Tropical Storm Gorio accelerates, 37 areas under storm signals

 News
Jun 282013
 
Tropical Storm Gorio accelerates, 37 areas under storm signals

TS Gorio seen cutting across Luzon, west-northwest at 15kph. PAGASA forecast in its 11:00 p.m. storm bulletin that TS Gorio will move west-northwest at a pace 15 kilometers per hour with top near-center winds of up to 80 kph. By Saturday evening Gorio may be in the Vicinity of Catarman, Northern Samar. The storm is forecast Sunday evening to be at or ner Cabanatuan City and then by Monday evening, the forecast position is 390 km Northwest of Dagupan City. PAGASA (UPDATED 12:30 p.m.) – After making landfall in Eastern Visayas, Tropical Storm “Gorio” (international codename Rumbia) accelerated slightly as it continued to move northwest and state weather forecasters said 37 areas are now under storm signals. On its 11:00 a.m. advisory, PAGASA said Gorio was estimated at 30 kilometers southeast of Catbalogan, Samar as of 10:00 a.m.  The storm packed maximum winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. The center of the storm was noted southeast of Catbalogan, Samar. On government-run dzRB radio, PAGASA forecaster Joey Figuracion said “Gorio” may be felt in Metro Manila by Sunday. PAGASA weather models indicate that “Gorio” may cross Zambales and exit the Philippine area of responsibility as early as Monday evening. The weather agency said “Gorio” was moving northwest at 19 kph and is expected to be in the vicinity of Alabat, Quezon on Sunday morning. By Monday morning, it is expected to be 170 km east of Dagupan City. By Monday Read More …

PAGASA: Tropical Storm Gorio makes landfall over Eastern Samar

 News
Jun 282013
 
PAGASA: Tropical Storm Gorio makes landfall over Eastern Samar

TS Gorio over Eastern Visayas, Bicol as of 10:38 p.m. of June 28. PAGASA sateliite image of TS Gorio as of 10:38 p.m. of June 28 shows the storm spinning over Eastern Visayas and Bicol. PAGASA Tropical Storm Gorio (international code name Rumbia) made landfall over Eastern Samar province at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, state weather forecasters said. In a post on its Twitter account, PAGASA said Gorio hit Hernani town in Eastern Samar. Hernani is 56 kilometers south of Borongan, the provincial capital of Eastern Samar. According to the website of the municipality of Hernani, the area is a coastal town and fishing is the second biggest source of income for the 7,900 inhabitants. For Hernani residents who may be affected by the storm, the website lists the following contact numbers: For ambulance assitance, Jovito Campo: 09294469476 For police assistance: Rolando Nier America, Chief Of Police: 09294469478 Storm signal warning PAGASA on Friday put five provinces in Visayas and Mindanao under Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 after Low Pressure Area near Surigao City developed into a tropical cyclone a day before. “Gorio,” the seventh cyclone to hit the Philippines this year, is expected to hit Northern, Western, and Eastern Samar as well as Dinagat and Siargao Islands in Mindanao, which were put under the lowest storm signal level. On Saturday, PAGASA said light to moderate rains are expected over Metro Manila and nearby provinces. At least 2,545 people in Bicol and Visayas were stranded Saturday morning due to bad weather conditions Read More …

Gorio to make landfall in Eastern Samar Saturday morning; NCR, 27 other areas under storm signals

 News
Jun 282013
 
Gorio to make landfall in Eastern Samar Saturday morning; NCR, 27 other areas under storm signals

TS Gorio seen cutting across Luzon, west-northwest at 15kph. PAGASA forecast in its 11:00 p.m. storm bulletin that TS Gorio will move west-northwest at a pace 15 kilometers per hour with top near-center winds of up to 80 kph. By Saturday evening Gorio may be in the Vicinity of Catarman, Northern Samar. The storm is forecast Sunday evening to be at or ner Cabanatuan City and then by Monday evening, the forecast position is 390 km Northwest of Dagupan City. PAGASA Tropical Storm Gorio (international code name Rumbia) may make landfall over Eastern Samar Saturday morning, even as Metro Manila and 27 other areas were under storm signals, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA forecaster Fernando Cada said Metro Manila, which is under Signal No. 1, may expect the effects of Tropical Storm Gorio starting Saturday afternoon. “Inaasahan natin tumama ito sa kalupaan mamayang umaga sa Eastern Samar (We expect Gorio to make landfall on Eastern Samar later this morning),” Cada said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said their models show Gorio may exit the Philippine area of responsibility Tuesday morning. PAGASA’s 5 a.m. advisory said Gorio was estimated at 100 km east of Borongan City as of 4 a.m., with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It said Gorio is forecast to move northwest at 15 kph and may be the vicinity of Legazpi City in Albay by Sunday morning. By Monday morning, it is expected to be Read More …

