Philippine birth control fight not over: bishops

..Philippine Catholic church leaders vowed Tuesday to overturn a birth control bill after lawmakers passed landmark legislation to make sex education and birth control more widely available. The Senate and the House of Representatives approved the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill late Monday, putting it on course to be signed into law by President Benigno Aquino within a week, after its final wording has been decided. Church leaders, however, pledged to continue their fight against the controversial bill, with an appeal to the Supreme Court and a campaign to oust its supporters in May's general election. Bishop Gabriel Reyes said a group of Catholic lawyers was preparing to challenge the legality of the bill in the Supreme Court as soon as it is signed into law. "We will support that petition... in the Supreme Court against the RH bill," said Reyes, head of the commission on family issues for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). He added that the Catholic church would also continue to urge the nation of 100 million people -- 80 percent of whom are Catholic -- to ignore the provisions of the bill once it passes into law. "We will tell Catholics 'even if you are given free contraceptives, do not use them'," he told reporters. Reyes said Tuesday that it would be left up to each individual bishop to decide whether to urge their dioceses to vote against legislators who supported the bill. He laid the blame for the bill's passage at the feet of President Benigno Aquino, who he accused of using pressure and government funds to get the necessary votes in parliament. "The struggle between the pro-RH and the anti-RH... was really the struggle of Malacanang (the presidential palace)," he said, warning that Aquino could become a "threat to democracy" with his domination of Congress. CBCP secretary-general Monsignor Joselito Asis said that the RH bill was a "watershed" and would be followed by bills for the legalisation of divorce, abortion, same-sex marriage and euthanasia. He stressed that if that were the case the church would fight against those laws too. The church had effectively blocked the passage of birth control legislation for over a decade, cowing legislators and presidents by mounting huge protests and threatening to turn the public against them. However the two houses of Congress, with the support of the Aquino administration, voted in favour of the bill after months of bitter debate, during which time some churchmen even threatened to have Aquino excommunicated. Proponents of the bill said it was necessary to bring down maternal death rates, which are among the highest in the region, help poor women avoid getting pregnant and even slow the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. ...

Philippines finds elderly survivor after typhoon kills 332

NEW BATAAN, Philippines (Reuters) - Rescue workers found a 77-year-old man alive on Thursday who had survived on coconuts for two days after a powerful typhoon ravaged the south of the Philippines killing over 325 people, with hundreds missing. A group of rescue volunteers lifted Mr Carlos Agang to safety after they found him, in a tattered shirt with a fractured leg and bruises, clinging to a boulder by a river in New Bataan town in Compostela Valley, the province worst hit by typhoon Botha. "I can't believe it. I didn't expect to see people survive two days after they were swept by flood and mud," fire volunteer Mark Roman Jumilla said. "For two days, he survived on coconut and water. He lost his family when floodwaters swept a temporary shelter area where he and his family sought refuge," Mr Jumilla said.

Philippines puts off South China Sea talks due to scheduling problems

ANILA (AFP) - The Philippines said on Friday it had put off four-way talks due next week over rival claims to the South China Sea but downplayed suggestions the postponement was because of pressure from Beijing. The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam had been scheduled to meet on Wednesday but China, which wants disputes settled bilaterally, had not been invited. But Foreign department spokesman Raul Hernandez told reporters: "It will not happen this coming December 12... because of scheduling problems. But the parties are working on" coming up with a new date. He said he was unaware of any pressure being applied by Beijing to scuttle the Manila meetin

Philippine typhoon survivors 'loot' shops: Official

TAGUM, Philippines (AFP) - Hungry survivors of a deadly Philippine typhoon looted shops and warehouses in a hard-hit town in a bid to stay alive amid stalled aid deliveries, a rescue official said on Saturday. Local officials monitored the desperate scenes in the early aftermath of Typhoon Bopha's onslaught in the isolated southern town of Cateel, Cedric Daep, a provincial public safety official, told AFP. "The food aid took so long to arrive that the locals broke into whatever building left standing in search of something to eat," said Mr Daep, a specialist sent to the south by the government to help rescue and relief operations. Warehouses and grocery stores were broken into in Cateel, a coastal town near where the eye of the typhoon made landfall on Tuesday, Mr Daep said.

