& lsquo;Highest alert& rsquo; spreads to 41 areas& mdash;DOH
Forty-one areas---including nine cities and a municipality in Metro Manila---have been put under the highest COVID-19 alert classification as new infections hit a four-month high at 12,021 Wednesday......»»
Calm Weather
Downtown Iligan City enjoys calm weather, with occasional light rain amid an overcast sky, as of noon Monday (18 December 2023) as Tropical Storm “Kabayan” earlier made landfall in Davao Oriental. The weather bureau (PAGASA) reported that the rivers considered as “areas of concern” in Iligan and Lanao provinces—Mandulog, Agus, and Iligan (and tributaries Malindawag, Pugaan, Tubod)—were “below alert level” as of 9 a.m. MindaNews photo by BOBBY TIMONERA.....»»
Red tide alert up for Visayas, Mindanao areas
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has reported that shellfish from certain areas in the Visayas and Mindanao continue to exhibit the presence of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), commonly known as toxic red tide. The agency identified shellfish and acetes (alamang) from the following locations as containing toxins beyond their.....»»
1,700 aftershocks recorded in magnitude 7.4 earthquake
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has reported approximately 1,700 aftershocks following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Surigao del Sur on December 2, 2023. As of December 4, there were 1,692 recorded aftershocks in the province, ranging from magnitude 1.4 to 6.6. Residents felt 18 of these aftershocks. Additionally, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake occurred in Davao City with its epicenter in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. Phivolcs has emphasized the importance of public alertness as strong aftershocks are expected. The Office of Civil Defense-Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Davao Region (OCD-RDRRMC-Davao) has elevated the red alert status to ensure a 24-hour response to affected areas. The Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) reported a magnitude 4.8 earthquake in the city with no confirmed reports of injuries or damage. The Provincial Government of Davao Oriental conducted a structural assessment and building inspection on the Provincial Capitol Building and the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center. Various agencies collaborated to.....»»
PAGASA warns of ‘significant’ rain from shear line in parts of Philippines
Areas affected by the shear line must stay on alert for floods and landslides in the next three days, says PAGASA on Thursday, November 16.....»»
PCG on alert for barangay, SK elections
The Philippine Coast Guard said on Thursday that it is focused on maintaining peace and order in the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on 30 October. Philippine Coast Guard Rear Admiral Armand Balilo stressed that the operation units of the PCG are on full alert for the elections, in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police. “Almost all operating units of the Philippine Coast Guard throughout the Philippines are on alert, and our activities are focused on maintaining peace during travel [for Undas] and the SK and barangay elections on Monday,” Balilo said in an interview. “Our mandate is to prioritize those far-flung areas where assets and personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard will be needed," he added. As for the recent collision that occurred in the West Philippine Sea between Philippine and Chinese vessels, Balilo said: “Despite the recent incident of a collision in the West Philippine Sea... the Philippine Coast Guard personnel [will] not be swayed by what happened and [will] just do the duty assigned to us. We are committed to working on the RoRe [rotation and resupply] mission and we will support our colleagues in the Philippine Navy.” The post PCG on alert for barangay, SK elections appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PNP raises Undas alert
The Philippine National Police on Sunday revealed that it will go on full alert at least three days before the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections slated on 30 October and maintain this alert until All Saints’ Day or Undas. In an interview, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said the PNP would prepare for both events next week, adding that they had enough manpower for both. “We will do better than the recommendation. Three or four days before the election, we will raise the alert status of the PNP to full alert status and that will continue until after Undas. Our monitoring will be continuous,” Fajardo said. However, she said that extending the full alert status until Christmas Day depended on the assessment of the field commanders. “Our regional directors have discretion to adjust their alert status depending on their areas’ political and crime environment,” said Fajardo, adding that PNP personnel were no longer allowed to go on leave starting the second week of December up until January 2024. The post PNP raises Undas alert appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wildfire on Spain’s Tenerife forces 3,000 people to evacuate
