Tacloban to get front-seat view of fireworks show on New Year’s eve

SAN RAFAEL, Bulacan—On New Year’s Eve, Tacloban City will have a front-seat view of a dazzling light show, courtesy of one of Bulacan’s top fireworks companies.

Dragon Fireworks Inc., which operates a factory here, is shouldering the cost and production of a light show for typhoon-devastated Tacloban residents on Dec. 31.

Joven Ong, Dragon Fireworks president, said the 15-minute fireworks display would rise above the Tacloban City Hall and would be visible even to residents living two kilometers away.

Ong said the company shipped equipment and pyrotechnic products to the city on Sunday. A team of fireworks technicians has also left for Tacloban, he added.

Dragon Fireworks is the first Asian fireworks company to defeat other pyrotechnic firms in the world in the 2013 Pyronale Fireworks World Championships, an annual competition held in Germany in September.

Tacloban officials had requested Ong to put up the light show, heeding a Dec. 7 offer made by leaders of the Bulacan fireworks industry to provide free fireworks to communities struck hard by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in November.

The offer had a catch: Bulacan’s businessmen wanted the stricken communities to request for the fireworks because of fears that a fireworks show would be labeled inappropriate.

Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez sought out former Bulacan Rep. Lorna Silverio, also this town’s former mayor, who helped facilitate the free show.

“Of course, we were considering how the tragedy may have impacted on the Visayas, and many residents there may be grieving. As much as we wanted to initiate the light show ourselves, we did not want to be told that the survivors need food, shelter and clothing more than a fireworks display,” Ong said on Monday.

“But now that they urged us to bring the fireworks to them, we gladly did this. We really want to make their New Year happier,” he said.

Tacloban, however, may not be provided the same light show Dragon Fireworks put together in September in Berlin.

The company’s winning entry was a 15-minute pyro-musical performance that featured famous Filipino folk and popular songs, like “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” by Angeline Quinto, “Tanging Yaman” by Carol Banawa and a tune accompanying the folk dance “tinikling.”

“I spoke to Tacloban officials and they told me the light show would be seen by many residents because [Supertyphoon Yolanda] had flattened trees and structures in the city,” giving them a clear view of the fireworks display, Ong said.

He said the company also promised to build school buildings in the city, after discussing the proposal with local officials as well as with former Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who was appointed by President Aquino as chief coordinator of rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-stricken areas in the Visayas.

Ong said the project would be completed in time for the June opening of classes.

Fireworks manufacturing is a leading trade in Bulacan, which has seen rising sales on the days leading to the New Year revelry.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Bieber sings Christmas carols to ‘Yolanda’ survivors in Tacloban

MANILA, Philippines — Pop megastar Justin Bieber sang to young survivors of the Philippines’ deadliest typhoon Tuesday after he flew into the disaster zone to boost an international relief effort.

Bieber flew unannounced to Tacloban City just over a month after it was devastated by Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) and sang Christmas carols to children at a local school amid tight security, witnesses said.

“He sang Holy Night for the children,” said Kate Donovan, a spokeswoman for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), one of three aid agencies expected to benefit from Bieber’s charity work.

Photos posted on social media showed young fans with mobile phones snapping away at the Canadian teen heartthrob, who has more than 46 million followers on Twitter.

Prior to visiting the Philippines, Bieber had posted a message on fund raising website Prizeo.com urging his millions of fans to donate to the victims of the typhoon, the strongest to ever hit land.

Yolanda cut across the central Philippines on November 8, destroying scores of communities along its path.

Tsunami-like storm surges it triggered also swallowed up many coastal areas, and were blamed for majority of the nearly 6,000 deaths.

More than 1,700 others remain missing and about four million have been displaced.

In his message on Prizeo, Bieber said those donating to his cause could win a chance to personally see him record music next year.

“In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, its victims in the Philippines need our help — and they need it now,” he said in his appeal.

Many other international celebrities have also lent their voices to the massive rehabilitation effort, including Grammy-award winning singer Alicia Keys who visited victims airlifted to Manila two weeks ago.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Final starrer showcases Paul Walker’s acting mettle

Paul Walker died in a car accident last Saturday after attending a charity fundraiser for victims of natural disasters, like Typhoon “Yolanda.” It was tragic to lose him just before the release of Eric Heisserer’s “Hours”—about a desperate father’s struggle to keep his ventilator-reliant, newborn daughter alive in the midst of Hurricane Katrina.

While flawed and frustratingly tedious, the dramatic thriller puts the 40-year-old actor’s heretofore untapped dramatic chops to good use.

It begins with Nolan Hayes (Walker) losing his wife, Abby, after she delivers their premature baby.

With the raging storm expected to hit sooner than later, everyone in the hospital is forced to evacuate—but, the grieving widower is left with no choice but to stay with his baby, who can’t immediately be rescued, because her ventilator is simply too heavy to lug around!

When the electricity goes out, Nolan has to manually recharge the ventilator’s defective battery every three minutes to keep his daughter breathing!

But, time, food and medical supplies are running out fast! Worse, as flood waters continue to rise, he soon finds himself in grave danger when gun-toting thieves and guiltless looters show up at the hospital! What to do?

From the get-go, the movie requires a sense of urgency and claustrophobia that Heisserer could have used to keep his film consistently viewable, eventful and tension-filled. Walker keeps his emotions real—from the enervating effect of Abby’s passing to heart-warming moments with his frail child—but, even his best efforts aren’t enough to shake off the tedium that makes viewers fidget in their seats.

Walker turns in a deceptively simple portrayal, boosted by his graceful evocation of spousal grief and fatherly devotion. True, it’s easy to imagine what a more seasoned actor could have done with the difficult role—but, to demand only histrionic ululations of grief reflects a limited grasp of the scope and depth of human emotions.

After all, the sight of a silently weeping man can sometimes be more moving than someone who howls his grief for all the world to see and hear! Who’s to say that one is more appropriate than the other?

