Tacloban folk continue recovery from 'Yolanda'
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) Unlike the first days
after super typhoon "Yolanda" (Haiyan) hit, more residents came out
of their homes Sunday to resume everyday life.
Many went to Mass while others cleaned up their
surroundings, even as some prepared to watch the telecast of the boxing match
between Filipino hero and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao
and Brandon Rios.
President Benigno Aquino III came here last week
to personally oversee rehabilitation work and assure residents of government
action to help the recovery.
Last week saw the resumption of many businesses
including banks.
Police and military forces also keep watch
against criminality.
Tacloban City was a virtual ghost town after
Yolanda battered it and other parts of the Visayas last Nov. 8.
Initially, few people went out of their houses
in the first few days after Yolanda struck. PND (jl)
Mass held for 'Yolanda' fatalities at Tacloban
gravesite
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) A Mass in memory of people who lost their
lives from super typhoon "Yolanda" two weeks ago was held at a
gravesite here Sunday morning.
Capt. Elmer Basas of the Army's 8th Infantry
Division presided over the Mass at a gravesite in Barangay Suhi here.
Members of Task Force Yolanda attended the Mass,
where Basas blessed the uninterred remains afterward.
Ruel Pedrosa, a caretaker at the site, said
there may be as many as 700 remains at this site, 400 of them not yet buried.
He said many go to the site to see if some of
the remains there were those of their relatives
Tacloban was among the areas hit hard by
Yolanda, which devastated Visayas and Southern Luzon Nov. 8, and left more than
5,000 dead. PND (jl)
President Aquino orders Environment Secretary
Ramon Paje to devise a comprehensive environment program
President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed
Environment Secretary Ramon Paje to devise a comprehensive environment
protection program to minimize the impact of storm surges, floodings and
calamities following the devastation brought by super-typhoon
"Yolanda" (internationally known as Haiyan), Presidential
Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. said.
"Ang pagbulusok ng alon bunsod ng bagyo o
storm surge ay nagdulot ng matinding hagupit sa mga libu-libong mamamayang
naninirahan sa baybaying-dagat o coastline ng Tacloban City at sa iba pang mga
bayan ng Leyte, Samar, at marami pang lugar," Coloma said in an interview
aired over government-run radio station DzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday.
"Dahil dito, inatasan ni Pangulong Aquino
si DENR Secretary Ramon Paje na maghanda ng komprehensibong programa ng
environment protection bilang tugon sa storm surge at mga peligrong dulot ng
bagyo, baha, at iba pang kalamidad," he said.
The President also directed Paje to impose a
rule prohibiting building commercial and residential structures along the
seashore.
"Bahagi sa kautusan ng Pangulo sa DENR ay
ang pagtatakda ng mga ‘no build zone’ sa baybaying-dagat para matiyak ang
paglipat ng mga dating naninirahan doon sa mga ligtas na resettlement area.
Hatid ni bagyong ‘Yolanda’ ang storm surge na tila hindi ganap na napaghandaan
dahil sa kakulangan ng pag-unawa at tuwirang karanasan hinggil dito," he
said.
The Communications Secretary said Yolanda's
destruction was no different from what typhoon Sendong (international name
Washi) did to the country in late 2011.
"Hawig ito sa ating mga nakaraang karanasan
nang hinampas ng bagyong ‘Sendong’ ang mga lungsod ng Iligan at Cagayan de Oro
noong Disyembre 2011. Daan-daan ang nasawi dahil nakatira sila sa mga natuyong
bahagi ng ilog at inland waterways na minarkahan nang danger zones batay sa
siyentipikong geohazard mapping na isinagawa ng Mines and Geosciences Bureau
(MGB) ng DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources)," he said.
Coloma said typhoon "Pablo" (Bopha)
also caused catastrophic damage in the Philippines. Pablo was the strongest
tropical cyclone to ever hit the southern Philippine island of Mindanao in
December, 2012.
"Dahil sa bagyong ‘Pablo’ na humagupit sa
Davao Oriental at Compostela Valley, natutunan natin ang hinggil sa debris
flow, ang malakas at mabilis na pagdaloy ng mga malalaking bato o boulder, mula
sa kabundukan na nagpalala sa pagguho at paglubog ng mga komunidad na nauna
nang tinukoy bilang lugar ng panganib sa landslides batay din sa geohazard
mapping," he said.
"Kasama rin sa direktiba ng Pangulo sa DENR
ang pagpapabalik ng mga mangrove, ang natural na proteksyon sa mga
baybaying-dagat. Inihahanda na ang mga mangrove plantation at agarang sisimulan
ang pagtatanim dahil mula lima hanggang pitong taon ang pagpapalaki dito,"
he said.
Aquino directed on Thursday to form a task group
to hasten the transition of relief efforts into the full-scale rehabilitation
and rebuilding of the areas damaged by Yolanda.
The task group will focus on five priorities
namely , shelter and reconstruction, livelihood and employment, resettlement
and psycho-social care, environmental protection, and resource generation and
allocation. PND (js)
Department of Labor and Employment beefs up
emergency employment program
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is
beefing up its emergency employment program in a bid to alleviate the plight of
workers displaced by super typhoon "Yolanda" (internationally known
as Haiyan), Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio B.
