Typhoon Ondoy Disaster

Disaster Map of Rescue, Road Conditions, and Relied Centers

The interactive map contains road conditions, the status of flooded areas, and the locations of relief centers, in addition to the original data set of stranded people needing rescue in calamity areas.

GMANews.TV staff and volunteers have spent the better part of the last 72 hours harvesting the information from TV, radio, social media and callers and web users who have contacted us; and then pinpointing precise locations on the map.

Click Here for the Disaster Map
For Help on how to use the Disaster Map

Missing Persons Database

Do you have a relative, friend, classmate, workmate, neighbor, or acquaintance that went missing during the chaotic weekend of Sept. 26-27 as storm “Ondoy" wreaked havoc on Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon?

Or maybe you happen to be in touch with Ondoy-displaced or stranded people in the process of rescue, evacuation and relief operations, and you want to send word that they are safe and sound?

There is now an interactive “missing-persons" database (MPD) being maintained by GMANews.Tv. This resource can help close the information gap between those who are looking for missing persons, and those persons themselves, or people who know their whereabouts and condition.

Click here to view the Missing Persons Database
Click here to file a Report or Inquiry on a Missing of Found Person
Click here for instructions on how to use the database

NPA Explosive Factory Discovered

Official Philippine Army Press Release


Date Released: 29 Sep 2009

At the height of the rescue and relief operations in Metro Manila areas and the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Rizal and Laguna, wherein almost 1,000 Army personnel were deployed to help the victims of tropical depression Ondoy, elements of the 82nd Infantry Battalion, on the other hand, discovered a New People's Army explosive factory in Igbaras, Iloilo.

Reports reaching the Philippine Army headquarters from field unit disclosed that one company of the 82nd IB, found what appeared to be improvised steel ovens used for the preparation of ammonium nitrate, a key component in the creation of explosives and improvised explosive devices.

Also found within the area were containers of diesel fuel, bags of commercial fertilizer, and several cords of detonation cord, all of which are necessary in the manufacture of improvised anti-personal mines. According to Lt Col George Joel Lalaquil, 82nd IB commander, the three steel ovens were used to prepare mixtures of ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO), commonly known as improvised fertilizer bombs, a high explosive used in the production of landmines.

The Igbaras rebel camp was established as the local terrorist group’s Explosive Laboratory in Panay. This discovery denied the NPA rebels the capability to launch attacks using illegal explosives.

It can be recalled that a week ago, the same battalion, discovered a stockpile of landmines, ammunition, and assorted items left behind by fleeing NPAs in a rebel camp in Sitio Tigbasa, Brgy Tigbanaba, Igbaras. It is also responsible for the capture of two NPA rebels facing rebellion charges at the Regional Trial Court of Guimbal Iloilo.

The 82nd IB is one of the three battalions recently activated to address the remaining threats of communist insurgency in the country before 2010 ends.

Wife recalls Cpl Regua's heroism

Official Philippine Army Press Release

Date Released: 29 Sep 2009

Being one of the first who responded to the flood-stricken areas in Sitio Johnson, Brgy. Nanguma, Mabitac, Laguna, the Philippine Army suffered six casualties from the disaster response team who went to the area. Among those who offered their lives is Corporal (Cpl) Adriano Regua, the detachment commander of the response team, together with five of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (CAA) in his team.

According to reports, Cpl Regua's family and home in Tanay, Rizal were also suffering the rampaging floods of "Ondoy" as he was saving lives in Mabitac, Laguna. Fortunately, as Philippine Army response teams also responded quickly, his wife and two daughters were brought to safer grounds. "Habang may nililigtas siyang ibang tao, ibang sundalo ang tumulong sa amin na pamilya niya," his wife recounts.

Reaching safety late last Saturday, his wife also sent a text message saying "Buti na lang ligtas tayong lahat," unaware of the tragedy her husband faced. It was reported that Cpl Regua died in an attempt at rescuing one of his men from being swept away by the current but, in the end, both of them were carried away by the strong flood, drowning them. This feat proves how responsible a leader Cpl Regua is to his men. Also, as the detachment commander of his group, he led his team well, as they were able to save 200 residents in the area alone even at the cost of their own lives. His remains, along with his five CAA members', were recovered the next day at around 9:30 am along Manila East Road in the same area.

Cpl Regua's wife could not help but mourn over her husband's death. But, along with the rest of the country, she shall forever see Cpl Regua as a hero and a leader who selflessly offered his life in service of the citizens and his men. "Ang kunswelo ko lang, namatay siya na nagseserbisyo. Iyon naman talaga ang gusto niya e," she ends.

Philippine 24-Hour Public Weather Forecast

Issued at: 5:00 a.m., 30 September 2009
Valid beginning: 5:00 a.m. today until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow

Synopsis:
At 2:00 a.m. today, Tropical Storm {PARMA}(0917) was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 1,110 kms East of Mindanao (8.0°N, 137.3°E) with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It is forecast to move West Northwest at 19 kph.
Forecast:
Extreme Northern Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest to south will prevail over the western section of Luzon with moderate to rough seas. Moderate winds blowing from the south to southeast will prevail over the rest of Luzon and coming from the south to southwest over the rest of the country with moderate seas.

