Aquino boosts morale of government troops in Jolo

By Roel Pareño
The Philippine Star, Saturday, February 12, 2011

ZAMBOANGA CITY ,Philippines – President Aquino braved the rain to talk to Marines in an open court in Jolo, Sulu yesterday morning, in what was described as aiming to boost their morale amid allegations of corruption in the military.

Aquino, clad in a blue polo shirt and denim pants, commended the soldiers for their prompt response at the height of flash floods in the capital town of Jolo that killed six people and displaced thousands last week.

In the brief meeting at the headquarters of the 3rd Marine Brigade in Camp Teodulfo Bautista, Aquino lauded the soldiers for being pro-people, showing they were not just for combat operations.

Aquino announced an increase in the soldiers’ combat pay from P250 to P500 plus monthly and promised that military equipment such as aircraft and seacraft would be upgraded for their mobility.

He also vowed to provide the soldiers with personal combat equipment and free housing.

Earlier yesterday, Aquino, accompanied by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman, was briefed by Jolo officials led by Mayor Hussin Amin on the extent of the damage wreaked by the flash floods.

Aquino later distributed relief goods to the displaced residents before meeting the Marines. He flew back to Zamboanga City on his way to Manila.

Aquino in Tarlac

Manila Bulletin, Wednesday, February 9, 2011

President Aquino (Left), accompanied by Defense Secretarry Voltaire Gazmin (partly hidden), inspects the Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) for Disposal at the Crow Valley Gunnery Range, also known as the Tarlac Military testing Ground, in Camp O'Donnell in Tarlac last Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. The President ordered the explosive experts to ensure the safety of the communities around the camp during disposal operations today, Feb. 9, 2011. Also in Photo is Rear Admiral Alexander P. Pama (right), 32nd Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy. (Malacañang Photo)

Sulu Officials seek aid for flood victims

By Noynoy E Lacson
Manila Bulletin, Tuesday, February 8, 2011

JOLO, Sulu – Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan made an appeal to the national government for help to the flood victims in this capital town after Mayor Hussin Amin placed the area under a “state of calamity” due to flashfloods that hit many areas of the municipality since last Thursday.

Rep. Habib Tupay Loong (1st District, Sulu) also arrived here Monday morning from Manila to personally assess the situation of the flood victims that totaled about 1,140 households with an estimated 4,560 individuals.

Loong also called on President Aquino to personally inform him about the calamity that hit the town, as he also appealed for an immediate help for the people of this town.

A similar appeal was also made by Loong in separate calls he made to House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, Department of Social Services and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Soliman, and to the Department of National Defense (DND).

Meanwhile, Tan reported that floodwaters have started to subside in some villages here where it earlier reached about five feet high – sweeping away houses and left five people dead.

“The flood is receding now, but there are some areas in Jolo like the village of Asturias where water is still about knee-deep,” Tan said.

Amin described the calamity here as “the worst flashfloods that have hit this town in many years.” Amin said that the damage brought about by the flood may breach the P100 million.

He said a portion of the wharf was also destroyed and goods being sold at the barter trading center here were also swept away by floodwaters on Friday.

As this developed, Tan and Amin jointly distributed yesterday relief goods to displaced residents here who were evacuated in other areas.

“We have been working on a 24-hour shift to ensure that the flood victims are taken cared of, especially the children,” Tan said.

“I hope the national government could extend the needed help for us to slowly recover again, and put in place again all the damaged infrastructures due to the flood,” Amin said.

A boat of the Philippine Navy stationed in Zamboanga City was also dispatched here to bring in relief goods from the Region 9 office of the DSWD.

Rubber boats were also mobilized since Thursday by the Philippine Marines and by the American troops of the Special Operations Task Force to assist the DSWD personnel here in providing meals and drinking water to the flood victims.

Exercise Pagsisikap 2011

By King Rodriguez

Government troops join the military exercise dubbed as "Exercise Pagsisikap 2011" in the coastal Barangay of Kingking in Pantukan, Compostela Valley on Thursday.