ANALYSIS: Philippine economy: growth without joy

..Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - The 7.1 per cent Philippine economic growth in the third quarter "posted the fastest expansion" within the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), gloated Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. He said that the year-to-date growth was already 6.5 per cent, prompting him to predict that the full-year growth would likely surpass the government's target of 7 to 8 per cent. "Next year we expect this momentum to continue," Balisacan said. Don't celebrate too prematurely, Mr. Secretary. In a volatile economic climate, either global or domestic, nothing remains static and predictable. In fact, some leading figures in private business are not carried away by the government's optimistic forecasts, given that the administration craves credit for being responsible for-or being the driver of-this unaccustomed surge, which appears to some hard-boiled businessmen as a one-off phenomenon, or a fluke. For example, Aurelio Montinola III, president of the conservative and prudent Bank of the Philippine Islands, is somewhat sceptical. In a speech at the "Man of the Year" awards of the Management Association of the Philippines on Monday, he said that the 7.1-per cent growth made it likely that the pace of continued expansion at the upper end of the 5- to 6-per cent growth is attainable. "I think we have a very good chance to do 6 per cent this year, and the big bet is we can do another 6 per cent next year," he said. To sustain growth and make it inclusive, it is necessary to have an average 5- to 6-per cent growth every year for the next five or six years. Questions were raised in business circles over whether the high-growth rate benefited only the middle and upper classes while bypassing the poor classes. A recent survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) in the third quarter found 31 per cent of the 1,200 respondents optimistic of an economic improvement, while 14 per cent were not. SWS interpreted this result as "very high" at the net score of +17. The survey was conducted last August, and its results were first published by the BusinessWorld newspaper. According to SWS, net economic optimism was "very high" in seven out of the last 10 surveys, and the August survey results were up from May's "high" of +8. But there's a downside. Asked about the quality of their life over the past 12 months, 21 per cent of the respondents said it had improved, while 28 per cent said it had worsened, for a net score of -8 percentage points. Net personal optimism dropped from +39 to +30 in Luzon areas outside the metropolis, from +37 to +36 in Metro Manila, and from +18 to +17 in the Visayas. It only increased in Mindanao from +20 to +22. By socioeconomic class, personal optimism decreased in classes ABC (from +34 to +32), class D (from +32 to +28) and class E (from +24 to +20). The Palace declined to comment on why personal optimism had dipped but said this should improve in the coming months, based on the third-quarter growth. How economic growth translated into flow of benefits to reduce poverty is shown in a United Nations report for 2012. In its report on the growth outlook for Asia-Pacific, the Nations Economic and Social Survey of the region wrote on the Philippines. A summary of the May 2012 report follows: Economic growth weakened due to declining exports and lower public spending, but in response to weak growth, a disbursement acceleration programme was announced in October 2011. In terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, the Philippines continued to lag behind other major economies in the subregion, receiving only US$1.3 billion in 2011, similar to the 2010 level. The country faces many challenges, including a high share of non-wage earners and large infrastructure gaps. The share of workers earning wages and salaries, as opposed to the self-employed and unpaid family workers, also remains low. At the same time, income inequalities have led to a slower reduction of poverty and to higher rates of self-rated poverty. On government intervention in providing social subsidies to ameliorate poverty, an Inquirer research shows: As of June 2012, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme has reached out to a total of 3,014,586 families, more than the 2012 target of 3 million. Between January and February 2012, the programme reported a compliance rate of 95.89 per cent among mothers who visited the healthcare centres for checkups and immunisation for babies; 97.97 per cent among mothers who brought their children to healthcare centres for deworming; 95.15-per cent attendance rate in day care centres among children; and 96.40-per cent attendance rate for primary and secondary schoolchildren. In May, SWS found that self-rated poverty dropped to an estimated 10.3 million Filipino households, or 51 per cent of the total households in the country. The figure declined from 11.1 million households, or 55 per cent. The effectiveness of the CCT is under review in a congressional oversight committee: to look into whether it is being used as a poverty alleviation measure or as an electoral vote-buying scheme for the 2013 mid-term elections. Sen. Franklin Drilon, chair of the committee and a leading member of President Aquino's Liberal Party, is scrutinising the 2013 national budget, which contains a proposal to fund the CCT with 45 billion pesos (US$1.1 billion). The programme distributes money to the poorest families in the country. ..

Water treatment firm sets expansion in Davao

..A MANILA-based water treatment technology firm is eyeing Davao Region for its expansion next year, bringing their world-class technology to Dabawenyos. Axel Ramos, brand manager of Aqualipure Water Systems and Equipment Inc., in an interview told Sun.Star Davao on Thursday, that Aqualipure is now looking for their official distributor for Davao Region as part of their expansion program in Mindanao. Aqualipure, which follows a three-decade-old Japanese water treatment system technology ideal for industries and residences, was brought to the Philippines in early 2000. Aside from Japanese technology, Aqualipure is also distributing top Korean water treatment products. At present, Aqualipure has been very successful in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu with their official and exclusive distributors serving hundreds if not thousands of clients. Aqualipure is one of the exhibitors in the three-day forum and exhibit organized by the Philippine Constructors Association Inc. (PCA) and the Davao Constructors Association Center Inc. (DCACI) that will run until tomorrow. Among the 12 major products of Aqualipure, which ranges from water-treatment system to juice strainers, its best-seller is the Azumi Akaline Water Ionizer Package, Japan's leading water ionizer. Azumi works by separating ordinary water into alkaline and acidic parts. Alkaline water is ideal for human consumption while acidic may be used for external purposes like washing wounds and other skin diseases and infections for a faster recovery, garden use as an alternative and natural form of pesticides, and other domestic purposes. According to Ramos, alkaline water provides the needed mineral that one needs for daily consumption including calcium. On top of this, a daily and regular consumption of alkaline water will reduce the risk of cancer and other preventable diseases especially those water-borne illnesses. "With our drive here in Davao City, we wanted to share the technology and the health benefits of Aqualipure to Dabawenyos," Ramos said. Among the products that Aquilipure is offering includes Woonging Coway Alkaline Water Ionizer, AOK Alkaline Water Filter, RepHresh Portable Alkaline Water Maker, Pro-aqua: Air-Room Cleaning System, Vakuft Air and Room Cleaning System, HSF Showerhead Filter and Inline Shower Filter, Nutraease 316 Titanium Alloy Steel Kitchenware, Ozone Multipurpose Sterilizer, Coway-Juicepresso Slow Juicer, among others.

