantity for several days' use
Juices- commercially canned
Tea- commercially packaged and ready to be boiled, steeped or microwaved in liquid.
Coffee- roasted or unroasted if there is no pulp attached.
Spices- most dried spices are allowed except for orange, lemon, lime and other citrus leaves and seeds, lemongrass, and many vegetable and fruit seeds
Honey- comb honey, royal jelly, bee bread, or propolis if it is not intended to be fed to bees
Noodles and ramen that do not have meat or eggs in the spice packets
Rice- white rice, basmati rice, brown rice, husked rice, polished rice, rice flour and other products that do not have the hull attached
Flour- wheat, rice, oat and cornmeal
Mushrooms, fresh and dried- above ground parts that are clean and free of soil
Nuts- All nuts are allowed if they have been boiled, cooked, ground, oven dried, pureed, roasted, or steamed. Other nuts may be allowed if they are free from their husks
Bakery items, candy, chocolate, and dry mixes containing dairy and egg ingredients [such as baking mixes, cocoa mixes, drink mixes, instant cake mixes, instant pudding mixes, liquid drink mixes containing reconstituted dry milk or dry milk products (including those that contain sugar), potato flakes, and infant formula] commercially labeled and presented in final finished packaging are generally admissible.

- VVP, GMA News

Rains cause floods in Surigao, Agusan, Metro Cebu, Leyte; no casualties reported

2011-12-27T02:44:00.001-08:00

(Updated 9:14 a.m.) Floods from heavy rain brought by a low-pressure area have reached waist-high level in some areas of Surigao and Agusan provinces, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Tuesday.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos cited initial reports reaching him that several areas in Surigao and Agusan had to be closed to traffic due to the floodwaters.

"Closed ang traffic dahil (hanggang) baywang ang tubig baha doon. Sa Daang Maharlika ng Surigao del Norte, closed traffic dahil sa baha. (Sa) Agusan del Sur at North Bayugan City at San Francisco, baha na rin ito kaya closed traffic (Several areas in Surigao and Agusan are closed to traffic because the floodwaters there are waist-high. In Daang Maharlika in Surigao del Norte, roads are closed to traffic due to the floods. In Agusan del Sur, Bayugan City and San Francisco are also flooded)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

But he said there are no casualties reported so far, as the residents there are "used" to floods.

He said they were preemptively evacuated to safer ground before the floods hit. Some 1,000 families were evacuated, he added.

"Mabuti sanay ang tao rito. Nag-evacuatee sila dito kahapon pa. Preemptive evacuation, walangcasualties (It is good that the people there are used to this. They evacuated since Monday. We hope there are no casualties because of the preemptive evacuation)," he said.

Some 280 families or 1,244 people from seven villages were brought to different evacuation centers in the Caraga region.

These include families from Surigao City, Claver, Sison, Tubod, and Placer in Surigao del Norte; and Libjo in Dinagat.

The NDRRMC noted cloudy skies with rain showers at Caraga, with the Active Local Emergency response Teams (ALERT) of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Island Search and Rescue Team (DISART) on standby to closely monitor the situation.

Quick response teams of Surigao City were deployed to flood-prone areas in the city especially in San Juan village.

Ramos said the rain appeared to stop Monday night, although the rainwater may accumulate in the local river system.

This photo sent via YouScoop by Twitter user @dontdonna shows strong waves coming into a ferry along Maqueda Channel in between Catanduanes and Camarines Sur in Bicol.

Cebu and Southern Leyte

On the other hand, Ramos cited reports there are also floods in Cebu province, as well as Southern Leyte.

He said residents in the village of Guinsaugon in St. Bernard town in Southern Leyte had beenpreemptively evacuated. In 2006, heavy rains triggered a land slide that buried much of Guinsaugon, killing over a thousand residents.

Some 74 families or 275 people from St. Bernard were brought to evacuation centers due to the heavy rain.

As of Tuesday morning, the NDRRMC said authorities are also monitoring swollen riverbeds in Abuyog in Leyte.

The NDRRMC also said the boundary of Bonifacio and District I villages in Julia town are submerged in floodwaters.

