Banawe Rice Terraces Mabubura sa Mapa – Solon

Pinangangambahan na mabura na sa mapa ng Benguet,ang pinipreserbang cultural heritage na “banawe rice terraces”,dahil sa patuloy na pagsusulputan ng mga small scale mining sa lugar.

Sa ginanap na pu­long balitaan sa Tina­payan, ibinulgar ni Ifugao Congressman Teddy Baguilat na dahil sa mga small scale mining ,may mga bahagi na sa Banawe rice terraces,ang gumuho na.

Ang mga maliliit na nagmimina sa lugar ang dahilan kung bakit unti-unti nang nasisira ang kapaligiran sa lugar.

Dapat umanong kumilos ang pamahalaan dahil kabilang ang banawe rice terraces sa mga ipini-preserbang cultural heritage ng bansa.

Ang unti-unti ng pagkasira sa lugar ay maaring maging sanhi ng trahedya sa sandaling magkaroon ng mga malalakas na pag bagyo, at lindol.

Sinabi ni Baguilat na posibleng magkaroon ng flash flood kapag hindi napigil ang small scale mining na pinagkakaki­taan ngayon doon ng mga lokal na residente.

[ Source Via Pilipino Star Ngayon ]

Government to Save P11 Billion a Year with Reforms in AFP Retirement System

The government will save P11 billion annually once reforms are implemented in the military’s retirement system, an official of the Armed Forces Retirement and Separation Benefits System (RSBS) disclosed yesterday.

RSBS president Emilio Marayag said the proposed reforms would address concerns that the government might be spending too much on retirees’ benefits.

“Our initial estimate is that once these (reforms) are approved, (the government would save) P11 billion per year,” Marayag said in a chance interview during the 35th anniversary of RSBS last Thursday in Quezon City.

He said the figure is based on the assumption that retired officers’ pension would increase by 11 percent while that of enlisted personnel would grow by 16 percent.

Marayag said the government would spend an additional P900 billion for pension benefits in 29 years if the current system were retained.

“Instead of spending P100 million (for benefits), the government would have to spend P1 trillion in 29 years,” he said.

Continue Reading at The Philippine Star

POLICE READY RAPS VS REBELS AFTER RELEASE OF MAYOR DANO, ESCORTS

Shortly after communist rebels on Sunday released Lingig, Surigao del Sur Mayor Henry Dano and his two Army escorts, police said they are now readying charges against their captors.

Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr. said Dano and his escorts, Corporal Alrey Desamparado and Private First Class Rolan Saban, were released at the hinterlands of Trento town, Agusan del Sur, particularly at Upper New Visayas, Barangay Pulanglupa.

The three were released before Governor Johnny Pimentel and other religious groups. Dano was brought to Davao City for a medical check-up while his escorts were brought to the military headquarters in Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.

"We are preparing the document for filing of appropriate charges in court," Cruz said.

The release was also confirmed by Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo who said that the mayor and the soldiers had been freed around 3 p.m. He said the release of Mayor Dano and his escorts would fuel hopes in the peace negotiations.

Continue Reading at InterAksyon.com

GMA’S P1.28B YOUTH PROGRAM TAINTED WITH IRREGULARITIES – COA

FORMER President Gloria Arroyo’s program to hire out-of-school-youth may have had a noble intention but its implementation was riddled with irregularities that even the Commission on Audit (COA) cannot say if the beneficiaries received the salary promised them.

In fact, the Audit commission doubted if the street sweepers employed under the Out-of-School Youth Serving Towards Economic Recovery (Oyster) program that had a funding of P1.28 billion were justly paid because the project lacked “structured monitoring mechanism” from the two agencies ordered to implement it—the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Philippine National Police (PNP.)

For six years, the Department of Budget and Management released an aggregate of P1.28 billion to the DPWH’s Central Office, which was forwarded to its own National Capital Region (NCR) Office. In turn, the funds were “transferred to and fully expended” to the PNP.

The commission reported that as of June 30, 2010, the DPWH transferred P471.24 million to the PNP Headquarters Office and P811.041 million to the PNP National Capital Region Police Office since November 2005.

