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Current Human Events & Stories

Live blogging the fury of Mayon Volcano

Today, at 9:32 AM, Tuesday, January 23, Legazpi time, we start a live blogging event to document the fury and ferocious destruction of Mayon volcano on its environ and the local residents living in its vicinity. We are getting a live text feed direct from the city fronting the volcano. […]

Bulusan volcano spews ash, the second eruption this week

BULUSAN, Sorsogon — Active Mount Bulusan, here, spewed a kilometer-high ash cloud that lasted for around nine minutes early morning on Wednesday, its second time this week. Volcanologists of the Philippine Institute of Volcanolgy and Seismology (Phivolcs) found 0.5 millimetres traces of ashes that drifted towards villages in this town. […]

US Zika travel advisory includes Philippines, 10 other SE Asian countries

The Philippines was included in the Zika virus-related travel advisory by the United States. The U.S. government on Thursday issued the advisory, recommending pregnant women to consider postponing non-essential travel to identified countries in the region. Ten other countries majority in the Southeast Asian region are also in the list, […]

More major quakes expected any day now around the world

Experts warn that an even worse disaster is imminent as the planet is overdue for a high-magnitude earthquakes along the Earth’s largest fault lines, even as Italy was devastated last week with hundreds of lives lost already. On Saturday, two earthquakes hit the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, a […]

Ban on firecrackers up to Congress as report of New Year injuries climb

Malacañang is leaving proposals on total ban on firecrackers up to Congress, as it is the one authorized to amend Republic Act No. 7183 or the law regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices. Meanwhile, the number of fireworks-related injuries during the New Year […]

This is why PDOH bats for total ban of fire crackers in 2017

This is why the Philippine Department of Health is supporting the total ban of fire crackers in 2017. Setting fire to a few strong firecracker may not surprise you. Try starting a string of 100,000 strong Judas belt (loclly called Sinturon ni Hudas) for some adventure in welcmonin the new […]

Nigeria funds potable water system for ‘Yolanda’ survivors

The Department of Social Welfare and Development and Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines Buba Tekune led last Thursday the inauguration ceremony of the water supply project for calamity devastated-families relocated in the resettlement site of Ridgeview Park in Tacloban City, almost two years after Super Typhoon Yolanda leveled the area. […]

DSWD chief denies accusation of campaigning for Malacanang bets

Malacanang on Wednesday defended Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman on the allegation that she was campaigning for the Liberal Party candidates instead of leading from the frontlines for the relief and recovery of those affected by typhoon ‘Lando.” Soliman chided the accusation of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s spokesperson that she was […]

Areas in Visayas, Mindanao on blackout as New Year 2015 kicks in

MANILA, Dec. 31 -– On the eve of new year 2015, not all Pinoys will get to flick the switch to light the tradtional noche buena festivities. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines reported that parts of Visayas and Mindanao still have blackouts as of Wednesday due to Tropical […]

Is there a brewing controversy on Mayon cash relief donations?

Mayon may have yet to explode, but we are sensing a brewing controversy on how the disaster and relief operations are being stage-managed. For the many times that Mt. Mayon threatened the livelihood and well-being of the people in its environs, there is always that factor of receipts from donors […]

Boulders, mudflows isolate several barangays of Albay town

GUINOBATAN, Albay, Dec. 9 — Boulders, mudflows isolate several barangays of Albay town. At the height of Typhoon Ruby’s howling wind and torrential rains, car-sized boulders tumbled and vulcanic mudflows ran down the lower slopes of Mayon towards Barangay Maipon of Guinobatan town of Albay. The heavy debris caused the […]

Fire burns Jose Panganiban public market during Typhoon Ruby

Daet, Camarines Norte — Fire burns Jose Panganiban public market at the height of Typhoon Ruby. An estimated P10-million worth of goods and materials at the grocery section of the public market of the Jose Panganiban town of Camarines Norte went up in smoke early Monday morning while the town […]