A wildfire raging on Spain's holiday island of Tenerife amid unseasonably hot temperatures forced the evacuation on Wednesday of around 3,000 people from their homes, local officials said. Firefighters backed by six water-dropping helicopters were battling the blaze which broke out on Wednesday afternoon in an area of steep ravines in the northeast of the island that was badly ravaged by a huge wildfire in August, the regional government of Tenerife said. Some 2,400 people were evacuated from the town of Santa Ursula, and another 600 from La Orotava, as a precaution, Lope Afonso, the vice president of the regional government of Tenerife wrote on Facebook. Television images and videos posted on social media showed smoke rising from a hill close to houses in a remote neighborhood and helicopters dropping water on flames. Popular tourist areas on Tenerife, part of the Canaries archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, have so far been unaffected and its two airports have been operating normally. The seat of the fire "has been stabilized, we are seeing how it evolves to determine if in a few hours residents can return to their homes," Blanca Perez, the island's councilor in charge of emergencies, told local radio. The outbreak of the fire comes as Tenerife and the neighboring island of Gran Canaria are under a heat alert, with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) across much of the island, levels normally seen during the height of summer. The seven-island archipelago is located off the northwest coast of Africa and southwest of mainland Spain. At their nearest point, the islands are 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Morocco. As global temperatures rise due to climate change, scientists have warned that heatwaves will become more frequent and more intense. The post Wildfire on Spain’s Tenerife forces 3,000 people to evacuate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bar exams generally peaceful — QCPD
Quezon City Police District Director P/Brig.Gen. Redrico Maranan on Monday said the security coverage during the three-day 2023 Bar Examinations was generally peaceful and orderly as there were no untoward incidents recorded. The 2023 Bar Examinations was conducted at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City on 17, 20, and 24 September 2023. Maranan said the QCPD has deployed a total of 59 personnel for the event to ensure the security of the examinees and school premises. He added that the intensified presence of police officers, who were deployed in different areas near the school premises contributed to the success of the said examinations. Maranan commended all the personnel deployed for their dedication to duty which eventually led to a peaceful and orderly 2023 Bar Examinations. “The sufficient number of police force deployed to different areas were tasked to ensure the safety of all examiners and were on alert in responding to any untoward incident,” he added. The post Bar exams generally peaceful — QCPD appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ammonia leak halts Bicutan classes
The city government of Taguig has suspended the class at R.P. Cruz Elementary School due to the ammonia leak incident at the ice plant along M.L. Quezon Street, Barangay Lower Bicutan on Monday. In a statement, the Taguig City Rescue and the Bureau of Fire Protection swiftly responded upon receiving a report regarding an ammonia-related incident, as the classes at the nearby R.P. Cruz Elementary School were immediately suspended at around 8 a.m. to ensure the safety of the students while roads leading to the incident area were promptly blocked to prevent people from approaching the site. The Taguig Rescue, BFP NCR, and PNP Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams are presently conducting an investigation, assessing the ammonia levels, and monitoring wind direction in the area. The local government also established an incident command post at the medical bay in front of R.P. Cruz Sr. Elementary School, manned by personnel from the CDRRMO, PNP and the Incident Command Team. This post is responsible for providing real-time updates on the situation in the affected areas of the ammonia leak. As of 9 a.m., the BFP has declared that the ammonia leak has been successfully contained. All barangays in Taguig have been put on alert for possible ambulance assistance equipped with medical oxygen in response to the incident. Meanwhile, the City Social Welfare and Development Office assisted affected residents in relocating to the designated evacuation site at Hagonoy Gymnasium. The post Ammonia leak halts Bicutan classes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
3-day 2023 Bar Exams peaceful, orderly — QCPD
Quezon City Police District director, P/BGen. Redrico Maranan, on Monday said the security coverage during the three-day 2023 Bar Examinations was generally peaceful and orderly as there were no untoward incidents recorded. This year's Bar examinations were conducted at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City on 17, 20, and 24 of September 2023. Maranan said the QCPD has deployed a total of 59 personnel for the event to ensure the security of the examinees and school premises. He added that the intensified presence of police officers, who were deployed in different areas near the school premises, contributed to the success of the examinations. Maranan commended all the personnel deployed for their dedication to duty, which eventually led to a peaceful and orderly 2023 Bar Examinations. “The sufficient number of police force deployed to different areas were tasked to ensure the safety of all examiners and were on alert in responding to any untoward incident”, he said. The post 3-day 2023 Bar Exams peaceful, orderly — QCPD appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Toxic red tide detected in 8 areas — BFAR
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued a toxic red tide alert in eight regions in the Philippines......»»