Unfortunately, while the film is an acting showcase for its lead star, it’s a missed opportunity for its debuting director—win some, lose some.

—Rest in peace, Paul Walker.

‘Machete Kills’

What do Lady Gaga, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Antonio Banderas have in common? They share the role of the shape-shifting hitman, El Camaleon, in Robert Rodriguez’s polarizing (and unapologetically campy) actioner, “Machete Kills.”

The film follows the adventures of ex-federale Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo) after he is recruited by US President Rathcock (Charlie Sheen, billed as Carlos Estevez) to stop visionary inventor Luther Voz (Mel Gibson) and Marcos Mendez (Demian Bichir), a Mexican revolutionary with a split personality, from blowing the world to smithereens and replacing it with a utopian world in outer space!

The star-studded production is a merry mix of madness, mayhem, idiosyncratic performances, cool gadgets and shockingly disposable characters who shift allegiances in a snap! Joining the lead stars are Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Vanessa Hudgens and Jessica Alba, who ham it up—with tongues firmly in cheek!

There’s a lot of loopy fun to be had, that’s for sure—but, if you think there’s more to “Machete Kills” than its circuitous depiction of Good versus Evil—tough luck, that’s all there is!

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Yolanda survivors rejoice after Pacquiao triumph

TACLOBAN, Philippines — Thousands of Filipino survivors of Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) erupted into wild cheers Sunday to celebrate their boxing icon Manny Pacquiao’s victory that gave them a brief respite from the enormous destruction and rebuilding that lies ahead.

“It felt like I got my house back,” said street sweeper Ardel Nebasa, who lost him home in tsunami-like storm surges that ravaged Tacloban city on Nov. 8.

Officials hope that watching Pacquiao’s triumph against American Brandon Rios in Macau would help traumatized survivors take their minds off the horrific devastation wrought by the typhoon and inspire them to pick up the pieces from the storm that killed more than 5,200 people.

“I was so happy and I wanted to cry but there were too many people,” said Nebasa, who watched the match with his son and thousands of others on a TV screen set up in a public plaza in Tacloban city.

He added, “It would have felt like another storm has hit if he lost.”

Another survivor waved a cardboard placard that read: “We’re for Pacquiao, God bless, Tacloban will rise again.” Many jumped repeatedly in joy.

Thousands of residents also cheered at Tacloban’s Astrodome stadium and watched the fight on a giant screen, their view partly obscured by the light filtering through holes in the basketball gym’s ceiling. One man carried a Philippine flag.

Pacquiao, who defeated Rios by unanimous decision to take the WBO international welterweight title, has dedicated his comeback fight to storm victims and promised to visit Tacloban and outlying regions that the storm had turned into a corpse-strewn wasteland.

When the bell rang to signal the end of the 12-round match, many spectators in Tacloban threw their baseball caps, shirts and pieces of cardboard into the air, even before the result was officially announced.

Tacloban city folk, Nebasa said, would gladly await the visit of Pacquiao, who rose from poverty to become one of the world’s highest-paid athletes.

“We’ll be thankful if he can help us,” Nebasa said. “He came from the ranks of the poor and we identify with him and are happy for his triumphs.”

In Macau, the 13,000-seat arena at the Venetian casino was packed. Many in the audience were Filipinos who either lived and worked in Macau or nearby Hong Kong, or made the one-hour flight from the Philippines.

Some waved Philippine flags, and frequently chanted, “Manny, Manny.”

Businessman Bong Ferrer flew to Macau with a group of 11 others.

“Of course this is a high morale day to the Filipino people because of what’s happening to us back in the Philippines. It’s redeeming to us. It makes us feel in high spirits,” he said.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Pacquiao career at stake vs ‘monster’

MACAU—An impressive victory by Manny Pacquiao over Brandon Rios on Sunday will serve a triple purpose.

It will bring joy to his countrymen reeling from the destruction wrought by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” and rekindle hopes of a dream showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

These are apart from his personal mission to recover the luster of his ring career tarnished by his knockout loss to Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez late last year.

Manila’s GMA 7 network is setting up a free viewing of the fight in various places in Tacloban City so residents of the typhoon-ravaged area can watch the bout.

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach believes Pacquiao is in prime shape to demolish the loudmouth Rios.

“He’s looking good and focused, with no distractions,” said Roach. “I can see no reason for Pacquiao to lose.”

4-1 favorite

Pacquiao is a heavy 4-1 favorite to beat Rios in their fight in Macau and dispel the notion he’s on the decline. More important, it will give him a chance to seek a fight with Mayweather, who has dodged him for years.

“Pacquiao-Mayweather isn’t dead in the water,” Roach said. “All Pacquiao needs is to beat Rios and everything is possible.”

Roach, however, won’t be content with only a win over Rios. He wants a knockout. The quicker, the better for the American trainer, who holds a grudge against Team Rios.

First, for insulting him by mimicking his slurred speech and body tremors caused by Parkinson’s disease, in a video that leaked in 2010.

And second, when Rios’ conditioning trainer Alex Ariza kicked him in the chest in a prefight confrontation on Wednesday.

Roach told Pacquiao it would be a great favor if he knocked out Rios.

Being a gentleman, Pacquiao never uttered a word. But according to Roach, Pacquiao is showing him signs that he intends to do just that.

Shake off distractions

They’ve been together for so long that a wink or a nod is enough to send a message across:  Pacquiao wants Team Rios to pay the price for insulting his mentor.

More than that, he wants to make Filipinos happy.

But Pacquiao will need to shrug off the distractions from Yolanda and the physical clash between Roach and Ariza as he heads into the make-or-break comeback fight with Rios.

In Rios, the Filipino great will be facing a fighter who vows to be “a monster” in the ring.

The only man to have won world titles at eight different weights knows his career is on the line as he returns to the ring, just days away from his 35th birthday.

It is almost a year since Pacquiao was knocked out cold by Marquez, a defeat that came six months after a controversial split decision defeat to American Timothy Bradley.