Overpriced fertilizer, Ombudsman dismisses 3 Albay town officials

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales yesterday ordered the dismissal from government service of three officials of Polangui town in Albay for their involvement in the overpriced purchase of 1,315 bottles of fertilizer in 2004 amounting to P5 million. In a 12-page decision signed on Nov. 19, the Ombudsman said she found sufficient evidence to hold municipal accountant Ma. Jimalyn Sabater, municipal treasurer Anna Robrigado, and municipal agriculturist Renato Silo guilty of grave misconduct, dishonesty, and conduct grossly prejudicial to the best interest of the service. In the ruling, the Ombudsman held that elements of corruption, clear intent to violate the law or flagrant disregard of established rule, are manifest in the respondents’ act of hastily resorting to direct contracting, specifying in the purchase request and purchase order the brand name “Young Magic Foliar Fertilizer,” and disregarding the required public bidding process which gave the fertilizer supplier, Madarca Trading, an opportunity to overcharge the government in the amount of P4,819,187.50. The Ombudsman said the respondents violated Section 3(e) and (g) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act which also constitutes grave misconduct, an administrative offense. The Ombudsman said charges of dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service were based on the same acts for which the respondents were already found guilty of grave misconduct. The Ombudsman said the three municipal officials gave unwarranted benefits, advantage and preference to Madarca Trading by not conducting the requisite public bidding and specifying the brand name “Young Magic Foliar Fertilizer” in the purchase request. Ombudsman probers said they found as misplaced the respondents’ arguments that “direct contracting is proper and appropriate because ‘Young Magic Foliar Fertilizer’ is sold by an exclusive dealer or manufacturer,” after finding that Madarca Trading is not an exclusive dealer or manufacturer of foliar fertilizer. The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority was able to canvass the prices of foliar fertilizer in September 2004, showing that Madarca Trading is not an exclusive supplier of foliar liquid fertilizer. The respondents was found to have also caused undue injury to the government since the prevailing price of Young Magic Foliar Fertilizer in 2004 was only P125 per liter but the Polangui municipal government bought it at P3,800 per liter or a total overprice of P4,819,187.50 for the entire purchase. Aside from dismissal from the service, the retirement benefits, including accrued leave credits, of the three Polangui officials were forfeited and they could not be re-employed in the government. - By Michael Punongbayan

Typhoon kills at least 283, hundreds missing, in Philippines

NEW BATAAN, Philippines (Reuters) - Blocked roads and severed communications in the southern Philippines frustrated rescuers on Wednesday as teams searched for hundreds of people missing after the strongest typhoon this year killed at least 283 people. Typhoon Bopha, with central winds of 120 kph (75 mph) and gusts of up to 150 kph (93 mph), battered beach resorts and dive spots on Palawan island on Wednesday but it was weakening as it moved west. Hardest hit was the southern island of Mindanao, where Bopha made landfall on Tuesday. It triggered landslides and floods along the coast and in farming and mining towns inland. Interior Minister Manuel Roxas said 300 people were missing. "Entire families were washed away," Roxas, who inspected the disaster zone, told reporters. Most affected areas were cut off by destroyed roads and collapsed bridges and army search-and-rescue teams were being flown in by helicopter. Power was cut and communications were down. According to tallies provided by the military and disaster agency officials, 283 people were killed. Thousands of people were in shelters and officials appealed for food, water and clothing. Dozens of domestic flights were suspended on Wednesday. The governor of the worst-hit province, Compostela Valley, in Mindanao said waves of water and mud came crashing down mountains and swept through schools, town halls and clinics where huddled residents had sought shelter. The death toll in the province stood at 160. In nearby Davao Oriental province, where Bopha made landfall, 110 people were killed. "The waters came so suddenly and unexpectedly, and the winds were so fierce," the Compostela Valley governor, Arthur Uy, told Reuters by telephone. He said irrigation reservoirs on top of mountains had given way sending large volumes of water down to the valleys. Torrential rain often triggers landslides down slopes stripped of their forest cover. Damage to agriculture and infrastructure in the province was extensive, Uy said. STUNNED Corn farmer Jerry Pampusa, 42, and his pregnant wife were marooned in their hut but survived. "We were very scared," Pampusa said. "We felt we were on an island because there was water everywhere." Another survivor, Francisco Alduisa, said dozens of women and children who had taken shelter in a village centre, had been swept away. "We found some of the bodies about 10 km (6 miles) away," Alduisa told Reuters. The only building left standing in his village was the school. Another survivor, Julius Julian Rebucas, said his mother and brother disappeared in a flash flood. "I no longer have a family," a stunned Rebucas said. An army commander said two dozen people had been pulled from the mud in one area and were being treated in hospital. About 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year, often causing death and destruction. Almost exactly a year ago, Typhoon Washi killed 1,500 people in Mindanao. (Additional Reporting by Rosemarie Francisco and Manny Mogato; Editing by Robert Birsel

Kopi Talk Bird watching

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Birdwatching? More fun in PH!

By Kim Arveen Patria

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By Kim Arveen Patria | Yahoo! Southeast Asia Newsroom – 13 hours ago

• 
  Grey herons guard their nests at the Candaba Swamp and Bird Sanctuary in Pampanga, April 15, 2012. Grey herons are among the 80 species of migratory birds that regularly flock to the Candaba Swamp when it …more  is winter season in other countries. (Mike Alquinto, NPPA Images)  less 

With hundreds of species found in unique habitats throughout the archipelago, birdwatching is more fun in the Philippines, the Tourism department said.

This, as it noted that the country has recently become "a magnet for birdwatchers" in the region.