Meanwhile, floods and at least one landslide from continuous rain hit parts of Metro Cebu, affecting some streets and a local mall there.

A report by radio dzBB's Cebu affiliate early Tuesday said floodwaters from the heavy rain entered the local SM mall in Cebu City.

Many vehicles were stalled at the reclamation area near the roadside in Cebu City due to the floods, the report added.

Some residents in flooded areas were evacuated to safer ground, even as there was no initial report of casualties.

On the other hand, the NDRRMC said at least 60 families or 300 people were evacuated from their homes in Sitio Laray, Pitogo and Cansaga villages in Consolacion town in Cebu.

The residents were brought to chapels and day care centers.

Flooding was also reported in Mandaue City.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration earlier warned ofrain from a low-pressure area that may affect the Visayas and Mindanao.

PAGASA also said the rain may start to affect parts of Southern Luzon and Bicol as well.

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), a joint mission between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), reported that as of December 26, there was severe flood potential in many areas of Visayas and Mindanao, such as Surigao (as much as 221 mm), Bislig in Mindanao (240mm), Maasin in Leyte (490 mm), and Tacloban, Leyte (212 mm). – KG/HS, GMA News

On Xmas Day, bodies of Sendong victims found on distant shores

2011-12-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

Over a hundred more bodies were recovered on Christmas day, Sunday, with some washing ashore more than a hundred kilometers from where they disappeared on December 17, after the government expanded retrieval operations for victims of tropical storm Sendong.

Emergency workers working through the holidays have recovered corpses as far as Oroquieta City and Jimenez in Misamis Occidental, across Iligan Bay from devastated Iligan City, and Camiguin Island, north of Cagayan de Oro, which suffered the greatest number of fatalities.

The death toll from the storm rose to 1,236 on Sunday afternoon as authorities continued to fish out more bodies from the water throughout the day, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos said.

“We will continue the retrieval operations… We will pursue it as long as it takes,” he told reporters on Sunday.

Ramos added that authorities may have to call off the search if they fail to recover more bodies for three consecutive days.

A total of 1,079 persons remain missing after Sendong ravaged last weekend portions of Northern Mindanao, particularly the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, based on latest records from the NDRRMC.

Military and police forces are currently working with a number of agencies and even local fishermen to retrieve more bodies, Ramos said.

More months in evacuation centers

The NDRRMC chief likewise said that evacuees may remain homeless for three to five months while the local government builds new shelter for them.

“We have to sustain them for the period of three, four, five months before the core shelters are built... It will take some time,” Ramos said.

He added that local officials from Iligan City have yet to find a relocation site for residents affected by Sendong.

“They have yet to identify a relocation area here because there are certain requirements like it should not be a landslide prone area because Iligan City is a mountainous area…In a few days, we hope we can identify one,” said Ramos.

Ramos further said that a six-hectare relocation site has already been identified for affected families from Cagayan de Oro, but the construction of shelters on the site may take several months.

The NDRRMC currently pegs the number of families affected by Sendong at 108,798. Over 39,000 houses and P1.08-billion worth of properties were destroyed due to the storm, according to the agency. - Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK/HS, GMA News

Fil-Aussie singer MiG Ayesa stages farewell concert in New York

2011-12-23T15:22:00.001-08:00

As he prepares for his homecoming to the Philippines next year, Filipino-Australian Broadway performer and recording artist MiG Ayesa staged a farewell concert last week for his loyal following in the US.

According to the news site “Filipino Reporter,” Ayesa—who will fly to the Philippines in June 2012 for the Asian production of the musical “Rock of Ages”—“gave what seemed to be the greatest performance of his life” last December 12 at his “Here i AM – Here i GO” concert in Manhattan, New York.

The Fil-Aussie also launched his second pop rock album, “More Than Ever,” during the event.

“MiG dazzled the crowd with his soulful chops and a very soothing voice that is distinctly his own, capping it with a jaw-dropping rendition of Peter Frampton’s ‘Baby, I Love Your Way,’ the song that almost bagged him the top prize in the reality search ‘Rock Star: INXS’ in 2007, [where] he placed third,” the report said.