PAGASA-DOST
Government of the Philippines

Philippine Floods: Why Wasn't Manila Prepared?

By ISHAAN THAROOR Ishaan Tharoor – 30 mins ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090929/wl_time/08599192664600

In Manila, millions of residents now live in a world of mud. Torrential rain over the weekend triggered the worst flooding the Philippines' capital has seen in over four decades, submerging more than 80% of the city, killing at least 246 people and displacing hundreds of thousands more. By Tuesday, the water had receded in many places, but it left behind ruined homes and swept-away neighborhoods, and according to health officials, it disabled the majority of Manila's medical facilities. Debris, sewage and abandoned vehicles that were tossed around by gushing currents now litter the notoriously polluted capital; aid workers warn of water-borne diseases. The government has placed the area around Manila under a "state of public calamity."

In an appeal for assistance, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo described Tropical Storm Ketsana, which hit Manila on Sept. 26, as a "once-in-a-lifetime typhoon." A month's worth of rain deluged the city in the space of 12 hours. "The system is overwhelmed, local government units are overwhelmed," said Anthony Golez of the state's National Disaster Coordinating Council at a press conference on Sept. 28. (See pictures of the storm.)

Yet many in the country are pointing fingers at its politicians for failing to predict the scale of the disaster or lessen the damage it caused. Manila, they say, was always bound to face such catastrophe, and more should have been done to help its millions of residents prepare. A recently published study by the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSA), a research group based in Singapore, ranked metropolitan Manila as one of the provinces in Southeast Asia most vulnerable to flooding. The capital region is perched on a marshy isthmus that is crisscrossed with streams and rivers. An ever-growing population - Manila is now a sprawling mega-city of some 12 million people, larger still when factoring in the day-worker population - and the lack of infrastructure to accommodate it left swaths of the city exposed. "What we are seeing is a phenomenon that will affect many major cities in Asia," says Neeraj Jain, country specialist for the Philippines at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is headquartered in Manila. "Urbanization has been so rapid, yet the planning processes have lagged." (Read "Manila Through the Eyes of F. Sionil Jos[a {e}].")

Last weekend's flood was in large part the result of the capital's poor drainage and sanitation systems, which have been neglected by several successive administrations in power. As Ketsana rained down upon Manila, sewers that were clogged up by plastic bags and other refuse led to roads becoming rivers and gardens lagoons. Video images of desperate people riding floating pontoons of garbage down inundated streets were a sign not just of the consequences of the flood, but also its causes. Many impoverished Manila residents live in makeshift settlements by rivers and creeks - the source of their drinking water - that overflowed and carried off their homes. "People have always been living on the edge," says Carlos Celdran, a popular Manila historian and performing artist. "It's amazing the city has actually managed to make it this far."

The Spanish seized Manila from its Muslim rulers in the 16th century and set it up as their colonial seat in Asia. The city was a flourishing, elegant entrepÔt for centuries, but in recent times civic planning has been more haphazard as the population has boomed. Lambert Ramirez, executive director of the National Institute for Policy Studies, a Manila-based think tank, says much of the blame for poor urban management ought to be leveled at the government. "There's no coordinated policy for cleaning up garbage. There's no political will to get even simple things done," he says. Ramirez spoke to TIME while salvaging appliances and valuables from his own flooded home. (See pictures of the recent floods in Georgia.)

Jain of the ADB says the leadership in Manila, faced with elections in the coming months, is indeed thinking of long-term solutions to its infrastructure woes. Plans have been afoot to improve sanitation and also relieve the population burden in metro Manila by shifting certain businesses and government offices to areas outside the dense capital region. But the challenge facing the Philippines and other poor Asian countries is one of resources. Most Southeast Asia nations budget around 2% or 3% of their GDP for infrastructure development. To fend off such disasters in the future, Jain says that figure ought to be closer to 5% or 6%. It's a deficit that few governments can afford to make up overnight.

But given the looming specter of climate change, they may have to find a way sooner rather than later. The prospect of another typhoon this week underscores environmentalists' concern that shifts in global temperatures may mean increasingly extreme weather patterns for coastal cities like Manila. "[Ketsana] was a startling, unique event," says Herminia Francisco of the EEPSA in Singapore. "But then I think this is going to happen more and more frequently in the future." (See a TIME graphic on destructive weather.)

For today, as international aid pours in from organizations like the Red Cross and the World Food Program, Manila residents are slowly retrieving their homes and livelihoods from the mud. Thousands of volunteers have donated food and rushed to help those who were worse affected. "Filipinos are used to crisis," says Celdran. "We've gone through a lot over the years, but we've managed. We're a resilient people."

