'Pablo:' At least 7 dead, 24 missing

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – Typhoon "Pablo" (international name: Bopha) killed at least 7 people on Tuesday, December 4, as the strongest storm to hit the country this year forced more than 50,000 to seek refuge in emergency shelters, officials said.

Six people were killed, including an elderly woman who was crushed to death when a tree fell on her house, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted rescue officials as saying Tuesday afternoon. The AFP said the officials did not identify the other 5 or say how they had died.

It's not clear if the 6 already include the 3 members of a family who died in Compostela town, Compostela Valley.

At around 6 pm Tuesday, the local Army told reporters that a soldier died in a flashflood in New Bataan town, Compostela Valley. At least 20 people were also reported missing in the town.

Four fishermen were also reported missing off Mindanao's east coast, said Freddie Bendulo, planning and development officer of Davao Oriental province.

Capt Severino David of the Army's Eastern Mindanao Command disaster response task group, said rescue teams were having difficulty reaching New Bataan, Compostela Valley, as many roads remain closed due to landslides caused by heavy rains.

He said a flashflood hit the area washing out homes and a military

patrol base. A first lieutenant was reported injured while a sergeant

was reported killed.

David could not ascertain the time the flashflood took place but said

it happened sometime between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. at the height of

Pablo's onslaught in the area.

While it has slightly weakened, Pablo has forced over 53,000 people out of their homes.By early afternoon, the typhoon had slowed and weakened somewhat with top gusts of 195 kilometers an hour, the state weather service said.

A total of 145 flights to and from Mindanao and the central islands had been grounded since Monday night and more than 3,000 ferry passengers were stranded as vessels were ordered to stay in port.

Moving to Visayas

Civil defense chief Benito Ramos said the storm had altered course and was expected to hit the central islands of Bohol, Negros and the popular tourist resort island of Cebu later on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people are killed each year by the 20 or so tropical cyclones that hit the Philippines, but Ramos said the low casualties so far from Bopha were down to government efforts to move people to safety.

"So far, casualties have been minimal. We attribute this to the cooperation of our people and the efforts of local officials," he told reporters.

Winds blew roofs off some buildings and residents of coastal and low-lying communities in Mindanao moved into shelters as floods hit some areas, according to residents and AFP reporters.

Evacuation centers

In its latest update issued at 12 nn, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said 53,441 persons have flocked to 94 evacuation centers in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Including those who did not evacuate, the affected Filipinos comprised 57, 501 and came from Regions VIII, X, XVI, and Caraga.

Most evacuees came in Surigao del Sur, which was initially expected to be the site of Pablo's landfall early Tuesday morning. The NDRRMC said 33,521 persons have relocated to the province's 35 evacuation centers.

Benito Ramos identified two of the dead as Merlinda Balante, a 60-year-old woman from Manay, Davao Oriental, and Jigger Gumunit, 30, from Panaon, Misamis Oriental.

The national government earlier aimed for zero casualties due to Pablo, especially after an almost week-long preparation for the typhoon that has caught wide international attention. President Benigno Aquino III himself on Monday, December 3, led the call to take the typhoon seriously. "This typhoon is no joke," Aquino said. (Watch more in the video below.)

Despite the low number of casualties, however, Pablo has inflicted damage on roads and infrastructure.

Compostela Valley's provincial capital in Nabunturan, for example, was built only a few years ago, but is now severely damaged. The typhoon broke its roof and glass windows, and flooded the building up to the 3rd floor.

In Mawab town, Pablo damaged a main road, stranding passengers. It submerged many houses in the town in 3-foot flood waters, and also damaged banana plantations. – Rappler.com, with reports from Agence France-Presse and Karlos Manlupig in Compostela Valley

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'Pablo' kills 2 upon landfall - Official

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Pablo claimed two lives after it made landfall on Davao Oriental early Tuesday morning, December 4, officials said.

A 22-year-old man from Caraga town, Rossel Anong, died after he fell from the stairs and hit his head, according to provincial police director Senior Superintendent Rommil Mitra.

Mitra said another person died in the town of Manay, but he could not provide the person's name as of posting time.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mitra said a fallen tree in Manay, Davao Oriental injured two people at around 4 am.