Typhoon Ruby weakens as tropical storm – PAGASA

MANILA, Dec. 8 – The state weather agency Pagasa downgraded Typhoon Ruby into a tropical storm category in its latest bulletin. Ruby was moving towards the island-province of Marinduque on Monday morning. Nonetheless, the provinces of Bataan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Lubang island and southern Quezon in Luzon […]

Typhoon Ruby may still make Samar landfall- Pagasa

The Philippine state weather agency on Saturday at 5 a.m. weather bulletin update said it still projected Typhoon Ruby (international name Hagupit) to make landfall over the Eastern–Northern Samar area Sunday morning, bringing with it a storm surge of up to 4.5 meters. At 4 a.m., Ruby was 240 km […]

Phivolcs: No way but towards eruption for Mayon

LEGAZPI CITY –- The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that all indications lead to Mayon volcano towards eruption. Resident volcanologist Eduardo Laguerta said on Monday the edifice of the volcano continues to swell, based on the latest ground deformation survey by the geodetic team, which is still […]

Mayon: DepEd delivers monoblock chairs, supplies for teachers

Monoblock chairs and school supplies for teachers were delivered by the education department over the weekend as confirmed Sunday by the agency’s Twitter account with accompanying post of photos. The school equipments were dropped off by trucks. In a related story, governor Joey Salceda and education officials distributed to teachers […]

Mayon: The mounting cost of keeping safe the evacuees

After the state volcanology institute Phivolcs raised alert level 3 pertaining to Mayon’s restiveness, the government starts piling millions of pesos in current and projected expenses beginning from the day residents were hauled from the affected areas to the evacuation sites in Albay. So now, governor Joey Salceda has announced […]

Glenda aftermath: Coco farmers to suffer economic hardship

LEGAZPI CITY — Coconut farmers are projected to suffer from economic hardship due to loss of income until next year or even up to 2016 as the consequence of Typhoon Glenda. Philippine Coconut Authority-Albay senior agriculturist Alvin Trespeces said agency records estimated the total loss in terms of farmers’ income […]

Batan barangays report late, Rapu-rapu forest fire rage for 5 days

RAPU-RAPU, Albay– A forest fire which raged for five days almost engulfed the forested part of the island of Batan, of the two-island municipality of Rapu-rapu of Albay province. The fire began on Friday last week but came to the knowledge of Albay public safety and civil defense offices three […]

Go home: Typhoon Glenda evacuees told to decamp

Bicol region is reeling from the massive blackout, total power disruptions in all areas, while affected residents are just beginning to face the difficult task of rebuilding, again. Even with the absence of electric power in the entire region, the provincial governments in Bicol have ordered the decampment of a […]

Bitano Massacre was a grave insult to every Albayano

Albay governor Joey Salceda just called the power blackout that inconvenienced constituents for eight days and eight nights as “Bitano Massacre”. Adding that the hapless occurrence which highlighted the seervice of the Albay Power and Energy Corporation, a creation of the San Miguel Enenergy Corporation, may have made residents firmer […]

Yolanda death count update now at 5,936

MANILA, Dec. 10 — The death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to 5,936 while the affected persons have reached 12 million, the national disaster council said on Tuesday. The running total of the death toll is broken into at the Calabarzon, 3; Mimaropa, 19; Bicol, 6; Western Visayas, […]

Yolanda death toll now 5,924 with damage at P35.527 billion

MANILA, Dec. 9 — The death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to 5,924 according to the national disaster council on Monday. The death toll is broken into at the Calabarzon, 3; Mimaropa, 19; Bicol, 6; Western Visayas, 238; Central Visayas, 74; Eastern Visayas, 5,582; Zamboanga Peninsula, 1; and […]

Housewife dies, 23 others survive in Albay river crossing accident

CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, — A housewife died while 23 other passengers swam to safety when their boat capsized after hitting a floating big piece of wood while cruising the Tipya River in Jovellar town, Albay, early Friday afternoon at the height of heavy rains in the […]