Navy Rescues Hundreds as “Ondoy” Lashes at Luzon

LIEUTENANT COLONEL EDGARD A AREVALO PN(M)
Director, Naval Public Affairs Office
http://navyspeak.blogspot.com/2009/09/navy-rescues-hundreds-as-ondoy-lashes.html
Sunday, 27 September 2009

Philippine Navy rescue teams rescued hundreds of residents at the height of typhoon “Ondoy” yesterday, 26 September 2009.

As floodwaters continued to rise in Metro Manila and some Luzon areas due to non-stop rains, Navy Chief Vice Admiral Ferdinand S Golez activated the battle staff at Ft Bonifacio to have personal supervision of the Navy’s rescue efforts not only in the CAMANAVA area, but also in areas outside of Manila and Cavite. Joining Vice Admiral Golez are Rear Admiral Feliciano A Angue, Chief of Naval Staff and other central staff officers who established direct communication with the Navy rescue teams in the areas.

In Metro Manila, Navy teams rescued residents whose homes were submerged in floods and passengers who were stranded: 17 from the rooftop of Brgy Hall, Montevista, Marikina City; 5 persons stranded at floodway Crispa, Pasig to Riverside Village, Cainta; 150 from Navotas; 40 from Jose Abad Santos, Tondo; and 750 from Espana, Manila.

Navy rescue teams from different units are composed of the following: Philipine Fleet- 18 SEALs and 28 enlisted personnel (EP) equipped with 3 rubber boats, 1 M35 truck, and 1 trailer truck; Philippine Marine Corps- 1 Officer; 30 EP with 1 rubber boat, 2 M35 trucks, 1 DRR Trailer truck, and additional PMC supplement with 1 M35 truck, 1 van type truck; Bonifacio Naval Station team- 20 Officers, 8 EP, 1 M35 truck, and 2 rubber boats.

A Naval Detachment based in Infanta, Quezon of Naval Forces Southern Luzon evacuated 43 personnel from Brgy Banglos to an evacuation center in Gen Nakar, Quezon. The Navy team also assisted the NDCC in distributing relief goods to victims of flash floods in Brgy Ilog, Infanta. Two rescue teams from Naval Forces Northern Luzon were dispatched to Sta Maria and Bustos towns in Bulacan composed of 5 Officers, 31 EP, and 8 reservists with 2 M35 trucks and 2 rubber boats.

As of this morning, four rescue teams from the Naval Education and Training Command based in San Antonio, Zambales are set for deployment to conduct SAR operations in flooded towns. The teams have coordinated with the LGUs of the affected areas.

The Navy rescue teams are now concentrating their efforts in Cainta, Rizal, Pasig, and Provident Village, Marikina, which are the most affected by typhoon “Ondoy.” Also this morning, a SEAL and Marine team rescued 120 residents of Provident Village, Marikina while another team rescued a 65-year old woman from Brgy Tumana. Rescue operations are still ongoing.

Vice Admiral Golez has directed all Navy units in Luzon areas to dispatch their respective rescue teams for the conduct of SAR operations and assist concerned LGUs in their relief efforts. Disaster Rescue and Response Operations (DRRO) teams are integrated into naval commands all over the country to respond to any emergency situation where well-equipped and trained Navy teams are prepared to undertake rescue and rehabilitation missions.

Typhoon Ondoy test PAF’s Sergeant Lomigo

http://www.paf.mil.ph/news.html
Written by PIO
Monday, 28 September 2009 05:54

While Typhoon Ondoy was pounding Metro Manila last September 26, Sgt. Sol Marco B. Lomigo was at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City preparing his “pet” for the inevitable action up ahead. Sarge Lomigo’s pet is a reliable M-35 military truck, specifically the 5-tonner version that will soon be tested against 2.5-tonne M-35s in Provident Village – the gated Marikina community that went under water after Ondoy poured a month’s volume of rain in just six hours on that fateful Saturday.

An eight-year veteran truck driver of the Philippine Air Force’s 419th Transport Support Group, Lomigo had been through a lot of hauling operations. From transporting munitions to PAF combat units directly engaged in combat to towing generator sets for Air Force Engineers or gingerly driving with explosives for PAF EOD units, name it and the soft-spoken, bronze-skinned Sarge Lomigo could have done it. His unit, after all, provides transport support to PAF units in need. But the mission on that fourth Saturday of September was different and something worth remembering, he soon learned.

While the city was on a standstill after Ondoy submerged all low lying areas and city roads, Lomigo got his marching orders directly from the commanding general of the Philippine Air Force himself, Lt. General Oscar H Rabena, who was personally overseeing that Saturday’s disaster response operations of the PAF. Coursed through the office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations (A-3), Lomigo was directed to proceed to Marikina’s Provident Village to lend support to government and volunteer rescuers. He was also armed with a special mission to find and rescue an identified person from rampaging floodwaters.