"Birdwatching... is a thriving tourism product that has low environmental impact since serious (advance vs. casual or novice) birdwatchers are nature lovers," Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said in a statement.

There are 600 species of birds in the Philippines, 200 of which are not found anywhere else in the world, the statement noted, quoting the World Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP).

Birdwatching sites, however, should be properly developed and managed for the activiy to be "sustainable and reward," Jimenez said.

"Involvement of our local communities ensures that these habitats are well taken care of for the economic benefits that they will bring," Jimenez said.

To heighten awareness on the need to protect bird sanctuaries, the Tourism and Environment departments as well as WBCP are set to celebrate the 8th Philippine Bird Festival on Dec. 7 to 8 in Manila.

"The festival aims to promote birdwatching as a nature tourism activity and drum up support for conservation and restoration of Metro Manila's remaining wetlands," the statement said.

It particularly cited the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area, a 175-hectare protected habitat just off the Coastal Road leading to Cavite.

The event also hopes to draw attention to Manila Bay and its important role in bird's migratory route called the East Asian Flyway.

It is also seen to "encourage public participation in conservation and the creation of more public green spaces," the Tourism department said.

The festival will be held at the Rizal Park's Teodoro F. Valencia Circle and will be open to the public free of charge.

Featured during the two-day event are an exhibit of bird photos, displays on the biodiversity of Manila Bay, films and lectures, bird watching trips, and forums on ecotourism, birdlife management and aviation safety.

PH rises in 'corruption perception' rankings

..The government's efforts at curbing corruption seems to have borne fruit as the Philippines moved up a global ranking of countries based on perception on corruption. The Philippines has been ranked 105th out of 176 countries in the "Corruption Perception Index" put out by anti-corruption coalition Transparency International. This compares to its ranking of 129th out of 183 countries in the 2011 list. The Philippines scored 34 out of 100 in the composite index, which is based on "a combination of surveys and assessments of corruption, collected by a variety of reputable institutions," the report said. A score of zero means that a country is perceived as "highly corrupt" and 100 means it is perceived as "very clean." Last year, the Philippines got a composite index score of 2.6 out of 10, where 0 means it is perceived as "highly corrupt and 10 as "very clean." "Governments need to integrate anti-corruption actions into all aspects of decision-making," Transparency International said. "They must prioritize better rules on lobbying and political financing, make public spending and contracting more transparent, and make public bodies more accountable," it added. This, as it noted that corruption "translates into human suffering" and "generates popular anger." Commenting on the report, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the improvement is "an affirmation of the efforts to strengthen institutions, provide deterrents against corrupt practices, and hold accountable those who have used power for personal gain." The administration of President Benigno Aquino III, however, "acknowledges that the anti-corruption drive remains a work in progress," Lacierda said. "Transparency needs to be instituted across all government agencies, whether on the national or local level. There are still bumps that need to be evened out for the playing field to be truly leveled. In many cases, justice remains to be served," he added. The Philippines shared the 105th spot with Algeria, Armenia, Bolivia, Gambia, Kosovo and Mali. Among the nine Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines was the fifth perceived to be least corrupt. Ranked higher than the Philippines were Singapore, which ranked 5th globally; Brunei (46th); Malaysia; (54th) and Thailand (88th). The country, however, performed better than Indonesia (118th), Vietnam (123rd), Cambodia (157th), and Laos (160th). Denmark, Finland and New Zealand are perceived to be the least corrupt countries this year, sharing the top spot in the ranking. Rounding out the top 10, meanwhile, are Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Canada and the Netherlands. At the bottom of the list are Somalia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Sudan, Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Venezuela, Haiti, Chad and Burundi. ..