For January to June 2010, P154.308 million should have been used to pay the salaries of the workers, COA said.

However, the commission said there was no way of knowing if those enrolled in the program were properly compensated since there was no report from the PNP.

COntinue Reading at Manila Times

DON’T TOUCH PALACE ‘PORK’

THE House Committee on Appropriations yesterday rejected the inclusion of the Executive department’s P18.3-billion budget for unfilled positions in the special provision that would restore the P4.971-billion fund for the unfilled positions in the judiciary, Congress and other constitutional offices.

Administration critics have expressed concern Malacañang would use the P18.3 billion as its own pork barrel and realign the allocation for purposes other than filling vacant positions in the Executive department.

Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya Jr., chairman of the panel, batted for the status quo on the Executive branch’s fund two days before the House of Representatives was to vote on the 2012 P1.816-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on third and final reading either tomorrow or Wednesday. Congress goes on Halloween recess this week.

Abaya, head of the small committee finalizing the version of next year’s national budget, stressed there is no need to include the Executive department’s budget for unfilled positions in the P101-billion Miscellaneous Personnel Benefit Funds (MPBF) because Malacañang through the Department of Budget and Management has been strictly exercising transparency.

COntinue Reading at Journal Online

TWIN BLASTS ROCK ZAMBO; 9 HURT

Two separate explosions rocked Zamboanga City Sunday, causing extensive damage to a hotel and a cockpit arena and wounding nine people, including three boxers. Chief Superintendent Elpidio de Asis, Zamboanga Peninsula Regional

Police Office director, said the first explosion occurred at 12:25 p.m. inside a cockpit arena in Barangay San Roque, where five persons were wounded.

“We are thankful that it happened two hours earlier than the expected convergence of people here, the cockfighting regularly starts here at 2 p.m.,” De Asis said.

“The improvised explosive device was placed near the bleacher, so we could not imagine the damage and casualties it might cause if the explosion occurred when this area is packed with people,” he added.

De Asis said the explosion shattered the glass panels separating a portion where cockfighting occurs and the portion of the wooden bleachers.

He claimed the damage was minimal if compared with the destruction caused by the blast at Red Palm Pension House in Barangay Guiwan, also in Zamboanga City that happened five minutes later.

Continue Reading at The manila Bulletin

CAVITE-ANTIPOLO LRT EXTENSION SISIMULAN NA

Magandang balita para sa milyon-milyong residente ng Cavite at Antipolo dahil pasisimulan na ng pamunuan ng Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) ang naudlot na proyekto na aabot hanggang sa lalawigan ng Cavite at Antipolo City ang biyahe ng Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 at LRT line 2.

Ayon kay DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas, inilagay na niya sa kanyang ‘prio­rity project’ ang pagpapatuloy ng proyekto na paabutin hanggang sa Cavite at Antipolo ang biyahe ng LRT.

Sinabi ni Roxas, ka­sado na ang plano sa proyekto, kung saan ang dating rota ng LRT 1 mula sa Roosevelt, Quezon City hanggang sa Bac­laran, Parañaque ay daragdagan pa ng walo pang istasyon na aabot hanggang sa Bacoor Cavite.

Habang ang LRT Line 2 mula sa Recto Avenue sa Maynila hanggang sa Santolan, Pasig City ay paaabutin sa Masinag, Antipolo City.

Continue Reading at The Philippine Star

'KA ROGER' IS DEAD, REDS ADMIT FINALLY

More than 3 months since he succumbed to a heart attack, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) finally admitted that its spokesman, Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, is dead. In a statement, CPP said Rosal died last June 22 because of a heart attack. He was 64.

“The public announcement was delayed to allow the concerned organs of the CPP to inform Ka Roger's daughters of their father's demise. Intense military operations prevented information from reaching his daughters with dispatch. Ka Roger's siblings have also been informed of his passing.”

“The entire membership of the CPP, Red fighters of the New People's Army (NPA), revolutionary forces and the Filipino masses mourn Ka Roger's death,” the statement read.

All units of the CPP’s armed group, the New People’s Army, will fall in formation to pay tribute to Ka Roger on October 15 at exactly 12 noon.