Latest Yolanda Update: Death toll now at 5,680

MANILA, Dec. 3 — The death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to 5,680 while the missing persons almost reach 1,800, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Tuesday. The death toll is broken into as follows: Calabarzon, 3; Mimaropa, 19; Bicol, 6; Western Visayas, 238; […]

Yolanda fatalities now at 5,598 while cost of damage rise to P27.8B

Nov 29, 2013 @ 10:24 MANILA, Nov. 29 — The official death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to almost 5,600 while the cost of damage also went up to P27.839 billion, according to the national disaster council on Friday. The death toll is now at 5,598 and broken […]

Salceda urges foreign donors to start giving cash relief to the Philippines

LEGAZPI CITY — Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has urged foreign donors to start giving cash relief to the Philippines or donate to the World Food Programme, an agency with proven expertise in addressing protracted humanitarian crises, to help expedite positive impacts and improve aid effectiveness. Salceda, co-chair of the United […]

Update: Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) death toll now at 3,982

MANILA, Nov 19 — In its latest official tally, the national disaster council on Tuesday announced the death toll for Supertyphoon “Yolanda” has reached 3,982 while damage to lives and property reached over P11 billion The casualty count is broken down in Calabarzon with 2; Mimaropa, 5; Bicol, 5; Western […]

Watch CNN’s Christianne Amanpour interview clueless President Aquino

Watch CNN’s Christianne Amanpour interview hammers almost clueless President Aquino. We invite readers to watch this video, an interview of President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III by CNN host, Christianne Amanpour. A visibly almost clueless, evasive and unconcise Pinoy president, kind of wanting to pour the blame on the local government […]

DOH Bicol regional office dispatch medical team to Tacloban City

The Department of Health Bicol regional office on Tuesday sent a 26-man medical team to assist in the disaster response operation in the super typhoon “Yolanda”-devastated Tacloban City, a DOH officer said Wednesday. On Monday night, a group of medical personnel led Dr. Gloria Balboa, DOH regional director, also left […]

DSWD – Bicol office to lead relief operations in typhoon-ravaged Samar

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol will be the lead agency in conducting relief operations in eastern and western Samar, among the worst-hit provinces in Central Visayas by super typhoon “Yolanda” on Friday, a DSWD regional official said Monday. Arnel Garcia, DSWD regional director, said he had […]

Team Albay OCD-5 humanitarian mission priority deployment is Tacloban City

The 179-man Team Albay-Office of Civil Defense 5 has been assigned for priority deployment in Tacloban City on Monday based on order of Undersecretary Eduardo Del Rosario, Office of Civil Defense administrator and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive director. This was learned from Governor Joey Sarte Salceda […]

Albay dispatches humanitarian team for Eastern Visayas provinces

Team Albay is sending another humaitarian team, this time, to Eastern Visayan provinces ravaged by typhoon Yolanda. The group is composed of 179 highly spirited volunteers, from the Office of Civil Defense 5. They left Legazpi city at about 8:40 p.m. Saturday, in a convoy of 14 vehicles bound for […]

Casualty Update: Typhoon Yolanda leaves 2 dead, 9 injured in Masbate

An eight-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy died while nine persons were reported injured when super typhoon “Yolanda” hit the Bicol region Friday morning. Office of Civil Defense Bicol Regional Director Raffy Alejandro, concurrently Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chairman, identified the two fatalities as Angel Geroldo of […]

Albay evacuates 520K residents from flood-prone barangays

The Albay Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council announced Thursday afternoon that 520,897 persons have been evacuated from flood-prone barangays. PDRRMC chairperson and Albay Governor Joey Salceda said all mayors are in close coordination with concerned agencies and food relief items have been distributed to affected individuals. PAGASA Hourly […]

The Season to Prepare and be Proactive

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reminded us these weather systems are expected to affect the nation from October until December, more of the tail end of a cold front, inter-tropical convergence zone, easterly wave, ridge of high pressure area, the easterlies, and more tropical cyclones.