Ayesa, who was dubbed by American critics as “the best Stacee Jaxx ever” on Broadway, will reprise that role for the Manila production of the hit musical “Rock of Ages”—the same role that “is being essayed by Tom Cruise” for the film version next year.

Before retracing his Filipino roots here, Ayesa will spend six months in the West End production of “Thriller Live!” a musical tribute to King of Pop Michael Jackson, which earned him “critical raves” n 2007.

Born in Manila as Miguel Alfonso Ramon Legarda Ayesa in 1970, the singer was raised in Sydney, Australia.

Even before “Rock Star: INXS”—the show that opened more doors for him—he has starred in theater productions like “We Will Rock You,” a hit musical based on the songs of the band, Queen.

On his website, Ayesa said his name, MiG, is spelled with a capital ‘G’, taking after Soviet aircraft manufacturer Mikoyan Gurevich, who made the MiG jets.

- VVP, GMA News

DOLE issues pay rules for Christmas, Rizal Day, New Year

2011-12-23T15:19:00.001-08:00

The Labor Department on Friday issued pay rules for workers on three upcoming regular holidays and a special nonworking day: Christmas Day, Rizal Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz reminded private sector employers to observe the pay rules during the holidays and special day that will be celebrated nationwide.

Proclamation 84 of 2010, which declared the regular holidays for 2011, lists Dec. 25, Christmas Day; and Dec. 30, Rizal Day, as holidays.

The proclamation also lists December 31, 2011, a Saturday, as a non-working special day as it is the last day of the year.

On the other hand, Proclamation 295 of 2011 declares Jan. 1, 2012 as a regular holiday.

“Specifically, President Aquino III tasked the Department of Labor and Employment to promulgate the implementing guidelines for this Proclamation,” Baldoz said in a news release posted on the DOLE website.

The pay rules for the three holidays on Dec. 25 and 30 and Jan. 1 are as follows:

If the day is an employee’s regular workday and it is unworked, he/she shall be paid 100 percent of his/her regular salary for that day.
If the day is worked, he/she shall be paid 200 percent of his/her regular salary for that day for the first eight hours. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on the said day.
If the day falls on an employee’s rest day and it is unworked, he/she shall be paid 100 percent; but if the day is worked, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of 200 percent. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on the said day.

For Dec. 31, the following pay rules apply:

If the day is unworked, the “no work, no pay” principle shall apply unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day even if the day is unworked.
If worked, the employee shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the daily rate of 100 percent on the first eight hours of work. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate on said day.
If the day falls on the employee’s rest day and is worked, he/she shall be paid an additional 50 percent of the daily rate of 100 percent on the first eight hours of work. In excess of eight hours, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of the hourly rate.

— RSJ, GMA News

DFA recommends lifting of deployment ban to Nigeria

2011-12-23T15:18:00.000-08:00

Citing the improved security there, the Department of Foreign Affairs has recommended the lifting of the deployment ban there effective Jan. 1 next year.

“We have reviewed the overall security situation in Nigeria and have concluded that the insurgency in the Niger Delta has been properly addressed,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a letter to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

Excerpts of the letter were posted Friday afternoon on The Official Gazette website.

Del Rosario noted no recent kidnapping incidents have been noted so far in Nigeria, which he said has become a "vibrant democracy with a thriving economy."

"According to our ambassador in Nigeria, 5,000 jobs in the oil, gas and construction industries awaiting our OFWs in Nigeria,” he added.

The Philippine government had imposed a deployment ban in Nigeria amid kidnapping incidents involving Filipino seafarers in the Niger Delta from 2006 to 2009.

The DFA said there are now 7,240 Filipinos in Nigeria, mostly professionals and Filipino nationals married to Nigerians.

"A number of them have expressed the desire that the deployment ban be lifted," the DFA said.

On the other hand, Philippine Ambassador Nestor Padalhin noted a demand for skilled Filipino workers for Nigerian industries, after meeting with Nigerian officials.

The Philippines and Nigeria will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2012.
— RSJ, GMA News

DFA: Syria under alert level 4, repatriation of Pinoys now mandatory

2011-12-22T21:53:00.001-08:00

Citing the escalating violence in Syria, the Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday raised the crisis alert level there to "4," calling for the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos there.