Taiwan detects 103 Chinese warplanes around island
Taiwan told China on Monday to stop its "destructive unilateral actions" after more than 100 Chinese warplanes and nine navy ships were detected in areas around the self-ruled island. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary, and has ramped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei in recent years. Taiwan's defence ministry described the number of warplanes detected in 24 hours as a "recent high", while Beijing has so far refrained from issuing any official comment on the sorties. "Between the morning of September 17th to 18th, the Ministry of National Defence had detected a total of 103 Chinese aircraft which was a recent high and has posed severe challenges to the security across the Taiwan Strait and in the region," it said in a statement. Beijing's "continued military harassment can easily lead to a sharp escalation in tension and worsen regional security," the ministry said, as it called on China to "immediately stop such destructive unilateral actions." Of the total number of warplanes detected, 40 crossed the so-called median line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the island from China, and entered its southwest and southeast air defence identification zone (ADIZ), the statement said. 'High alert' Last week, Taipei also reported an increased number of incursions by Chinese warplanes and ships. The uptick came as Beijing said its troops were on "high alert" after two ships belonging to the United States and Canada sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's defence ministry said 68 Chinese aircraft and 10 naval vessels were detected around the island between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning. Some of those planes and warships were heading to an unspecified area of the Western Pacific to "conduct joint sea and air training" with China's Shandong aircraft carrier, the ministry said. The Shandong, one of two operational aircraft carriers in the Chinese fleet, was detected last week around 60 nautical miles (110 kilometers) southeast of Taiwan heading into the Western Pacific, Taipei authorities said. Japan's defence ministry also said last week its navy had detected six ships -- including frigates, destroyers, one fast combat support ship and the Shandong -- sailing through waters some 650 kilometers (400 miles) south of Miyakojima island, east of Taiwan. It confirmed that jets and helicopters had been detected taking off and landing from the Shandong, though China has not commented officially on any drills being conducted in the Western Pacific. 'The same China' Analysts said China could be flexing its muscles to counter US influence in the Asia-Pacific, as it leads multiple rounds of military drills with allies across the region. "Politically, China aims to counter the military containment of democratic allies led by the United States," Su Tzu-yun, an analyst at Taiwan's Institute for National Defence and Security Research told AFP. Following last August's visit to Taipei by Nancy Pelosi, then-speaker of the US House of Representatives, China staged its largest-ever war games around Taiwan. Then in April this year, Beijing conducted a three-day "Joint Sword" military exercise to simulate the encirclement of the island, after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California. While Beijing has yet to issue any statements on its latest sorties, China's Global Times state tabloid posted a comment on the Weibo social media platform. "The mainland and Taiwan belong to the same China, and Taiwan is a sacred and inalienable part of China," the post said, reiterating Beijing's long-standing policy. "The People's Liberation Army's relevant combat training activities are necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," it added, referring to China's military. The post Taiwan detects 103 Chinese warplanes around island appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
150 dead as ‘catastrophic’ storm floods hit east Libya
At least 150 people were killed when freak floods hit eastern Libya, officials said Monday, after storm "Daniel" swept the Mediterranean, its torrential rains earlier lashing Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece. Images filmed by residents of the Libyan disaster area showed massive mudslides, collapsed buildings and entire neighborhoods submerged under muddy water. "At least 150 people were killed as a result of flooding and torrential rains left by storm Daniel in Derna, Jabal al-Akhdar region and the suburbs of Al-Marj," said Mohamed Massoud, a spokesman for the Benghazi-based administration in Libya. "This is besides the massive material damage that struck public and private properties," he told AFP. Hundreds of residents were still believed to be trapped in difficult-to-reach areas as rescuers, backed by the army, were trying to come to their aid. East Libyan authorities had "lost contact with nine soldiers during rescue operations", Massoud said. He said the prime minister of the east-based government, Oussama Hamad, and the head of a rescue committee as well as other ministers had travelled to Derna to evaluate the extent of the damage. Hamad's government -- which in war-battered Libya rivals an UN-brokered, internationally recognized transitional administration in Tripoli -- on Monday declared Derna a "disaster area". Libya's western government under Abdelhamid Dbeibah, during an extraordinary ministerial meeting broadcast live on television, announced three days of national mourning and emphasized "the unity of all Libyans" in the face of the disaster. The National Petroleum Company, whose main oilfields and terminals are in eastern Libya, declared "a state of maximum alert" and suspended flights between production sites where activity was drastically reduced. Experts have described storm Daniel -- which killed at least 27 people when it struck parts of Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria in recent days -- as "extreme in terms of the amount of water falling in a space of 24 hours". 