At exactly 9:00 PM, Lomigo’s five-tonner roared out of Villamor’s main gate, turning right in Sales Road under the new Skyway towards Fort Bonifacio. In his company are Airman Second Class Edwin L Cetron and Airman Sherwin B de los Reyes, newbies who joined military service, respectively, 14 and two months earlier. The junior soldiers showed their inexperience in similar operations by wearing combat boots while Lomigo, the veteran, was shod in rubber sandals to compliment his combat uniform. For easier maneuverability, he reasoned.

Driving down the deserted Lawton Avenue in Fort Bonifacio until he exited to C5 near Market Market was a cruise, the intermittent rain notwithstanding. C5’s northbound lane was traffic-free until he descended the flyover in Ugong, Pasig where stalled vehicles as far as his eyes can see stood in front of him.

After extricating his lumbering truck from the trap, he drove it through waist deep floodwaters as soon as he crossed Julia Vargas just before Tiendesita’s. He has now the feel of the truck’s power, plodding through a deepening flood as he progressed towards Libis, and was in fact eventually able to catch up with the PNP SAF convoy that overtook him earlier in Ugong as he was about to turn right towards the Philippine Army Engineering Brigade camp in a Libis road to also leads to Marikina’s Riverbank.

Sensing slower progress should he stick it out using the same route, he turned back and headed towards Camp Aguinaldo, turned right in Katipunan, descending in the Aurora Boulevard service ramp and turned right towards Marikina City where he again meet the PNP SAF convoy. He was soon joined by other M-35’s from the AFP NCR Command, Philippine Army and Presidential Security Group. One of the M-35s, it turned out, was bearing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando, his wife, Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando, and PNP SAF’s General Santiago. Soon, as the trucks were wading through a neck-deep flood along Andres Bonifacio Avenue near the Marikina Riverbank entrance, all M-35s except Sarge Lomigo’s stalled as vehicles upon vehicles lay trapped and submerged, some with drowned victims inside the vehicles.

He tried pushing the heavier truck to the limit, amidst the cold wind draft that accompanied Ondoy’s rain. Soon, sheer road inaccessibility forced the tougher, heavier version of the M-35 military to stop. Otherwise, he could have trampled on hapless cars that lay submerged on the flooded road.

Ever the soldier, Lomigo lead other two – A2C Cetron and AM de los Reyes, the three of them basically representing the entire Philippine Air Force in the multi-agency effort that night in Provident Village – in locating their precious target by hitching a rubber boat ride aboard a Philippine Navy rescue team. Inside Provident Village, the strong current from canalized flood was too strong it swept parked cars. Yet they were able to find their target, shivering on top of a house’s roof, which they eventually rescued and transferred to a safer place.

Meanwhile, while the team was maneuvering back towards the PAF’s M-35, residents of Provident Village sought the help of the three in retrieving a drowned househelp in one of the village’s submerged bungalows. After a few minutes A2C Cetron and AM de los Reyes emerged with the victim and quickly turned over the drowned 19-year old to the Army contingent.

On their way out, they gave a truck load of flood victims a ride towards higher grounds near Katipunan Avenue.

Reaching back Villamor Air Base at 9:00 AM Sunday morning, the heroic trio proclaimed victory with a realization that they’re drenched, hungry and in need of sleep. “Yet happy that we were able to have rescued some individuals,” added Sgt. Lomigo.

They, with mud clearly all over their combat uniforms, claimed that they were not worried about their soiled uniform nor about getting wet in the process. In fact, their uniforms may have been physically soiled but it was the kind of dirt that they can proudly claim to their children as having earned them satisfaction as soldiers and protectors of the hapless citizens, with A2C Cetron sheepishly showing off a glance of his once white briefs turned khaki by flood waters.

Sarge Lomigo, the motorhead, recalled with pride that Typhoon Ondoy was the toughest operation he did, claiming it was also an opportunity to really test his pet 5-tonne version of the M-35 military truck.

PAF rescue 713 victims, commit 8 helicopters to Ondoy efforts

Written by PIO
Monday, 28 September 2009 05:21
http://www.paf.mil.ph/news.html

Philippine Air Force disaster response operatives rescued 713 victims all over Metro Manila afterwhich it committed eight (8) helicopters in last weekend’s operation to save residents from the after effects of typhoon Ondoy, a report from Villamor Air Base revealed.

Lt. General Oscar H Rabena, PAF commanding general, said that their men began farming out to various points in the city as early as 1:30 PM Saturday when Ondoy was lashing through Metro Manila and nearby areas, adding that the rescuers initially combed Pasay, Makati and Paranaque where the M-35 military trucks transported residents trapped by the sudden rise in floodwaters as well as stranded commuters.

The rescuers could have done more if not for the traffic standstill that likewise trapped the military trucks, he added.

The PAF, however, fielded more vehicles, Rabena said, adding that they were left with no options but to do it, otherwise “we will effectively limit our service to the needy public, he added.” Two wrecker trucks and the smaller 1.25-tonner military trucks were likewise fielded to assist in clearing the road of stalled vehicles and to transport additional stranded citizens. On Sunday, the command committed eight helicopters to the efforts of both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense to support all search and rescue efforts in the aftermath of the worst typhoon to hit the country in 40 years.