“They will carry out a gun salute in his memory. All units of the CPP and revolutionary mass organizations are enjoined to launch tribute meetings to remember Ka Roger and his contributions to the historic revolutionary struggles of the Filipino people,” CPP said.

The news of Rosal’s death has been circulating since last year because of his absence in peace talks.

Rosal headed the NPA's Melito Glor Command in the Southern Tagalog region and was later designated as spokesman of the CPP.

Continue Reading at abs-cbnNEWS.com

BAHA ALERT ULIT SA LUZON, MM

Nagbanta ang Philippine Athmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) sa mga residente ng Northern at Central Luzon, gayundin sa CAMANAVA (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) areas sa posibleng pagbaha bunsod ng pag-ulang dala ng isang low pressure area at inter-tropical convergence zone (ICTZ).

Ayon kay DOST Undersecretary Graciano Yumul kahapon, inaasahang madadagdagan ang tubig-baha sa Central Luzon dulot ng maghapong pag-ulan kahapon na maaaring aabot hanggang ngayong araw ng Linggo.

Sinabi ni Yumul na binabantayan na rin nila ang pagtaas ng tubig sa Marikina river na posibleng makaapekto sa CAMANAVA area.

Nag-abiso na rin umano ang pangasiwaan ng Ipo dam na posibleng magpa­kawala ng tubig dahil uma­bot na sa 146 meters ang water level, habang ang Magat dam ay nagsabi na rin na magbubukas ng kanilang mga gate.

PHOTO CREDIT - Art Son
Continue Reading at The Philippine Star

LARRY MARTIN NAMED FIRST PINOY 'BIGGEST LOSER'

After spending 125 days in the Biggest Loser camp, Larry Martin was declared on Saturday as the very first Pinoy Biggest Loser.

Martin lost the highest weight percentage of 39.61% since ABS-CBN's "The Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition" aired its first episode on May 30. He entered the Biggest Loser camp weighing 255 pounds. He lost 101 pounds at the camp.

He now weighs 154 pounds.

Martin took home P1 million, a condominium unit from DCMI Homes, a Vespa scooter, a 40-inch Sony Bravia Internet TV, Whirlpool appliances, P100,000 worth of salon services, and a lifetime gym membership from Fitness First.

Martin will also appear on the cover of the November issue of Men's Health magazine.

Martin was a police officer in Camarines Sur, but was relieved from his post for failing to meet the 34-inch waistline limit.

Second place went to Art Mendoza, who lost 129 pounds or a weight percentage of 37.83%.

Mendoza received P500,000, a Vespa scooter, Whirlpool appliances, P50,000 worth of salon services, and a 1-year Fitness First membership.

Photo Credit ABS-CBN
Continue reading at abs-cbnNEWS.com

PALACE ACCEPTS US ENVOY'S APOLOGY

Malacañang said today that the Philippine government will no longer ask US ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas to explain his remark that 40 percent of foreign men visit the country for sex.

"We were informed that the ambassador issued already, through text, an apology. So we consider that this is a close case," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced over state-run radio, Radyo ng Bayan.

Asked if Malacañang would push through with its plan to ask for an explanation from Thomas, Lacierda said that the apology, even though it was sent through text only to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, would be enough as it is already an admission that the US ambassador cannot back up his claim with statistics.

"The statement of Ambassador Thomas clearly shows that he was not able to back up [his claim] with statistics. Hence, he apologized to Secretary Del Rosario and to our government," the official said.

Continue Reading at The Philippine Star

CLASS SUIT READIED VS NAPOCOR

Officials of the province are preparing a class suit against the National Power Corp. (Napocor) after uncovering evidence that the water released from Angat Dam last week caused massive flooding in the municipalities of Pulilan, Calumpit, Paombong and this coastal town.

This developed as National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos yesterday said flooding in Central Luzon could last a month.

The evidence uncovered by Bulacan officials supposedly belies an earlier statement by Napocor, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the NDRRMC that water released from Angat Dam did not cause flooding in the four towns.

“I have the draft and we are just finalizing it,” Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado said in his weekly radio program over radio dwSS.

