Showing posts with label Naval forces southern luzon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Naval forces southern luzon. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Aquino okays new designation of five generals, flag officers

By PNA
Zamboanga Times, Wednesday, July 6, 2011

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), has approved the designation of five Generals and Senior Officers to key-positions in the military, effective last June.

Upon the recommendation of the Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin, two Brigadier Generals, two Colonels and a Navy Captain were appointed to key-positions in the AFP by the Republic Act (R.A.) No. 8186, as amended by R.A. No. 9188, otherwise known as the Act Strengthening the Professionalism in the AFP.

Brig. Gen. Cipriano D. Gundao, the former Acting Commander Philippine Air Force Air Logistics Command, now formally holds the said position.

Brigadier General Joel C. Marayag, previously the Commander of the 1st Air Division, is now the Deputy Chief of Staff for the AFP Reservist and Retiree Affairs, J9.

Colonel Luis C. Vinoya Jr., former Chief Army Management Information Center from the Philippine Army, is now the Chairman of the AFP General Headquarters Bids and Awards Committee. Col. Danilo H. Peñafiel, prior to being the Deputy Commander of the Air Education and Training Command of the Philippine Air Force was the Deputy Wing Commander, 355th Aviation Engineering Wing.

Captain Abraham F. Celzo of the Philippine Navy, previously the Deputy Commander is now the Commander of the Naval Forces in Southern Luzon.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines is committed in further strengthening professionalism within its ranks. The designation of new positions is part of the dynamics of the organization which is vital in carrying out our mission effectively. We shall expect great things from these newly appointed officers in order to make our goals happen," AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Eduardo SL Oban Jr. said. (PNA)

zambotimes.com

Thursday, June 23, 2011

‘Falcon’ merges with LPA, gains strength

By Katherine Evangelista
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Thursday, June 23, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—Tropical Storm Falcon (international name: Maeri) gained strength on Thursday after it merged with a low pressure area that was earlier spotted off Catanduanes, according to the country’s weather bureau.

Public storm signal No. 1 was raised in Quezon, Aurora, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Isabela, Batanes Group of Islands and Cagayan, including Calayan and the Babuyan Group of Islands.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Falcon was expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and would bring rains over Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Pagasa said residents in low-lying and mountainous areas should watch out for flashfloods and landslides. Fisherfolk in western Luzon, Visayas and eastern Mindanao should also refrain from venturing out to sea, it added.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, Falcon was 420 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

It was moving northwest at 15 kph.

The low pressure area was spotted 550 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes earlier Thursday .

Because of its interaction with this low pressure area, Falcon had slowed down.

Forecaster Rene Paciente also said that with the merging of the LPA and Falcon, more rains are expected in the country.

Falcon is expected to be out of the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday. Its projected rainfall is 15 to 20 millimeters per hour, according to Paciente.

By Friday afternoon, Falcon is expected to be 270 km east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan, and 320 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes, by Saturday afternoon. By Sunday afternoon, it is expected to be 740 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes or 140 km northwest of Okinawa, Japan.

Meanwhile, seven fishermen were confirmed missing in Virac, Catanduanes. In its latest situation report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that the seven fishermen were from San Vicente village in Virac, Catanduanes. They were reported missing early Thursday afternoon and were reportedly aboard three fishing boats.

The missing fishermen were identified as Antonio Avila Bailon, Nestor Tapit Mandasoc and Vicente Rodriguez Tapit, who were on board a white-green-and-yellow-colored boat; Prosperos Tabios and Paquito Tabuzo who set sail on a yellow-colored boat; and Rolando Sarmiento Tabor and Denver Sta. Ines who were also on another yellow boat.

The Region 5 Office of Civil Defense has requested assistance from the Naval Forces Southern Luzon and Philippine Coast Guard-District Bicol in the search and rescue operations for the missing fishermen. The Philippine Navy will be deploying a PG112 boat and an Islander Aircraft as soon as weather condition improves, the NDRRMC said.

