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16 foreign armed forces helping PH

 News
Nov 212013
 
16 foreign armed forces helping PH

A FIRST FOR SINO SHIP Peace Ark, a Chinese Navy hospital ship, leaves a base in Zhoushan, east of Shanghai, for a relief mission to the typhoon-devastated Philippines. It is considered the first Chinese Navy ship to enter Philippine waters with Manila’s “consent” since the maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea between the two countries ensued. AP/EUGENE HOSHIKO Friends in good times and bad. This was how the Australian defense attaché summed up Thursday the Multinational Coordinating Council (MNCC) of the Philippine government and the armed forces of 16 countries working together for faster and more efficient distribution of relief to the survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in the Eastern Visayas. “Our shared histories with the Philippines go a long way back. Friendship is not just about the good times. Friendship is also about the bad times, too,” Lt. Col. Paul Barta told the Inquirer. The 16 countries on the council are the Philippines, Australia, United States, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Sweden, Vietnam, South Korea, New Zealand, Spain, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel. “Our friendship has been long term. Our commitment remains long term and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of the Philippines. After a formal request from the government of the Philippines, the United States arrived and ready to help along with other nations,” said Tina Malone, spokesperson for the US Embassy. “Our role was to amplify the government of the Philippines’ response by providing extra help in a time Read More …

China ready to send medical teams to Philippines

 News
Nov 172013
 
China ready to send medical teams to Philippines

Agence France-Presse 3:25 pm | Sunday, November 17th, 2013 Villagers, isolated by super typhoon Yolanda a week ago, scramble for relief goods being dropped by Philippine Air Force at La Paz, Leyte province in central Philippines, Friday Nov. 15, 2013. AP FILE PHOTO BEIJING, China – China says it is “ready” to send emergency medical personnel to the disaster-hit Philippines after its earlier pledges of financial and material aid were criticized as meager given its economic power. The Chinese government, which has a long-standing territorial dispute with the Philippines, initially offered just $100,000 to help in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda but raised its offer by a further $1.6 million on Thursday. “In light of the current actual needs of the typhoon-hit areas, the Chinese government is ready to dispatch the emergency medical assistance team on humanitarian grounds,” foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website Sunday. He added that private groups, including one under the Chinese Red Cross, have also expressed willingness to travel to the Philippines to assist in disaster relief. Hong said the rescue teams would depart “when conditions” allow but did not provide further details on the contingent. China was in close contact with the Philippine government on the provision of medical assistance, he said. Beijing’s offer of aid has been dwarfed by contributions from the US, which is leading the relief effort, Britain and Japan. Questions over the size of Chinese assistance come as Beijing and Manila are Read More …

New York artists to auction works for ‘Yolanda’ victims

 News
Nov 172013
 
New York artists to auction works for ‘Yolanda’ victims

INQUIRER.net US Bureau 3:08 pm | Sunday, November 17th, 2013 Contemporary realist Orley Ypon will showcase some of his award-winning works. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO NEW YORK–Artists for Philippines is a collaboration of the Philippine Consulate General of New York with some 20 Filipino and American artists who are donating valuable paintings for a silent charity auction to be held on Nov. 25 at the Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Consulate. New York-based painters Mars Custodio, Art Zamora, Jojo Austria, Sam Penaso, Orley Ypon, Lenore Lim, Dulcie Dee, Monica Bauer and Jimmy Garzon, among others are participating in the event. Curating the show is Carol Tanjutco, chair of Roosevelt Art Restoration and Education (R.A.R.E.) Foundation. Special guests from the performing arts will provide musical entertainment. Valuable pieces of art in acrylic, oil and mixed media paintings, of varying styles from realism, surrealism, expressionism to the modern and post-modern style combining abstract with figurative. Proceeds of the silent auction will be donated to victims of super Typhoon “Haiyan/Yolanda.” All U.S. donations are tax deductible through the Philippine Jesuits Foundation, a 501-c(3) corporation, serving the typhoon victims. For more information, visit the site: http://artistsforphilippines.eventbrite.com Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines. Tags: aid , Artists , auction , disaster relief , Features , Global Nation , Haiyan , Read More …