The DFA enjoined Filipinos in Syria to leave immediately in light of the escalating tensions there, noting the repatriation will be at the Philippine government's expense.

"In view of the escalating violence in Syria, the Department of Foreign Affairs will be raising Alert Level 4 for the entire country of Syria effective today," Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario was quoted in a DFA statement issued Thursday.

There are about 5,000 Filipinos registered at the Embassy in Damascus, the DFA said.

In the same statement, Del Rosario said he has directed DFA Executive Director for Migrant Workers Affairs Ricardo Endaya, to leave immediately for Syria and to assist the Philippine Embassy in Damascus in repatriation efforts.

He also instructed the Philippine Embassy there to assess the situation and submit daily reports, and an action and financial plan for the full implementation of Alert Level 4.

The DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Syria has been closely monitoring developments and has briefed the members of the Filipino community on the embassy's contingency plans.

It advised Filipinos in Syria to keep their communication lines open with the PHL Embassy and their community coordinators and inform them of their whereabouts.

"They are further advised to contact the Embassy so that arrangements could be made for their immediate repatriation," the DFA added.

Last week, the embassy repatriated 51 Filipinos from Syria, bringing to 383 the total number of Filipinos repatriated from Syria as of December 16, the DFA statement said.

Hotlines

The Embassy's hotline number is 00-963-116-132626. Families may also e-mail their requests and concerns through the Embassy's e-mail address pe.damascus@gmail.com.

In Manila, the DFA also activated hotline numbers for families of Filipinos based in Syria, at 834-3245 and 834-3240. — RSJ, GMA News

Truck runs out of control, kills 10 in Antipolo

2011-12-22T21:47:00.000-08:00

A wayward six-wheeler truck crashes onto a restaurant and a store along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo City on Thursday killing 10 people and injuring several others. John Consulta

2 Egyptians who murdered Pinoy executed in Saudi Arabia

2011-12-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

Two Egyptians accused of murdering a Filipino in Saudi Arabia were beheaded in the Saudi capital, the Saudi government said Wednesday.

An article on state-run Saudi Press Agency said the Interior Ministry identified the two Egyptians as Wael Al-Sayyid Farid Al-Sayyid and Riziq Eid Ali Rajab.

Both were executed in Riyadh because they killed Filipino Driver Alister Morong and stole his truck for selling, the SPA report said.

It did not say when the murder occurred, however.

Citing information from the Interior Ministry, it said the two Egyptians "confessed" to their crime and the General Court convicted the murderers.

"The sentence was endorsed by the Cassation Court and the Supreme Court; and a royal order was issued to execute the sentence," it said.

"The Ministry of Interior affirms that the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud is keen on the preservation of security, the establishment of justice and the implementation of the orders of Allah against anyone who attacks the secured people, sheds their blood, and robs their money; it warns anyone who tries to commit such actions of punishment according to the religion," it added.

A separate article on news site Egypt.com cited an AFP news agency count that the beheadings brought to 75 the number of executions in Saudi Arabia this year.

It added that in September, Amnesty International called on the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom where 140 people were on death row to establish an "immediate moratorium on executions."

Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia's strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law, the article said.

Amnesty said Saudi Arabia executed 27 convicts in 2010, compared to 67 executions announced the year before. — ELR, GMA News

US calls on North Korea to meet nuclear obligations

2011-12-21T15:42:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON - The White House said on Monday it hoped the new North Korean leadership would live up to its obligations to end the reclusive state's nuclear program, following the death of Kim Jong-Il.

"We hope that the new North Korean leadership will take the steps necessary to support peace, prosperity and a better future for the North Korean people including ... acting on its commitments to denuclearization," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

Carney said in the aftermath of Kim's death from a heart attack on Saturday that Washington did not have any new grounds for concern about Pyongyang's stocks of nuclear weapons, over and above its previous warnings about the atomic arsenal.

He also said it was too early to make judgments about what the death of Kim would mean for the future of North Korea, or its relationship with the outside world, including six party nuclear talks.

"It is premature to make assessments of the new leader. We will judge the North Korean government as we always have by its actions and by its actions ... in particular ... regarding denuclearization.

