Pacquiao torn by typhoon victims’ plight

 Entertainment
Nov 142013
 
Pacquiao torn by typhoon victims’ plight

Brandon Rios (left) and Manny Pacquiao meet a Sentinel. (Chris Farina/Top Rank) MANILA, November 13, 2013 (AFP) – Boxing star Manny Pacquiao admitted feelings of anguish and regret after the final stages of training for a must-win fight kept him from visiting typhoon victims in his native Philippines. Pacquiao said he felt “very bad” for the thousands killed and displaced by super typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful ever recorded, which swept through central islands. But Pacquiao, who is training out of harm’s way in his home city of General Santos, said he could not jeopardise preparations for his November 24 fight against America’s Brandon Rios. “I really feel very bad over what happened in the Visayas region where more than 10,000 people are believed to have lost their lives,” Pacquiao said in a “statement to his people” posted on his website. “I really want to visit the area and personally do what I can to help our countrymen who have suffered so much in this terrible tragedy but I’m in deep training in General Santos City for a crucial fight so I regret I cannot go.” The 34-year-old Congressman pledged to send aid to affected areas, where the desperate search for supplies has turned deadly with eight people killed in a crush at a government rice store. “I will send help to those who need it the most and I enjoin all of you to pray for our country and people in these trying times,” he said. Pacquiao, Read More …

Pentagon names special report ‘Operation Damayan’ on its website

 News
Nov 142013
 
Pentagon names special report ‘Operation Damayan’ on its website

By Julliane Love de JesusINQUIRER.net 9:51 pm | Thursday, November 14th, 2013 MANILA, Philippines—Naming its humanitarian assistance to the typhoon-ravaged Philippines using Filipino words, the Pentagon, or the United States Department of Defense, has dedicated a special report in its official website on “Operation Damayan.” “Damayan” is loosely translated “helping each other.” After Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) barrelled the entire coastal communities in Central Visayas leaving thousands dead, foreign aid poured in the affected areas as global concern for the Philippines grew. In the case of Pentagon, concern and relief efforts for its partner country manifested even in the cyberspace.   With a customized header for “Operation Damayan,” the US Department of Defense featured news articles, videos and photo essays of American troops who came to the Philippines’ rescue. From their preparation in Japan for relief operations, the visuals documented the US soldiers giving aid to the survivors of “Yolanda” in the worst hit Tacloban City in Leyte province, where more than 2,000 have been recorded dead. It also collated statements from US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel alongside the Central Intelligence Agency’s website providing information on the Philippines. A day after Yolanda battered the country, Obama sent his sympathies to the Philippines in a public statement saying: “Michelle (Obama) and I are deeply saddened by the loss of life and extensive damage done by Supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’. But I know the incredible resiliency of the Philippine people, and I am confident that the spirit Read More …

US sends ‘Mercy’ to Yolanda victims

 News
Nov 142013
 
US sends ‘Mercy’ to Yolanda victims

By Julliane Love de JesusINQUIRER.net 8:09 pm | Thursday, November 14th, 2013 USNS MERCYphoto from http://www.med.navy.mil MANILA, Philippines – A US Navy hospital ship will come to the Philippines to support disaster relief efforts in areas ravaged by the supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan). Expected to dock in the Philippines this December, naval ship “Mercy” was activated by US Pacific Fleet on Wednesday for immediate deployment, commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Harry Harris Jr. said in an official statement. “If ordered to deploy, Mercy would get underway in the next several days and could arrive in the Philippines sometime in December, joining other US Pacific Fleet units already supporting Operation Damayan,” the Pentagon’s humanitarian assistance program for “Yolanda” victims launched in cooperation with the US Agency for International Development. Damayan in Filipino means “help in time of need”. As of posting time, the US has transported more than 107,000 pounds of relief supplies. In the official website of USNS Mercy has three to four operating rooms, one emergency room, four Intensive Care Unit beds and isolation ward, 62 ward beds and 22 hotel beds. The US Navy will also send amphibious ships USS Ashland (LSD 48), USS Germantown (LSD 42), USS McCampbell (DDG 85) and USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10), which were expected to arrive in the country starting Thursday. “This collection of ships and their complement of aircraft, to include much-needed helicopters, will provide food and water, the capability to move relief supplies to isolated areas, and Read More …

CAN THE PHILIPPINES SAVE ITSELF FROM TYPHOONS?