The draft was leaked by members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Bulacan chapter on Friday, noting that they are planning a class suit.

Alvarado said the class suit will be signed by officials of the province, including members of the LMP-Bulacan chapter.

He said that while government agencies are denying that water released from Angat Dam last Sept. 27 and the days that followed did not cause the worst flooding to hit the province since 1978, they have unearthed evidence that says otherwise.

Continue Reading at The Philippine Star

Steve Jobs’ impact will last for generations: Bill Gates

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has had an impact on the world which will last for generations, Microsoft boss Bill Gates said Wednesday, adding that it had been "an insanely great honor" to know him.

"Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives," he said, adding that he was "truly saddened" to learn of his death.

"The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come," he said in statement received by AFP.

"For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely," he added.

Jobs and Gates had famously testy relations over the years, as Microsoft went from strength to strength, while Jobs' Apple fortunes faltered before he came back to take crown with iconic products like the iPod, iPhone and iPad.

In a 1994 Rolling Stone interview, Jobs said: "If you say, well, how do you feel about Bill Gates getting rich off some of the ideas that we had . . . well, you know, the goal is not to be the richest man in the cemetery.

"It's not my goal anyway," he said.
© Copyright (c) AFP

Iconic former Apple CEO Steve Jobs dies at 56

Steve Jobs, who sparked a revolution in the technology industry and then presided over it as Silicon Valley's radiant Sun King, died Wednesday. The incandescent center of a tech universe around which all the other planets revolved, Jobs had a genius for stylish design and a boyish sense of what was "cool." He was 56 when he died, ahead of his time to the very end.

According to a spokesman for Apple Inc. - the company Jobs co-founded when he was just 21, and turned into one of the world's great industrial design houses - he suffered from a recurrence of the pancreatic cancer for which he had undergone surgery in 2004. Jobs had taken his third leave of absence from the company in January of this year, and made the final capitulation to his failing health on Aug. 24, when he resigned as Apple's CEO. After 35 years as the soul of Silicon Valley's new machine, that may have been a fate worse than death.

Continue reading at canada.com

BRILLANTES: GMA, HUSBAND MIGHT SPEND CHRISTMAS IN JAIL

Former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo might spend Christmas in jail should the justice department find probable cause for the filing of election sabotage charges against them relating to alleged massive cheating during the 2007 elections.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Sixto Brillantes said he and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima have agreed that the charges would be filed before Christmas.

“We’re only determining probable cause, we are not looking for the guilty verdict. We just want to establish probable cause, substantial evidence to initiate the filing, bolster the filing of electoral sabotage, which is a non-bailable offense,” Brillantes said.

“Since it is a non-bailable offense, then it means (the respondents) will be jailed at once,” Brillantes added.

Asked if the Arroyos might end up in jail by Christmas, Brillantes said it depends since the couple might ask for some leeway.

Brillantes was interviewed after the Commission on Appointments (CA) confirmed his nomination as Comelec chairman.

Under the law, it is considered electoral sabotage “when the tampering, increase and/or decrease of votes perpetrated or the refusal to credit the correct votes or to deduct tampered votes, is/are committed in the election of a national elective office.”

Continue Reading at the philippine star

Kalinga has Zero Casualty, Typhoon Damages to Infra, Crops Reach P146M

The province has zero casualty buttyphoons Pedring and Quiel left P146,389,904 worth of damages on government infrastructure facilities and crops when it pummeled North Luzon over the past week.

The summary of typhoon report of the province showed that damages to roads and flood control structures reached P124,930,000 while damages to crops was posted at P21,459,904.

George Miing, engineer, reported that typhoon Pedring caused P29,930,000 worth of damages to roads and P95,000,000 worth to flood control facilities in various parts of the province.

Because of damaged flood control systems, rice lands near the Chico river particularly along Barangays Tuliao, Tanioc, Laya West, and Cabaruan were washed-out by flood waters.

Report from OIC provincial agriculturist Domingo Bakilan shows that damages to rice had been estimated at P6,089,600; corn at P11,691,900; and high value crops at P3,678,404.

When typhoon Pedring hit the province, a large portion of corn lands was about to be harvested while most of the palay wer on their reproductive stage, and vegetables were ready for harvesting.