"It does make sense to give this process a little bit of time before we make judgments about the new leadership."
— Agence France Presse

Arroyo denied Christmas furlough at QC home

2011-12-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

(Updated 5:47 p.m.) Former President and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will have to spend Christmas and the New Year in a government hospital after the Pasay City court denied her request to spend the holidays at her Quezon City house.

But the court allowed her relatives to visit her at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center on Christmas and New Year, radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported.

The report said Judge Jesus Mupas allowed select relatives of Arroyo, who is recovering from a bone mineral disorder, to visit her at the VMMC on Dec. 24 to 26; and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2.

Arroyo camp OK with decision

Arroyo's camp, who asked the court to allow her to spend the holidays at her house in La Vista, Quezon City, said it will respect the court decision.

“Katulad dati, iginagalang namin ang desisyong lumabas. Ito ay aming susundin,” lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, counsel for Mrs. Arroyo’s husband, Jose Miguel, said in an interview over GMA News TV’s “On Call.”

He added that their camp is grateful that Judge Mupas at least allowed the former President’s immediate family to visit her on Christmas and New Year. “Nagpapasalamat na rin kami na kami ay napagbigyan sa aming kahilingan.”

On the other hand, the report said the Pasay City court has yet to decide on Arroyo camp's request to let her use gadgets like a laptop computer and a mobile phone.

Topacio said Mrs. Arroyo is still abreast with national news while inside the hospital, and is still wearing a neck brace. “Okay naman siya. She’s taking this philosophically,” he said in the interview.

Hospital arrest

Arroyo was transferred to the VMMC from the St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City last Dec. 9.

The former leader had been staying at St. Luke's since Nov. 15, when she was barred from leaving the country. She was placed under arrest Nov. 18 on charges of electoral sabotage in connection with the alleged rigging of the 2007 midterm elections to favor her senatorial candidates.

Malacañang, meanwhile, welcomed the court's decision denying Mrs. Arroyo's request to spend the holidays at her house.

At a press briefing, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte described the court’s decision as fair.

“The decision of the court is far. We've always maintained that there should be no special treatment accorded to CGMA (Arroyo’s initials) and that arrangements should be made with due respect to her condition,” she said. — with Andreo C. Calonzo and Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River

2011-12-21T02:38:00.000-08:00

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometres (30 mi) north of the city centre of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. The river also called Puerto Princesa Underground River. The national park is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the northern coast of the island. It is bordered by St. Paul Bay to the north and the Babuyan River to the east. The City Government of Puerto Princesa has managed the National Park since 1992. It is also known as St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park, or St. Paul Underground River. The entrance to the Subterranean River is a short hike from the town of Sabang.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River also one of the world's longest underground river and the previous record holder of the longest underground river in the whole world. The Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to diverse species of plants and animals (flora and fauna). The park has over 800 plant species and over 300 animal species. Being 30 miles north of the city of Puerto Princesa (Palawan province), it is about 3 to 4 hours of travel by boat.

On November 11, 2011, it was provisionally chosen as one of the New7Wonders of Nature

Mount Samat-Bataan

2011-12-21T02:37:00.003-08:00

Mount Samat is a mountain in the town of Pilar, Province of Bataan, in the Republic of the Philippines. Located on the summit of the mountain is Dambana ng Kagitingan or Shrine of Valour, a memorial shrine complex built to honor and remember the gallantry of the Filipino and American soldiers who fought during World War II.

The white Memorial Cross stands as a remembrance to the soldiers who fought and lost their lives in the Battle of Bataan. From the colonnade and the cross, one can view Bataan, Corregidor Island and on a clear day, the city of Manila. The shrine complex also includes a war museum with a wide array of collections from paintings of the Philippine heroes to armaments used by the American, Filipino and Japanese forces in the heat of the battle.