Pablo has also triggered floods and landslides in various parts of the Philippines, with the typhoon packing winds of 165 km/h – stronger than those brought by Tropical Storm Sendong, which killed over 1,400 people in 2011.

Due to Pablo, over 40,000 Filipinos have flocked to evacuation centers as part of the government's objective to survive the disaster with zero casualties. – Rappler.com

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Black Tuesday: Netizens rally vs Anti-Cybercrime law

MANILA, Philippines – Various groups opposing Republic Act (RA) No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act trooped to Padre Faura in Manila to call on the Supreme Court (SC) to strike down controversial provisions of the law and restrain government from implementing these provisions.

Their protest action, dubbed ‘Black Tuesday,’ began at around the same time the justices of the high court sat in en banc session, and on the agenda, the various petitions against the legislation. To date, there are 7 petitions filed against RA No. 10175.

The protesting groups used different antics to dramatize their cause.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), one of the petitioners, held the usual program with loud speakers in tow. They were led by Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino who said the version of the law passed at the lower House did not include, for example, criminalizing libel in cyberspace, the takedown powers of the Department of Justice (DOJ) over websites, and the monitoring of correspondences and data traffic of subject persons and sites.

The Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance or Pifa, for its part, brought a tarpaulin that read: ‘Stop Cyber Martial Law.’ Its members were gagged with black tape to symbolize government’s “silencing” of their rights to free speech, among others.

The group said the freedom to use the Internet to express their advocacies as well as criticize government is very important to them.

Pifa is an advocacy group. It has a website that opens discussions on various proposed legislations and public projects.

A social networking group, headed by popular personality Marlene Aguilar and her Facebook friends, also came. They were a bit bold — putting up the dirty finger to express their dismay to the assailed law.

Aguilar warned President Aquino that Anonymous Philippines, the group behind the defacing and hacking of government websites, is only a fraction of what she called Anonymous Global, which is ready to attack Philippine websites to no end in protest of RA No. 10175. Aguilar said this is an “army” Pres. Aquino cannot defeat.

A group of photographers-bloggers also came to take part in the protest.

The Manila Police District sent anti-riot policemen who were monitoring the protest action as it progressed.

Petitioners against RA No. 10175 before the high court are the following: Louis Biraogo, Disini, et al., ALAM party list, Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, Adonis, et al., Palatino, et al., and Bayan et al. u

Collectively, the provisions of the law they want declared unconstitutional are the following:

– Sec. 4 (a)(3), which includes data interference, defined as “the intentional or reckless alteration, damaging, deletion or deterioration of computer data, electronic document, or electronic data message, without right, including the introduction or transmission of viruses,” in the list of cybercrime offenses;

– Sec. 4(b)(3), which lists computer-related identity theft, defined as the intentional acquisition, use, misuse, transfer, possession, alteration or deletion of identifying information belonging to another, as one of computer-related offenses;

– Sec. 4(c)(4), which criminalizes libel, not only on the internet, but also on “any other similar means which may be devised in the future;”

– Sec. 5(a)(b), which identifies other offenses punishable under the law, such as: (a) Aiding or Abetting in the Commission of Cybercrime; and (b) Attempt in the Commission of Cybercrime;

– Sec. 6, which raises by one degree higher the penalties provided for by the Revised Penal Code for all crimes committed through and with the use of information and communications;

– Sec. 7, which provides that, apart from prosecution under the law, any person charged for the alleged offense covered will not be spared from violations of the Revised Penal Code and other special laws;

– Sec. 12, which authorizes the real-time collection of traffic data;

– Sec. 17, which authorizes service providers and law enforcement agencies to “completely destroy the computer data subject of a preservation and examination” order;

– Sec. 19, which authorizes the DOJ to block access to computer data when such data “is prima facie found to be in violation of the provisions of this Act;” and

– Sec. 20, which states that those who fail to comply with provisions of Chapter IV (Enforcement and Implementation), specifically orders from law enforcement agencies, shall face imprisonment of prision correctional (6 months and 1 day to 6 years) in its maximum period or a fine of P100,000 or both, for each noncompliance.

