Aquino leads formal launching of Nationwide
Operational Assessment of Hazards and risks
President Benigno S. Aquino III led the formal
launching of the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or Project NOAH
in a bid to step up national efforts toward greater and more intensive disaster
risk reduction and management procedures in the face of typhoons and
calamities.
Marikina was chosen as the venue for the
launching of the project because the city was fully inundated by Typhoon Ondoy
in 2009.
In response to President Aquino's instructions
to put in place a responsive program for disaster prevention and mitigation,
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in close coordination with the
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA), the
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Advanced Science and
Technology Institute, Science and Technology Information Institute, Department
of Interior and Local Government, UP National Institute of Geological Sciences
and Department, and other concerned agencies, developed the Project NOAH.
Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo
noted that with Project NOAH, the DOST “will apply advanced Science and
technology tools to come up with enhanced vulnerability maps, and a shortened
six-hour monitoring and warning system for communication along major river basins.”
He said the project is so far the most advanced measure implemented by the
government in disaster mitigation.
Through this project, the warning agencies,
PAG-ASA and PHIVOLCS would be able to provide a six-hour lead-time warning to
vulnerable communities against impending floods and to use advanced technology
to enhance current geo-hazard vulnerability maps.
Project NOAH's mission is to undertake disaster
science research and development, advance the use of cutting edge technologies
and recommend innovative information services in government's disaster
prevention and mitigation efforts.
Through the use of science and technology and in
partnership with the academe and other stakeholders, the DOST through Project
NOAH is taking a multi-disciplinary approach in developing systems, tools, and
other technologies that government could be operated to help prevent disasters.
At present there are eight component projects
under the NOAH program, namely; Hydromet Sensors Development, DREAM-LIDAR 3-D
Mapping Project, Flood NET-Flood Modeling Project, Hazards Information Media,
Enhancing Geo-hazards Mapping through LIDAR, Doppler System Development,
Landslide Sensors Development Project, and Storm Surge Inundation Mapping
Project.
Within two years, the NOAH program shall provide
high-resolution flood hazard maps and install 600 automated rain gauges and 400
water level measuring stations for 18 major river basins of the Philippines,
namely; Marikina River Basin, Cagayan de Oro River Basin, Iligan River Basin,
Agno River Basin, Pampanga River Basin, Bicol River Basin, Cagayan River Basin,
Agusan River Basin, Panay River Basin, Magaswang Tubig River Basin, Jalaur
River Basin, Ilog-Hilabangan River Basin, Agus River Basin, Davao River Basin,
Mindanao River Basin, Tagum-Libuganon River Basin, Tagaloan River Basin, and
the Buayan-Malungun River Basin.
The Chief Executive was assisted by Science and
Technology Secretary Mario Montejo and Marikina Mayor Del de Guzman in formally
launching Project NOAH at the Nangka Del Covered Court, Balubad Settlement
Phase II in Barangay Nangka, Marikina City, on Friday.
Joining President Aquino were Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma Jr., University of the
Philippines-Diliman Chancellor Dr. Caesar A. Saloma, Project NOAH Executive
Director Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay, Marikina City 2nd District
Representative Romero Federico S. Quimbo, among others. (js)
Palace welcomes Social Weather Station survey
results that indicated declining unemployment rate
Malacanang said it welcomes a recent survey
result released by the Social Weather Station saying that unemployment declined
in the last three months.
“Our thrust is always to provide employment to
our countrymen and certainly it is a welcome news to us that the unemployment,
poverty, self-rated poverty have gone down,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin
Lacierda said during a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
“Our social alleviation programs… we are doing
job matching, our education is geared towards job matching. TESDA also
emphasizes that its vocational mandate is to ensure that we are able to find
not only jobs for our countrymen but right jobs because there’s also a concern
for underemployment. So we are trying to address unemployment and
underemployment,” he added.
The SWS survey said unemployment dropped in the
last three months, with the number of jobless Filipinos declining by nearly
three million in late May from March 2012.
The survey, conducted by SWS from May 24 to 27
found the jobless rate at 26.6 percent, a slip from 34.4 percent in March. The
survey firm said the 26.6 percent joblessness rate was equivalent to about 10.9
million adults, while the previous 34.4 percent was equivalent to 13.8 million
Filipinos.
It added that unemployed workers include
Filipinos who were retrenched (11 percent), had resigned (10 percent) or were
first-time job seekers (5 percent).
Since November 2010, the SWS said “adult
unemployment has been dominated by those who voluntarily left their old job and
those who lost their jobs through economic circumstances beyond their control.”
Unemployment, which was below 15 percent from
1993 to March 2004, has mostly remained above 20 percent since May 2005, SWS
noted. (as/1:55pm)
Aquino assures Filipinos of homeland security by
reducing casualties and property loss from extreme hazard events
President Benigno S. Aquino III assured
Filipinos of homeland security by reducing casualties and property loss from
extreme hazard events and building disaster resilient communities in the
Philippines.
In his speech keynoting the formal launching of
the Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or Project NOAH at the Nangka
Del Covered Court, Balubad Settlement Phase II in Barangay Nangka, Marikina
City on Friday, President Aquino said the project leverages on advanced science
and technology to mitigate the impacts of natural hazards.
"Ang Project NOAH po ang magsisilbing arko
ng mga Pilipino laban sa delubyo. Tutuldukan na natin ang nakasanayang
pagtitiis tuwing tag-ulan. Hindi na puwede ang 'bahala na,' sawa na tayo sa
kaba. Sa tama at sapat na kaalaman, sasanayin natin ang mga Pilipino sa
puspusang kahandaan," the Chief Executive said.