Coloma Jr. said.
"Patuloy ang pag-aagapay ng pamahalaan sa
pagbabagong-tatag at pagpapanumbalik ng normal na pamumuhay ng ating mga
kababayan. Puspusan ang pagpapatupad ng DOLE ng emergency employment program
upang bigyan ng pansamantalang pagkakakitaan ang ating mga kababayan,” Coloma
said in an interview aired over government-run radio station dzRB Radyo ng
Bayan on Sunday.
The emergency employment program aims at helping
disaster-stricken families to rebuild their lives by providing them with better
access to sustainable income sources, the Communications Secretary said.
"Halos 3,000 residente mula sa 22 barangay
sa Tacloban at 70 barangay sa Ormoc ang nakikinabang na sa naturang programa.
Kabilang na rin po dito ang mga katulad na programa na cash-for-work o
food-for-work na isinasagawa ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and
Development) at iba pang ahensya tulad ng Department of Agriculture,"
Coloma said.
"Ang mga manggagawa ay tumutulong sa
paglilinis ng mga daan, palengke at plaza, pag-aalis ng bara sa mga estero at
daluyang-tubig, at pagtatayo ng mga mahahalagang pampublikong gusali at
paaralan. Ayon sa DOLE, papalawigin pa ang programa sa iba pang mga bayan at
rehiyon sa mga darating na araw," he said.
Coloma pointed out that the International Labor
Organization (ILO) is helping the government put in place an emergency
employment program to help the Filipinos who lost their livelihoods due to the
devastation brought by Yolanda.
"Nagpapasalamat din tayo sa inaalok na
tulong ng ILO na maglalaan ng hanggang sa 300-milyong dolyar para sa
cash-for-work program para sa humigit kumulang na 290,000 katao sa mga bayan ng
Tacloban, Roxas, Busuanga sa Palawan, Hilagang Cebu, at mga lalawigan ng Negros
Occidental at Bohol na nasalanta ng kalamidad," he said. PND (js)
Palace congratulates Manny Pacquiao on his
victory against Brandon Rios
World boxing icon and Filipino people’s champ
Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Pacquiao bounced back big from his two consecutive defeats
after conquering Brandon Rios via a unanimous decision that had Malacañang and
the entire Philippines celebrating.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda
welcomed the good news on behalf of the Palace, calling Pacquiao’s latest
victory as a "well of strength" and "inspiration" for the
whole country, especially since we are still nursing the devastation wrought by
super typhoon "Yolanda" in the Visayas region recently.
“Nagbubunyi ang sambayanang Pilipino sa
panibagong tagumpay ni Congressman Manny Pacquiao sa kaniyang pagwawagi ng WBO
(World Boxing Organization) International Welterweight Belt kontra kay Brandon
Rios,” Lacierda said.
Thirty-four year-old Pacquiao, who is also a
representative of Sarangani province, cruised to a convincing win after 12
rounds of boxing in Macau with all three judges scoring almost every round to
his favor.
“Sa loob ng 12 rounds, nagpakita ng hindi
matatawarang bilis at lakas ang ating pambansang kamao upang magapi ang
kaniyang kalaban, at muling makamit ang tagumpay sa loob ng ring,” Lacierda
added in his statement.
“Ang pagwawagi ni Manny sa labang ito ay
nagsisilbing bukal ng lakas at inspirasyon ng buong sambayanan matapos
hagupitin ng bagyong Yolanda ang malaking bahagi ng Kabisayaan. Nawa’y hindi
magbago ang prinsipyong gumagabay sa kanyang bawat laban: na bawat suntok na
kaniyang binibitawan ay suntok para sa dangal ng ating lahi,” he concluded. PND
(hdc)
Yolanda survivors cheer Pacquiao win
TACLOBAN CITY) Survivors of super typhoon
"Yolanda" (Haiyan) here raised their voices in triumph after boxing
icon and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao triumphed over
Brandon Rios in Macau.
Many of the survivors here trooped to the city
convention center where the bout was shown. The center is a short walk from a
tent city housing many of the survivors.
They brought out Philippine flags that they
raised when Pacquiao would score a punch on his younger opponent.
Pacquiao had dedicated his fight to the victims
of Yolanda, which left 5,000 dead after battering Visayas and Southern Luzon
last Nov. 8.
But some still want Pacquiao to personally visit
them and bring help.
"Sana matulungan kami sa Tacloban ... Sana
pumunta siya rito sa Tacloban (We hope he can help us here, we hope he can come
here)," said Jun Jun Mabini, who was nevertheless happy with the win.
Earlier, residents of this city went to City
Hall and the RTR Plaza to watch the airing of the bout.
Many brought umbrellas to protect themselves
from the heat, and patiently sat at the venue to wait for the telecast of the
fight to start. PND (jl)
Department of Health maximizes better public
health and nutrition programs for residents in calamity zones
The Department of Health (DOH) is maximizing its
efforts to provide the residents, including women and children, in calamity
zones with better public health and nutrition programs following the
devastation brought by super typhoon "Yolanda" (internationally known
as Haiyan), Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio B.
