RETAIL prices of goods in the National Capital Region (NCR) rose from February to March, according to the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA).
May 012014
Nov 142013
Yolanda survivors arrive in Manila. A young survivor who was evacuated from a disaster zone in Tacloban City is carried into an Army truck with her family after they arrived via a military plane at Villamor Air Base in Manila on Tuesday, November 12. Rescue workers are still trying to reach towns and villages in the central Philippines that were cut off by super typhoon Yolanda as relief efforts intensified with the help of US military. Reuters/Cheryl Ravelo At least 200 residents of Tacloban City, which was ravaged last week by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), arrived in Metro Manila Thursday evening aboard a C-130 plane. The Tacloban residents included the elderly and children who were traumatized by the devastation caused by Yolanda, radio dzBB reported early Friday. Representatives of some government agencies were on hand at Villamor Air Base to assist them at the Villamor Air Base, the report said. Some of the Tacloban residents were quoted in the report as saying their ordeal lasted two to three days as they tried to make sense of what happened to them. An earlier dzBB report said some of the Tacloban residents admitted they do not have a place to stay while in Metro Manila. They are to be temporarily sheltered at the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s facility at Jose Fabella Hospital in Manila, the dzBB report said. Tacloban City was among the areas hit hardest by Yolanda, which ravaged parts of Visayas and Southern Luzon last week. As of Read More …
Sep 082013
Saying they expect the Sept. 11 anti-pork barrel prayer vigil at the EDSA Shrine to be well-attended though peaceful, Metro Manila police said Sunday they will focus their efforts on ensuring smooth traffic during the event. Metro Manila police spokesman Chief Inspector Robert Domingo also said they will further iron out their security plans Monday when they meet with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. “Ayon sa coordination namin medyo marami yata nag-signify. Magfo-focus kami sa traffic management and control, pero hindi pababayaan ang overt and covert security,” he said in an interview on dzBB radio Sunday afternoon. He also noted traffic may be congested at EDSA on Wednesday since many faithful are expected to travel to Baclaran Church for Mass. Many Filipinos are expected to attend the vigil organized by the “EDSA Tayo” movement. Earlier, EDSA Tayo convenor Junep Ocampo said a Mass and a lecture on the evils of pork by economics professor Solita Monsod will highlight Wednesday’s vigil. Domingo said the Metro Manila police and MMDA will meet on Monday to finalize their security plan. For now, he said they will conduct mobile checkpoints and heighten police visibility as part of their Police Integrated Patrol System. 9/11 anniversary, Marcos’ birthday Meanwhile, Domingo said they may also adjust their deployment since Sept. 11 is also the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, and the birth anniversary of former President Ferdinand Marcos. “Kaya ang security plan binubusisi, medyo mag-a-adjust at magdadagdag at magbabawas,” he said. But Read More …
Jul 232013
The rain that fell over Metro Manila may continue in the next 24 hours due to the inter-tropical convergence zone, state weather forecasters said Tuesday afternoon. PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. bulletin that the ITCZ is across Southern Luzon and Visayas, and indicated the rest of Luzon and Visayas may also expect more rain. “Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. It added Mindanao will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.” Earlier Tuesday, rain fell over parts of Metro Manila, causing floods that rendered some roads impassable to vehicles. Rain continued to fall on the metropolis Tuesday evening. Wednesday outlook Also, PAGASA said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southeast to south will prevail over the western section of Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east to southeast with slight to moderate seas. — BM, GMA News
Jun 292013
Metro Manila and at least 19 other areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 2 Saturday afternoon as Tropical Storm Gorio (Rumbia) accelerated further and was over Sorsogon Bay, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA also said there is a chance Gorio may pass Metro Manila Sunday morning, and exit the Philippine area of responsibility Monday morning. A report by radio dzBB’s Paulo Santos quoted Perez as saying Gorio may pass Metro Manila’s southern part Sunday. But Perez also allayed fears of Gorio causing dams in Luzon to overflow. “Walang [pang dam na] umaabot sa high water level,” he said. PAGASA’s 5 p.m. advisory said that as of 4 p.m., Gorio was estimated at 40 km southeast of Legazpi City, with maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was moving northwest at 24 kph and is expected to be 60 km northwest of Iba, Zambales Sunday afternoon, “after passing Metro Manila in the morning.” By Monday afternoon it is expected to be 560 km northwest of Sinait, Ilocos Sur, and out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). The 20 areas under Storm Signal No. 2 include: Masbate including TicaoBurias IslandsSorsogonAlbayCamarines SurCamarines NorteMarinduqueQuezon including Polilio IslandRizalBulacanPampangaTarlacZambalesNueva EcijaPangasinanBatangasLagunaCaviteBataanMetro Manila The 14 areas under Signal No. 1 are: CatanduanesRomblonMindoro Provinces including Lubang IslandLa UnionBenguetNueva VizcayaQuirinoAuroraSamar provincesLeyte provincesBiliranNortheastern IloiloCapizAklan “Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under signals 2 and 1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas are Read More …
Jun 282013
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 …
Jun 182013
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
Jun 132013
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
Jun 132013
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 Classes Friday at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila are suspended, the university’s Office of the Secretary General said in an advisory, which the school’s official student publication tweeted late Thursday. Earlier, monsoon rain-induced flooding in and around UST’s campus prompted school authoririties to suspend classes Thursday afternoon. The monsoon flooding stranded some students and staff in the campus. The Varsitarian reported that school authorities provided “free food to stranded Thomasians.” The suspension directive covers office work and classes from high school to post-graduate levels, the Varsitarian reported the Office of the Secretary General as having advised the campus community. Fr. Winston F. Cabading, O.P. is the UST Secretary-General. Meanwhie, classes about two street blocks away at the Far Eastern University in Morayta, Manila will resume Friday, according to an advisory sent out 10:56 p.m. via the university’s official Twitter and Facebook accounts. — ELR, GMA News
Jun 132013
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