PAF airmen on board the fielded trucks also showed quick decision making by transporting rubber boats and rescuers of other agencies along the way.

A team that was dispatched to help UERM evacuate patients from the flooded hospital encountered heavy floods in the vicinity of San Juan, Metro Manila where stalled vehicles made Aurora Boulevard virtually impassable. It was, however, able to maneuver out of deep waters and instead proceeded to lend support to a rescue effort at Araneta Avenue, one of the worst-hit residential areas in Quezon City.

The PAF rescuers literally soaked themselves in this operation, some reaching back Villamor Air Base at 9:00 AM Sunday, he said, adding that most of them though wet and hungry were in high spirits after rescuing the needy typhoon victims.

Last Sunday’s operation saw PAF rescuers reaching UST in Espana, Provident Village in Marikina and the flooded areas in Pasig.

We have also started sending out our planes to conduct aerial survey of typhoon areas, he said, adding that they may even airlift relief goods to inaccessible areas.

As of press time, the responding airmen are still under the orders of the National Disaster Coordinating Center as to where they will conduct search and rescue operations

8 NPA rebels captured

Official Philippine Army Press Release
http://www.army.mil.ph/index.htm
Date Released: 28 Sep 2009
Press Release No 02-060

The on-going rescue and relief operations in the Metro Manila areas, and the Rizal, Bulacan and Laguna provinces, did not hamper the Philippine Army's operations against armed rebels in other parts of the country.

Reports reaching the Philippine Army headquarters from field units disclosed that eight New People's Army rebels were apprehended and various high-powered firearms were recovered in an operation in Brgy. Banban, Pequeno, Calinog, Iloilo on September 27.

Acting on reports of NPA presence at said barangay, elements of the 47th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division apprehended eight NPA rebels and recovered three M16 rifles, one M14 rifle, a cal .45 pistol, and one Improvised Explosive Device.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army has committed almost 1,000 personnel to render rescue and relief operations in Metro Manila and the provinces of Rizal, Bulacan and Laguna. It shall be more vigilant in ensuring that necessary services will be delivered to the victims of the recent flood. It can be recalled that in December 2004, soldiers belonging to the 56th Infantry Battalion, while on rescue and relief operations in San Rafael, Bulacan after Typhoon Winnie devastated the province, were attacked by 80 NPA rebels resulting to 10 soldiers killed and six wounded.

Pfc Ancheta inspired rescue of 600 Ondoy victims

Official Philippine Army Press Release
http://www.army.mil.ph/index.htm
Date Released: 28 Sep 2009
Press Release No 02-059

As the tropical depression "Ondoy" hit the country last Saturday, many Army soldiers were the first to rescue citizens affected by the rampaging floods in many parts of the country. However, as many lives were saved, the Philippine Army suffered seven casualties during the rescue operations, including Private Firstclass (Pfc) Venancio V. Ancheta who saved 20 civilians before he drowned.

According to reports reaching the Philippine Army headquarters, Pfc Ancheta belongs to the disaster response team of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) led by Lt. Arnel Marcos that responded to affected residents of Brgy. Tunhac, Famy, Laguna. Pfc Ancheta was carrying the 20th rescued civilian in his back when he was hit by a log. He was able to bring the man on his back to safety before he was swept away by the flood current. His remains were later recovered the next day at the same barangay by members of the Disaster Relief and Rescue Unit of the 16th Infantry Battalion.

The Philippine Army mourns with the family and loved ones of Pfc Ancheta but salutes his heroism that serves as an inspiration for the whole Philippine Army and, in particular, his teammates who continued the mission and rescued another 600 civilians in Famy, Laguna.

Aside from Pfc Ancheta who offered his life in Famy, Laguna, another Army soldier and five CAFGU members who responded to Mabitac, Laguna died while selflessly saving lives of citizens. They are Corporal Adriano Regua, CAA Joel Hernalin, CAA Erineo Olaguer, CAA Pedro Falcon, CAA Florencio Dequino, and CAA Artenio Descotido.

Pfc Ancheta is just one of the many Philippine Army soldiers today currently involved in the rescue and relief operations, who are ready to offer the supreme sacrifice just to save lives of their fellowmen.

2 Soldiers Die While On Rescue Mission

Official Philippine Army Press Release
http://www.army.mil.ph/index.htm
Date Released: 28 Sep 2009


Two soldiers and three Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (CAA) members died while two CAAs are still missing while rescuing civilians in Famy, and Mabitac, Laguna yesterday morning during the onslaught of tropical depression "Ondoy".

Reports reaching the Philippine Army headquarters related the heroism of soldiers and CAAs from the 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division in two separate incidents when they responded to victims of the flash floods. About twenty victims were brought to safer grounds before Private Firstclass Venancio Ancheta was swept away by flashfloods in Famy, Laguna. The other incident happened in Brgy Nanguma, Mabitac, Laguna were one soldier and five CAAs were swept by rampaging floods while they were rescuing civilians.
At around 6:15 A.M. Sunday, the body of PFC Ancheta was recovered by elements of the Disaster Relief and Rescue Unit (DRRU) of the 16th Infantry Battalion led by Lt Espina in Brgy Tunhac, Famy, Laguna.

