Donations for Sendong victims continue to pour in
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:14 p.m.DONATIONS, both in cash and kind, from both foreign and local sources, have continued to pour in for the victims of Typhoon Sendong, which has killed thousands, injured hundreds, and rendered dozens missing in Northern Mindanao.
On Thursday, the Japanese government -- through its embassy in Manila -- will turn over emergency relief goods worth P14 million (25 million yen).
Supreme Court asked to nullify Hataman's appointment
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:13 p.m.THE Supreme Court was asked to nullify the appointment of former Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman as officer-in-charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
In his seven-page urgent motion, Romulo Macalintal said Malacanang is still temporarily disallowed from appointing officials in the Armm.
Government will no longer use Sendong to name typhoons
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:12 p.m.SENDONG will no longer be used as a name for visiting tropical cyclones in the future after it battered several areas in Visayas and Mindanao last week, killing more than 1,000 people in its four-day swing.
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo confirmed the planned delisting on Wednesday as Sendong’s damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and school buildings has reached nearly P1 billion.
Manhunt launched for retired general
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:11 p.m.RETIRED Major General Jovito Palparan, ordered arrested by a Bulacan court for masterminding the abduction of two students in 2006, was nowhere to be found on Tuesday.
As a result, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima immediately tasked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to find, arrest and jail Palparan as soon as possible.
Abad: Calamity fund intact
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:09 p.m.THE Philippine Government denied that it refused to allot funds for disaster preparedness, clarifying that calamity funds in this year's budget remain intact.
"No amount of the total calamity fund was vetoed," Department of Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said.
Congress urged to pass reforestation laws in wake of Sendong
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:09 p.m.A LAWMAKER on Wednesday urged Congress to immediately pass laws on environmental management on Wednesday, the same day a government disaster council confirmed that more than one thousand died in the wake of tropical storm Sendong.
Ifugao Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr. said Congress should immediately pass the Forest Conservation and Alternative Mining bills to prevent a repeat of the Sendong devastation in Mindanao and other areas of the country.
Bill seeks free SMS disaster alerts
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:09 p.m.MOBILE phone users may soon be informed of natural or man-made disasters and calamities through alerts sent free by telecommunications firms if the proposed law of Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casino secures Congress' approval.
The party-list lawmaker on Wednesday filed “The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act” mandating telecommunications service providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities.
Senator to hold disaster mitigation workshops for LGUs
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:08 p.m.SENATOR Loren Legarda will organize regional workshops to brief local governments regarding environmental laws and tools to cut disaster risks which could have prevented massive death and destruction in Northern Mindanao.
She said she will seek assistance from the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) for the workshops.
Storm-free yet rainy Christmas forecast
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 10:08 p.m.THE Philippine weather bureau on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of a year-end storm but forecast a wet Christmas due to prevailing northeasterly winds.
Areas battered by Tropical Storm Sendong (international name: Washi) in Northern Mindanao and Eastern Mindanao should also be on alert as scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms might cause flood and landslides.
OWWA distributes food, water to OFW families hit by Sendong
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 05:57 p.m.THE agency tasked to protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) has distributed bottled water and food to their families who have been affected by typhoon Sendong.
"Operation Tulong" of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administrator (OWWA) will also assess the damage and the needs of OFW families in areas badly hit by typhoon Sendong.
Bill seeks free disaster alerts on cellphones
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 05:49 p.m.MOBILE phone users may soon be informed of natural or man-made disasters and calamities through alerts sent free by telecommunications firms if the proposed law of Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casino secures Congress' approval.
The party-list lawmaker on Wednesday filed "The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act" mandating telecommunications service providers to send free mobile alerts in the event of natural and man-made disasters and calamities.
Manhunt launched for retired general
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 05:42 p.m.RETIRED Major General Jovito Palparan, ordered arrested by a Bulacan court for masterminding the abduction of two students in 2006, was nowhere to be found on Tuesday.
Upon learning of the report, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima immediately tasked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to find, arrest and jail Palparan as soon as possible.
Government: Calamity funds remain intact
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 05:18 p.m.THE Philippine government denied that it refused to allot funds for disaster preparedness, saying that calamity funds in this year's budget remain intact.
"No amount of the total calamity fund was vetoed," Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.
Congress urged to pass reforestation laws
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - 04:58 p.m.A LAWMAKER on Wednesday urged Congress to immediately pass laws on environmental management on Wednesday, the same day a government disaster council confirmed that more than one thousand died in the wake of tropical storm "Sendong".
Ifugao Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat Jr. said Congress should immediately pass the Forest Conservation and Alternative Mining bills to prevent a repeat of the Sendong devastation in Mindanao and other areas of the country.
Cebu gets lion's share of Osmena pork
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 09:37 p.m.CEBU province got the lion's share, more than one third, of P95.675 million in Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) released to Senator Sergio Osmena III, data from the Department of Budget and Management indicate.
Osmena's home province received P3.9 million of his PDAF. Financial assistance to Cebu City Medical Center and to the Cebu City Commission for the Welfare and Protection of Children made up P3 million while P750,000 went to buy 40 computer sets for Cordova Public College in Cordova town.
Power being restored in Sendong-stricken areas
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 09:37 p.m.AREAS whipped by Tropical Storm Sendong (international name: Washi) last week will have power as soon as possible in time for Christmas, the government said Tuesday.
