HIGH-RISK METRO AREA RESIDENTS
TO BE PERMANENTLY RELOCATED
[PHOTO
AT LEFT - The Tumana River in Marikina City quiets down days after swelling at
the height of tropical storm ‘Ondoy’ and destroying houses along its banks.
MIKE AMOROSO]
MANILA, OCTOBER 5, 2009 (STAR) By Paolo Romero - President Arroyo yesterday ordered the permanent relocation of thousands of families living near riverbanks in Marikina City and other so-called high-risk areas in Metro Manila.
Mrs. Arroyo issued the order following a meeting with rescue and disaster officials of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) in Cainta, Rizal on Friday.
Mrs. Arroyo noted that thousands of families have been forced out of their homes because of the flooding brought by tropical storm “Ondoy” since last week.
It was during the NDCC meeting where the issue of permanent relocation was discussed to prevent another disaster from occurring any time a storm like Ondoy would strike the metropolis.
Officials pointed out that some three million residents in Metro Manila and nearby provinces had been affected by Ondoy. Among the hardest hit by the flooding are the cities of Marikina and Pasig, as well as the nearby province of Rizal.
Although Metro Manila was spared by the onslaught of typhoon “Pepeng” yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo appealed to the thousands of families still staying at the various evacuation centers scattered in Metro Manila to remain for “one more night” until the weather improves.
“After these (Ondoy and Pepeng), we will not allow the return of those living in riverbanks,” Mrs. Arroyo told a pooled interview in her office at the NDCC in Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.
She said the evacuation centers are now very congested that many families that could not be accommodated were brought to Malacañang.
Local officials said that of the more than three million people affected, over 400,000 remain in evacuation centers, most of them with poor sanitation facilities.
Officials noted that most of the affected families are living near riverbanks, waterways, and esteros in the inundated areas of Marikina, Pasig and the coastal towns surrounding Laguna de Bay in Rizal province.
Laguna Lake rose by more than one meter as Ondoy passed last week and was in danger of spilling over into several towns in Metro Manila, affecting some 100,000 people, according to Ed Manda, general manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority.
Mrs. Arroyo said the plan to permanently relocate the affected families would be sustained by Vice President Noli de Castro, the government’s housing czar, who pointed out available lands in different stages of development in provinces near Metro Manila.
“So we will segue to permanent relocation sites... it will be a whole new community,” Mrs. Arroyo said.
The President said among the relocation sites available are located in San Mateo and Rodriguez towns in Rizal, Calauan in Laguna, and San Miguel in Bulacan.
Local officials, however, expressed their opposition to the proposed permanent relocation of residents living in the critical areas.
Even Cabinet officials like Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando expressed opposition to the relocation of evacuees from Marikina City, whose mayor is his wife, Marides.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said relocating residents could only mean loss of voters, particularly with the onset of local elections in 2010.
“But I think that (loss of voters) is the least of our concerns... and this is, of course, a very good opportunity to clean up our esteros and waterways,” Remonde told reporters on Friday.
“Actually, the presence of our countrymen in these areas are not only endangering themselves but affecting the flow of esteros,” he said.
Remonde stressed the recurring problem of evacuating the people living near waterways and esteros every monsoon season.
Mrs. Arroyo placed the entire country under a state of calamity on Friday to expedite relief efforts for people affected by Ondoy. - With AP
Typhoons force RP to import rice (The Philippine Star) Updated October 05, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo has ordered agriculture officials to import rice amid an expected supply crunch next year following devastating typhoons that battered the farm sector, her spokesman said yesterday.
Typhoon “Pepeng,” which hit Luzon Saturday, leaving at least 15 dead, swamped large swathes of farm land just a week after tropical storm “Ondoy” dumped the heaviest rainfall in more than four decades on Manila.
Ondoy, international name Ketsana, left 293 dead and affected over three million people.
The typhoons have caused extensive damage to the farm sector and Arroyo has ordered free seedlings for farmers, her spokesman Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said.
“Secondly, President Arroyo is anticipating food shortages (and) she has ordered the Department of Agriculture to import (rice) at the earliest possible time,” Remonde said.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said initial damage to the farm sector wrought by the two typhoons stood at 5.5 billion pesos (117 million dollars). The figure was expected to rise once a full assessment of the damage comes in.
Yap said there were enough stocks of rice for the whole year, but the impact on the supply could be felt by the first half of next year.
“We don’t see a supply problem for 2009, because that is provided for in our buffer stock,” Yap said over local radio. “Our issue now is dry crops for 2010.”
The Philippines relies heavily on imports to feed its rapidly growing population of 92 million.
In 2008, the country was forced to buy some 2.3 million tons of rice despite record world prices. This year, it has so far imported 1.7 million tons from Vietnam.
Ketsana however has not spared rice producer Vietnam, where it killed 162 people and flooded large areas in the countryside.
Mrs. Arroyo also ordered Yap to immediately extend assistance to farmers displaced by Ondoy and Pepeng to help them recover and ensure the country’s food supply in the coming months.
Officials said Ondoy hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces but other parts of the country as far as Mindanao were also affected.
Yap said damage to agriculture caused by Ondoy amounted to P5.4 billion and this is expected to increase as typhoon Pepeng slammed into agricultural regions in Luzon over the weekend.
Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo directed Yap to give distressed farmers free seeds to allow them to replant crops.
“The Department of Agriculture was also asked to import rice at the earliest possible time,” he said.
Mrs. Arroyo visited yesterday Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, among the major rice producing provinces in the country. – Paolo Romero
Meralco: No major disruption By Donnabelle Gatdula (The Philippine Star) Updated October 05, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said yesterday there were no major outages sustained within the power distributor’s franchise area as typhoon “Pepeng” veered toward Northern Luzon.
Meralco external communication manager Joe Zaldarriaga said there were only eight reported circuit trippings since the company raised precautionary and contingency measures yesterday in anticipation of Pepeng’s onslaught.
Zaldarriaga said most of these outages were isolated trippings and power in the areas was immediately restored.
In a related development, Meralco said that it has restored electricity to all circuits in its franchise area that were affected by tropical storm “Ondoy.”
The company is now conducting a thorough meter-to-meter check to its affected customers as a precautionary and safety measure.
“After a flood, exercise all caution before you plug and turn on your appliances. Ask a licensed electrical practitioner to help and determine if it would be safe to switch power back on in your homes,” said Zaldarriaga.
Zaldarriaga added that customers who would like to report outages and other concerns can call the Meralco hotline at 16211 or text its mobile numbers at 09209292824 and 09175592824.
Meralco earlier quelled rumors circulating on the Internet and text messages that Meralco will implement a power shutdown within its franchise area because of typhoon Pepeng.
In a statement, Meralco said that it will only cut off power if the situation calls for it.
“It is unfortunate that rumors such as these are being circulated. We appeal to those who relay messages of this nature to please exercise prudence before sending messages that may cause panic,” the statement read.