Later at about 9:30 A.M., the DRRU of 1st Infantry Battalion led by Lt Faura recovered the cadavers of Corporal Adriano Regua, CAA Joel Hernalin, CAA Erineo Olaguer and CAA Florencio Dequino along Manila East Road in Sitio Johnson, Brgy Nanguma, Mabitac, Laguna while two other CAAs are still missing as of press time.

Army commanders in affected areas have already declared red alert status and recalled all personnel for deployment to affected areas. All assets and resources are being utilized by the Army since yesterday morning while soldiers are risking their lives and limbs just to save more lives.

Arroyo opens Malacañang for ‘Ondoy’ relief ops

09/28/2009 | 03:59 PM

In the wake of rescue and relief efforts for the victims of tropical storm "Ondoy," President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday opened the doors of Malacañang Palace for the setting up of a relief operations center.

"The President (said) na gawing sentro ng relief operations ang Malacañang, even if kailangan mag-move out ng First Family dito," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in an interview on dzBB radio.

(The President said that Malacañang be the center of relief operations, even if the First Family had to move out.)

A separate radio report said the center would help government agencies pitch in their efforts for faster coordination of their services to the storm’s victims.

The report added that Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Remonde were finalizing plans for the installation of an emergency assistance center at the Palace.

Ondoy battered Metro Manila and the Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions on Saturday – its torrential rains left thousands displaced and about a hundred dead, as of Monday noon.

On Sunday, President Arroyo visited the Ortigas Extension in Pasig City to extend her sympathies to the flood victims in the affected area. She later went to Arayat town in Pampanga to commiserate with the victims in her home province.

The radio report said that on Monday, Mrs. Arroyo went to Marilao, Bulacan to distribute relief goods. Her trip was cut short due to strong rains.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Ondoy will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring occasional rains over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon on Monday. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173321/arroyo-opens-malacantildeang-for-ondoy-relief-ops

Pagasa: 2 more tropical depressions may hit RP this week

09/28/2009 | 10:11 AM

Barely had Luzon recovered from the destruction wrought by tropical storm "Ondoy," a state weather forecaster on Monday said two tropical depressions threaten to enter the country later this week.

In an interview on dwIZ radio, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecaster Connie Dadivas said the two weather disturbances are likely to enter Philippine territory late Wednesday or Thursday.

"May dalawang tropical depression sa labas ng Philippine area of responsibility. Ine-expect natin na papasok sa bansa, papasok ito sa boundary by Wednesday hapon or Thursday (We see two tropical depressions outside the Philippine area of responsibility. We expect them to enter Philippine boundary by late Wednesday or Thursday)," Dadivas said.

But another Pagasa forecaster Joel Jesusa, in a separate radio interview, said the two LPAs are still far away to affect any part of the country for now.

"Malayo pa po, sobrang layo pa ang binabanggit nating dalawang LPA, 1,000 km pa ito (The two LPAs are still too far away, they are about 1,000 km away)," he said on dzXL radio. He added that the two LPAs were moving west-northwest as of Monday.

Earlier, Pagasa said Ondoy continued to move farther away from the country Sunday night, and was 560 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales as of 10 p.m. Sunday.

It packed maximum winds of 110 kilometers-per-hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 140 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 17 kph.

However, Pagasa said Ondoy will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring occasional rains over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon.

"Luzon will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms while Visayas and Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," Pagasa said in its 5 a.m. bulletin Monday.

Ondoy struck Luzon on Saturday, bringing epic proportions of floodwater in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. [See: Epic flood in Metro Manila caused by record rainfall]

As of 6 a.m. Monday, the death toll from Ondoy has reached 86 based on the tally by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The figure, however, does not include 12 reported deaths in Antipolo City, 29 in Quezon City, and 58 in Marikina City as announced by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. [See: Death toll from storm 'Ondoy' continues to rise - NDCC] - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173302/pagasa-2-more-tropical-depressions-may-hit-rp-this-week

Death toll from storm 'Ondoy' continues to rise - NDCC

09/28/2009 | 07:59 AM

The death toll from tropical storm "Ondoy" (international name Ketsana) rose to 86 as of early Monday morning, but may go much higher as authorities verify reports of more deaths caused by the cyclone.

As of 6 a.m., the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) also shifted the focus of its efforts from search-and-rescue to relief work.

"Right now we will concentrate really on providing food and other necessities," NDCC chairman and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said at the NDCC's 6 a.m. briefing.

Teodoro said that as of 6 a.m. Monday, NDCC figures showed "Ondoy" had affected 86,313 families or 435,646 people. Of these, 23,126 families or 115,890 people were brought to 204 evacuation centers.