'Severe weather' A Derna city council official described the situation in the city as "catastrophic" and in need of "national and international intervention", speaking to the local TV channel Libya al-Ahrar. He reported the collapse of four main bridges and two buildings in Derna, a city of 100,000 people that lies in a river wadi 900 kilometers (560 miles) east of the capital Tripoli. The storm struck eastern Libya on Sunday afternoon, hitting especially the coastal town of Jabal al-Akhdar but also Benghazi, where a curfew was declared and schools closed for several days. The United Nations mission in Libya on Monday said on X, formerly Twitter, that it was "closely following the emergency caused by severe weather conditions in the eastern region of the country". It expressed its condolences over the deaths and said it was "ready to support efforts by local authorities and municipalities to respond to this emergency and provide urgent humanitarian assistance". Libya, sitting on Africa's largest known oil reserves, was plunged into chaos following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed former dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Two rival governments based in the west and east have been vying for power, with deadly conflict occasionally erupting. The French ambassador to Libya, Mostafa Mihraje, also offered his condolences and expressed his "solidarity with the Libyan people in this ordeal", also in a message on X. In neighboring Egypt, authorities called for caution on the northern coast which borders eastern Libya, and announced they were beginning preparations to minimize the impact of Storm Daniel. The weather forecast predicted more heavy rain in coming days there. As the world warms, the atmosphere contains more water vapor which increases the risk of heavy precipitation in some parts of the world. Combined with other factors such as urbanization and land-use planning, these more intense rainfall events contribute to flooding. The post 150 dead as ‘catastrophic’ storm floods hit east Libya appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Red tide alert up in Visayas Mindanao areas
Red tide has been detected in several coastal areas in the Visayas and Mindanao......»»
Morocco quake kills at least 296 people
A powerful earthquake shook Morocco late Friday and killed nearly 300 people, according to a preliminary government count, with terrified residents fleeing their homes in the middle of the night. The 6.8-magnitude quake struck 72 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of tourist hotspot Marrakesh at 11:11 pm (2211 GMT), the US Geological Survey reported. Strong tremors were also felt in the coastal cities of Rabat, Casablanca, and Essaouira. "We felt a very violent tremor, and I realized it was an earthquake," Abdelhak El Amrani, a 33-year-old in Marrakesh, told AFP by telephone. "I could see buildings moving. We don't necessarily have the reflexes for this type of situation. Then I went outside and there were a lot of people there. People were all in shock and panic. The children were crying and the parents were distraught." "The power went out for 10 minutes, and so did the (telephone) network, but then it came back on," he added. "Everyone decided to stay outside." The quake "killed 296 people in the provinces and municipalities of Al-Haouz, Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Azilal, Chichaoua, and Taroudant", Morocco's interior ministry said in a statement, citing a provisional report. Another 153 people were injured, it added. 'Unbearable' screams Faisal Baddour, an engineer, said he felt the earthquake three times in his building. "People went out into the street just after this total panic, and there are families who are still sleeping outside because we were so scared of the force of this earthquake," he said. "It was as if a train was passing close to our houses." Frenchman Michael Bizet, 43, who owns three traditional riad houses in Marrakesh's old town, told AFP that he had been in bed at the time of the quake. "I thought my bed was going to fly away. I went out into the street half-naked and immediately went to see my riads. It was total chaos, a real catastrophe, madness," he said. The 43-year-old shared a video of piles of rubble from collapsed walls in the streets. Footage on social media also showed part of a minaret collapsed on Jemaa el-Fna square in the historic city. An AFP correspondent saw hundreds of people flocking to the square to spend the night for fear of aftershocks, some with blankets while others slept on the ground. Houda Outassaf, a local resident, told AFP he was walking around the square when the ground began to shake. "It was a truly staggering sensation. We're safe and sound, but I'm still in shock," he said. "I have at least 10 members of my family who died... I can hardly believe it, as I was with them no more than two days ago." Fayssal Badour, another Marrakesh resident, told AFP he was driving when the earthquake hit. "I stopped and realized what a disaster it was... The screaming and crying was unbearable," he said. The interior ministry said authorities have "mobilized all the necessary resources to intervene and help the affected areas". The regional blood transfusion center in Marrakesh has called on residents to donate blood for those injured. In the town of Al-Haouz, near the epicenter of the quake, a family was trapped in the rubble after their house collapsed, local media reported. Significant damage likely "We heard screams at the time of the tremor," a resident of Essaouira, 200 kilometers west of Marrakesh, told AFP. "People are in the squares, in the cafes, preferring to sleep outside. Pieces of facades have fallen." The USGS PAGER system, which provides preliminary assessments on the impact of earthquakes, issued a red alert for economic losses, saying extensive damage is probable and the disaster is likely widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response, according to the US government agency. Internet connectivity was disrupted in Marrakesh due to power cuts, according to global internet monitor NetBlocks. Moroccan media reported it was the most powerful earthquake to hit the country to date. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered condolences, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "pained" by news of the quake. The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Algeria, where the Algerian Civil Defence said it had not caused any damage or casualties. In 2004, at least 628 people were killed and 926 injured when a quake hit Al Hoceima in northeastern Morocco, and in 1960 a magnitude 6.7 quake in Agadir killed more than 12,000. The 7.3-magnitude El Asnam earthquake in neighboring Algeria in 1980 was regionally one of the most destructive earthquakes in recent history. It killed 2,500 people and left at least 300,000 homeless. The post Morocco quake kills at least 296 people appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years
Hong Kong was flooded by the heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years on Friday, leaving the city's streets and some subway stations under water and forcing its schools to close. Just across the border, authorities in China's tech hub Shenzhen recorded the heaviest rains since records began in 1952. Climate change has increased the intensity of tropical storms, experts say, with more rain and stronger gusts leading to flash floods and coastal damage. The heavy rains in Hong Kong started on Thursday and in the hour leading up to midnight, the city's weather observatory recorded hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimeters at its headquarters, the highest since records began in 1884. On Friday afternoon, the Hospital Authority said at least 110 people were hospitalized due to injuries, with four in serious condition. A man was found unconscious off the shore of western Hong Kong Island and declared dead at the hospital, though authorities were still investigating if the death was flood-related. The city's highest rainstorm warning level, "black", was hoisted for a record-breaking 16 hours before being lowered at 3:40 pm Friday, with rainfall mostly easing by late afternoon. "It's absolutely shocking," said Jacky, 52, who lives in the Wong Tai Sin district with his elderly parents. "I don't remember floods ever being this bad in our district." "The bottom floor of the mall is completely flooded, the water level is higher than the storefronts... it's turned our day into chaos," he added. Authorities issued flash flood warnings, with emergency services conducting rescue operations in parts of the territory. "Residents living in close proximity to rivers should stay alert to weather conditions and should consider evacuation" if their homes are flooded, the observatory said. It also warned of potential landslips, telling motorists to "keep away from steep slopes or retaining walls". Hong Kong's stock exchange cancelled all trading sessions on Friday. 'Once in a century' Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan described the deluge as "a once-in-a-century heavy rainstorm", adding that extreme conditions would continue until midnight local time (1600 GMT). "It's like putting four bathtubs of water into one bathtub... it will spill," Chan said at a press conference, when asked if the government had done enough to prevent flooding. The Hong Kong Observatory said it recorded more than 600 millimeters of rainfall at its headquarters over 24 hours -- roughly a quarter of the city's annual average. Earlier in the day, taxis struggled through flooded roads as commuters attempted to make their way to work, with some cars stranded in the deluge. "It felt like the whole neighborhood was isolated by the floodwater. One of the underground car parks is totally under water," Olivia Lam, who lives on the eastern side of Hong Kong Island, told AFP. "The water was almost waist-deep outside my building, and that's not the worst (case) in the neighborhood." An AFP reporter saw boulders and mud from a landslide block off a two-lane road in the Shau Kei Wan district, with mud also spilling over into a nearby basketball court. Residents of a public housing block just 30 meters from the landslide lined up with buckets to collect fresh water after the building's supply was disrupted. Roads were also flooded on the island of Lantau, where rivers swelled over their banks. Southern China was hit the previous weekend by two typhoons in quick succession -- Saola and Haikui -- though Hong Kong avoided a feared direct hit. Tens of millions of people in the densely populated coastal areas of southern China had sheltered indoors ahead of those storms. Hong Kong's weather observatory said the latest torrential rain was brought by the "trough of low pressure associated with (the) remnant of Haikui". Authorities suspended schools and cargo clearance services on the city's border with Shenzhen were paused. The border disruption came hours after Hong Kong authorities announced that Shenzhen was preparing to discharge water from its reservoir, which they said could lead to flooding in northern parts of the city. Hong Kong's subway operator said there was a service disruption on one of its lines after a station in the Wong Tai Sin district was flooded. A handful of other stations were also affected by the rain. Footage posted on social media showed a subway train not stopping at Wong Tai Sin station, which had floodwater on its platform. The flooding could cost Hong Kong at least $100 million, according to a Bloomberg Intelligence estimate, compared to $470 million in damage when the city was hit by typhoon Mangkhut in 2018. The post Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
QC orders localized class suspension