The agri-based towns of Tabuk, Rizal, Pinukpuk, and Tanudan suffered most in damages to rice, corn and high value crops, including coffee, the report shows.

Because of continued rains brought by Pedring and Quiel, Tinglayan-Bontoc road is still closed due to landslides and a road cut was reported along Barangay Caluttit in Bontoc.

Teodore Owek, engineer of Kalinga Engineering District, said that while clearing operation is going on, they can not yet give the exact date as to when the road will be opened. Another road block had been caused by eroded boulders along Barangay Pantikian between Salegseg and Balbalasang road section in Balbalan municipality.

Smaller road problems in other parts of the province had been cleared, Owek said.

Meanwhile, typhoons Pedring and Quiel affected a total of 4,848 families in the province.

Reports from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) show 10 houses were totally flattened by Pedring’s and Quiel’s strong winds while 331 were partially destroyed.

At the height of the typhoons, families were evacuated in various evacuation centers by local disaster councils.

The municipality of Pasil suffered the heaviest from typhoon Pedring affecting 1,806 families and left 56 houses damaged, one totally destroyed.

With typhoon Quiel, Pinukpuk town reported 411 families affected, although there were two houses partially damaged previously from typhoon Pedring.

The PSWDO report shows that all eight towns of the province submitted respective reports on damages to houses and affected families, while municipal disaster councils provided initial relief to victims.

Rosemaritez Oyawon of the PSWDO, who is the designated Provincial Disaster coordinator, said the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has yet to assess the extent of damages of every municipality as basis for its action in providing the appropriate assistance.

Oyawon assured, though, that relief assistance shall be provided by the PDRRMC as soon as possible.

(source: PIA)

DFA TO SHUT DOWN 12 EMBASSIES, CONSULATES

by philstar.com

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario today revealed that the department is planning to shut down 12 Philippine embassies and consulates as part of its rationalization program.

Del Rosario disclosed the plan during the deliberation of the DFA's P10.988 billion proposed budget for 2012 conducted by the Senate finance committee.

The DFA chief said that the first six embassies and consulates will be closed in the first six months of 2013. The remaining six will be shut down on the second half of the same year, he said.

Sen. Franklin Drilon, committee chairman, meanwhile told Del Rosario that the DFA should instead complete the closure of the 12 posts before the end of 2012.

”Secretary Del Rosario agreed that there is indeed basis to rationalize and has agreed to close 12 embassies between now and 2013 but we asked him to accelerate this so that the 12 foreign posts can be closed by the end of 2012,” Drilon told the media after passage of the DFA budget at the committee level.

Del Rosario agreed to consider the suggestion of Drilon to finish the closure of 12 posts by end of 2012 that would mean up to P150 million savings for the DFA.

Drilon said the savings that the DFA will incur from the rationalization program will not be returned to the treasury, but will be distributed to the embassies that need additional funds.

The senator also said that the DFA career officers and staff who will be affected by the closure of the 12 posts will be deployed in the embassies and consulates of the countries where there are big overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) population.



”We want to make it clear that the intention of the committee is not retrenchment of our employees in the DFA. Our intention is to strengthen and put money in our embassies where there were many OFWs,” Drilon said.

Del Rosario refused to name countries where embassies and consulates will be closed down, but said that factors to be considered for the closure are the amount of trade, investment and tourism that the Philippines can generate as well as number of Filipinos that has to be served by the affected posts.

The Philippines has 67 embassies, 23 consulates and four missions throughout the world, serving more than 11 million Filipinos abroad.

GMA, MIKE A FACE LIFE IMPRISONMENT OVER POLL FRAUD - COMELEC

By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes disclosed yesterday that former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo Macapagal-Arroyo and her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo could face life imprisonment if they are convicted of rigging the 2007 elections in Maguindanao.

Brillantes said tampering with the results of the 2007 polls and other elections thereafter constitutes electoral sabotage under Republic Act 9369 or the Poll Automation Law.

“If you look at the magnitude of votes involved, it is definitely tantamount to electoral sabotage. The (14) election officers (EOs) that we presented could prove there were irregularities that took place in the 2007 elections there. That’s a lot of votes,“ he said.

