PGMA declares state of calamity in NCR, 27 provinces
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared a state of calamity in the National Capital Region (NCR) and in 27 provinces in
The Chief Executive issued Proclamation 1891 on September 26, the day “Ondoy” hit most parts of
Covered by the proclamation were the National Capital Region; Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur and La Union in Region 1; Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela in Region 2; all the seven provinces in Region 3; Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Quezon in Region
The Local Government Code confers upon the local government units the power to determine and declare a state of calamity in their respective localities but without a Presidential Proclamation, calamity funds could not be released.
The rains submerged entire villages, cities, municipalities and provinces under water, causing tremendous damage to life and property.
President Arroyo ordered all departments and other government agencies concerned to implement and execute medical assistance, relief and rehabilitation work.
As of
The total number of casualties is 293 with 246 dead, five injured and 42 missing.
Estimated cost of damages is P4,792,309,020 with infrastructure damage pegged at P1.59 billion and agriculture P3.20 billion.
PGMA to visit two towns and
LEGAZPI CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will visit Legazpi and the towns of Polangui and Camalig in Albay to see the progress of the government’s projects there.
From the
The rehabilitation of Polangui Water System costs P140. 7 million.
Scope of work includes upgrading of the two existing reservoirs, installation of a 24,148 meter pipeline, power line extension, installation of 5,000 service connections, improvement of the treatment facility and the existing Higiban spring intake, and construction of a pumping station.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda will present to the President one bus load of paramedic volunteers who will help in the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts for the victims of typhoon Ondoy in Rizal province.
In Camalig town, the President will present 240 certificates of ownership to Core Shelter residents at the resettlement site in Barangay Tagaytay in celebration of the Core Shelter’s 30,000th Milestone.
The 145,185 square meter Tagaytay resettlement site accommodates 840 families relocated from the 16 barangays near the slopes of Mayon Volcano.
Each families occupies a house built on an 80 square meter lot.
From Camalig, the President will proceed to Barangay Puro to inaugurate the Puro Seawall Project Phase I and Phase II.
The P47, 498,500.00 Puro Seawall Phase I project was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The project covers the construction of 240 linear meters of seawall and 240 linear meters of road to include a walkway and/or jogging cum bicycle lane, and is envisioned to be the “
The project links the newly opened
PGMA thanks Albayanos for sending volunteers
POLANGUI, Albay – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today thanked the provincial government of Albay for sending to Rizal province a group of well-trained and battle-tested disaster workers to help in the relief and rehabilitation efforts for the victims of typhoon Ondoy.
“Thank you to all of you for responding to my call,” the President said as she led the send-off ceremony for 58 volunteers of Albay Composite Emergency Response Team (ACERT), dubbed as Albay’ elite disaster warriors, on the sidelines of the groundbreaking rites for the rehabilitation of the Polangui water system project.
Albay Governor Joey Salceda said the sending of ACERT volunteers to help in the relief and rehabilitation efforts in five municipalities of Rizal province is a simple return gesture of the people of Albay for the support the President has extended when the province was hardly hit by typhoon Reming years back.
“Madam President the people of Albay are responding to your call for national unity in this challenging period of suffering,” Governor Salceda said in his welcome statement.
He said ACERT is composed of 20 emergency paramedics, 10 water and sanitation personnel, and 28 search, rescue and retrieval personnel.
The team was trained by the provincial government using a P20 million, budget, P5 million of which came from the Department of Health (DOH) and P15 million from the province, Salceda said.
He informed the President that following the declaration of state of calamity in Metro Manila and other areas directly hit by Ondoy, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved the use of P1 million from its calamity fund for assistance to the towns of Baras, Tanay, Cainta, San Mateo and Rodriguez, all in Rizal province.
The check was personally turned-over by Governor Salceda to the President right after the ceremonial lowering of the time capsule signaling the start of the construction for the rehabilitation of the Polangui water system project at Barangay Napo here.
“Congratulations to all benefactors of this water project (sa mga makikinabang sa ating patubig dito),” the President said.
The rehabilitation of the Polangui Water System costs P140.7 million. Scope of work includes upgrading of the two existing reservoirs, installation of a 24,148 linear meters of pipeline, power line extension, installation of 5,000 service connections, improvement of treatment facility and the existing Higiban spring intake, and construction of a pumping station.
Volunteers pour in for ‘Oplan Sagip Bayan’
Answering the call of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a total of 315 volunteers as of late Tuesday showed up at Kalayaan Hall in Malacañang to repack and distribute relief goods for the victims of typhoon “Ondoy” under “Oplan Sagip Bayan.”
According to Cookie Aydinan, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief of staff and overseer of the relief operations, a total of 3,000 relief packs were brought to Ever Gotesco in
Each bag consisted of food items such as rice, sardines, noodles and non-food items like clothes, towels, and blankets.
“It is unfortunate that misguided elements are spreading in the internet the canard that the volunteers are being paid,” said Aydinan. “It is not only untrue, it is unfair, unjust and cruel to the volunteers.”
Volunteers were mostly government officials and employees of PMS, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of the President (OP), and Office of the Press Secretary (OPS). Volunteers also came from schools such as Far Eastern University (FEU), Centro Escolar University (CEU) University of the Philippines (UP)
Joining the volunteers were presidential daughter Evangeline Lourdes Arroyo-Bernas, presidential daughter-in-law Maria Victoria Manotok-Arroyo and her daughter Ebie, and the two daughters of Pampanga congressman and presidential son Juan Miguel Arroyo, Mikaela and Monique. Members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) ladies club, the spouses association of PSG officers and enlisted personnel, also went to Malacañang to help in the relief operation.
President Arroyo dropped by the relief center in the evening and personally thanked the volunteers. She was accompanied by PMS head Hermogenes Esperon.
“Oplan Sagip Bayan” is open 24 hours every day and will remain operation for as long as necessary.
Pagasa warns of new series of flashfloods, landslides as new storm nears; urges public to remain vigilant
"We cannot discount the probabilities (of landlsides and flashfloods) because we expect storms as strong as this to have devastating effects so we urge the public to be alert," Nathaniel Cruz, Pagasa deputy director and weather branch chief, said.
"This is a slightly stronger storm (compared to Ondoy) because it carries strong winds," he added.
Tropical Storm Parma is currently whipping the Pacific some 1,040 kilometers East of Northern Mindanao, still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), with maximum winds of 95 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 120 kph, and tracks west northwest at 22 kph.
Tropical Storm Ondoy left the country with 246 dead and P4.8 billion-worth of damage in infrastructure and agriculture. Hundreds remain missing.
The Pagasa advised the general public not to let their guard down and come prepared when the storm makes landfall Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.
Two more cyclones are trailing
Cruz said the effect of storm
But it continues to gather strength over the warm oceanic waters, its extreme impact probably can be expected Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, he said.
It will also enhance southwest monsoon as it comes near the eastern coasts of the country.
This disturbance, the 16th local tropical cyclone, is expected to enter the PAR.
The Pagasa issued warnings to shipping industry and fisherfolks against rough seas in the coming days.
The surge of the southwest monsoon is expected to affect the western seaboard of
"Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," it said.