A third loss in a row, in the World Boxing Organization (WBO) International welterweight title clash with America’s Rios tomorrow, and talk of his retirement would amplify into a roar.

Yet just 18 months ago, “Pac-Man” was revered as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, having only lost once in 31 fights dating back to 1999.

Hungry to win

Roach has admitted that if Pacquiao loses badly to Rios, a former lightweight world champion, he would not hesitate to tell him to retire.

But defeat is the last thing on the mind of Pacquiao, who has a record of 54 wins, 5 defeats and 2 draws, with 38 KOs in a professional career spanning almost 19 years.

“Brandon Rios says he’s hungry to win this fight and I also say I’m hungry to win this fight because I lost twice last year,” Pacquiao said.

However, the final days of Pacquiao’s buildup have been anything but smooth after Yolanda struck the Philippines, leaving thousands dead.

“I’m doing my best to win this fight and give a good fight, especially with what happened to my countrymen,”
he said.

“To all the people and the families who have been affected by the  typhoon—this fight is for you.”

Pacquiao was also unimpressed by a bust-up between Roach and Rios’ camp, which ended with Ariza kicking the 53-year-old, who is afflicted with Parkinson’s disease, in the chest.

As cameras rolled for a reality TV show, the two sides were heard hurling racial and homophobic insults and a torrent of expletives, while Ariza mocked Roach’s slurred speech.

No trash talk

“All I can say is both teams prepared for this fight. Let this finish in the ring and not in trash talk before the fight,” said Pacquiao.

“Let’s set a good example to all the people who admire boxing,” added the deeply religious fighter.

“All I can say is this is sports. This is nothing personal, we are doing our job in the ring. Anyone who has a grievance should forgive as the Lord forgives.”

The ebullient Rios is confident.

“This is the best shape I have ever been,” said the 27-year-old, who has a 31-1-1 record but has never boxed at welterweight, or fought anyone of Pacquiao’s pedigree.

Signs of decline?

“I’m nobody’s tune-up fight,” added Rios. “I’m nobody’s punching bag—a punching bag don’t punch back. Sunday, you’re going to find out I’m not going to stop. I’m a monster when I get in that ring.”

Rios, who at 5 feet 8 inches is nearly two inches taller than Pacquiao, is also unfazed by stepping up two weight divisions and 12 pounds in the past 18 months, saying 147 pounds is a “natural weight” for him.

Both fighters will have to cope with the unusual timing of around 11:30 a.m.  on Sunday, tailored to suit American pay-per-view audiences.

Win, and Pacquiao will seek a rematch with Marquez ahead of a dream meeting with Mayweather.

Lose, and the end of his career draws closer.

Robert Garcia, the trainer of Rios, said Pacquiao was showing signs of coming to the end of his career and would be vulnerable.

Pacquiao has not fought since his knockout defeat at the hands of Marquez. Garcia said he had noticed subtle signs of decline in the Filipino boxer.

No love lost

“Everybody’s end comes someday and it could be this fight,” Garcia said. “He does have a lot to lose in this fight, and that’s pressure not only for him but his trainer and everybody in his camp.”

Garcia added:  “There are things I’ve seen in his last two fights that maybe a lot of people who haven’t fought don’t see. I went through those things and I already see them. There were things I was embarrassed about, that I was afraid to tell my family and to tell my trainers. A lot of fighters go through the same things, they don’t even tell their wives, but I can see it in him.”

Roach bristled when told of Garcia’s comments.

“When does he watch my guy? Does he see my guy train every day, does he see the sacrifices my guy goes through, does he see the roadwork we do every day?” Roach said.

“I hope they are overconfident because Manny is going to destroy this guy.”

Journeyman at best

The undercard for the fight at The Venetian casino begins at 8 a.m. with the main event expected around three hours later.

Roach acknowledged Pacquiao’s recent failure to knock out opponents but said the Filipino fighter was eager to do so tomorrow as a way of announcing his return to the peak of the sport.

“I don’t feel Rios can go the distance with a guy with the talents of Manny Pacquiao. It’s a world-class fighter going in against a guy who is a journeyman at best.” With reports from AFP and AP

source: sports.inquirer.net

New US envoy to Philippines sworn in

WASHINGTON – US Ambassador to the Philippines Phil Goldberg hastily took his new post Thursday so he could head to Manila and help coordinate America’s aid to the typhoon-shattered nation.

“As we struggle to respond to this human disaster, we’re proud that we’re sending to the Philippines the right person for the job,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said as he swore in Goldberg.

So far, the US has delivered about 1,780 tons of food, with about 13,000 US forces helping to deliver the goods to the stricken areas devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan on November 8.

“We are going to continue to work to try to reach these devastated areas,” Kerry said, adding that Goldberg had accelerated his departure to leave for Manila on Monday.

The top US diplomat also thanked the Senate for rushing through Goldberg’s confirmation, “because we want to have our ambassador on the ground in the Philippines to deal with the challenges of emergency assistance.”

The official death toll stands at 3,976 with 1,602 people missing. The United Nations estimates up to four million people have been displaced, of whom only 350,000 have found shelter in evacuation centers.

Goldberg said he was taking up his new diplomatic posting with “mixed emotions.”

While he was honored to be the next US ambassador, “it’s hard to think of the suffering of so many people in the Philippines in recent weeks and all they’ve endured without a touch of sadness and without being moved,” Goldberg said.

But he paid tribute to the Filipino spirit, saying the people are “warm, but they’re also tough and resilient. There should be no doubt that they will bounce back. I have no doubt.”

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

8 relatives of golfer Jason Day die in typhoon ‘Yolanda’

MELBOURNE, Australia – Australian golfer Jason Day has confirmed that eight of his relatives died in Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in the Philippines, including his grandmother.

“I am deeply saddened to confirm that multiple members of my family lost their lives as the victims of Typhoon Haiyan,” Day, who plans to play at this week’s World Cup, said in a statement released Monday by the PGA Tour. “My family and I are thankful for all who have reached out with their prayers and concern.”