The PCG District Bicol has also issued a no sailing advisory for all motor boats, and passenger and cargo vessels within the region.

As of 6 a.m. Thursday, 210 passengers, 15 trucks, three passenger buses and a private car were reported stranded in the ports of Tabaco, Pio Duran and Rapu-Rapu, all in Albay. Six motor boats and nine other vessels were also confirmed marooned on the ports, the NDRRMC said.

Likewise, the Air Transport Office said it had also cancelled 30 international flights and 26 domestic flights due to the bad weather brought by Falcon.

The provincial disaster council in Albay also issued Advisory No. 2, which suspended classes on all levels in the province; instructed city and municipal mayors to evacuate residents living near flood-prone areas; ordered that no one shall cross flooded roads and bridges and swelling rivers; and warned those living near river banks and mountain slopes to take precautionary measures against possible flashfloods and landslides.

The Department of Public Works and Highways have prepositioned two stake trucks in Albay while the Philippine Army has readied six trucks in Polangui, two in Libon, and two more in Oas, all in the province of Albay, for any possible evacuation.

Ipo dam remained to be nearing critical spill level with 100.3 meters of water level as of 7 a.m. Thursday, the state-run disaster management council said.

newsinfo.inquirer.net

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Brace for strong La Nina

By: Marvin Sy
The Philippine Star, Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Pangilinan are calling on concerned sectors to brace for the impact of La Niña this year, a phenomenon which they said could lead to significant loss of life and property.

Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on climate change, said all local government units (LGUs) should follow the lead of their counterparts that have joined the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) in making their cities and municipalities more resilient to natural calamities.

She lauded the LGUs in Region VII, mostly from Cebu, for committing to the UN’s 10 Essential Actions to Reduce Disaster Risks, the latest group to join the program.

She said this would help in the efforts to prepare for the impacts of climate change in the country by making their respective cities and municipalities more prepared for natural disasters.

“This serves as a warning to us of what we should expect in the coming days and months. The UN campaign will help us become more prepared when disasters occur.”

She said the Metro Manila LGUs would also commit to the UN program in a ceremony to be held this February.

“We must prepare our people to adapt to a changing climate. We have to learn from the lessons of devastating disasters we have experienced year in, year out. We should start the year with a firm resolve of not tolerating any casualties or losses,” Legarda said.

Pangilinan, Senate committee on agriculture chairman, on the other hand said that the incessant rains experienced in Southern Leyte and Albay could result in a full blown agricultural crisis unless the officials of the national government and the LGUs start preparing for worst-case scenarios.

He said the country has just started feeling the effects of the La Niña phenomenon and that according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), more typhoons could be expected this year, particularly during the months of January to March.

“The country’s agricultural sector has already taken blows from the combined effects of the drought caused by El Niño and the series of typhoons that followed it last year. We experienced negative growth from January to September of 2010,” Pangilinan said.

He said the government should be able to use data from Pagasa, Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, and other concerned agencies to be able to come up with measures to address the disastrous effects of La Niña on the agricultural sector.

“Something must be done right away, and the earlier we come up with these measures, the more we can shield our countrymen from a looming disaster and threat to our food security,” Pangilinan said.

Citing data from the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, he noted that the agricultural sector posted a growth rate of -2.62 percent from January to September 2010.

Rains, flooding hit agriculture sector

The amount of property damaged by the heavy monsoon rains in several provinces has exceeded P752 million, even as disaster managers brace for further evacuation in the light of possible flooding and landslides.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has pegged the amount of damage in agriculture, infrastructure, and private properties at P752.27 million as of 5 a.m. yesterday.

Of the amount, P593.34 million accounted for infrastructure damage, P158.9 million constituted agricultural damage and P31,300 for private properties.

In terms of infrastructure, the Caraga region was the most badly hit with damage amounting to P383.33 million followed by Eastern Visayas (P93.29 million) and Bicol (P68.9 million).