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Update: Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) death toll now at 3,982

MANILA, Nov 19 — In its latest official tally, the national disaster council on Tuesday announced the death toll for Supertyphoon “Yolanda” has reached 3,982 while damage to lives and property reached over P11 billion The casualty count is broken down in Calabarzon with 2; Mimaropa, 5; Bicol, 5; Western […]

Bitano Massacre was a grave insult to every Albayano

Albay governor Joey Salceda just called the power blackout that inconvenienced constituents for eight days and eight nights as “Bitano Massacre”. Adding that the hapless occurrence which highlighted the seervice of the Albay Power and Energy Corporation, a creation of the San Miguel Enenergy Corporation, may have made residents firmer […]

Watch CNN’s Christianne Amanpour interview clueless President Aquino

Watch CNN’s Christianne Amanpour interview hammers almost clueless President Aquino. We invite readers to watch this video, an interview of President Benigno Simeon Aquino, III by CNN host, Christianne Amanpour. A visibly almost clueless, evasive and unconcise Pinoy president, kind of wanting to pour the blame on the local government […]

DSWD – Bicol office to lead relief operations in typhoon-ravaged Samar

The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol will be the lead agency in conducting relief operations in eastern and western Samar, among the worst-hit provinces in Central Visayas by super typhoon “Yolanda” on Friday, a DSWD regional official said Monday. Arnel Garcia, DSWD regional director, said he had […]

Casualty Update: Typhoon Yolanda leaves 2 dead, 9 injured in Masbate

An eight-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy died while nine persons were reported injured when super typhoon “Yolanda” hit the Bicol region Friday morning. Office of Civil Defense Bicol Regional Director Raffy Alejandro, concurrently Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chairman, identified the two fatalities as Angel Geroldo of […]

Bulusan volcano spews ash, the second eruption this week

BULUSAN, Sorsogon — Active Mount Bulusan, here, spewed a kilometer-high ash cloud that lasted for around nine minutes early morning on Wednesday, its second time this week. Volcanologists of the Philippine Institute of Volcanolgy and Seismology (Phivolcs) found 0.5 millimetres traces of ashes that drifted towards villages in this town. […]

Boulders, mudflows isolate several barangays of Albay town

GUINOBATAN, Albay, Dec. 9 — Boulders, mudflows isolate several barangays of Albay town. At the height of Typhoon Ruby’s howling wind and torrential rains, car-sized boulders tumbled and vulcanic mudflows ran down the lower slopes of Mayon towards Barangay Maipon of Guinobatan town of Albay. The heavy debris caused the […]

Fire burns Jose Panganiban public market during Typhoon Ruby

Daet, Camarines Norte — Fire burns Jose Panganiban public market at the height of Typhoon Ruby. An estimated P10-million worth of goods and materials at the grocery section of the public market of the Jose Panganiban town of Camarines Norte went up in smoke early Monday morning while the town […]

Mayon: The mounting cost of keeping safe the evacuees

After the state volcanology institute Phivolcs raised alert level 3 pertaining to Mayon’s restiveness, the government starts piling millions of pesos in current and projected expenses beginning from the day residents were hauled from the affected areas to the evacuation sites in Albay. So now, governor Joey Salceda has announced […]

Go home: Typhoon Glenda evacuees told to decamp

Bicol region is reeling from the massive blackout, total power disruptions in all areas, while affected residents are just beginning to face the difficult task of rebuilding, again. Even with the absence of electric power in the entire region, the provincial governments in Bicol have ordered the decampment of a […]

Glenda aftermath: Coco farmers to suffer economic hardship

LEGAZPI CITY — Coconut farmers are projected to suffer from economic hardship due to loss of income until next year or even up to 2016 as the consequence of Typhoon Glenda. Philippine Coconut Authority-Albay senior agriculturist Alvin Trespeces said agency records estimated the total loss in terms of farmers’ income […]