 News
Nov 122013
 
CAN THE PHILIPPINES SAVE ITSELF FROM TYPHOONS?

For the third year in a row, the Philippines has been hit by a major storm claiming more than 1,000 lives, and the death toll from Haiyan, one of the worst on record, could climb to 10,000. With thousands of islands in the warm waters of the Pacific, the Philippines is destined to face the wrath of angry tropical storms year after year. READ FULL STORY

Filinvest holding firm raising P10B via bond issue

 Economy
Nov 122013
 
Filinvest holding firm raising P10B via bond issue

MANILA, Philippines – Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC), the investment holding company of the Gotianun family, is tapping the capital markets anew to raise P10 billion in fresh funds. The planned bond sale, which will finance various investments, has secured the highest credit score, said local credit rater Philippine Rating Services Corp. (PhilRatings). “The proposed issuance is for P10 billion in fixed-rate bonds with a 10-year tenor. The proceeds will be used to fund the group’s various investments in real estate and power generation,” PhilRatings said. PhilRatings rated the bond issue at PRS Aaa, signifying the highest quality with minimal credit risk. “The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong,” PhilRatings said. PhilRatings said the credit rating reflects FDC’s steady earnings and diversified business portfolio; maintenance of a good credit standing even in times of financial crisis; and strong financial flexibility. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 “During the financial crisis in 1997, for example, FDC settled its financial obligations without undergoing any restructuring,”  PhilRatings said. The agency also took note of FDC’s established brand names and good market position of main contributing subsidiaries; conservative and professional management stance; and new investments that will boost profitability in the medium-term. A credit rating is essential prior to the issuance of bonds as it gives the public a gauge whether the offering is a sound investment instrument. In March, FDC raised $300 million after its offshore unit Filinvest Development Cayman Islands sold seven-year bonds. Read More …

World sends emergency relief to battered PHL

 Entertainment
Nov 122013
 
World sends emergency relief to battered PHL

Marines board a KC-130J Hercules aircraft Nov. 10, 2013, at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, moments before departing for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission to the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David N. Hersey MANILA (AFP) – The United States, Britain, Australia and the United Nations mobilised emergency aid to the Philippines as the scale of the devastation unleashed by Super Typhoon Haiyan continued to emerge Tuesday. The Pentagon sent Marines and equipment while Britain was to send a ship and a transporter plane to assist with the relief effort followng the typhoon, which may have killed more than 10,000 people in what is feared to be the country’s worst natural disaster. Even Vietnam, despite coping itself with a mass evacuation programme as a weakened Haiyan swung through its territory Monday, provided emergency aid worth $100,000 and said it “stands by the Philippine people in this difficult situation”. The relief operation was focused on the city of Tacloban on Leyte island, four days after one of the biggest storms in recorded history demolished entire communities across the central Philippines and left countless bodies as well as gnawing desperation in its wake. Delivering on a promise of quick help from President Barack Obama, about 90 US Marines and sailors based in Japan flew into Tacloban aboard two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, after receiving a bird’s eye view of the immense scale of destruction across Leyte. They brought communication and logistical equipment Read More …

Pentagon orders aircraft carrier, ships to PHL

 Entertainment
Nov 122013
 
Pentagon orders aircraft carrier, ships to PHL

U.S. Marines board a KC-130J Hercules aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, to depart for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan, Nov. 11, 2013. The Marines are assigned to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David N. Hersey WASHINGTON, November 11, 2013 (AFP) – US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and other American ships to head to the typhoon-stricken Philippines, the Pentagon said Monday. The carrier, which has 5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft aboard, is currently in Hong Kong for a port visit. The crew is being recalled early from shore leave and the ship is expected to be underway later this evening, the Pentagon said in a statement. “In company with the carrier will be the cruisers USS Antietam and USS Cowpens and the destroyer USS Mustin. The supply ship USNS Charles Drew is already underway and will rendezvous with the group as they get closer,” it said, noting the ships should be on station within 48-72 hours. The USS Lassen, also a destroyer, got underway Sunday for the region. On board the USS George Washington are sailors and “aircraft designed to perform various functions including disaster relief,” including the Sea Combat Squadron 12 flying the MH-60S Seahawk helicopter; and the “Saberhawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 77. “As needed, these ships and aircraft will be able to provide humanitarian assistance, supplies, and medical care Read More …