Ondoy struck Luzon on Saturday, bringing epic proportions of floodwater in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon. [See: Epic flood in Metro Manila caused by record rainfall]

The death toll rose to at least 86, including seven in Metro Manila, 22 in Central Luzon, and 56 in Southern Luzon. Of the fatalities, five were military personnel trying to rescue residents affected by a landslide in Laguna province.

But Teodoro said the 86 does not include 12 reported deaths in Antipolo City, 29 in Quezon City, and 58 in Marikina City. At least 32 people remained missing, he added.

Damage to property was initially reported at P60 million, including P41.1 million in damage to infrastructure, P19.2 million in damage to schools, and P212,000 in damage to agriculture.

Blue alert

Meanwhile, dzBB reported the Department of Health placed all public hospitals placed on blue alert, meaning all medical personnel are to be on duty 24 hours a day.

Also, the DOH had medical personnel prepare anti-tetanus shots.

On the other hand, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) said at least 50 of its members in Metro Manila and Luzon were affected in Tanay and the cities of Marikina, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Parañaque.

"Baka mag-advance sila ng payment sa future claims namin para makabawi... para makaserbisyo (We hope PhilHealth can advance payments for our future claims so we can continue operating)," PHAP president Rustico Jimenez said on dzBB radio.

Also in Manila, the US Embassy said some of its units would be closed for Monday, including those for visa appointment.

In Pasig City, vendors at the Mutya ng Pasig market had to move their stalls to the nearby church, according to a report by dzBB’s Manny Vargas. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/173297/death-toll-from-storm-ondoy-continues-to-rise-ndcc

‘Maring’ leaves 5 dead, 4 missing - NDCC report

09/10/2009 | 11:16 AM

Five people were killed while four were reported missing in the wake of tropical depression "Maring," which left Philippine territory Wednesday night.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC)'s 7 a.m. report Thursday said the dead included two each from Pampanga and Laguna, and one from Bulacan.

It identified the fatalities as Cladilynn Reyes, 7, of San Fernando City in Pampanga; Loreto Quiroz, 59, of San Jose Matulid in Mexico, Pampanga; Nica Lyn Aningo Vasquez, 2, of Pulilan, Bulacan; and sisters Nerissa and Nancy Nievres of Calamba City in Laguna.

Reyes, Quiroz and Vasquez drowned while the Nievres sisters died after a landslide hit their house, the same report said.

Listed as missing were Jonalyn Bayno, 19, of Baesa village in Quezon City, after she fell into a creek Wednesday; and security guards Celso Metran, Amor Metran and Patricio Diaz. The three guards of Diego Mining Co. were last seen at their quarters in Botolan town in Zambales.

The NDCC said Maring affected a total of 69,509 families or 307,057 people in 305 villages in 27 towns and one city in Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga and Bulacan.

Floods affected at least 28 villages in Botolan, San Felipe and San Marcelino towns and Olongapo City in Zambales; 125 villages in Apalit, Guagua, Sasmuan, Floridablanca, Masantol, Lubao, Bacolor, Mexico and Arayat in Pampanga; 45 villages in Balagtas, Calumpit, Guiguinto, Marilao, Meycauayan and San Miguel in Bulacan; and 90 villages in Pilar, Morong, Hermosa, Dinalupihan, Abucay, Samal and Bagac in Bataan.



At least 833 families or 3,316 people are now housed in five evacuation centers in Zambales and Pampanga.

Two houses in Bataan and Laguna were destroyed while 32 were damaged.

The NDCC said Maring caused P20.999 million in damages to agriculture in Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan and Tarlac. It added that rains and floods damaged bridges and roads in San Antonio and San Marcelino in Zambales; and Bacolor and Floridablanca in Pampanga.

On the other hand, floods remained waist-deep in parts of in Muntinlupa City; and 13 to 25 inches deep in Valenzuela City.

In Central Luzon, several roads remained impassable, including the Olongapo-Bugallon Road Botolan-Carael section. Not passable to light vehicles were Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Road and Jet Layac Balanga Mariveles Port road.

In Pampanga, the Candaba-San Miguel Road and Baliuag-to-Candaba-to-Sta. Ana Road were not passable. In Benguet, the Itogon-Dalupirip Road was closed due to a roadslide, while the Abra-Kalinga Road was closed. The Mt. Province-Calanan-Pinukpok Road in Kalinga was also closed. - GMANews.TV

4 dead, 84 others missing as SuperFerry sinks off Zambo

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/171617/4-dead-84-others-missing-as-superferry-sinks-off-zambo
09/06/2009 | 10:35 AM

(Updated 11:45 a.m.) Four people died while 84 others were reported missing when a passenger ship sank Sunday morning after tilting for several hours in Siocon Bay near the Zamboanga Peninsula, company and government officials said.

In an interview on dzBB, Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said three of the fatalities from the sinking of SuperFerry 9 were taken aboard MV Myriad, a rescue vessel sent by the ship's owner Aboitiz Transport System (ATS).