Typhoon Pablo is strongest storm to hit Mindanao in two decades

With maximum sustained winds that reached 185 kph, Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) is the strongest storm to hit Mindanao in two decades, PAGASA said Tuesday. “Base sa nakalap naming data, ang Typhoon Pablo ang pinakamalakas (na tumama sa Mindanao),” state weather forecaster Jori Loiz told GMA News Online. “Hindi pa namin naa-assess 'yung mga sumusunod sa lakas.” He noted that very few tropical cycles hit Mindanao in a year. “Non-comparable si Sendong dahil tropical storm lang siya,” he added. Sendong, considered as one of the deadliest cyclones to enter the country in 12 years, hit Mindanao in December last year leaving 1,257 people dead and P1.6 billion damage in agriculture and properties. Related story: Pablo slams PH south He said they are now studying Pablo which he described as “very unusual.” “Subject for further research is Pablo. Very unusual si Pablo sa formation. Inaalam namin kung bakit nagform at nag-intesify siya below five degrees latitude. Tinitingnan din namin kung ano ang nag-sustain sa kanya kasi nag- stationary then moved westward,” Loiz said. He said a cyclone as strong as Pablo could uproot trees and destroy houses made of light materials. PAGASA earlier said Typhoon Pablo may bring rainfall of 15 to 30 mm per hour (heavy to intense) within its 600-km diameter. Pablo made landfall in Davao Oriental before 5 a.m. Tuesday packed with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph. Despite Pablo's intensity, Loiz expects lower fatalities and damage to properties than that caused by Sendong. “Kaya malaki ang pinsala noon e hindi handa ang tao, hindi aware. Isa pa, gabi tumama si Sendong, tulog ang mga tao nung biglang tumaas ang tubig,” he said. “Ngayon, nag-warning kami one week before pa. Handa na ang mga tao. Isa pa, kung tatama siya sa Cagayan River, wala na halos mga bahay dun,” Loiz added. At least 7,011 Mindanao residents or 1,303 families from Regions 10, 11 and 13 were evacuated hours before Pablo made landfall. Forced evacuations were also carried out in Lingig and Hinatuan late Monday. Two fatalities Related story: 40,000 evacuated as typhoon hits Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said at least two residents in Mindanao were reported dead due to bad weather conditions brought by Pablo. NDRRMC head Benito Ramos said they received reports that the latest fatality was killed after being crushed by a falling tree. "May nakamotor, nadaganan ng kahoy habang nakamotor sa kalsada (sa) Misamis Oriental," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said the initial reports reaching him identified the fatality as Jigger Gumunit, 30. A 50-year-old woman in Manay town in Davao Oriental, meanwhile, was killed after a coconut tree fell on her. Ramos also said a landslide was reported in New Bataan in Compostela Valley but there was no initial report of casualties. Also, he said power remained knocked out in Davao Oriental and Surigao del Sur. Elsewhere in Mindanao, the power outage caused by Typhoon Pablo prompted residents in Cagayan de Oro City to flock to hotels. Many of the relatively well-off checked in at hotels even as there was no timetable on when power would be restored, radio dzBB reported. Some malls in the city were open but had few visitors for the day, the report added. Power was knocked out in parts of Mindanao on Monday night, and in other parts of the island before dawn Tuesday. Loiz said Pablo is expected to be outside the Philippine area of responsibility Friday as it moves slower at 20 kph. “Bumagal siya. Kanina 20 kph na lang kaya made-delay ang paglabas pero 'yun ay kung hindi magbabago ang kanyang bilis at direksyon,” he said. Earlier in the day, Pablo was moving at 26 kph and is expected to be 180 km southwest of Roxas City by Wednesday morning. He added that Metro Manila should expect rains Wednesday night still due to Pablo. —KG, GMA News

Typhoon Bopha smashes into Philippines

Typhoon Bopha smashed into the southern Philippines Tuesday, uprooting trees and bringing drenching rains as more than 40,000 people crammed into shelters to escape the storm's onslaught. Bopha -- packing gusts of up to 210 kilometres (130 miles) an hour -- made landfall on Mindanao's east coast at dawn, raking across the island of 10 million people. It uprooted trees and blew off roofs made of light materials, according to residents and AFP reporters on the ground, with cities plunged into darkness after authorities cut power supplies. There were no immediate reports of casualties or serious damage but the island was in lockdown, with residents of coastal and flood-prone areas moving into shelters as floods hit some areas. Aviation and shipping were suspended, with 80 flights grounded and thousands of ferry passengers stranded as the coastguard ordered vessels to stay in port, the civil defence office said. More than 41,000 people had moved into nearly 1,000 government shelters across the island by early Tuesday, it said in its latest bulletin. Large parts of Mindanao were without power after supplies were shut down to cut the risk of fires and electrocutions, according to Liza Mazo, regional civil defence official. "Power was lost before dawn. There were reports of powerful winds, high waves and possible storm surge threatening some coastal areas," she said. "We are hoping and praying that there will be no casualties." People living in the storm-hit area braced for the worst of the typhoon, the strongest cyclone to hit the Philippines this year. "We have taken our pigs and chickens inside our house because their shed might be destroyed," 46-year-old shopkeeper Marianita Villamor of San Fermin town on Mindanao's east coast told AFP by telephone. "The winds were howling and I could hear the trees falling to the ground since early this morning." Villamor said her relatives who lived in a nearby coastal area had joined hundreds of other families who moved into temporary shelters including schools and other government buildings late Monday. "I have not heard from then since because (mobile phone) signals have been on and off," she said. "I hope they are dry and safe." The commercial centre of Cagayan de Oro, one of Mindanao's largest cities, was hit by flooding as rivers overflowed following heavy rain. Schools were shut in Mindanao and across large areas of the central Philippines. President Benigno Aquino led calls for evacuations on Monday, saying: "(Bopha's) destructive potential is no laughing matter. It is expected to be the strongest typhoon to hit our country in 2012." The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons a year, some of them destructive. Bopha is the sixteenth so far this year. In August, nearly 100 people were killed and more than a million were displaced by heavy flooding caused by a series of storms. Nineteen typhoons struck the country last year, of which 10 were destructive, leading to more than 1,500 deaths and affecting nearly 10 percent of the total population, according to the government

5 carjacking suspects, hostage killed in shootout with cops

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga , Philippines– Five suspected carjackers, including a woman, were killed in an alleged shootout with policemen in Danzo, Gerona, Tarlac, early Sunday. Senior Superintendent Alfred Corpus said the slain suspects, who allegedly murdered the owner of the vehicle they stole in Baguio City on Saturday, have yet to be identified. Superintendent Ponciano Zafra, Gerona police chief, said police are still investigating the affiliation of the suspects, who are believed to be natives of Kalinga and operating in the Cordilleras. Police learned that the slain suspects came last Saturday from Baguio City, where they stole a Toyota Innova (NDO-933) driven by Roldan Ymson, 67. The suspects took Ymson as hostage and fled using the stolen vehicle. Zafra said the Baguio City police received the report of the carjacking at 1:30 a.m. Sunday and immediately sent out an alarm to other police units. At 4 a.m., police monitored the presence of suspicious-looking men who forced open the gates of a farm in Barangay Danzo, Gerona. But instead of yielding, the suspects shot at a police team sent to the area to verify the report, triggering a brief exchange of gunfire. Police recovered from the slain suspects two .45 caliber pistols, two .38 caliber revolvers and a fragmentation grenade, which one of the slain suspects tried to detonate before he was shot dead. The body of Ymson was found hogtied with gunshot wounds in the chest in Pozzorubio, Pangasinan yesterday morning. - By Ric Sapnu and Cecille Suerte Felipe