Day was attending a corporate outing in Melbourne on Monday and it was not clear whether he would be at Royal Melbourne, where the World Cup tournament begins Thursday. He and his Australia teammate Adam Scott, who won the Australian Masters on Sunday, were scheduled to hold a news conference on Wednesday.

“We feel devastated for all who have been affected by this horrific tragedy,” Day added in the statement. “While I understand the media’s interest in this matter and hope that any coverage can spread awareness to assist with the relief efforts that continue in the Philippines, I hope that all will respect my family’s privacy during this difficult time.

“I will have no further public comments at this time. Please pray for all who have suffered loss. Thank you.”

Day’s mother, Dening, had earlier told Monday’s edition of the Gold Coast Bulletin that the player’s uncle and six cousins also died in the typhoon, which has killed nearly 4,000 people and left more than a thousand missing.

Day’s mother, who migrated from the Philippines to Australia 30 years ago, told the newspaper “my daughter has been updating him, but I don’t want to bother him because he has commitments.”

She said many of her family members lived in the area around Tacloban, the capital of hardest-hit Leyte province.

Day is playing at Royal Melbourne as Australia’s second-highest ranked player at No. 20. Scott is No. 2 and the Australian pair is among the favorites for the tournament which has team and individual components.

Day is entered to play in the Australian Open at Royal Sydney next week.

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

US military ‘godsend’ to ‘Yolanda’ victims

ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON — As soon as Navy pilot Matthew Stafford puts his helicopter down in the village of Borongan, he is rushed by dozens of local men who form a line to unload the supplies he has flown in from the USS George Washington aircraft carrier.

On the Philippine islands of Leyte and Samar that were shattered by Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), there is no doubt about it: the US military has been a godsend.

“It is awesome to see this,” says one grateful villager. “They are saving us.”

But while US military support can be critical when disasters like Yolanda strike, staging massive humanitarian relief missions for allies in need isn’t just about being a good neighbor. They can be a strategic and publicity goldmine for US troops whose presence in Asia isn’t always portrayed in such a favorable light — and a powerful warning to countries that aren’t on board.

“These disasters are not unique only to the Philippines. It will send a signal to all of Southeast Asia, to Asia, that the US is serious about its presence here,” said Philippine political analyst Ramon Casiple. “It’s easy to translate this capability for disaster handling into handling warfare. This is the new orientation of the task forces.”

From the military perspective, humanitarian missions like the ongoing Operation Damayan in the Philippines offer concrete benefits — the chance to operate in far-flung places, build military-to-military alliances and get realistic training — that they may later apply to their primary mission, which will always be fighting and winning wars.

“Crisis response planning is a skillset for the military, so when you have an opportunity to execute crisis response it’s good for your planning team,” said Rear Adm. Mark C. Montgomery, who commands the George Washington strike group, stationed offshore in the Gulf of Leyte. “So, sure, there is a benefit there. But in reality the reason we do this mission is because in the Navy’s list of missions this is one of the significant efforts we plan for.”

In the week since the disaster, the Philippines has started to receive support from military forces around the region. Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan have sent aircraft or personnel and more support is expected soon from Brunei, Great Britain, New Zealand and Thailand.



But none has come close to matching the US. Equally importantly, America’s regional rival China has not sent any military personnel, and contributed relatively tiny financial aid.

“This is being done in a big way that highlights the meager response of China — that’s the politics there. They’re saying China is not actually your friend in the region,” said Casiple

“I’m sure China is watching and assessing,” he said. China announced Sunday it is ready to send rescue and medical teams to the Philippines, but did not say when the teams would depart.

For US allies like the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Thailand and to some extent Indonesia, it is an affirmation of the US commitment. For others — Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar who are more closely aligned with China — he said the mission is a not-so-subtle message that the U.S remains the biggest power in the region.

Within hours of the typhoon, US Marines were on their way from their bases in Japan to assess the damage and plan out their response. Within days, the George Washington was pulling out of Hong Kong to lead its half-dozen ship battle group to the Gulf of Leyte. By the time they arrived, the US Air Force was already in action.

According to the Marines, US military aircraft have put in nearly 480 flight hours in 186 aircraft sorties, moved nearly 1,200 relief workers into the devastated city of Tacloban and have airlifted nearly 2,900 displaced people from the affected areas. On Saturday alone, they delivered more than 118 tons of food, water and shelter items to Tacloban, Borongan and Guiuan — some of the hardest-hit regions.

More than 600 US military personnel are currently ashore in the Philippines. The USS George Washington strike group adds another 6,200 sailors supporting air operations, and 1,000 Marines and sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are expected to arrive later this week.

“Getting to help people is actually the primary thing that we signed up to do,” Toby Pickens, a Navy rescue diver, said after helping off-lift supplies during several hours of helicopter operations from the George Washington. “It’s not so much the combat that we are looking for … Compared to anything else we do, I would say that this is by far the tops.”

US military public affairs offices, meanwhile, have been pushing out a torrent of photos, text updates, videos and media packages to play up that message of friendship and support.

Col. Miguel Okol, a spokesman for the Philippine Air Force, said that while he is grateful to the US assistance, he is also keenly aware that this is a military operation, with military implications.

He noted that by working together on humanitarian missions, US and Filipino soldiers are in effect conducting joint military exercises, such as while operating C-130 transport planes. The US has deployed 15 of them in the Philippines, which has three of its own.

“No country buys these kind of transports” purely for humanitarian purposes, he said as he watched two C-130 transport aircraft, one from each country, unload supplies at Villamor Air Base in Manila.
“Together, now, we are doing real operations,” he said.

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

Empire State Building lights up in blue, red, yellow for ‘Yolanda’ victims

MANILA, Philippines—For two consecutive nights, blue, red and yellow colors illuminated the iconic Empire State Building in New York City in solidarity with the victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan).