Coloma Jr. said.
"Tinututukan nang husto ng Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at DOH ang kapakanan ng mga ina, sanggol,
at mga bata. Handa ang mga pasilidad ng DOH sa pagtulong at pagkalinga sa
tinatayang 800,000 mga inang nagdadalang-tao, malapit nang manganak, o bagong
panganak pa lamang," Coloma said in an interview aired over government-run
radio station DzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday.
The DOH deployed several medical teams to provide
emergency and basic medical and surgical services to affected areas in Eastern
Visayas.
"May sapat na OB o obstetrics kits para sa
panganganak. May sapat ding bilang ng mga komadrona o midwives na handang
tumulong sa panganganak," the Communications Secretary said.
"Dahil sa bagong ipinalabas ng Tanggapan ng
Pangulo na Memorandum Circular 61, pansamantalang pinapangasiwaan ngayon ng DOH
ang mga health and sanitation facilities sa mga lungsod at bayan sa sona ng
kalamidad, habang abala ang mga alkalde at mga LGU sa mga programa ng
post-typhoon relief and rehabilitation," he said.
The DOH also started to focus more on public
health as threats of epidemics loom in vulnerable communities.
"Prayoridad ngayon ng DOH ang pagbakuna
laban sa tigdas o measles, polio, at tetanus. Hinggil naman sa pagtawag pansin
ni Ms. Valerie Amos ng UN (United Nations) sa panganib ng malnutrisyon na
maaaring hinaharap ng hanggang sa 1.5 milyong kabataan o children sa sona ng
kalamidad, may sapat pong imprastrakturang itinatag ang DSWD sa pamamagitan ng
National Nutrition Council nito kaagapay ang DOH sa aspeto ng micronutrition o
pamamahagi ng mga bitamina," he said. (js)
Aquino government open for enactment of a law
against political dynasty
The Aquino government is open for the enactment
of a law against political dynasties saying it is consistent with the 1987
Constitution of the Philippines, Presidential Communications Operations Office
Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr. said.
"Ito po ay isang reporma na matagal nang
hinihintay sa ating bansa dahil ito ay bunsod pa noong EDSA People Power
Revolution na siyang naging batayan ng 1987 Constitution na kung saan naman
unang nailagay ang prinsipyo ng anti-dynasty," Coloma said in an interview
aired over government-run radio station DzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday.
Article II Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution
states that "The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for
public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by
law."
"Kaya malinaw naman po ang batayan niyan,
ito ay kasama sa mga reporma ng EDSA People Power na nakalagay sa 1987
Constitution," the Communications Secretary said.
"Kaya lang po, kailangan ding marinig natin
ang tinig ng mga mambabatas na siya namang hinalal din ng ating mga mamamayan
para makita ‘yung magiging final na hugis nitong anti-dynasty bill,"
Coloma said.
Third District Pampanga Representative Oscar
Rodriguez, chairman of the House Committee on Good Government, filed House Bill
2911 which provides for an anti-dynasty law in the country.
The bill is seeking to equalize access to
opportunities in public office by banning the practice of political families
that alternately field its members to various elective post to maintain control
of local or national government positions. PND (js)
Comelec is all set for special barangay
elections for Bohol and Zamboanga City on November 25, Coloma says
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is all set
for the special barangay elections for Bohol province and Zamboanga City on
November 25, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio
B. Coloma Jr. said.
"Sa amin pong mga natanggap na ulat ay
sapat ang kahandaan ng ating Commission on Elections sa pagsasagawa ng special
elections sa Bohol at Zamboanga," Coloma said in an interview aired over
government-run radio station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday.
The barangay elections was held on October 28
throughout the country except in Bohol province and Zamboanga City.
The poll body suspended the barangay polls in
Bohol, which was devastated by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.
The Comelec also suspended elections in
Zamboanga City due to the standoff between the military and the Moro National
Liberation Front rebels.
"Umaasa po tayo na magiging maayos ang
kaganapang ‘yan at pipili ang mga mamamayan ng mga kwalipikado at mahuhusay na
pinuno para po mapabilis ang rehabilitasyon ng kanilang mga lugar," the
Communications Secretary said.
The Comelec set the special elections in the two
areas on Nov. 25 as Republic Act 9164 specifies that the term of the incumbent
barangay officials must end on November 30. PND (js)
Tacloban-based 'Yolanda' survivors thanks
Pacquiao with painted sign
TACLOBAN CITY) What better way to thank boxing
icon and Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao for giving them a
timely morale boost than with a big thank-you?
Residents of Real Street here on Sunday
afternoon painted a huge sign thanking Pacquiao for his win over Brandon Rios.
"Mabuhay! Manny Pacquiao Pambansang Kamao,
(from) Yolanda survivors," read the sign.
Residents said the sign will be displayed on the street.
Hours earlier, Pacquiao outclassed Rios in a
match the Filipino boxing hero had dedicated to the victims of super typhoon
Yolanda.
Tacloban residents were hit hard by Yolanda,
which left more than 5,000 dead after it lashed Visayas and Southern Luzon. PND
(jl)