Kopi Talk Preparing for disaster

A super typhoon is expected this week, hitting Mindanao and the Visayas and then approaching Luzon and Metro Manila. Weather forecasters have issued sufficient warning, and it is now up to authorities to prepare for typhoon “Bopha,” renamed “Pablo” as it enters the Philippine area of responsibility. Last year at around this time, storm “Sendong” struck Mindanao, with rampaging floods leaving nearly 1,300 dead, mostly in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. Many of those killed were washed away in their riverside homes by massive logs that rolled down from nearby mountains. Those who cut down the trees have not been brought to justice. Yesterday, authorities announced that security and relief teams were on standby for Pablo. Iligan and Cagayan de Oro will probably be better prepared than other cities this time. Their tragic experience last year should compel other cities and towns to improve preparedness not only for Pablo but also for the many typhoons and torrential monsoon rains that hit the country every year. Improving disaster preparedness is important especially because the Philippines has been identified by the World Bank as one of the countries where cities are most vulnerable to climate change. The WB study noted that unless addressed, climate change could lead to rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions. This could aggravate flooding in Metro Manila, which even without climate change is known to be gradually sinking into the sea. Metro Manila has started experiencing weather disturbances that used to be rare in this country, such as the storm surge from Manila Bay. Since powerful typhoons such as Milenyo, Ondoy and Pepeng struck, the nation has improved its storm and rainfall tracking capability. This will have to be accompanied by improved responses to disasters, including effective flood warning systems and the provision of decent evacuation sites. With warnings issued on typhoon Pablo, there is no excuse for those along its path to be ill-prepared

PAL, Air Philippines cancels flights due to Pablo

Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines Express have announced that they canceled several Tuesday flights due to Typhoon Pablo. PAL said in a Monday night news release that they canceled two domestic flights to Davao from Manila. The airline also said that it is upgrading the aircraft of two subsequent flights to Davao to accommodate passengers of the canceled flights. The airline did not disclose the flight numbers of the canceled trips nor of the subsequent flights. Pending succeeding weather bulletins, all other PAL flights will remain normal. Meanwhile, AirPhil Express, PAL’s sister company, is cancelling a total of 35 flights including a flight going to Hong Kong from Cebu. The canceled AirPhil Express flights originating from Manila are those bound for: Caticlan (all 10 flights scheduled for Dec. 4), Cagayan de Oro (3 flights), Dumaguete (2 flights), and one flight each to Ozamiz, Butuan, Cotabato, Dipolog and Surigao. The canceled AirPhil Express flights originating from Cebu are those bound for: Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Surigao, Tacloban and Zamboanga. Also canceled are the Caticlan-Cebu and Cebu-Hong Kong flights. Affected passengers of PAL and AirPhil Express are advised to call the respective airlines for rebooking assistance – 855-8888 for PAL, 855-9000 for AirPhil Express. PAL and AirPhil Express will issue subsequent flight advisories to update passengers. — DVM

Victim's mom blames drugs for Caloocan twin murders

MANILA, Philippines - The mother of a nine-year-old girl, murdered by their neighbor along with her 15-year-old cousin last week in Caloocan City, said yesterday she blames illegal drugs for the crime. Analyn Coronado, 41, said her family and that of Gilbert Fulloso, 25, nicknamed Berto, were “good neighbors.” Fulloso admitted killing Analyn’s daughter Joanna Marie Coronado and niece Diana Rose Liza. “Berto and Diana were friends. They were neighbors for more than two years but the night of the murder Berto was seen drinking and may be he was high on drugs, It’s the drugs,” Analyn said. “Every time my sister left their house, she would request Aling Leonor (Fulloso’s mother) to watch over Diana,” she added. She said that before her younger sister, Aiza Morado, went home to Iloilo to attend the burial of her husband, she went to Fulloso’s mother, telling her to look after Liza while she was away. Related story: Suspect in Caloocan twin slays charged Diana was living with Morado at a rented house adjacent to that of the suspect in Barangay 12, Caloocan City when she was murdered on Nov. 25 with Joanna, kept her company while their aunt was away. Joanna’s house is located two blocks away from that of Dianna. Fulloso admitted killing the girls, claiming he was not in his right mind because he was very drunk and high on marijuana. He said that he only happened to pass by the girls’ house and saw the door was open. He said he went into the house to tell them the door was open but the girls became hysterical upon seeing him. He said he grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed the girls to stop them from shouting. Fulloso escaped to Albay after the incident but was arrested four days later