The joint investigating panel of the Comelec and the Department of Justice (DOJ) had presented the other day 14 EOs and one Computerized Voter’s List technician from 15 towns in Maguindanao who have issued separate affidavits that they canvassed election returns (ERs) that were pre-prepared.

The results of the canvassing had posted a 12-0 win in favor of the senatorial candidates of Mrs. Arroyo’s Team Unity (TU) administration slate.

Brillantes added that there are 22 municipalities in Maguindanao and other EOs are also willing to testify that there was rampant poll cheating in the province in 2007.

The Comelec-DOJ panel had also presented former Maguindanao provincial administrator Norie Unas who “categorically and directly linked the Arroyo couple to the manipulation of the province’s elections to gain a 12-0 victory for the TU senatorial bets.”

Unas claimed that the Arroyos had instructed former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., for whom he worked from 2001 to 2009, to make the candidates win.

Continue Reading at - the Philippine Star

Rice supply sufficient despite 'Pedring' devastation

By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday assured the public of sufficient rice supply despite the massive devastation brought by typhoon “Pedring” in rice-producing provinces in Luzon.

“The stock of NFA (National Food Authority) was more than sufficient to cover the rainy days… right now we have a very comfortable balance to last until the end of the year,” DA undersecretary for operations Joel Rudinas said.

Rudinas said the NFA would still assess palay damage from Pedring, which lashed Northern Luzon last week, leaving 55 persons dead and over P7-billion worth of damage to agriculture.

“As far as the basic staple is concerned, we have adequate stocks,” he said.

Rudinas also said they are now sourcing vegetables from provinces that were not severely affected by the recent typhoons.

“As far as other commodities like vegetables, we are now sourcing vegetables from Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur, as well as Visayas and Mindanao,” he said.

“So they are the ones supplying us substantial volume of pinakbet vegetables,” Rudinas said, referring to the popular Ilocano dish of mixed vegetables.

Rudinas said he expects the prices of vegetables to go down as commodities from the Visayas and Mindanao reach the markets in Metro Manila.


Among the provinces badly hit by Pedring are the major rice producing provinces of Isabela, Cagayan, and Nueva Ecija.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Central Luzon said typhoons Pedring and “Quiel” had caused some P6.4 billion in damage to agriculture in the region.

OCD assistant director Nigel Lontoc said some P415.1-million worth of infrastructure in Central Luzon was also damaged. This figure is expected to increase as more reports from the field come in.

Lontoc said that the total agricultural damage wrought by the two typhoons was placed at P6,425,416,874.

He said that of this amount, damage to rice and corn alone stood at P6,236,565,676, while losses in livestock and fisheries were estimated at P188,851,197.

Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., meanwhile, proposed that businessmen found to be taking advantage of disaster-stricken customers by jacking up prices of essential goods be penalized.

Villar filed Senate Bill 1306 that prohibits price gouging, or the charging of excessive prices, for certain goods and services in areas affected by major disasters.

Villar said he filed the bill in reaction to reports that bottled water was sold for as high as P140 in flooded areas in Bulacan.

Villar sought to prohibit price gouging of basic goods and services in typhoon and calamity stricken areas.

Under the bill, no supplier shall provide, or offer to provide, any consumer good or service in an affected area at an excessive price during the 180-day period after the declaration of a major disaster by the President. – With Ding Cervantes, Christina Mendez

Source Via philstar

Disaster Response Needs Improvement

President Aquino yesterday conceded that the government’s disaster response needs much improvement, even as he expressed satisfaction over the performance of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and local government units.

Meanwhile, the National Power Corp. (Napocor) denied allegations that the release of water from dams caused the flooding in areas affected by typhoon “Pedring.”

Aquino said one possible improvement that can be made is how to convince residents to leave in times of danger so as to lessen the problem of government and reduce the risk for rescue teams in the process.

He said the government will be coming up with a “rehabilitation plan” for all the victims of typhoons Pedring and “Quiel” whose provinces are still submerged in floodwaters, which he will visit in the coming days.

Continue reading at PHILSTAR