Official Yolanda death toll breaches 5k mark, with over 1,000 still missing

 News
Nov 222013
 
More deaths related to Typhoon Yolanda have been validated by disaster officials Friday, bringing the official death toll to 5,209 with 1,611 still missing and 23,404 injured, based on the latest report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Of the total number of fatalities, 4,919 were from Eastern Visayas, the hardest hit region of the super typhoon, while the rest were from Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Caraga.

“These were recovered for the past few days but have to be validated,” said Eduardo del Rosario, NDRRMC executive director, referring too the additional fatalities.

Validation was done in coordination with mayors and local heath officers, he added.

“We had changes because the official validation and confirmation are slowly coming in from the municipal mayors and municipal health workers,” del Rosario explained.

The latest death toll was already more than double than President Benigno Aquino III’s estimate of between 2,000 to 2,500

Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria, the relieved Eastern Visayas regional police chief, had earlier estimated that the death toll could reach 10,000. — KBK, GMA News

Australia reiterates terror warning in parts of Mindanao

 News
Aug 312013
 
Australia reiterates terror warning in parts of Mindanao

Australia has renewed its advice to its nationals against traveling to parts of Mindanao due to what it said a possible terrorism threat. In an Aug. 29 update to its travel advice, Australia noted the United Kingdom recently cited a “credible and imminent” kidnap threat against foreigners in Zamboanga del Norte. “We continue to strongly advise you not to travel to central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula and Sulu Archipelago, due to the very high threat of terrorist attack, kidnapping, violent crime and violent clashes between armed groups,” it said. Also, it reiterated its advice to its nationals to “reconsider your need to travel to eastern Mindanao.” On the other hand, Australia advised its nationals to “exercise a high degree of caution in the Philippines because of the high threat of terrorist attack and high level of serious crime.” “Pay close attention to your personal security at all times and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks,” it said. It reiterated terrorist attacks, including bombings, are “possible anytime, anywhere in the Philippines, including in Manila.” “We continue to receive credible reports indicating terrorists are planning attacks against a range of targets, including places frequented by foreigners,” it added. Australia earlier “strongly” advised its nationals not to travel to central and western Mindanao, including Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Cotabato City, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Saranggani, Misamis Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and the Sulu Archipelago Read More …

DOTC: Bad weather forces 2 flight cancellations

 News
Aug 032013
 
DOTC: Bad weather forces 2 flight cancellations

Bad weather in Bohol prompted the cancellation of at least two domestic flights Sunday, the Department of Transportation and Communications said. In a post on its Twitter account, the DOTC said the affected flights, between Manila and Bohol, belonged to air carrier Cebu Pacific. The canceled flights included: – 5J-617: Manila to Tagbilaran– 5J-618: Tagbilaran to Manila Earlier, state weather forecasters warned of rain over Visayas and parts of Mindanao as a low-pressure area neared Surigao City. PAGASA said Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Davao “will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides.” — LBG, GMA news

Fertilizer prices fall in May

 Economy
Jun 152013
 
Fertilizer prices fall in May

MANILA, Philippines – The average dealers’ price of four fertilizer grades fell month-on-month and year-on-year in May, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) reported. Data released by BAS late Friday showed that this was caused by the reduction of prices in most regions. The monthly average dealers’ price of Urea in May was placed at P1,194.51 per sack, down 0.54 percent  from the previous month’s price level and 8.68 percent from the price in the same period last year. In most regions, Urea prices were lower than the previous month’s levels.  The biggest price cuts were recorded in Zamboanga Peninsula and SOCCSKSARGEN with respective price reductions of 3.54 percent and 3.22 percent. Urea prices in Davao Region and ARMM remained at the previous month’s price levels. The average dealers’ price of Complete in May was P1,238.16 per sack.  Prices slid by 0.21 percentand 2.56 percent month-on-month and year-on-year respectively. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 In most regions, prices went down by 2.0 percent from the previous month’s records. The biggest markdown was noted in Zamboanga Peninsula at 1.13 percent.   Prices of Complete in ARMM remained at last month’s price levels. The monthly average dealers’ price of Ammosul was placed at 750.86 per sack in May,  down by  0.44 percent  and 2.27 percent against month-on-month and year-on-year. Month-on-month, prices in most regions fell – by 0.09 percent in Cagayan Valley and by as much as 2.08 percent in Zamboanga Peninsula. In ARMM,  Ammosul retained April’s price of Read More …

Weather disturbance hovers near Surigao; flash floods, landslides threaten parts of Mindanao

 News
Jun 152013
 
Weather disturbance hovers near Surigao; flash floods, landslides threaten parts of Mindanao

State weather forecasters warned of possible flash floods and landslides over parts of Mindanao in the next 24 hours as a potential cyclone — a low-pressure area — hovered over Surigao del Sur Saturday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the LPA was estimated at 390 km east of Hinatuan City in Surigao del Sur province as of 4 p.m. “The regions of Caraga, Davao, Socckssargen, ARMM, and Northern Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” the state weather forecaster said. The Visayas region, Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, it added. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience partly cloudy skies with thunderstorms mostly during the afternoon or evening, it said. Luzon’s coastal waster will be moderate to rough due to southwest monsoon, while slight to moderate seas will prevail in Visayas and Mindanao, PAGASA said. — with a report from Rouchelle R. Dinglasan /LBG, GMA News