President Aquino stressed that natural hazards
inflicted loss of lives and costly damage to property in the past years. Last
year, the devastating impacts of Pedring, Quiel and Sendong resulted to a high
number of fatalities with economic losses amounting to billions of pesos.
"Nang magsimula po tayong manungkulan,
pinagtuunan po natin ng pansin ang mga suliraning hatid ng bagyo. Isa po sa mga
isinulong natin--- ang pagbutihin at dagdagan ang ating mga kasangkapan. Ang
apat na locally-assembled na water level monitoring sensors na dinatnan natin
noong 2010, nadagdagan natin ng siyam nitong 2011 at labindalawa na ngayong
2012, at hindi pa ho tapos ang 2012," he said.
"Isandaang automated rain gauges naman po
ang nai-assemble natin noong nakaraang taon, at ngayon, suma-total walumpu’t
anim na ang nai-deploy sa iba’t ibang rehiyon sa bansa. Simula noong 2010,
operational na rin ang anim na Doppler radar stations sa Baguio, Subic,
Tagaytay, Virac, Mactan, at Hinatuan. Tatlong karagdagang Doppler weather
radars naman ang inaasahan nating maging operational sa Tampakan, Aparri, at
Baler bago matapos ang 2012," he said.
Through the use of advanced science and
technology, the President said Project NOAH aims to improve disaster management
capacity of local governments and assure homeland security by reducing
casualties and property loss from extreme hazard events.
The project will harness the technologies and
management services of disaster risk reduction activities offered by the DOST
through the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
(PAGASA), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS),
and the DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute in partnership with the
UP National Institute of Geological Sciences and the UP College of Engineering.
"At ngayon pong nailunsad na ang Project
NOAH, tiwala tayong madadagdagan pa at mapapabuti ang ating mga kasangkapan at
kagamitan. Ang target po ng DOST ay anim na raang locally-produced automated
rain gauges at apat na raang water level monitoring sensors ang maipakabit sa
mga piling lokasyon sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa bago matapos ang 2013,"
he said.
Project NOAH is the Department of Science and
Technology’s response to the call of President Aquino III for a more accurate,
integrated, and responsive disaster prevention and mitigation system,
especially in high-risk areas throughout the Philippines.
"Ngayon po, hindi na palad ang panukat sa
lakas ng ulan --- tiyak ang datos na makakalap natin sa ating rain gauges.
Hindi na po tuhod, baywang, at ulo ang panukat natin sa libel ng tubig-ulan ---
eksaktong sukat na ang hatid sa atin ng water level sensors. Hindi na rin po
padadaanin sa hula ang lagay ng panahon at kung saan babagsak ang ulan --- real
time na datos at impormasyon na rin ang hatid sa atin ng Doppler radars,"
the President noted. (js)
Palace sees MILF general consultations this
weekend will be a boost to the ongoing peace process
Malacanang said it hopes that the Bangsamoro
general assembly to be conducted by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) this
weekend will eventually pave the way for the signing of a peace agreement with
the Aquino government.
The MILF is holding its general assembly
starting July 7 to 9 in Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. The MILF
said that at least 500,000 to one million people will be attending the general
assembly.
Representatives from the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC) and other international organizations are expected to
participate.
“We view this as a positive development for the
MILF to consolidate its support for the peace agreement. And so it’s something
that we welcome. Secretary Ging Deles and the negotiating panel will be there
in Camp Darapanan to attend,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a
media briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
Asked by reporters if the Aquino administration
expects the meeting to fast-track the signing of a peace agreement with the
MILF, Lacierda said: “We certainly would hope so and as we have always stated,
we are cautiously optimistic that a peace agreement will be signed within this
administration.”
During the last general assembly held in 2005,
some 900,000 MILF followers went to Camp Darapanan to know the progress of the
peace talks then.
The goals of the MILF consultative assembly is
to rally supporters behind its negotiating positions, to keep restive rebel
commanders in line and check their loyalties, and to show its force and
influence in Mindanao to the general public.
The MILF has been battling the government for
over 30 years to achieve self-rule in Mindanao. Upon assuming office, the
President initiated renewed peace efforts with the MILF hoping that under his
term a peace deal would be signed.
Analysts have estimated that the conflict has
resulted to some 50,000 to 60,000 deaths for more than the said 30-year period.
(as/4:23pm)
Palace expects foreign direct investments record
to be higher this year
The Aquino government expects to post higher
foreign direct investments (FDI) this year compared to what the country
recorded last year, a Palace official said on Friday.
“I’m glad to let you know that for the first
quarter of this year alone, the Foreign Direct Investments, as based on a
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas report, is already at $850 million,” Presidential
spokesman Edwin lacierda said in media briefing in Malacanang on Friday.
Lacierda was reacting to a United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report saying the Philippines has
fallen below expectations for more FDI inflows. The report said it lagged
behind other Southeast Asian countries, only surpassing poorer countries such
as Lao, Brunei, Myanmar and Cambodia.
Lacierda said the Aquino government has
addressed the issue noting that UNCTAD mainly based its report on 2011 figures.
“The figure posted by UNCTAD was based on 2011
figures and those figures were culled from the Bangko Central ng Pilipinas
report. The figures stated by the UNCTAD for Foreign Direct Investments for
2011 was $1.262 billion,” he said.
He also explained that the $850 million foreign
direct investments record for the first quarter of 2012 is higher than the 2011
first quarter record. During the first quarter of 2011, the foreign direct
investments recorded was only $493 million, he said. (as/4:48pm)