The 103-story skycraper rising above the Manhattan skyline began to display the colors of the Philippine flag on Friday (Saturday in Manila), and again on Saturday, New York time.

“Empire State Building raises awareness and support for Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines,” the management of the 82-year-old building said on its website.

Each night, the building’s tower lights take on a new lighting sequence, representing major holidays, iconic milestones and global events.

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

US sends ‘Mercy’ to Yolanda victims

MANILA, Philippines – A US Navy hospital ship will come to the Philippines to support disaster relief efforts in areas ravaged by the supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan).

Expected to dock in the Philippines this December, naval ship “Mercy” was activated by US Pacific Fleet on Wednesday for immediate deployment, commander of the US Pacific Fleet Admiral Harry Harris Jr. said in an official statement.

“If ordered to deploy, Mercy would get underway in the next several days and could arrive in the Philippines sometime in December, joining other US Pacific Fleet units already supporting Operation Damayan,” the Pentagon’s humanitarian assistance program for “Yolanda” victims launched in cooperation with the US Agency for International Development. Damayan in Filipino means “help in time of need”.

As of posting time, the US has transported more than 107,000 pounds of relief supplies.

In the official website of USNS Mercy has three to four operating rooms, one emergency room, four Intensive Care Unit beds and isolation ward, 62 ward beds and 22 hotel beds.

The US Navy will also send amphibious ships USS Ashland (LSD 48), USS Germantown (LSD 42), USS McCampbell (DDG 85) and USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10), which were expected to arrive in the country starting Thursday.

“This collection of ships and their complement of aircraft, to include much-needed helicopters, will provide food and water, the capability to move relief supplies to isolated areas, and to help move the badly injured for medical care,” Harris said.

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

Australian firm donates A$500,000 to Red Cross for Yolanda relief

MANILA, Philippines—Global resources firm BHP Billiton has donated A$500,000 to the Red Cross in response to the devastation wrought by “supertyphoon Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) in the Visayas region last week.

“The typhoon and its aftermath have had a severe impact on communities in the Philippines and given our history and relationship with the people of the Philippines, we hope this donation will assist the Red Cross in helping the local people in their recovery from this terrible event,” said Mike Henry, the BHP Billiton president.

The donation came from the Australian firm’s BHP Billiton Sustainable Communities, a charity it established as part of its community investment program.

Apart from the A$500,000 donation, BHP Billiton will also donate A$2 for every A$1 donated by an employee through its Matched Giving program.

source: business.inquirer.net

Spoelstra featured in typhoon relief ad; Heat, Carnival Corp. pledge $1M

MIAMI — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, a Filipino-American, released a public service announcement with UNICEF on Wednesday asking people to help with typhoon relief efforts in the Philippines.

Spoelstra’s mother is from the Philippines, and the Heat coach has visited her homeland several times in recent years. The country’s eastern portion was devastated last Friday when Typhoon Haiyan struck, killing thousands, displacing hundreds of thousands and leaving enormous numbers of Filipinos homeless, hungry and thirsty.

“Devastation caused by the recent typhoon in the Philippines has been catastrophic and millions of children have been impacted,” Spoelstra said in the PSA, which was taped as he stood on the court where the Heat play home games.

The NBA, the NBA Players Association and the Heat are among the groups who have already announced donations to relief efforts. The Heat combined with Carnival Corporation to pledge at least $1 million to the effort; the team is owned by Micky Arison, who also chairs Carnival’s board.

In addition, the Heat held a moment of silence for those lost and affected by the storm before their game Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Spoelstra’s success as coach of the Heat has been huge news in the Philippines. Reporters from that country have traveled to cover the last three NBA Finals largely because of Spoelstra’s involvement, and when he returned to the Philippines as part of a sports envoy tour arranged by the NBA and the U.S. State Department in 2009 – his first trip there in 35 years – massive crowds awaited him at every stop.

Other than fans from the U.S. and China, the NBA has said that Filipinos are most active on the league’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.

“The NBA Family is teaming up with UNICEF to bring life-saving clean water, food, medicine and shelter that are urgently needed,” Spoelstra said in the PSA. “Join our team.”

He ends the spot by saying “Thank you” and “Maraming salamat po” – the Filipino phrase for “Thank you very much.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Filipinos abroad mobilize to help country

HONG KONG—Filipinos abroad, who have spent harrowing days trying to contact loved ones after a typhoon devastated their homeland, are mobilizing to send relief, despite misgivings about corrupt local officials pocketing aid on the ground.

With thousands feared dead and aid only trickling in after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: “Haiyan”) laid waste to entire coastal towns on Friday, many among the 10-million-strong diaspora are still frantically trying to find out if their relatives are alive and their homes still standing.

And from Asian capitals to the United States and Europe, Filipino communities are taking to churches and social media sites to raise funds for communities left with nothing—and growing increasingly desperate.

In Hong Kong, where some 150,000 Filipinos work as domestic helpers, the Red Cross said a hotline set up to trace the missing had been overwhelmed since the typhoon smashed into the nation’s central islands, displacing an estimated 673,000.

“The maids were crying. They didn’t know what to do,” spokesperson Denise Wong told AFP.

Liezel Miralles, a 40-year-old domestic worker from Batad, a coastal town of 20,000 people, had not been able to contact her husband and other relatives to find out if they had survived.

“I feel very, very, very sad, my whole family is there,” Miralles said as she bought groceries for her employer at a street-side market. “There is no house, no phone, no connection.”

On Sunday, when Hong Kong’s downtown throngs with domestic helpers congregating on their day-off, worker groups will hold an “information drive” on the crisis and gather donations.

But support group United Filipinos is one of many organizations and individuals around the world planning to direct aid only to nongovernment agencies.

“We are afraid that if we send to the government, it will just to go their pockets and will not reach the beneficiaries,” secretary general Eman Villanueva told AFP.

“Politicians are using it for their own benefit even in the midst of this devastating situation. They are still thinking for themselves.”