UN to help assess ‘Yolanda’ damage, set up emergency communication lines

 News
Nov 092013
 
UN to help assess ‘Yolanda’ damage, set up emergency communication lines

By Tarra QuismundoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:29 pm | Saturday, November 9th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines – The United Nations and its affiliated agencies deployed teams on Saturday to assist the Philippine government in assessing the damage wrought by Supertyphoon Yolanda and establish emergency communication lines as power and telephone lines remained down in much of the Visayas. The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said organizations including the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination, the Asia-Pacific Humanitarian Partnership, Télécoms Sans Frontière and MapAction arrived in the country on Saturday “to assist the government in establishing coordination hubs and conduct initial assessments.” The UN said members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Emergency Rapid Assessment Team “have deployed to support coordination and emergency telecommunication.” Initial UN assessment showed that some 18 million people were affected and more than 126,000 people living on the path of the typhoon, particularly in Eastern Visayas, had been evacuated early on as a precaution. It cited reports of flooding, landslides and wind damage in Eastern Samar and Leyte, the islands where the typhoon first came ashore early Friday morning. UNOCHA said a needs assessment was under way “prioritizing shelter, food, health, water, sanitation and health facilities, camp management and logistics.” Related Stories: Expressions of sympathy, aid pour in as ‘Yolanda’ exits PH US, Great Britain cite Filipinos’ resilience in the wake of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ EU expresses solidarity with typhoon-battered Philippines Follow Us Recent Stories: Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and Read More …

Expressions of sympathy, aid pour in as ‘Yolanda’ exits PH

 News
Nov 092013
 
Expressions of sympathy, aid pour in as ‘Yolanda’ exits PH

A house is engulfed by the storm surge brought about by powerful typhoon Haiyan that hit Legazpi city, Albay province Friday Nov.8, 2013. AP MANILA, Philippines – Citing the country’s strength and resilience at difficult times, the international community conveyed its sympathies to the Philippines on Saturday and expressed readiness to assist the country in recovering from what is likely to be staggering devastation caused by what has been described as one of the planet’s strongest typhoons of record. In a statement from Washington DC, US Secretary of State John Kerry cited the Filipino spirit in overcoming such challenges as he vowed to provide assistance to the Philippines. “Your spirit is strong,” said Kerry, conveying the American people’s “deepest condolences and solidarity” with the country. “Having so recently had my own visit to the Philippines prevented by another powerful storm, I know that these horrific acts of nature are a burden that you have wrestled with and courageously surmounted before,” said the official, who was forced to postpone a planned visit to Manila last month due to a storm. He said the US embassies in the Philippines and Palau were working with the government to see how the US could help. European Union Ambassador Guy Ledoux said the bloc would provide humanitarian aid to those affected by the typhoon as he expressed solidarity with the country. “The Philippines has been severely tested by nature on several occasions this year. As it confronts yet another natural calamity I express my solidarity Read More …

DOT chief sees more European tourists

 News
Nov 062013
 
DOT chief sees more European tourists

By Doris C. DumlaoPhilippine Daily Inquirer 5:14 am | Thursday, November 7th, 2013 Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr.: Optimistic INQUIRER.net file photo LONDON—Foreign tourist arrivals to the Philippines reached a little over 3.8 million in the first nine months of the year, moving closer to the full-year target of five million visitors this year, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said. Europe, which currently contributes at least 10 percent of foreign tourist arrivals, is seen boosting its share especially as flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has started flying back to the continent after a 15-year absence. In an interview at the sidelines of a reception held here to toast the opening of PAL’s nonstop flights between Manila and London (via Heathrow airport), Jimenez said he was optimistic that more European visitors would come to the Philippines. “Europe has been underperforming because there were limitations before,” Jimenez said, noting previous limitations on flight connectivity as well as nonportability of insurance when the blacklist on Philippine carriers in the European Union was in effect. But with all these concerns addressed, Jimenez said more European travelers could come to the Philippines, thereby boosting tourism receipts as European visitors typically spend more daily and stay longer. On average, he said a European visitor spends much more for each day of stay in the Philippines and stays for at least eight days to as long as 16 days. This means that if more European travelers come to the Philippines, the nature and quality of tourist receipts Read More …