PCSO: Lone bettor wins P53.988M in Megalotto 6/45 draw

 News
Jun 282013
 
PCSO: Lone bettor wins P53.988M in Megalotto 6/45 draw

A lone lotto bettor became P54.988 million richer after hitting the jackpot in the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s Megalotto 6/45 draw Friday night. The PCSO said the bettor got the correct combination of 20-19-42-18-32-01 to win the night’s jackpot worth P53,987,876. But as in the past, the PCSO is not likely to make public the winner’s name, for security reasons. On Thursday night, a lone winner bagged the P33.917-million jackpot of the PCSO’s Lotto 6/42 draw. Last June 6, two lotto bettors got the winning combination of 22-13-05-19-25-10 to win the Lotto 6/42 jackpot worth P39,462,944. On June 4, a lone lotto bettor became P90.996 million richer after hitting the jackpot in the PCSO Superlotto 6/49 draw. Last April 30, two lucky bettors shared P95,932,278 after getting the combination to the Superlotto 6/49 draw jackpot. But the biggest lotto prize in recent history was still in November 2010, when a lone bettor won some P741.176 million for getting the winning combination 11-16-42-47-31-37.  —  ELR, GMA News

Chinese research base starts ops in disputed area of South China Sea

 News
Jun 282013
 
Chinese research base starts ops in disputed area of South China Sea

China’s Hainan province has established a maritime fishery resource breeding and research base in a disputed area of the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). A report on China’s Xinhua news agency said the facility was established in sea waters of the Zhongsha Islands, which China claims includes Scarborough Shoal. Li Xiangmin, director of the Hainan provincial aquaculture research institute, said the base is located in the Manbu Ansha area, a submerged shoal in the Zhongsha Islands. It covers a sea area of 625 hectares, he said. China earlier said the Zhongsha Islands include Scarborough Shoal, which China refers to as Huangyan Island but which the Philippines calls Bajo de Masinloc. Xinhua said the new base is the “first approved scientific program since Sansha City was officially established in July 2012.” Li said aquaculture researchers will put into the sea for research some 20,000 grouper fry, 20,000 spats of pearl oysters, 20,000 spats of pteria penguin, a genus of winged oyster, and 20,000 pieces of red seaweeds eucheuma. Researchers will also conduct field investigation and scientific research activities on the weather, hydrological and topographic conditions, maritime species, submarine grassland and coral reefs in Manbu Ansha in the next three days. Sansha The Xinhua report said Sansha, which has 1,000 residents, was set up to administer some 2.6 million square kilometers of islands, coastal areas and territorial seas. But the Philippines claimed Filipinos had settled in the islands where Sansha stands as early as 1978. “Yung ating local government matagal na, Read More …

Palace defends access plan

 News
Jun 282013
 
Palace defends access plan

US troops’ use of PH bases to be temporary By TJ Burgonio, Nikko Dizon and Norman BordadoraPhilippine Daily Inquirer 12:51 am | Saturday, June 29th, 2013 Malacañang on Friday defended a plan to give the United States, Japan and other allies access to military bases in the Philippines, saying the country was free to do anything within its territory. But the plan, which coincides with the United States’ “pivot” to Asia, a strategy that would see 60 percent of America’s warships shifting to the region by the end of the decade, has yet to be approved by President Benigno Aquino III, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said. Several senators acknowledged that the Philippines needs the assistance the United States and other allies can bring by their presence in the country, but they said the proposed access agreements under the plan would need Senate approval. The Senate voted to expel US military bases from the Philippines in 1991, but ratified the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in 1999 to allow US forces access to the country through joint exercises with Philippine forces. No longer visiting Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the 12 senators who voted to expel the US military bases, said the VFA allowed only a temporary stay of US forces in the country. “They cannot establish any military base in the Philippines,” Enrile said. “Temporary or whatever term they use, no military bases. If it assumes a certain degree of permanence or stability, then it’s no longer visiting forces,” Read More …

