Cebu Pacific, PAL eye Iloilo-Korea flights

 Economy
Jun 142013
 
Cebu Pacific, PAL eye Iloilo-Korea flights

MANILA, Philippines – Flag carriers Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines are looking into the possibility of offering direct flights from Iloilo to Korea, the firms’ representatives said on Friday. PAL Iloilo Area Manager Juancho Demaguila said the company’s general sales agent is now considering an Iloilo to Korea flight due to the influx of Korean tourists coming to Iloilo to travel and study. Meanwhile, Rosalie Gamutan, senior supervisor of Cebu Pacific, said the budget carrier is also planning to offer the same flights following its launch last year of direct flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong and Singapore. Overseas Filipino workers  from Western Visayas are expected to benefit from the direct flights, along with tourists from the region. The two airline companies are also reportedly studying the possibility of having direct flights from Iloilo to Xiamen, China and Japan to boost tourism in the country.

Crew of rescued foreign yacht now in El Nido

 News
Jun 142013
 
Crew of rescued foreign yacht now in El Nido

By Redempto D. AndaInquirer Southern Luzon 2:58 pm | Friday, June 14th, 2013 FILE PHOTO PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines—The three foreigners aboard the distressed yacht Simoune  have been safely brought to the pier of El Nido town, the Armed Forces’ Western Command (Wescom), which carried out the rescue, said Friday. Wescom in a statement issued its spokesperson, Lt. Cherryl Tindog, identified the multinational crew as Ian Riley, skipper, 50, from United Kingdom; Glenn Cooke, 51, an Australian national; and Ryan Mann, 36, a US national. The three crew members of  the Simoune left  Hong Kong on June 6 intending to proceed to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. However, they encountered bad weather and rough seas conditions along the way, the Wescom statement said. While they were sailing  70 nautical miles west of El Nido on June 12, the engine of the yacht malfunctioned and ran out of fuel, prompting the crew to send a distress signal that was picked up by Wescom’s Joint Task Force Malampaya based at the Coast Guard Station in El Nido. The Wescom report said PG 386 was immediately dispatched for a search-and-rescue mission amid bad weather  and found the yacht  2.5 nautical miles north of Lalutaya Island at 12:30 p.m. on June 13 through the assistance of the Coast Watch Station on Lalutaya Island. PG 386 and CWS Lalutaya guided and monitored the yacht until it safely reached El Nido Pier on Thursday night. The crew members were in good physical condition, said the report. Follow Us Read More …

DepEd reminds LGUs: coordinate with PAGASA on school suspensions

 News
Jun 132013
 
DepEd reminds LGUs: coordinate with PAGASA on school suspensions

DepEd suspends classes in some NCR schools due to floods. Students of Araullo High School wade in knee-deep flood along Taft Avenue in Manila after an hour of heavy downpour on Thursday, June 13. Some classes in elementary and high school levels have been suspended by the DepEd due to flooded Metro Manila streets. Danny Pata Following Thursday’s heavy rain and floods that stranded several students, the Department of Education on Friday reminded local government officials to coordinate more closely with state weather forecasters in suspending classes. DepEd assistant secretary Tonesito Umali said many students had complained of class suspension announcements coming late, radio dzBB’s Glen Juego reported. Umali said the late announcements resulted in them getting stranded in the streets and soaked in the rain and floods. He said local government units should monitor weather conditions and advisories from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration more closely, and issue suspension orders accordingly. On Thursday, heavy rain from a thunderstorm lashed Metro Manila, flooding several areas including school zones. While local government units canceled afternoon and evening classes, many students had already been stranded by then. —KG, GMA News

UN: World population to reach 8.1 billion in 2025

 News
Jun 132013
 
UN: World population to reach 8.1 billion in 2025

Agence France-Presse 7:49 am | Friday, June 14th, 2013 In this Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011 photo, commuters disembark from trains at a train station in Mumbai. A new UN report is forecasting that the world’s population will increase from 7.2 billion today to 8.1 billion in 2025 and 9.6 billion in 2050. The report said much of the overall increase between now and 2050 is expected to take place in Africa and countries with large populations such as India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United States. AP PHOTO/RAFIQ MAQBOOL UNITED NATIONS —A new UN report is forecasting that the world’s population will increase from 7.2 billion today to 8.1 billion in 2025 and 9.6 billion in 2050. The report, released Thursday, said most of the population growth will occur in developing regions which are projected to increase from 5.9 billion in 2013 to 8.2 billion in 2050. During that same period, it said, the population of developed countries is expected to remain largely unchanged at around 1.3 billion people. The report said much of the overall increase between now and 2050 is expected to take place in Africa and countries with large populations such as India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United States. UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations forecast Thursday that the world’s population will increase from 7.2 billion today to 8.1 billion in 2025, with most growth in developing countries and more than half in Africa. By 2050, it will reach 9.6 billion. India’s population Read More …

PAGASA: LPA, monsoon may bring floods, landslides in west Luzon, Visayas

 News
Jun 132013
 
PAGASA: LPA, monsoon may bring floods, landslides in west Luzon, Visayas

Flash floods and landslides threaten parts of Luzon and Visayas Friday due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by a low-pressure area outside the Philippine area of responsibility, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA forecaster Joey Figuracion said Metro Manila, where many were stranded by floods and heavy rain Thursday, may still expect rain showers and thunderstorms for Friday. “Walang weather disturbance na nakaapekto sa ating bansa o Philippine area of responsibility. Pero may low-pressure area sa bahagi ng West Philippine Sea at nag-enhance ng southwest monsoon. Naapektuhan ng southwest monsoon ang kanlurang bahagi ng Luzon at Visayas,” Figuracion said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said the LPA outside the PAR was unlikely to intensify into a cyclone, and may head for China. Friday outlook For Friday, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon is still affecting Luzon and Western Visayas. “The provinces of Palawan, Mindoro, Cavite, Batangas, Zambales and Bataan will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. It added Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “cloudy with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.” PAGASA also said moderate to strong winds from the southwest to southeast will prevail over Luzon and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Light to moderate winds coming from the southwest to southeast will prevail over Visayas and coming from the northeast to northwest over Mindanao with slight Read More …

Julia Montes on love scenes: Not yet

 Entertainment
Jun 132013
 

MANILA  (Mabuhay) -– While she has already turned 18, actress Julia Montes feels it is not yet time for her to do love or kissing scenes. The actress, however, clarified that this does not mean she is not willing to do such scenes in her future projects. “I can’t say I’m super open to it. […]

Severe Weather Advisory for East Coast, Midwest

 Entertainment
Jun 132013
 

The Filipino Community is being advised to prepare for a derecho—large clusters of thunderstorms with damaging winds, hail and possibly some tornadoes—that is expected to hit the East Coast, the Mid-Atlantic and the Mid-West of the United States from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning. The Philippine Embassy said the derecho, with winds as strong as 50 to 100 mph, could have […]

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