Global protests vs violence on women to intensify in 2014 – Monique Wilson

 News
Oct 212013
 
Global protests vs violence on women to intensify in 2014 – Monique Wilson

By Germelina LacorteInquirer Mindanao 4:18 pm | Monday, October 21st, 2013 Photo from www.onebillionrising.org DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Women will scale up their worldwide Valentine-day protests this year, calling for an end to impunity as they demand justice for victims and survivors of violence against women, according to theater artist Monique Wilson. “We’re sick and tired of what is happening,” Wilson, now the global coordinator of the One Billion Rising for Justice, said in a meeting with community leaders and members of Gabriela women’s group here last week. She said that in 2013, about a billion women from 207 countries joined the global campaign against violence against women, and next year, organizers would further scale up the protests to call for justice and an end to impunity in the country. “Our One Billion Action for Justice will address issues causing this continuing violence, and this is the issue of impunity,” she said. “We could not separate the issue of violence against women from the issues on mining, poverty and corruption.” Wilson said violence against women has intensified and has not shown signs of abating. “Sa halip na magbago, mas lumala pa (Instead of abating, it becomes worse),” Wilson said. “Eve Ensler felt that we need to do a more daring action, we need to make this a global movement, to tie with women’s movement around the world,” she said, referring to the author of the “Vagina Monologues,” Eve Ensler, who started the V-day campaign, where millions of women would take Read More …

13 Vietnamese arrested in Philippines over sea turtles

 News
Oct 212013
 
13 Vietnamese arrested in Philippines over sea turtles

Agence France-Presse 3:47 pm | Monday, October 21st, 2013 Sea Turtle. AFP PHOTO PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – Thirteen Vietnamese fishermen were arrested after being found in Philippine waters with a haul of protected sea turtles, police said Monday. The fishermen were caught on Friday off the western Philippine island of Palawan, in waters near the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) where authorities say foreign poaching of endangered or protected species has become a major problem. “Upon initial inspection, it was found out that the said foreign fishing vessel is loaded with undetermined (number of) pieces of dead sea turtles,” said Benigno Caabay, a station officer at the Palawan police provincial headquarters, quoting an official report. The 13 are being held at a police camp in Palawan while officers look into filing a case against them, Caabay added. Sea turtles are protected under Philippine law and catching them is punishable by at least 12 years in jail. In recent years, Philippine authorities have frequently caught foreigners, often Chinese, catching or buying sea turtles in the waters off Palawan. In November last year, in the same area where the Vietnamese were caught, the Philippine navy rescued more than 100 sea turtles from poachers. But the fishermen, whom authorities believed to be Chinese, escaped. Twelve Chinese fishermen were also arrested in April after their boat, which ran aground on a protected reef, was found to be carrying hundreds of dead pangolins, or scaly anteaters, another protected species. Their case is still pending Read More …

Gov’t-MILF exploratory talks end with progress but nothing final

 News
Oct 132013
 
Gov’t-MILF exploratory talks end with progress but nothing final

By Kristine Angeli SabilloPhilippine Daily Inquirer 3:13 pm | Sunday, October 13th, 2013 GPH panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer. AFP FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines – The exploratory talks between the government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ended Sunday with “substantial progress” but still no finality on the remaining power-sharing and normalization annexes. “The Parties made substantial progress on the remaining Annexes on Power-Sharing and Normalization. They have proceeded in exhaustive, honest discussions in order to identify the best formulations for an agreement that would respond to the aspirations of both Parties,” a joint statement from the GPH and MILF panels said. GPH panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said, in a separate statement, that the exploratory talks had to be concluded because their “Malaysia hosts are celebrating the Eid’l Adha holiday and could no longer extend the talks to today.” Both groups pledged to focus on completing the annexes following the break. Ferrer said they agreed to have a Bangsamoro ministerial government based on the MILF’s envisioned structure. “There is understanding now on the level of detail that would go into the Annex on Power Sharing but some disagreements still on specific features. Discussions are also ongoing on the extent of territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro political entity over waters and on the protection of fishing rights of subsistence fisherfolk in the Sulu Sea and Moro Gulf,” she said. Ferrer also disclosed that the two parties’ technical working groups on Normalization have met Read More …

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