Source: ABS-CBN News

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Jesse Robredo confirmed dead, DILG secretary dies in plane crash

Jesse Robredo, Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), has been proclaimed dead after his lifeless body was recovered at the crash site off the coast of Masbate City.

Teary-eyed, transportation and communications secretary Mar Roxas broke the sad news on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at the search and rescue operations command post near the crash site.

Roxas said the remains of Secretary Robredo and companions were found inside the fuselage/plane wreckage by a British volunteer technical diver at a depth of about 180 feet below the sea, more or less 800 meters away from the shore, at around 8:15 a.m. Tuesday.

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Downpours, flooding swamp Manila

Deadly torrential rains submerged much of the Philippine capital and surrounding areas yesterday, forcing nearly 270,000 people to flee their homes with more flooding expected in the north of the country as a tropical storm passes through the region, officials said.

Steady rains for the past 10 days, killing more than 50 people, are set to continue until today, the Philippines weather bureau said, fuelled by Tropical Storm Haikui in the Philippine Sea northeast of Taiwan. The storm is headed for China’s Zhejiang Province where more than 250,000 people have been evacuated ahead of expected landfall late today.

“It’s like Waterworld,” said Benito Ramos, head of the Philippines’ national disaster agency, referring to a Hollywood movie about a flooded world.

Schools, financial markets and public and private offices were ordered shut, including outsourcing firms whose corporate clients are mainly from the US and Europe.

Disaster officials said over half of Manila was swamped by floods as high as 3m, worsened by a high tide and the release of water from dams in surrounding provinces.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, in an emergency meeting briefly interrupted by a power failure at the main army base in Manila, ordered officials to exert maximum effort to aid residents in flooded areas.

Officials have deployed army troops, police and emergency workers with rubber boats and amphibious trucks.

The monsoon rains, which dumped about 300mm or three times the daily average of 80mm to 100mm from late Monday to yesterday, were the heaviest in three years, the weather bureau said.

Most major roads in Manila were inundated by knee to waist-deep floodwaters. Some flights were delayed or canceled. Power, water and communications in flooded areas were disrupted. Some of the affected residents were marooned on the roofs of their houses.

“There are about 5,000 people here,” said Ester Ronabio, a public-school teacher and volunteer in one of the temporary shelter areas in low-lying Marikina City in the eastern part of Manila.
“We can’t control the flow of people,” she added.

In a sign of the difficult scramble to move people to safety, Aquino appealed to an anti-graft court to release dozens of rubber boats held as evidence in a case against senior police officials for use in evacuation efforts.

Residents of Manila expressed concern the rains were a repeat of Typhoon Ketsana in 2009, which killed more than 700 people and destroyed US$1 billion worth of private and public property.

“The floods are so deep where we live, we don’t want a repeat of Typhoon Ketsana a few years ago,” said Melanio David, a father of four. “We got scared so we evacuated last night.”

Source: Taipei Times

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Philippine flag raised today at London Olympic Village

LONDON — In its first official act as member of the London Olympic family, Team Philippines will join several other nations in the traditional welcome and flag-raising rites on Saturday inside the  sprawling Games Village, home to more than 15,000 athletes and officials from 204 nations in the next three weeks.

Nine athletes and a handful of officials as well as some guests from the Philippine Embassy and Filipino community will be in attendance during the morning program as Team RP and at least 10 other countries join the traditional ceremony ahead of the Games’ grand opening on July 27.

Only boxer Mark Anthony Barriga and BMX rider Danny Caluag will not be around during the 11:30 a.m. rite, which concludes with a 25-minute cultural performance by 75 young Britons reflecting the nation’s music, culture and tradition.

According to Team Philippines chief of mission Manny Lopez, Ambassador Enrique Manalo will grace the affair along with a few members of the Filipino community in this beautiful city now in the midst of Olympic fever.
“This (flag raising) is our first official act as member of the  London Olympic  family,” said Lopez, who arrived on Wednesday to pave the way for the arrival of the Filipino athletes and officials at the Village.