Electricity in some provinces and cities affected by Sendong was already restored as early as December 18, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
Disaster risk reduction ‘already a national security concern’
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 09:36 p.m.DISASTER risk reduction is already a matter of national security with climate change posing a clear and present danger to the Philippines, Senator Loren Legarda said Tuesday.
Flooding caused by Tropical Storm Sendong, which hit Visayas and Mindanao last week, killed at least 900 people and numbers are still rising.
Government welcomes rebel group’s ceasefire declaration
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 09:35 p.m.THE government peace panel welcomed Tuesday the declaration of Christmas ceasefire by communist guerillas.
"We are heartened that the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) have found it in their hearts to declare ceasefires on Christmas and New Year and give its fighters a respite from their life of violence," the peace panel said in a statement posted on the website of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
SC 'lacks jurisdiction' over Corona impeachment petitions
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 05:10 p.m.MEMBERS of the 11-man panel tasked to prosecute Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Renato Corona in a Senate trial next month said that Congress is empowered by the Constitution to remove an erring public official.
This developed as three lawyers asked the SC to stop the Senate from proceeding with the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice, citing the speedy approval of the House resolution impeaching Corona.
MMDA sends team, water purifier to Iligan City
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 04:46 p.m.AN AGENCY whose mandate only covers Metro Manila has sent a 19-person team, including a two-ton water purifier, a multi-cab vehicle, rescue dogs, and medical and rescue kits to Iligan City on Tuesday.
The team, the equipment, and the canines will arrive in Iligan in two days on board the Philippine Navy (PN) Logistic Supply Vessel BRP Bacolod City, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino said.
Church official offers tips for putting up Bethlehem manger scene
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 04:42 p.m.FIGURINES in a nativity display featuring the baby Jesus Christ should be placed one by one, not all together at one time, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) advised.
The figurine of the baby Jesus should not be placed with Mary and Joseph until December 25, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, CBCP media director, said.
Lawmaker: Aquino liable for not allotting funds for disaster preparedness
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 03:41 p.m.PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III and his Cabinet should be held accountable for their refusal to allot funds for disaster preparedness in the 2011 calamity fund.
A party-list lawmaker issued this statement after tropical storm Sendong (international codename: Washi) killed a thousand people in Mindanao, destroyed houses and contaminated water supplies, among others.
Aquino declares national state of calamity
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 11:19 a.m.MANILA (Updated) -- President Benigno Aquino III declared Tuesday a national state of calamity after Tropical Storm Sendong killed hundreds, damaged houses, roads, and bridges, and left many homeless in Northern Mindanao.
The President made the announcement during his visit in Cagayan de Oro City, one of the areas badly-hit by the storm that killed almost a thousand people.
Palparan ordered arrested for kidnapping case
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 10:54 a.m.MANILA (Updated 10:28 a.m.) -- Former Major General Jovito Palparan has been ordered arrested over kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Malolos Regional Trial Court branch 14 presiding judge Teodora Gonzalez issued the arrest warrant Tuesday, a day after Palparan attempted to leave the country for Singapore.
High Court asked to stop impeach proceedings vs Corona
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 01:04 a.m.MANILA -- Two petitioners asked the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday to stop the Senate from proceeding with the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Corona is set to defend himself before the 23-man chamber in January next year after he was indicted for violating the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, as well as charges of graft and corruption.
Ex-party-list lawmaker appointed as Armm OIC
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 12:20 a.m.FORMER Anak-Mindanao Representative Mujiv Hataman on Monday took his oath before President Benigno Aquino III as the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
There was no formal announcement of Hataman’s appointment and it was only known to media through the President’s schedule sent to Malacanang reporters daily.
Group asks SC justices to disclose assets before Christmas
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 12:19 a.m.SUPREME Court (SC) justices should lead the way in promoting transparency in government, starting off with the full disclosure of their net worth before Christmas, a non-government organization said Monday.
In a one-page letter sent to the 15 justices of the High Court, the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership said the 1987 Constitution was clear about accountability of public officials.
NBI team to help identify corpses in Oro, Iligan
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 12:19 a.m.A TEAM of experts will be sent to Cagayan de Oro City to assist police identify corpses of those who died during the flash floods brought about by Tropical Storm Sendong (international codename: Washi) over the weekend.
The 15-member group is composed of medico legal doctors and experts from the field of forensic odontologists and dactyloscopy, who will identify the decomposing bodies using the high-tech genetic analyzer for the first time.
Filipinos, government ‘should heed lessons of Sendong'
Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - 12:18 a.m.SENATORS on Monday hoped the damages wrought by Tropical Storm Sendong in Northern Mindanao and the Visayas will spur the government to ramp up preparations against future calamities.
Senator Edgardo Angara called for support for relief and rescue operations in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Dumaguete but said "this isn't the first time we faced such a tragedy."
Aquino asked to refrain from parties
Monday, December 19, 2011 - 04:49 p.m.MANILA (Updated) -- President Benigno Aquino III and his Cabinet officials were asked to refrain from holding lavish parties in light of the disaster that struck Northern Mindanao over the weekend, a group that supported his presidential bid last year said.
“I think our government officials and the President should resist from throwing expensive Christmas parties. Instead, they should direct their attention in helping the typhoon victims,” Harvey Keh, lead convenor of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, told reporters.