Jollibee banks on Pinoys’ higher spending power

 Economy
Jun 282013
 
Jollibee banks on Pinoys’ higher spending power

MANILA, Philippines – Fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) is banking on Filipinos’ higher spending power, new branches and product launches to grow its profits further this year. The Philippines’ largest quickservice restaurant chain also expects better profitability in its operations in China, top company executives said yesterday. “There are two [growth] drivers: one is better products and the other one is election spending,” JFC chief finance officer Ysmael V. Baysa told reporters after the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting. Baysa said the effects of the election spending will taper off in the second half but JFC plans to introduce new products and improve its lineup. The current weakness of the peso is also seen to benefit the Philippine operations of JFC. “From different angles, it can be good [because] the OFW family’s income will be a little bit higher,” said JFC chairman and CEO Tony Tan Caktiong. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 For the entire year, JFC expects earnings per share to grow 12 percent. This will require at least a five-percent uptick in samestore sales, Baysa said. In the first three months, JFC’s net income grew 29 percent to P881 million from P682 million a year ago due to higher samestore sales and new branches. Systemwide sales, a measure of all sales to customers both in company-owned and franchised stores, picked up 10.6 percent to P23.83 billion in the first quarter. For its expansion plans, the fastfood giant is sticking to its plan of spending Read More …

Arthaland sees Arya Residences sustaining strong profit growth

 Economy
Jun 282013
 
Arthaland sees Arya Residences sustaining strong profit growth

MANILA, Philippines – Upscale developer Arthaland Corp. expects robust sales of its flagship project Arya Residences to continue to drive profit growth this year. Looking forward, the firm will venture into new projects in Metro Manila to arrest a possible sales slowdown next year, the company top official said. The first tower of the P4.5-billion Arya Residences in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig is already 90 percent sold while takeup for the second tower is already at 50 percent, said Arthaland president and CEO Angela de Villa Lacson. Arthaland will complete the construction of the first tower late this year, allowing the company to recognize more revenues and income, she said. In the first quarter, profits of Arthaland surged more than 2,000 percent to P105.34 million from P4.91 million a year ago given the higher recognized revenues. For the entire year, Lacson said net income “will certainly follow the trend [in the first quarter] given the strong take-up of projects.” Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Turnover of the first tower will start in the first quarter next year while the 43-story second tower will be delivered to buyers in the first quarter of 2016. Tower 1 is composed of 301 units while Tower 2 offers 261 units. However, the property firm expects revenues to ease starting next year as Arya Residences is already close to being sold out. Lacson said Arthaland is planning at least two projects in Metro Manila. In 2011, CPG Holdings Inc., the Read More …

Robinsons shelves $800-M IPO of retail group amid volatile mart

 Economy
Jun 282013
 
Robinsons shelves $800-M IPO of retail group amid volatile mart

MANILA, Philippines – The Gokongwei family’s Robinsons Retail Group is postponing its $800-million initial public offering (IPO), making it the second conglomerate to shelve plans of going public amid volatile market conditions. The country’s second largest retailer is waiting for the right timing for its IPO, intended to accelerate its expansion program, its top executive said. “I think you have to wait for the right timing,” said Lance Y. Gokongwei, president and chief operating officer of JG Summit Holdings Inc. “It’s more important that we have a successful IPO, so we’ll wait for the right time.” Robinsons Retail Group is a unit of property giant Robinsons Land Corp., whose parent firm is the Gokongweis’ investment holding firm JG Summit. After hitting its 31st all-time high this year at 7,392.20 on May 15, the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index has since slipped, ending at 6,465.28 yesterday. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 On June 13, the main index plunged 6.75 percent or 442.57 points to finish at 6,114.08, marking its deepest single-day drop since sinking by a record 12.27 percent on Oct. 27, 2008 at the height of the Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy that resulted in the global financial crisis. Gokongwei said Robinsons Retail Group has filed an IPO registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the share sale, which was previously targeted late this year. Robinsons Retail Group is planning to sell around 35 percent of the company’s stocks to the public, Gokongwei said. The retail group Read More …

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