The Quezon City government early morning Monday left the discretion of suspending classes due to continuous rain to barangay and school officials , Angelbert Apostol, the city information chief, announced. Those who immediately ordered the suspension of classes are Barangay Holy Spirit for its (Public Pre-school to Senior High School — Morning and Afternoon Class); Barangay Bagong Silangan (Public Pre-school to Senior High School) and Barangay Payatas (Public Pre-school to Senior High School). Apostol said the discretion is allowed through Memorandum Circular No. 10-A series of 2022 under the Department of Education Order 037 series of 2022. Suspension of classes in private schools, on the other hand, is left to the discretion of school officials. Apostol added that decision to suspend classes is left to the barangay for having their own “pre-disaster risk assessment” in consultation with school officials. Over a year ago exactly on 22 August 2022, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte issued a Memorandum Circular No. 10 instructing the local School Division Office and Public and Private Education Institutions to adhere to Localized Suspension of Classes due to typhoons, floodings and other weather disturbances and calamities. The circular noted an “automatic suspension classes” based on Department of Education 014 Series of 202, that dictated “classes shall automatically be suspended in case the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has declared the following typhoon signal: Signal Number 1 — all public and private pre-school kindergarten classes; Signal Number 2 or higher — public and private pre-school kindergarten elementary and secondary classes. College and university level classes are suspended if the typhoon signal is raised to Number 3, pursuant to Commission on Higher Education Memorandum Order No. 15 Series of 2019 ordering an automatic suspension of classes on Higher Education Institutions when Signal Number 3 is raised by PAGASA. It also carries an order that suspension of work in public schools “shall be in accordance with DepEd Order No. 14 Series of 2021 and CHEd Memorandum Order No.15 Series of 2012 for HEIs.” Meanwhile, the cities of Parañaque and Pasay yesterday suspended classes in all levels in public and private schools due to inclement weather. Parañaque City Mayor Eric Olivarez ordered the suspension in all levels both in public and private schools upon the recommendation of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. The mayor said the recommendation of suspension of classes by the DRRMO was due to the continuous southwest monsoon rains enhanced by typhoon “Hanna.” Residents were told, especially those living in low-lying areas, to immediately call the city government in case of emergencies through its hotline numbers. (For landline: 8820-PQUE (7783), for Smart : 0961-096-6341 and for Globe users at 0956-394-0176.) All residents were advised by the mayor to just stay home for their safety. Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano also suspended online and face-to-face classes in all levels both in public and private schools. The mayor advised residents living in flood-prone areas to be alert and vigilant as rains continue to pour. The post QC orders localized class suspension appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Acuzar orders shelter teams’ activation
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar activated their local shelter cluster teams in regions affected by super typhoon severe tropical storm “Hanna.” Upon Acuzar’s directive, Undersecretary for Disaster Response Randy Escolango issued a memorandum effecting the activation of DHSUD’s shelter cluster teams in the affected regions. Regional Directors in areas along the path of “Goring” and “Hanna” were instructed to be on alert for possible emergency response. “All concerned DHSUD Regional Offices are directed to activate your respective Shelter Clusters to closely monitor your respective areas of jurisdiction and facilitate emergency response and humanitarian assistance as needed,” Escolango stated. The post Acuzar orders shelter teams’ activation appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DHSUD activates shelter teams for ‘Goring’, ‘Hanna’
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development on Thursday activated its local shelter cluster teams in regions affected by super typhoon “Goring" and severe tropical storm "Hanna." Upon the directive of DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar, Undersecretary Randy Escolango, Undersecretary for Disaster Response, issued a Memorandum affecting the activation of DHSUD’s shelter cluster teams in the affected regions. Regional Directors in areas along the path of "Goring" and "Hanna" were instructed to be on alert for possible emergency response. "All concerned DHSUD Regional Offices are directed to activate your respective Shelter Clusters to closely monitor your respective areas of jurisdiction and facilitate emergency response and humanitarian assistance as needed," Undersecretary Escolango stated. He stressed that the activation of the teams was a proactive measure to ensure the readiness of the concerned Regional Offices for any eventuality and to assist affected residents, particularly those whose residences have been damaged. During calamities, DHSUD local shelter teams are closely working with the Office of Civil Defense, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and other concerned government agencies to harmonize efforts in providing assistance to affected families, especially those who were displaced. The post DHSUD activates shelter teams for ‘Goring’, ‘Hanna’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Red tide alert up in VisMin areas
Harvest and consumption of shellfish in eight areas in the Visayas and another in Mindanao are prohibited due to the presence of algae that produces red tide, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources......»»