'Pablo' gains speed; high warning signal up

More areas in Mindanao have been placed under public storm warning signal #3 as feared super typhoon "Pablo" (international codename "Bopha") gains speed and continues to move toward land. Storm signals #1 and #2 have also been hoisted over other parts of the island, as well as several areas in Luzon and the Visayas. "Typhoon 'Pablo' has maintained its strength and is now threatening Davao Oriental-Surigao Del Sur Area.," the state weather bureau Pagasa said in its 5 p.m. update Monday. Pablo was spotted 390 kilometers southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur 10 a.m. Monday, with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 210 kph, Pagasa added. It is now moving west at a speed of 26 kph, faster than its previous speed of 24 kph. The typhoon is expected to make landfall Tuesday and leave the Philippine area of responsibility Thursday. Public storm warning signal #3 has been raised over the Mindanao areas of: -Surigao del Norte -Siargao -Surigao del Sur -Dinagat Province -Agusan del Norte -Agusan del Sur -Misamis Oriental -Bukidnon -Davao Oriental -Compostela Valley -Davao del Norte -Samal Island Under signal #2, meanwhile are the the areas of: -Southern Leyte -Bohol -Southern Cebu -Negros Oriental -Siquijor -Misamis Occidental -Lanao del Norte -Lanao del Sur -North Cotabato -Zamboanga del Norte The following areas are under signal #1: -Northern Palawan -Calamian Group Of Islands -Cuyo Island -Eastern Samar -Western Samar -Leyte -Biliran -Aklan -Capiz -Antique -Iloilo -Guimaras -Negros Occidental -Rest of Cebu -Camotes Island -Zamboanga del Sur -Maguindanao -Sultan Kudarat -Sarangani -South Cotabato "Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides," Pagasa said. Those living in coastal areas under public storm warning signal #3 and #2 have also been alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by Pablo.

Kopi Talk Come visit Camiguin

The lovely pearl shaped island of Camiguin is fringed by emerald mountains clad by verdant jungles and its bountiful coastline is lapped by glimmering turquoise waters. Located off the northern coast of Mindanao, this blissful province has long been flocked by tourists, but the good news is - it has managed to keep its serenity!

Here are some suggested activities when visiting Camiguin:

Get Beached

Camiguin is clad by spectacular long stretch of coastline that could pass as a tropical beach clichés.  Rent a boat to take you to White Islands, a dreamy sandbar and marvel at the perfect vista of Mt.Hibok-Hibok and Mt.Vulcan. If you are looking for a beach devoid of crowd, head to Mantigue Island. Swim, dive or snorkel in its cerulean waters or simply laze in its powdery white sand. Unfortunately, homestay is no longer allowed here by the local government.

Take a Plunge

This tiny island is bursting with cold and hot springs perfect for swimming. Soak into the charming Sto.Niño Cold Spring, a local favorite for picnics.  If you prefer a hot spring, rush to Ardent Hot Spring and take a relaxing dip in its waters originating from Mt. Hibok-Hibok. Other must-see springs in Camiguin are Macao Cold Springs, Tangub Hot Spring and Bura Natural Soda Water Swimming Pool.

Chase the Waterfalls

If you fancy waterfalls, pay a visit to Katibawasan Falls and be delighted by its height and pea green basin surrounded by lush ferns and trees. And if you are looking for more adventure, make time for a trek in the scenic trail to Tuasan Falls.

Scale up the Mountains

Camiguin is riddled with volcanoes and massif, and if you are craving for scenic panoramas, follow the mountainside track of the Walkway to the Old Volcano and Stations of the Cross.  Be prepared for a strenuous hike but it’s worth the effort once you get to the summit of Mt.Vulcan and if you go in late in the afternoon, the majestic sunset is an added bonus. For avid mountaineers, obtain a permit from DENR office in Mambajao to hike up Mt.Hibok-Hibok.

Walk Back In Time

Stroll around the bustling capital of Camiguin – Mambajao, and marvel at the old colonial houses dating back to the Spanish and American Colonial era lined up on its small street. It is also interesting to note that the first Spanish settlement in the province was established in Guinsiliban.
Church Hopping                           
Make time to pay a visit to the old churches scattered in this small province. There's the miraculous church of Baylao, the Santo Rosario Church in Sagay and the Gui-ob Church (Old Catarman Church Ruins) with only the walls of the church and bell tower standing to date.

Marvel at the Sunset

An impeccable way to end your day tour is by paying a visit to the Sunken Cemetery, one of the areas submerged in the sea due to the wrath of Mt.Vulcan in 1871.  Gawp at the stunning scene as the sky turn into a mix of tangerine, pink and blue against the colossal cross at twilight.

 

Gael Hilotin is the author of  The Pinay Solo Backpacker

Cleaning up

Whether the waste is toxic or organic, it’s still waste that must be disposed of properly or cleaned up. Seeing this done is the task of authorities in Subic Bay, which is one of the country’s major ports but is also home to beach resorts and fishing communities. Cleaning up the country’s waters has long been a problem, and it is most complicated in major ports. But this is not mission impossible. What the program needs are proper rules for ship waste disposal and, more importantly, effective enforcement of the rules, including the imposition of penalties on all violators. Effective enforcement also includes regular and efficient testing of the quality of water, with the public being alerted on whether it is safe for swimming and the fish caught in it safe for consumption. It’s not rocket science; several countries have been conducting such tests for years. Organic waste can contribute to red tide and can endanger tourism in resort areas. US naval vessels abide by stringent environmental rules when they are at Pearl Harbor, home of the Pacific Command; if there is any water contamination from the naval base, it’s not reaching the pristine public beaches of Hawaii. If ship waste disposal is outsourced by the US Navy when deployed overseas, it should also insist on the contractor’s compliance with environmental rules in the host country. Even better, the host country should ensure that everyone complies with the rules. Cleaning up the country’s waters should not focus only on naval vessels. The government must see to it that every ship in Philippine waters complies with environmental laws. -