Coron Island-Palawan

2011-12-21T02:36:00.003-08:00

Coron is a small fishing village located southeast of the island of Busuanga, Palawan and opposite the island of Coron – the ancestral homeland of the Tagbanuas. It is part of the Calamianes Group of Islands and located southwest of Mindoro Island, Philippines.
Coron is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. Municipality of Coron from the Mount Tapyas view deck Coron PUV Terminal The municipality covers part of Busuanga Island and all of the nearby Coron Island. Both islands are part of the Calamian Group of Islands in northern Palawan. The main industries of Coron are fishing and tourism, being a popular diving location. The aquatic views from the sunken Japanese warships off Coron Island are listed in Forbes Traveler Magazine’s top 10 best scuba diving sites in the world.

Pinoy Abroad - OWWA: Libya had highest number of displaced OFWs in 2011

2011-12-21T02:35:00.003-08:00

The political unrest in Libya caused the highest number of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) displacements this year, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said.

According to a report of SunStar, OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzon noted that nearly 35% of the repatriated OFWs as of November 11 — or 9,162 out of the 26,273 OFWs — were from Libya, where a civil war broke from February to October this year, resulting in the fall of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The report came out on December 18, the United Nations' International Day of Migrants, a day set aside for recognizing the efforts, contributions, and rights of migrants worldwide.

The Philippine government ordered the mandatory repatriation of OFWs in Libya last August when the political unrest in the country began to escalate.

The conflict ended when a National Transitional Council rose to power to oversee Libya’s transition into a democratic state.

Other countries with high OFW displacements

Meanwhile, Dimzon said the other regions with high OFW displacement this year include:

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (2,003),
Madagascar (599), and
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (550).

The OWWA administrator said the agency extended skills and trainings on financial and entrepreneurial management, livelihood and basic social value formation to the repatriated OFWs.

"We do not only provide OFWs and their families with services, we empower them to become responsible individuals who look beyond their stints abroad," she said.

A total of 46,655 OFWs were also given assistance abroad before they went home for good as part of the agency’s reintegration program, she added. - VVP, GMA News
ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News December 19, 2011

Sendong death toll soars further to 927 — NDRRMC

2011-12-21T02:35:00.001-08:00

The death toll from a destructive storm that hit the southern Philippines has risen to 927, the head of the government disaster monitoring council said late Monday.

The devastated port cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan on Mindanao island have borne most of the deaths from tropical storm Washi--codenamed "Sendong" in the Philippines.

The huge death toll came as government relief workers recovered more bodies from Mindanao where Washi brought heavy rains, flash floods and overflowing rivers that swept away whole villages over the weekend.

"927 dead. We lost count for those still missing," Benito Ramos, head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a short statement, giving the latest casualty figures.

This was a sharp increase from the council's previous figures of 662 dead and 82 missing issued mere hours earlier.

Ramos did not say why the death toll had gone up so abruptly.

The Philippine Red Cross, which is doing its own tally, reported 713 dead and 563 missing in its own statement.

— Agence France Presse

Pinay teen chosen as voice vs. child sexual assault in Australia

2011-12-21T02:34:00.001-08:00

A 15-year-old Filipina was chosen by an Australian group to be its voice in its campaign against child sexual assault.

Liz Conde, who currently resides in Brisbane, was selected by the Bravehearts Inc.—an organization advocating the protection of children against sexual assault—to be its first ambassador, and to c0-write and sing a song that will inspire survivors of sexual abuse.

Conde’s song, entitled “Indestructible,” is set for release in television and radio programs in Australia next year, an article from the organization's website said.

Bravehearts Inc. is an organization comprised of “survivors, parents, friends, partners, professionals and non-abusive members of the community who share in the belief that child sexual assault must stop.”

The young Filipina described her new task as ambassador for Bravehearts Inc. as “privilege” because she was given the chance to inspire to young victims of sexual abuse.

"I am honored that my family's story was the inspiration for the creation of such a powerful song for survivors,” she said.

"‘Indestructible’ has given me an opportunity to reach out to those who have experienced sexual assault,” she said in an interview posted on www.mygc.com.au, an interactive community for residents of Gold Coast City in Queensland.

The music video of the song, which talks about empowerment, also features the young Filipina, and can be viewed through YouTube.

Bravehearts Inc. founder Hetty Johnston, whose story served as inspiration for Conde and fellow composer Sunday Luate-Wani to write the song, said she was “moved to tears” when she first heard “Indestructible.” -
ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News VVP, GMA News