The Caraga region remains the worst hit in terms of infrastructure (P383.33 million) followed by Eastern Visayas (P93.19 million), and Bicol (P88.75 million).

The same regions were also the most affected in terms of crop damage.

Caraga suffered P104.52 million worth in terms of agricultural damage while Eastern Visayas and Bicol recorded P31.35 million and P17.4 million, respectively.

Damage to private properties was recorded in Cebu City in Central Visayas (P20,000) and Lanao del Norte in Northern Mindanao (P11,300).

The death toll from the heavy monsoon rains remained at 33 while the number of displaced persons was unchanged at 1,120,685.

The affected individuals are located in 21 provinces within MIMAROPA, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Caraga, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

NDRRMC said a total of 40,618 families or 209,978 people have benefited from the resources and evacuation centers of the Social Welfare department and the local governments.

A total of 4,200 families or 17,584 people are still inside 71 evacuation centers as of yesterday morning.

NDRRMC said disaster managers in Camarines Sur are preparing for preemptive evacuation in anticipation of possible flooding and landslides in 26 municipalities.

These municipalities are Baao, Balatan, Buhi, Bula, Iriga City, Libmanan, Lupi, Minalabac, Pamplona, San Fernando, Sipocot, Sangay, Caramoan, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Bato, Canaman, Milaor, Naga City Nabua, Pili, Ragay, San Fernando, Siruma and Tinambac.

“(There was) no fishing activity in Siruma and no land transportation since Wednesday due to heavy rains. Food packs were delivered in said municipality for distribution to affected families,” NDRRMC said.

The cost of assistance from the combined resources of state agencies, local governments, and non-government organizations has risen to P12.48 million.

The Navy, on the other hand, said it has completed its first sortie of relief operations to displaced families of Cagraray Island in Bacacay, Albay.

Navy spokesman Capt. Giovanni Bacordo said 470 families benefited from the “Food for Work” program implemented by the Albay provincial government.

The relief goods were distributed by sailors from the Naval Forces Southern Luzon who were on board BRP Simeon Castro.

“The Philippine Navy command in Bicol committed two gunboats for the relief operation of island communities,” Bacordo said

Disaster resiliency pushed Militants want delay on farmland rentals

Meanwhile, four of the biggest rural-based groups --the militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), the fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), the peasant women federation Amihan and the Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura --yesterday urged President Aquino to impose a moratorium on payment of land rent on farms damaged by heavy rains and flooding in 21 provinces and five other regions all over the country.

KMP secretary-general Danilo Ramos urged Aquino to issue an executive order compelling landlords to refrain from collecting land rent in disaster ravaged areas affected by continuous massive flooding and landslides since December 2010 in at least 1,073 farming villages in eight regions, especially from Caraga, Eastern Visayas and the Bicol regions.

The KMP said landlords extraction of land rent from poor farmers usually ranges from 50 to 70 percent of the farmers produce, which it described as extremely exploitative.

“Aside from quick and substantial economic relief and assistance, we strongly compel the Aquino administration to impose moratorium on payment of land rent of farms in devastated farming communities,” Ramos said.

Aside from land rent moratorium, he said the government should also postpone payment of debts to landlords, traders and government financial groups like Quedancor and cancellation of interests to those with damaged crops.

Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap, for his part, demanded that the Aquino government and the Department of Agriculture provide financial compensation of P10,000 to P15,000 per hectare to farmers whose crops were damaged and order the Land Bank of the Philippines to implement zero-interest credit line amounting to P10,000 to P15,000 per hectare to farmers.

He said the same compensation package should be given to fisherfolk in affected regions. The KMP said the acquisition of motorized water-pumps, pipes and tubes, tractors, hand tractors, farm tools and carabaos for the use of affected farmers, and fuel subsidy for their operation were also necessary to help farmers in calamity stricken areas. Helen Flores, Rhodina Villanueva, Alexis Romero, Miriam Desecada