In Singapore, Dimples Larrazabal said the 24 hours it took for her to get in touch with her mother, her brother and his family in the town of Ormoc in devastated Leyte province seemed like an eternity.

“At first I was half-positive (that things would be OK) because our house is a good structure,” said Larrazabal, a 35-year-old homemaker. But she began to panic after seeing photos showing the unimaginable devastation.

“That’s when I cried ‘Oh my God! Nothing was spared!” she said. “I knew that Ormoc was directly in the path of the typhoon.”

Social media sites were inundated with posts from people searching for missing relatives, uploading pictures of individuals and families on Facebook and Twitter in posts tagged #tracingPH or simply #missing.

Google said it had updated its Person Finder site—which helps people find loved ones after a disaster—to include Philippines’ mobile numbers.

Krima Molina, a 26-year-old teacher from storm-struck Leyte now living in Tokyo, said she watched in horror as Facebook posts from friends at home turned into increasingly desperate pleas for help.

Homeless survivors were becoming ill from exposure, left with no shelter but makeshift shanties made of plastic tarps draped over plywood, she said. “They need medicine. They need volunteer doctors. A lot of people are injured.”

Many of the homes destroyed have been built with the earnings of the staggering 10 percent of the population that works abroad.

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

Snapshots from Philippine typhoon disaster zone

Four days after Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda) devastated islands in the central Philippines, survivors are desperate for food and clamoring to be evacuated. Here are some snapshots from the disaster zone:

— NO COMMUNICATION: The Philippine military says communication outages are making coordination with local government departments in hard-hit Tacloban city a major problem in the relief effort. Army Brig. Gen. Virgilio Espineli said, “We are organized. We have command and control. But how do we call the department of social welfare, the department of health, the department of public works and highways?”

— DEMINING NEEDED: A military armory just north of Tacloban airport’s tarmac was destroyed by the storm, which left explosives, grenades and military ordnance scattered around, some now buried in the mud. Military personnel are trying to keep people away, and at some point the area will need to be cleared.

— TRICKLE OF FOOD AID: Very little food aid has reached Tacloban. At the city’s airport, people crowded the destroyed terminal building and shouted at soldiers. “We are hungry,” one man said. “Please, please help us,” said another. A soldier yelled back that cargo planes were coming, and that people would be flown out.

— YOLANDA VS. HAIYAN: Philippine authorities gave Typhoon Haiyan a Filipino name, Typhoon Yolanda. That’s their policy because it is easier for local people to relate to Filipino names than foreign ones.

— DEAD BODIES: Many survivors expressed concern about dead bodies floating in the sea and lying on the ground. “They should be removed right away because all of us will get sick,” said 40-year-old Helen Cordial. Medical professionals say dead bodies are a negligible health hazard. “After a disaster, the top priority is look after the living. Rushing to bury the dead diverts resources away from rescue efforts and can make it impossible to identify bodies later,” the International Committee of the Red Cross says.

— RELIEF SUPPLIES IN, EVACUEES OUT: U.S. Army Maj. Leo Liebreich said American forces were hoping to bring five C-130 cargo planes to Tacloban to get people out Tuesday. “We’re bringing in relief supplies, and leaving with evacuees” for Manila, he said. “It’s pretty chaotic.”

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Aquino urged to declare nat’l day of mourning for ‘Yolanda’ fatalities

MANILA, Philippines – Opposition Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Tuesday urged President Benigno Aquino III to declare a national day of mourning for the people who perished from supetyphoon “Yolanda.”

Ejercito, in a statement, also urged Aquino to order all government agencies and schools in the country to fly the Philippine flag at half-staff “to signify sympathy and respect to the families and victims of the super typhoon.”

The senator made the proposals as he lauded the President for declaring a state of national calamity.




Aquino’s move, he said, came just hours after he filed a resolution Monday, calling for the declaration of a state of national calamity.

Ejercito said there was indeed a need to declare a state of national calamity to expedite the relief, rescue and rehabilitation efforts by the government and private sector, including international humanitarian assistance.

“This will also ensure to put a price freeze on the basic commodities, thus, will prevent the profiteering and hoarding of prime goods, medicines and petroleum products needed by the victims,” he  said.

“This move is just one of the steps to help the survivors of the super typhoon in rebuilding their lives and putting back normalcy in the affected regions,” the senator added.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Smart cell site restored at Tacloban airport

MANILA, Philippines — Smart Communications fired up its cell site at the Tacloban airport Tuesday noon in a bid to support various emergency relief operations for residents affected by monster typhoon “Yolanda.”

“It’s not possible to restore all the facilities at the same time. So the first priority is to support emergency relief agencies,” Ramon Isberto, PLDT and Smart Public Affairs group head said, noting that the airport is located along the downtown area, a portion of the city where signal has been restored.

Other cell sites will be fired up in the next couple of hours, he said, but added that restoration in the whole of Tacloban will have to wait as it depends on the restoration of commercial power in the city.

But in total, Smart Communications- Public Affairs Group said in a statement that Smart, Talk ‘N Text and Sun network services have restored 82 percent of its network services in the Visayas; 100 percent in Bohol, Guimaras, Negros Oriental, and Southern Leyte; while still below 50 percent in Biliran and Eastern Samar.

In Palawan, network service is 100 percent normalized, except for Coron with 50 percent restored to date.

“We’re stepping up the deployment of network equipment to more areas so that we can restore rapidly services at strategic areas such as dense population centers, relief operations centers and vital facilities like airports,” Isberto said in a separate statement.

In the meantime, Isberto said they are hosting free calls and free mobile phone battery charging in the most severely affected cities and towns.