DOH Bicol regional office dispatch medical team to Tacloban City

The Department of Health Bicol regional office on Tuesday sent a 26-man medical team to assist in the disaster response operation in the super typhoon “Yolanda”-devastated Tacloban City, a DOH officer said Wednesday. On Monday night, a group of medical personnel led Dr. Gloria Balboa, DOH regional director, also left […]

Salceda urges foreign donors to start giving cash relief to the Philippines

LEGAZPI CITY — Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has urged foreign donors to start giving cash relief to the Philippines or donate to the World Food Programme, an agency with proven expertise in addressing protracted humanitarian crises, to help expedite positive impacts and improve aid effectiveness. Salceda, co-chair of the United […]

Yolanda fatalities now at 5,598 while cost of damage rise to P27.8B

Nov 29, 2013 @ 10:24 MANILA, Nov. 29 — The official death toll from super typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) rose to almost 5,600 while the cost of damage also went up to P27.839 billion, according to the national disaster council on Friday. The death toll is now at 5,598 and broken […]

US Zika travel advisory includes Philippines, 10 other SE Asian countries

The Philippines was included in the Zika virus-related travel advisory by the United States. The U.S. government on Thursday issued the advisory, recommending pregnant women to consider postponing non-essential travel to identified countries in the region. Ten other countries majority in the Southeast Asian region are also in the list, […]

What's Throwback

DSWD chief denies accusation of campaigning for Malacanang bets

Malacanang on Wednesday defended Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman on the allegation that she was campaigning for the Liberal Party candidates instead of leading from the frontlines for the relief and recovery of those affected by typhoon ‘Lando.” Soliman chided the accusation of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s spokesperson that she was […]

Live blogging the fury of Mayon Volcano

Today, at 9:32 AM, Tuesday, January 23, Legazpi time, we start a live blogging event to document the fury and ferocious destruction of Mayon volcano on its environ and the local residents living in its vicinity. We are getting a live text feed direct from the city fronting the volcano. […]

Glenda aftermath: Coco farmers to suffer economic hardship

LEGAZPI CITY — Coconut farmers are projected to suffer from economic hardship due to loss of income until next year or even up to 2016 as the consequence of Typhoon Glenda. Philippine Coconut Authority-Albay senior agriculturist Alvin Trespeces said agency records estimated the total loss in terms of farmers’ income […]

The Season to Prepare and be Proactive

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reminded us these weather systems are expected to affect the nation from October until December, more of the tail end of a cold front, inter-tropical convergence zone, easterly wave, ridge of high pressure area, the easterlies, and more tropical cyclones.

Nigeria funds potable water system for ‘Yolanda’ survivors

The Department of Social Welfare and Development and Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines Buba Tekune led last Thursday the inauguration ceremony of the water supply project for calamity devastated-families relocated in the resettlement site of Ridgeview Park in Tacloban City, almost two years after Super Typhoon Yolanda leveled the area. […]

Update: Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) death toll now at 3,982

MANILA, Nov 19 — In its latest official tally, the national disaster council on Tuesday announced the death toll for Supertyphoon “Yolanda” has reached 3,982 while damage to lives and property reached over P11 billion The casualty count is broken down in Calabarzon with 2; Mimaropa, 5; Bicol, 5; Western […]

Mayon: The mounting cost of keeping safe the evacuees

After the state volcanology institute Phivolcs raised alert level 3 pertaining to Mayon’s restiveness, the government starts piling millions of pesos in current and projected expenses beginning from the day residents were hauled from the affected areas to the evacuation sites in Albay. So now, governor Joey Salceda has announced […]

Albay evacuates 520K residents from flood-prone barangays

The Albay Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council announced Thursday afternoon that 520,897 persons have been evacuated from flood-prone barangays. PDRRMC chairperson and Albay Governor Joey Salceda said all mayors are in close coordination with concerned agencies and food relief items have been distributed to affected individuals. PAGASA Hourly […]