PAGASA: Potential cyclone threatens west Luzon, Visayas with floods, landslides

 News
Jun 122013
 
PAGASA: Potential cyclone threatens west Luzon, Visayas with floods, landslides

Flash floods and landslides threaten the western parts of Luzon and Visayas Thursday as a  low-pressure area, just outside the Philippine area of responsibility enhances the southwest monsoon, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA forecaster Gener Quitlong said their models show the LPA intensifying into a cyclone. However, it is not likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility and may instead move toward Vietnam. “Nagpapalakas ito ng habagat,” Quitlong said in an interview on dzBB radio. But if the LPA intensifies into a cyclone and enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it will be codenamed Emong, he said. Thursday outlook For Thursday, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon is affecting the western sections of Luzon and Visayas. “Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas and the provinces of 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 Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and the rest of Luzon and of Visayas will be cloudy with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, it added. Also, moderate to strong winds from the southwest to south will prevail over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Light to moderate winds coming from the southeast to south will prevail over the rest of Luzon and Visayas and from the Read More …

BAS reports lower Q1 ind’l crop production

 Economy
Jun 122013
 
BAS reports lower Q1 ind’l crop production

MANILA, Philippines – Most industrial crops registered lower production volume in the first quarter of the year due to plant diseases, and devastation caused by typhoon Pablo in the tail end of 2012, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS). In its January to March 2013 Non-Food and Industrial Crops Quarterly bulletin, BAS noted increased production in coconut, tobacco and sugarcane while decreases were seen for abaca, coffee, rubber during the period. Abaca production in the first quarter of the year fell 8.13 percent to 15, 652 metric tons (MT) against 17,037 MT in the same period last year. BAS noted that several municipalities in Leyte and Southern Leyte are still affected by bunchy top disease causing production in Eastern Visayas to fall 11.42 percent. Also affected by the bunchy top disease were farms in Zamboanga Sibugay, particularly those under the Goodyear Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative (GARBEMCO), where production fell 31.50 percent during the period. BAS said, however, that there were efforts to eradicate the disease. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Abaca farmers in Aklan were also discouraged by weak trading, causing production in the province to drop 49.31 percent. Production in Davao Region and Caraga fell 30.57 percent and 10.12 percent respectively due to the onslaught of typhoon Pablo, the most destructive typhoon to the agricultural sector in 2012. Favorable weather conditions, on the other hand, resulted to higher abaca production in Catanduanes by 4.16 percent and in Bicol Region by 41.59 percent. Read More …

PAGASA: 'Dante' intensifies; floods, landslides threaten parts of Luzon, Vis-Min

 News
Jun 082013
 
PAGASA: 'Dante' intensifies; floods, landslides threaten parts of Luzon, Vis-Min

PAGASA: Tropical Depression ‘Dante’ spotted 690 km east of Aurora province. “Dante” maintained its north northwest path but picked up pace from 9 kph to 11 kph PAGASA Residents in parts of southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao may have to brace for possible flash floods and landslides in the next 24 hours even as Tropical Depression Dante slightly hovered near Aurora province Saturday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA indicated Dante slightly intensified but also slowed down along its track as well on Saturday afternoon. PAGASA said that as of 4 p.m., Dante was estimated at 730 km northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and moving northeast at 11 kph. As of 10 a.m., Dante packed winds of only 45 kph near the center and was moving north-northwest at 15 kph. “Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, MIMAROPA and the Visayas will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain and thunderstorms that may trigger flash floods and landslides,” PAGASA warned. It added that Bicol and the rest of Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be “partly cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,” it added. Also, PAGASA said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the southwest to west will prevail over northern Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to Read More …

PAGASA: No storm signals raised as 'Dante' hovers at 690 km. east of Aurora

 News
Jun 072013
 
PAGASA: No storm signals raised as 'Dante' hovers at 690 km. east of Aurora

Tropical Depression ‘Dante’ brings rain, thunderstorms. “Dante” has maximum near center winds of 45 kilometers per hour, but is too far to directly affect any part of the country. As of 10:00 p.m. Friday its estimated location was 800 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora. PAGASA Flash floods and landslides threaten parts of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao as Tropical Depression “Dante” hovered 690 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora province early Saturday, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA forecaster Meno Mendoza said Tropical Depression “Dante” may bring rain and cause the southwest monsoon to start affecting the country soon. “Ito ay inaasahang magpapaulan (It will cause rain),” Mendoza said in an interview on dzBB radio, but noted no storm warning signals have so far been raised. “Dante” maintained its near center winds of 45 kph and is forecast to move north-northwest at 11 kph. Flash floods, landslides “Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Mimaropa and Visayas will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides,” PAGASA said. It added Bicol and the rest of Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be “partly cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,” it added. PAGASA also said moderate to occasionally strong winds from the northwest to west will prevail over Eastern Luzon and coming from the southwest over Palawan and the western section of Visayas and Read More …

PAGASA: Rain over parts of Mindanao due to wind convergence

 News
Jun 012013
 
PAGASA: Rain over parts of Mindanao due to wind convergence

Rain is forecast over parts of Mindanao on Sunday due to the inter-tropical convergence zone, state meteorologist said in a weather bulletin. PAGASA also said in the Sunday morning bulletin that Metro Manila and other parts of the country may expect isolated rain showers and thunderstorms. “The regions of Davao, Soccsksargen, Zamboanga Peninsula and the Autonomous Region Of Muslim Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms,” it said. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be “partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms,” it added. For Sunday, PAGASA said Metro Manila may expect temperatures of 23 to 34 degrees Celsius while Tuguegarao City may expect temperatures of 24 to 36 degrees Celsius. Angeles and Olongapo Cities may expect temperatures of 25 to 35 degrees Celsius, it said. Meanwhile, PAGASA said light to moderate winds from the east to southeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the east to northeast over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added.  — ELR, GMA News