PAGASA: Thunderstorm affecting parts of Metro Manila, Bulacan

 News
Jul 062013
 
PAGASA: Thunderstorm affecting parts of Metro Manila, Bulacan

Residents of Metro Manila and Bulacan may have to take precautions against flash floods due to rain from a thunderstorm, state weather forecasters said on Saturday afternoon. In a 1:00 p.m. thunderstorm advisory, PAGASA said rain may fall over the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Valenzuela, Navotas) area of Metro Manila. PAGASA also said the thunderstorm may affect Santa Maria and Balagtas in Bulacan and nearby areas in the next two hours. “All are advised to take precautionary measures against heavy rains, strong winds, lightning and possible flash floods. Keep monitoring for updates,” it advised. PAGASA earlier said the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone affecting parts of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao may bring rain to most parts of the country. This was noted despite their models showing there is little chance of a cyclone forming in the Philippine Area of Responsibility this weekend, PAGASA said. – VVP, GMA News

Thousands of metro informal settlers will soon transfer to safer, decent homes, says Palace

 Entertainment
Jun 292013
 

Thousands of families living in danger zones are willing to be relocated and the government is ready to assist their transfer to safer areas, a Palace official said on Monday. In a press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said around 4,000 families staying in Metro Manila’s danger zones have agreed to be relocated off-site […]

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 …

Stock market: Time to buy

 Economy
Jun 262013
 
Stock market: Time to buy

With the stock market supposedly in bear territory after almost a week in a consecutive downtrend – wiping an estimated $62 billion in value from local stocks ­– analysts continue to be positive in their outlook, saying that the downtrend is caused by external factors. Global markets closed in the red amid jitters after news came out that the US Federal Reserve plans to cut back on its economic stimulus program, coupled with concerns over an impending credit crunch in China. Actually, economists like former Budget Secretary Ben Diokno are saying the country is in a better position to sustain growth and create more jobs in the process. After all, economic fundamentals remain very strong and intact, to which as a natural consequence stocks will start picking up again. Even our favorite stock market “seer” thinks so, too, saying that now is the best time to buy. According to our financial soothsayer, some of the good buys would be Aboitiz Power and SM Prime Holdings (SMPH) whose shares are considered undervalued. However, the steady growth SM Prime has displayed – overshooting forecasts for the last two years – has been rather impressive. The mall development arm of the Henry Sy group posted up to 15-percent profit to P2.79 billion for the first quarter of 2013. Many are convinced that the recent merger between SM Development Corp. and SM Investments Corp. under SMPH will push growth earnings this year even higher than in 2012, which saw SM Prime achieving better-than-expected earnings Read More …

Palace: P18,000 offered to families near waterways won't be misused

 News
Jun 242013
 
Palace: P18,000 offered to families near waterways won't be misused

The government will make sure that the P18,000 that will be granted to each of the families living near Metro Manila waterways will solely be used for finding temporary homes while their resettlement areas are being built, a Malacañang spokesperson said Monday. At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is in the process of identifying who the “real” informal settlers are. “We understand that concern pero napag-aralan na po ng DILG ‘yan. We’re identifying who are the real informal settlers and those who are professionally making this as a means of squatting,” he said. Lacierda added that the DILG is also studying the possibility of giving the P18,000 subsidy in tranches so that it will be certainly used for paying monthly rent for temporary housing. DILG Undersecretary Francisco Fernandez, in-charge of relocating informal settlers in Metro Manila away from danger zones, earlier said the government is planning to shell out P18,000 for each of the 20,000 affected families to encourage them to leave their houses near waterways. Clogged waterways as a result of informal settlers living near them have been blamed for the flood problems that constantly hit Metro Manila every rainy season. Relocation budget In a separate text message, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the P18,000 subsidy will be sourced from the budget allocated by the government for relocating informal settlers. “Since 2011, the government has been setting aside P10 billion to relocate informal settler families living dangerously along Read More …

Amid threat of heavy rain, PNoy, Cabinet tackle flood control projects in NCR

 News
Jun 182013
 
Amid threat of heavy rain, PNoy, Cabinet tackle flood control projects in NCR

As more heavy rains threaten Metro Manila, President Benigno Aquino III met with Cabinet officials on Tuesday afternoon to tackle the status of flood control projects in the country’s capital region. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President called for the meeting last week to “be apprised of all the flood control projects that is going on” in Metro Manila. The meeting was ongoing as of posting time. “The master flood control plan is in various stages. Those that are doable are already being done,” Valte said at a press briefing. She added that Aquino will also tackle contingency measures during floods and the relocation of informal settlers in waterways during his meeting with the Cabinet officials. PAGASA earlier warned of more heavy rains over Metro Manila until the weekend due to cyclone

10 REASONS WHY IT FLOODS IN MANILA

 News
Jun 172013
 
10 REASONS WHY IT FLOODS IN MANILA

It’s raining season once again and we face the yearly problem of flooding in Metro Manila. I keep getting calls from broadcast media asking for interviews about the problem, its historical origins and urban redevelopment solutions. READ FULL STORY                                                                                                               

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

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 …

DOTC: Bad weather over NCR forces flight cancellations, diversions

 News
Jun 132013
 
DOTC: Bad weather over NCR forces flight cancellations, diversions

Heavy rain that fell over Metro Manila Thursday afternoon forced the cancellation of at least two flights and the diversion of five Manila-bound flights, including one from the United States. The Department of Transportation and Communications said the affected flights belonged to flag carrier Philippine Airlines, PAL Express and Cebu Pacific. One international flight from the US was diverted to Clark in Pampanga due to heavy rain, the DOTC said on its Twitter account. It identified the affected international flight as PAL Flight PR-113 from Los Angeles to Manila. The DOTC, in a separate Twitter post, said the canceled flights included: – 5J-911: Manila to Caticlan– 5J-912: Caticlan to Manila Cebu Pacific flight 5J-995, from Manila to General Santos, was diverted to Davao due to bad weather, it added. The DOTC also said three flights were diverted to Clark “due to weather condition.” These included: – 2P-056: Caticlan to Manila (PAL Express)– 2P-966: Cagayan de Oro to Manila (PAL Express)– 5J-966: Davao to Manila (Cebu Pacific) NAIA said Cebu Pacific 5J-906 (Caticlan to Manila) was also diverted to Clark. Heavy rain from a thunderstorm had fallen over Metro Manila, rendering many roads impassable and forcing some schools to suspend classes for the afternoon and evening. Many roads were flooded, stranding employees, students and commuters. Traffic was also snarled in many parts of Metro Manila, radio dzBB reported. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Railways said its commuter services were not operational “due to floods in some areas.” — BM, GMA News

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