Rizal Park's new CCTV system can recognize faces, alert cops

MANILA, Philippines - Criminals had better not chill out at Rizal Park, where the government has installed a closed-circuit television (CCTV) system that not only recognizes faces of fugitives in the police database, it also alerts authorities. Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez said yesterday the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) installed the CCTV system in preparation for the surge in the number of tourists coming to the park this holiday season. “To bring in more tourists to a tourist spot, peace and order must be guaranteed, just like in our Rizal Park. We have to give tourists our assurance that they are safe within the confines of our national park,” he said. The NPDC said the system’s command center has the ability to make accurate predictions on the number of people within the park and the capacity to recognize a person should a sketch or computerized image be provided. “This can be useful, especially if the local police are searching for a criminal who is listed as wanted. Once the CCTV recognizes the face of a wanted criminal, the command system will issue an alarm and will prompt the security team to respond,” the committee said. The park’s CCTV system is linked to the databases of the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation, which would allow law enforcers to respond to incidents within the park in real time, according to the NPDC. The cameras have been set up in areas with high foot traffic, along the perimeter, and inside and outside the park’s gated areas, the committee said. An information and help desk featuring a touchscreen display is available at the NPDC office lobby, the tourist police station near the Rizal monument and the children’s playground. “With a touch of a finger, tourists can see their desired places or locations on the screen, and this will be provided with details, plus a 360-degree view, of the attraction,” the NPDC said. - By Mayen Jaymalin

Philippine vessel ready to be deployed to disputed shoal

..Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - The Philippine Coast Guard yesterday declared it was ready to deploy a patrol vessel to Panatag Shoal (Scarbourough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea as China announced it had conducted the first landing of a fighter jet on its new aircraft carrier. The landing was a demonstration of China's ability to project its military might in territorial disputes with Southeast Asian nations in the West Philippine Sea and maintain its own influence in the area, eyed by the United States in its "pivot" to Asia, a new military strategy that would see half of its warships shifting to the region by the end of the decade. Lt. Commander Armand Balilo, Coast Guard spokesperson, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the BRP Pampanga was "on standby" and "ready for deployment" to Panatag Shoal, where Philippine and Chinese ships faced off with each other from early April to mid-June in a territorial dispute that had gone on unresolved, and marred talks between Southeast Asian nations and China in Cambodia last week. Related story: China lands fighter jet on new carrier in show of force China has begun issuing new passports with a map of China that includes disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea and the East Sea, angering the Philippines and Vietnam, which protested the new Chinese strategy that they saw as forcing them to recognise China's claims in the sea. The latest Chinese display of assertiveness could spark fresh tensions in the sea. The Philippine Coast Guard said the Pampanga was ready to go and all the agency was waiting for was the go-signal from the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The Pampanga was one of two Philippine vessels that faced off with up to 100 Chinese ships and fishing boats at the disputed shoal. Balilo said that if the order to deploy came, the Pampanga, a search-and-rescue vessel, could hook up with a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship to resume the watch at Panatag, where three Chinese ships were pressing the Chinese claim. In other news: Hundreds of Philippine police 'cheated in exams' President Aquino said in June that he would order Philippine ships back to the shoal if the Chinese did not clear the area. The Chinese did not. On Saturday, Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, speaking at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City, called on China to respect the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an expanse of sea 370 kilometres (200 nautical miles) from the coastlines of sovereign states. Panatag Shoal, 220 km west of Zambales, is within the Philippine EEZ. Chinese carrier There were reports on Friday that the Pampanga had left port at Poro Point in La Union province and it was heading for the shoal. The Coast Guard said the reports were not true. But Balilo said on Sunday the Pampanga was ready to go anytime the order to deploy came. When it deploys, the Pampanga could come nose to nose with the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, on which a Chinese-made J-15 fighter jet successfully landed in recent exercises. "The successful landing ... has always been seen as a symbol of the operating combat capability for an aircraft carrier," Zhang Junshe, a vice director at the Chinese military's Naval Affairs Research Institute, told state television yesterday. "This is a landmark even for China's aircraft carrier...and (moves it) one step closer to combat readiness," Zhang said. Also read: CBCP warns pro-RH bets of Catholic vote Video footage carried by China Central Television showed a tail hook on the rear of the J-15 catching hold of a cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier as the jet landed and slowed to a halt. China had not previously announced that its Navy possessed such highly technical cable landing technology. The J-15 had also successfully taken off from the aircraft carrier, the Chinese defence ministry said. The J-15 is a Chinese-designed multipurpose carrier-borne fighter jet based on Russia's Sukoi 33, equipped with Russian engines and capable of carrying precision-guided bombs, press reports said. The 300-metre Liaoning, a former Soviet carrier that China had refitted, went into service in September in a symbolic milestone for China's growing military muscle that comes at a time when Beijing is increasingly embroiled in a series of territorial disputes with its neighbours. Since the carrier entered service, the crew have completed more than 100 training and test programmes, the defence ministry said. Check out: Robredo gets highest national award The Liaoning, named for the northeastern province that includes Dalian, is not expected to be fully operational for another three years at least. Vietnam, disputing China's claims to islands within its territory, has fighter seacraft and planes, and has actually fought naval skirmishes with China over territory in the Paracel archipelago in the East Sea. The Philippines has no warships larger and more capable than the second-hand cutter donated to it by the United States earlier this year. It has no fighter jets and its military modernisation programme is looking to acquire only trainer jets. The Philippine Coast Guard hopes to get 12 brand-new patrol boats from Japan in 2014. (With a report from AFP) ..