One more body was recovered by a Navy rescue boat, one of the vessels that immediately responded to distress calls from the ship when it started tilting at 2 a.m. Sunday in the calm waters of Siocon Bay, he said. Arevalo added that SuperFerry 9 disappeared completely into the sea at 8:30 a.m.

According to Philippine Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, initial investigation showed that the ship left General Santos City at 8:45 a.m. Saturday and was heading for Iloilo when it began having problems with its generator. [See earlier story: Ship tilts off Zamboanga Peninsula]

In a news conference, Tamayo said that as of 11:55 a.m. authorities said 84 people are still unaccounted for. According to ATS, a total of 870 passengers and crew were on board SuperFerry 9.

Citing initial reports, Tamayo said that SuperFerry 9 had problems when its generator "went on and off." Authorities said they would investigate the cause of the sinking as soon as search and rescue operations are over.

The names of the fatalities and cause of their deaths were not immediately available.

In May this year, more than 900 passengers of SuperFerry 9 were left stranded off Camiguin province after the vessel’s engine conked out, according to a radio report.

ATS update

According to an ATS update at 1 p.m. Sunday, rescue operations are ongoing for missing passengers and crew. It was unclear whether the ship was empty or still had people on board when it sank.

In an official statement, ATS said the Philippine Air Force has deployed two PAF helicopters and one OV-10 plane to assist in the search. The Philippine Army and the US AIR force assistance group based in Zamboanga have also deployed helicopters to join the search for missing passengers and crew.

All rescued passengers and crew will be brought to the Zamboanga City port. Assistance including medical treatment, hotel accommodation and transport shall be provided for the ship's passengers and crew, the company said.

SuperFerry 1 is estimated to arrive in Zamboanga City tonight to transfer passengers to Iloilo and Manila. - GMANews.TV

Coast Guard sends oil-response crew to SuperFerry sinking site

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/171630/coast-guard-sends-oil-response-crew-to-superferry-sinking-site
09/06/2009 | 03:10 PM

The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday sent a ship with oil-spill response capabilities to Zamboanga Peninsula, where a SuperFerry vessel listed and sank hours earlier.

Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said the ships have instructions to monitor the area where the SuperFerry 9 sank for any possible oil spill.

“Since she is traveling from General Santos City to Iloilo, there’s still some considerable amount of fuel on board. We have already sent out ships led by BRP Corregidor to undertake monitoring and oil spill response operations as necessary," Tamayo said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said a hole in the hull may have been the cause of the ship’s sinking.

In its report, NDCC said the ship listed 9.5 nautical miles west of Bonga Point in Siocon town in Zamboanga del Norte at about 4 a.m., “allegedly due to a hole in the hull."

The NDCC said the SuperFerry 9 had 847 passengers and 112 crew members on board.

On the other hand, Tamayo told government-run dzRB radio that as of 11:55 a.m., at least 88 people from the SuperFerry 9 remain unaccounted for.

He said the others have been accounted for, including 258 rescued by the “Ocean Integrity," 441 by SuperFerry 9’s sister ship “Myriad," and
171 by the Philippine Navy’s gunboat.

While Tamayo confirmed three fatalities from the vessel, Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said a Navy ship recovered at least one more fatality.

SuperFerry 9 sank off Zamboanga Peninsula Sunday morning, hours after it began to list while en route from General Santos City to Iloilo.

Also, Arevalo said the ship’s captain, Jose Yap, is now in Navy custody, adding that the skipper was among those rescued and brought aboard Navy ship 116.

Initial investigation showed Yap gave the order to abandon ship at about 4 a.m.

‘Among best captains’

Andrew Deyto, SuperFerry assistant vice president for sales and marketing, said Yap had been one of Aboitiz Transport Systems’ “best captains."

“He has been with us for so many years, (he’s) one of our best captains around," Deyto said at a press conference.

Deyto also vouched for the safety of SuperFerry 9, saying it was the first ship to be awarded an International Safety Management (ISM) certificate in 1996.

He also said the vessel last went into dry-dock in June 2007, and its next drydock is due in the first quarter of 2010.

But only in May this year, over 900 passengers of SuperFerry 9 were left stranded off Camiguin province when the ship’s engine conked out.

In the meantime, Deyto said relatives of passengers can call Aboitiz at 5287000. He said they are still setting up hotlines in Iloilo and General Santos to accommodate passengers’ kin.

Palace's order

In Malacañang, meanwhile, deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez Jr. said President Arroyo ordered Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. to send military assets to rescue the passengers.

“Dahil sa utos ng pangulo kay Sec. Teodoro maraming nasalba at nakakatuwa naman dahil mabilis ang action ng Coast Guard, ng Navy at Air Force (Because of the president’s order to Teodoro, many lives were saved because of the quick action of the Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force)," he said on government-run dzRB radio.

Golez also said the Department of Social Welfare and Development is coordinating with the Office of the Civil Defense to help survivors and relatives.

He added the DSWD and Department of Health are instructed to give assistance immediately to the injured and to the relatives of the fatalities. - GMANews.TV