In another highlight,  an athlete each from the countries joining the ritual this morning will sign on the Olympic Truce Wall, which forms the backdrop for the ceremonies set at the Plaza in the heart of the Village.
Lopez said long jumper Marestella Torres will most likely do the honor for  Team Philippines, being a two-time Olympian and the most battle-scarred member of the team supported by ICTSI, Bank of Philippine Islands, Mizuno, Samsonite, Petron, Procter & Gamble, PSC, Philracom, Smart Sports and TV5.

The traditional exchange of gifts will also take place after the rites, with Lopez giving the Village mayor a commemorative passenger jeepney.

Barriga and Caluag won’t make it because they have yet to conclude their final buildup, with the boxer still training in Cardiff, Wales and the cyclist doing his chores in the Netherlands. They will join their teammates on July 24.   

Source:  Tribune

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Dolphy dies at 83, on the 10th of July 2012 at Makati Medical Center

Rodolfo Vera Quizon a.k.a. Dolphy has died aged 83 just short of his birthday about the 25th of July in the intensive care unit with the MMC or Makati Medical. He was taken there about the 9th of June struggling with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and confined under intensive care since that time. Dolphy is survived by his wife singer Zsa Zsa Padilla and 18 children.

Dolphy has been 19 when he made his very first movie with Fernando Poe, Sr. in Dugo at Bayan (I recall Bataan), billed as Rodolfo Quizon. It absolutely was the dad of his future friend actor Fernando Poe, Jr., who first paved just how and gave him a break in films playing bit roles being a character actor.

Before he started like a stage performer throughout the Japanese occupation from the Philippines. Dolphy was turning 17 when Benny Mack took him in as a chorus dancer, one month at Avenue Theater after which he transferred to Lyric Theater. He also appeared in shows on the Orient Theater. Golay was his first stage name. During air raids, they might interrupt the show and run for cover in the air-raid shelter inside the orchestra section, together with the audience. If no bombs exploded, the show then resumed.

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Magnitude 6.8 Hits East Coast of Honshu Japan

After a year, another earthquake with magnitude of 6.8 hits the east coast of Honshu, Japan. This was the place where the magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit last year, March 11, 2011. 

More information about this earthquake, http://goo.gl/x3w2H

Tsunami alert is now raised to Japan and to other neighboring countries.

A picture in Japan after the tsunami hits the Island. 

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California surfers waited in water for tsunami

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- Some California surfers rode high water from a tsunami caused by the Japanese earthquake, while other beaches were closed.

In Santa Cruz, it was a typical good day for surfing before the water pulled out of Monterey Bay toward the Pacific Ocean when the tsunami hit.

Around 8:10 a.m., within seconds, the water dropped by about 9 feet as the harbor turned into a river as water was sucked out to sea.

Surfers who had been paddling on their boards were able to walk with them on the wet sand. Others stayed in water, despite warnings from lifeguards to come in.

A couple of boats broke loose and part of a dock was also pulled away during one of several surges, each of which took about 10 minutes.

Source: MiamiHerald

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Washington Coast Tsunami Advisory still in effect at 3:30 p.m. Friday

SOUTH BEND - The Pacific County Emergency Management Council is advising residents that the West Coast Alaska Tsunami Warning Center has downgraded the tsunami warning along the coasts of California and Oregon to an advisory, there is no change in the tsunami advisory along the Washington Coast.

The PCEMA Council is advising residents of Pacific County that the major threat of tsunami from the 8.9 magnitude earthquake in Japan earlier this morning has likely passed. More than eight hours have passed since the anticipated arrival of tsunami waves. The West Coast Alaska Tsunami Warning Center has maintained a tsunami advisory for the Washington Coast. Note there could be lingering effects from the earthquake in Japan and/or additional aftershocks capable of generating tsunamis. Residents are cautioned to stay off the ocean beaches until further notice.

The public is cautioned to remain alert and to pay attention to the news media and any future warnings and alerts. This notice will be updated as conditions change. Questions regarding this announcement and questions regarding this incident should be forwarded to the Pacific County Emergency Operations Center at 360-875-9341 or 642.9341.

Source: Chinookobserver

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