US deploys aircraft carrier to PHL for relief ops in aftermath of Yolanda

 News
Nov 112013
 
US deploys aircraft carrier to PHL for relief ops in aftermath of Yolanda

The United States is sending the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the Philippines to support disaster relief efforts in the wake of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), a US defense official told Reuters. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, could not immediately provide further details. The aircraft carrier has been on a port visit to Hong Kong. Based in Yokosuka, Japan, the nuclear-powered Washington is the most visible sign of an increased U.S. naval presence across Asia that has been steadily growing for the last five years – a key element in the controversial U.S. “pivot”. The Washington strike group – that often includes destroyers, cruisers and a fast-attack submarine backed by up to 90 aircraft – protects the only one of 10 carriers deployed permanently outside the continental United States. U.S. military forces arrived in the Philippines on Monday to bolster relief efforts, officials said, with military cargo planes transporting food, medical supplies and water for victims. Other U.S. aircraft were positioning to assist the Philippines, with U.S. forces operating out of Villamor Air Base in Manila and in Tacloban.   Deployment of the US George Washington was revealed as rescue workers were trying to reach towns and villages in the Visayas on Tuesday that were cut off by Yolanda in an operation that could reveal the full extent of the loss of life and devastation from the disaster. Officials in Tacloban City, which bore the brunt of one of the strongest storms ever recorded when it slammed Read More …

BODIES HUNG FROM TREES, SCATTERED ON SIDEWALKS

 News
Nov 102013
 
BODIES HUNG FROM TREES, SCATTERED ON SIDEWALKS

TACLOBAN CITY — Corpses hung from trees, were scattered on sidewalks or buried in flattened buildings — some of the thousands believed killed in one Philippine city alone by ferocious Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) that washed away homes and buildings with powerful winds and giant waves. As the scale of devastation became clear on Nov. 10 from one of the worst storms ever recorded, officials said emergency crews could find more bodies when they reach parts of the archipelago cut off by flooding and landslides. Desperate residents raided grocery stores and gas stations in search of food, fuel and water as the government began relief efforts and international aid operations got underway. Even in a nation regularly beset by earthquakes, volcanoes and tropical storms, Typhoon Haiyan appears to be the deadliest natural disaster on record. Haiyan hit the eastern seaboard of the Philippines on Nov. 8 and quickly barreled across its central islands, packing winds of 235 kph (147 mph) that gusted to 275 kph (170 mph), and a storm surge of 6 meters (20 feet). A man brings his lifeless 6-year-old daughter to the morgue in Tacloban City. Hardest hit in the Philippines was Leyte Island, where regional Police Chief Elmer Soria said the provincial governor had told him there were about 10,000 dead, primarily from drowning and collapsed buildings. Most were in Tacloban, the provincial capital of about 200,000 people that is the biggest city on the island. Reports also trickled in indicating deaths elsewhere on the island. On Read More …

Phl seeks flexibility on TPP membership

 Economy
Nov 102013
 
Phl seeks flexibility on TPP membership

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines may seek for flexibility from members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to be allowed to join the trade pact without having to amend the Constitution. “Our problem is we have a limitation in the Constitution that may not meet standards or ambitions of TPP members. We may have to ask for flexibility at some point, if and when they invite us (to be part of the deal) to be able to comply,” Trade secretary Gregory Domingo said in an interview with reporters. Domingo said the constitution’s limits to foreign ownership in certain sectors may not fit with the TPP. “We cannot promise that we will make changes to the Constitution.” President Aquino has been firm in his stand that there is no need to amend the constitution to achieve economic growth. Domingo said it is in the interest of the country to become a member of the TPP as the trade pact is an avenue to get access to markets, primarily the US. “It (TPP) is something we have to engage in. We have no choice because the US is our second largest trading partner and many of our neighbors will become members of  TPP. If they have duty-free access, for example, in the US and we don’t, it will really handicap the Philippines and affect us in a significant way,” he said. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The TPP, currently being negotiated by 12 countries, aims to establish a free Read More …

 Older Entries  Newer Entries