The specific locations of “Libreng Tawag” centers are as follows:

1.       Smart cellsite in Borongan City, Eastern Samar
2.       PNP Headquarters, Tacloban City, Leyte
3.       PLDT Office, Jones St., Tacloban City, Leyte
4.       DSWD booth, Tacloban City Hall
5.       Smart cellsite near VNG Subdivision, Tacloban City, Leyte
6.       Municipal Hall, Palo, Leyte
7.       Smart Store, Ormoc City, Leyte (with free mobile phone charging)
8.       Ormoc City Plaza, Ormoc City, Leyte
9.       Ormoc airport, Ormoc City, Leyte
10.   Municipal Hall, San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu
11.   Cebu Cultural Center, Bantayan Island
12.   Smart cellsite in Sta.Fe, Bantayan Island (with free mobile phone charging)
13.   Madridejos Municipal Hall, Bantayan Island (with free mobile phone charging)

In Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte, Libreng Tawag stations will be available to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as per curfew rules in the area, except in VNG Subdivision which is open only at night.

Free mobile phone battery charging services are also available at the Smart cellsite in Roxas City in Capiz, and Smart cellsite in Old Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan.

Additional teams have been deployed to open more Libreng Tawag stations in Leyte and Samar where the most devastated communities are located.

“We’re using different mobile and satellite technologies to rapidly address the needs of these communities. Aside from mobile network restoration and deployment of Smart Satellite Services, we’ve also partnered with Vodafone Foundation for the set up of an instant mobile network in Leyte,” said Isberto.

He said an ultra-portable network will be installed in Palo, Leyte, also to restore vital communications in the area in support of humanitarian relief and rehabilitation efforts.

source: technology.inquirer.net

‘Yolanda’ death toll nearing 2,000—NDRRMC

MANILA, Philippines — The official death toll from supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) neared 2,000 Monday evening, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

NDRRMC spokesman Major Rey Balido said that there were recorded 1,774 persons killed in areas hit by the typhoon.

In Eastern Visayas alone, there were 1,660 dead.


There were 2,487 injured and 82 missing on official records.

Yolanda lashed Philippines with its powerful winds and torrential rainfall, directly hitting central Philippines at its onslaught.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

More than 10,000 feared dead in typhoon-ravaged Philippines

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — The death toll from a supertyphoon that decimated entire towns in the Philippines could soar well over 10,000, authorities warned Sunday, making it the country’s worst recorded natural disaster.

The horrifying estimates came as rescue workers appeared overwhelmed in their efforts to help countless survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan, which sent tsunami-like waves and merciless winds rampaging across a huge chunk of the archipelago on Friday.


Police said they had deployed special forces to contain looters in Tacloban, the devastated provincial capital of Leyte, while the United States announced it had responded to a Philippine government appeal and would send military help.

“Tacloban is totally destroyed. Some people are losing their minds from hunger or from losing their families,” high school teacher Andrew Pomeda, 36, told AFP, as he warned of the increasing desperation of survivors.

“People are becoming violent. They are looting business establishments, the malls, just to find food, rice and milk… I am afraid that in one week, people will be dying from hunger.”

Authorities were struggling to even understand the sheer magnitude of the disaster, let alone react to it, with the regional police chief for Leyte saying 10,000 people were believed to have died in that province alone.






“We had a meeting last night with the governor and, based on the government’s estimates, initially there are 10,000 casualties (dead),” Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria told reporters in Tacloban.

“About 70 to 80 percent of the houses and structures along the typhoon’s path were destroyed.”

On the neighboring island of Samar, a local disaster chief said 300 people were killed in the small town of Baser.

He added another 2,000 were missing there and elsewhere on Samar, which was one of the first areas to be hit when Haiyan swept in from the Pacific Ocean with maximum sustained winds of 315 kilometers an hour.

Dozens more people were confirmed killed in other flattened towns and cities across a 600-kilometer (370-mile) stretch of islands through the central Philippines.

Deadliest natural disaster

The Philippines endures a seemingly never-ending pattern of deadly typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruptions and other natural disasters.

This is because it is located along a typhoon belt and the so-called Ring of Fire, a vast Pacific Ocean region where many of Earth’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

However, if the feared death toll of above 10,000 is correct, Haiyan would be the deadliest natural disaster ever recorded in the Philippines.

Until Haiyan, the deadliest disaster in the Philippines was in 1976, when a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake devastated the Moro Gulf on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, killing between 5,000 and 8,000 people.

Haiyan set other apocalyptic-style records with its winds making it the strongest typhoon in the world this year, and one of the most powerful ever recorded.

Witnesses in Tacloban recalled waves up to five meters (17 feet) high surging inland, while aerial photos showed entire neighborhoods destroyed with trees and buildings flattened by storm surges that reached deep inland.

“The effects are very similar to what I have seen in a tsunami rather than a typhoon,” the Philippine country director of the World Food Program, Praveen Agrawal, who visited Tacloban, told AFP.

“All the trees are bent over, the bark has been stripped off, the houses have been damaged. In many cases they have collapsed.”

In Washington, the Pentagon announced that US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had responded to a request from the Philippines for military aid.

“Secretary Hagel has directed US Pacific Command to support US government humanitarian relief operations in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan,” it said.

“The initial focus includes surface maritime search and rescue, medium-heavy helicopter lift support, airborne maritime search and rescue, fixed wing lift support and logistics enablers.”

United Nations leader Ban Ki-moon also pledged that UN humanitarian agencies would “respond rapidly to help people in need.”

Ban is “deeply saddened by the extensive loss of life” and devastation caused by Haiyan, said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky in a statement.

Haiyan moved out of the Philippines and into the South China Sea on Saturday, from where it tracked towards Vietnam.

Although it weakened out at sea, more than 600,000 people were evacuated in Vietnam ahead of its expected landfall on Monday morning.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Red Cross, Google launch person finder services

MANILA, Philippines—Looking for your loved ones who are in areas devastated by Supertyphoon “Yolanda”?

The Philippine National Red Cross has launched Social Services Restoring Family Links and Tracing Services.

“If you are looking for a family or friend, contact our Social Services Restoring Family Links and Tracing Services, please call 09175328500,” the PNRC said.



Google, meanwhile, is offering its Person Finder service.

It also has a mobile phone version.

“You can request status via SMS by sending an SMS to +16508003977 with the message Search person-name. For example, if you are searching for Joshua, send the message Search Joshua,” said Google.

source: technology.inquirer.net

Glimpses of devastation a day after ‘Yolanda’

ILOILO CITY – A day after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” unleashed its wrath, only glimpses of the devastation in the Visayas was possible as reports came in trickles from places that were still without power or means of communications.

At least 22 people were reported killed in Iloilo, northern Cebu, Roxas City in Capiz, and Aklan but the number was expected to increase since communication remained difficult in these places, along with Leyte province. Most of the worst hit areas were still inaccessible and had not submitted reports to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices.

(Many more were reported dead in Leyte, with initial unofficial reports placing them over 100.)

Six people were reported dead in Iloilo, six more in Cebu, four in Antique and three each in Aklan and Capiz, according to initial reports as of Saturday afternoon.

Almost all houses on the coast or on island-villages were destroyed or badly damaged by strong winds and big waves. Fallen trees and electric posts blocked roads and rice fields were littered with blown off galvanized iron roofing.

The howling winds did not spare churches, municipal and school buildings and other structures made of concrete.

After the strong winds, badly hit municipalities were still threatened by flooding due to rising waters from upland areas.

In Negros Occidental, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. wept on Saturday morning upon seeing so many poor people rendered homeless in Cadiz City.

Aside from Cadiz, also hard hit in Negros Occidental were the cities of Sagay and Escalante and Toboso town, said the Provincial Disaster Management Team.

A report from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office showed at as of 6 a.m. on Saturday, 59,209 Negrenses were affected by the typhoon in 24 towns and cities in Negros Occidental and 12,992 were staying in 193 evacuation centers.





At least seven towns in northern Cebu remained isolated after being whipped by Yolanda.

Badly hit were Bogo City and the towns of Medellin, San Remegio, Daanbantayan on mainland Cebu and the municipalities of Sta Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos on Bantayan Island.

Local officials of the affected areas were appealing for help because the devastation was widespread.
“The devastation is overwhelming. We appeal for help from the national government and from international agencies and organizations,” said Iloilo provincial administrator Raul Banias after an aerial inspection of the worst-hit areas in northern and central Iloilo.

“If you see the devastation, you will cry,” said Mayor Patrick Escalante of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, where at least 4,000 houses along the seashore and hinterland villages were destroyed.

Escalante appealed for food and other forms of assistance for the Cadiz victims to augment government help as the number of people in need was overwhelming.

The provinces of Capiz, Aklan, Antique and Iloilo were declared under a state of calamity by their respective provincial boards on Saturday to hasten the release of calamity funds.

Governor Marañon of Negros Occidental has asked the provincial board for a special session to declare the province under a state of calamity.

Cebu was already under a state of calamity following last month’s magnitude 7.2 earthquake.

Most of Panay Island was  without electricity for a second day on Saturday. Power was restored to parts of Iloilo City Friday evening.







Communication has been hampered by lack of telephone connections and mobile signals in municipalities.

The national road connecting Iloilo with Aklan and Capiz was impassable as of Saturday morning due to fallen trees and flooding.

Iloilo Vice Governor Raul Tupas said the supertyphoon also wiped out the livelihood of residents in coastal villages.

He cited the island village of Malangabang in Concepcion in Iloilo where at least 250 fishing boats were destroyed.

Tupas was acting as governor and chairman of the provincial disaster council because Governor Arthur Defensor was in Manila to attend the burial of his 14-month-old grandaughter.

In the capital town of Kalibo in Aklan, the ABL Sports Complex which served as an evacuation center and provincial command center was damaged when strong winds tore off a part of its roof.

At least 11,461 houses were destroyed and 6,855 others were damaged according to reports from six of the 15 towns of Aklan, according to Galo Ibardolaza, executive officer of the provincial disaster council.

“This is worse than Typhoon ‘Frank’,” said Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores, referring to the typhoon that devastated Aklan and other parts of Western Visayas in 2008.

Miraflores said it could take a month to fully restore electricity in the province due to the number of fallen electric posts and damaged connections.

At least 80 percent of houses and buildings, including the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral and provincial capitol, were damaged or destroyed in Capiz, according to Gov. Victor Tanco.

“This is the worst calamity experienced by Capiz. We could not believed what happed,” Tanco told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

In Roxas City, shopping malls, churches and government buildings were damaged.

“It looks like Roxas City was crumpled. I have not seen a house without damage,” said Mayo Ala Celino.

Celino said assistance was also hampered by lack of personnel because the houses of most city hall employees and officials, including himself, had also been damaged.

In nothern Cebu, the towns of Bogo, Medellin, San Remegio, Daanbantayan, Sta. Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos were without communication, power and water supplies while only motorcycles and small vehicles could navigate the roads because of fallen trees.

Medellin Vice Mayor Alfonso Lim said they too needed food assistance for their people as the municipal government was unable to operate because government buildings were badly damaged.

The typhoon blew off the roofs of the public market, sports complex and public schools among others as about 70 percent to 80 percent of their houses, government structures and infrastructure were damaged by the typhoon.

In neighboring San Remegio town, about 90 percent of the houses were without roofs, said Councilor Jun Verallo.

Daanbantayan Mayor Augusto Corro said that at least 14 persons were injured by broken glass and flying GI sheets.

About 80 percent of the houses on Bantayan Island were destroyed.

In Sogod and Tabogon towns, fallen trees covered the roads. A ten-wheel truck carrying animal feed fell on its side in Tabogon.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III urged Cebuanos not to be disheartedned but to rise together.

“Let us be strong. We’ve gone through several calamities in the past. I know we can do this. We’re determined to surpass these adversities. Let’s continue to pray. Let’s continue to be safe,” he said.

(Reports from Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Carla P. Gomez, Ador Mayol, Jhunnex Napallacan and Doris C. Bongcac, Inquirer Visayas)

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net