THE NEWS DATELINER

Albay ready to evacuate close to 1 million residents
By Rey M. Nasol

LEGAZPI CITY – The province of Albay is preparing all resources as some 884,041 Albayanos will be evacuated to safer grounds in case Super Typhoon (pepeng ba or Peping?) changes course to directly hit the province, Albay Governor Joey Salceda said at a press conference here this morning.

The reiteration of the zero casualty measures has been aired by Salceda “Is aimed at reminding all concerned disaster coordinating councils (DCCs) to implement response preparedness in their respective area of responsibility and to prepare their consitituents for the next typhoon (Pepeng),” Salceda said at the press conference.

Response preparedness, among others, prepositioning of response assets, stock piling of foods and non-food items (NFI), identification of evacuation centers and the implementation of ‘pre-emptive evuation.’

Salceda also thanked the Albay media for its expertise that blend with the overall disaster risk reduction strategy of the province in terms of reporting, proper analysis and prompt cascading of information to the residents at the shortest possible time.

He also called for an Executive Meeting with the members of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) to discuss the possible impact of approaching typhoon Pepeng.

Salceda called all municipal, barangay officials as well as private organization to review, if necessary their evacuation plans.

Salceda explained that the pre-emptive evacuation of Albay shall only start if the typhoon is at least as strong as 120 kilometers per hour and if the province is identified by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administrator (Pagasa) as direct hit of the path.

“It is our strict policy to implement pre-emptive measure during calamity to ensure the safety of the people,” the governor said.

“For this Pepeng which is now a ximum sustained winds of 175 kph and whose gustiness of 210 kph, that is more than enough to order pre-emptive evacuation however, the issue here is still wheter it will hit albay or not, so the two parameters are needed: the wind speed and the direction, or if Albay is already under signal number 2, and that is the time for the evacuation,” Salceda explained.

Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office director Cedric Daep said that the Pagasa weather bulletin as of 11 am today.

Daep explained that the current direction does not directly hit Albay but in case it changes to downward direction and threatens Albay, it might severely affect the province. “So we are preparing for storm surges, wind strength, possible landslides, heavy rains and lahar flash floods.”

Daep assured that the 24 rain gauges across the province have already been activated to monitor the rain density and the APSEMO has given lead time of only 2 hours for the relay of information to the residents and the respective DCCs.

The preparation, just in case Peping threatens Albay, would be the same as the scenario for past typhoons such as Reming and Rosing, according to Daep.

“What we are anticipating is the heavy rains brought by typhoon because our focus would be in the highly risk areas,” the governor added.

While the provincial disaster management team of Albay is in the process of preparation for the possible impact of approaching typhoon Pepeng, the provincial government was able to deployed water and emergency paramedics teams in Metro Manila as part of the Ondoy Mission.

“We already deployed our teams to help Ondoy’s victims in major areas in metro Manila,” Salceda said.

Pagasa’s 11 am bulletin showed that Pepeng is 520 kms East of Borongan, Eastern Samar, with coordinates 12.0°north , 130.7° east.

Peping Maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near center and gustiness of up to 210 kph. It is moving West Northwest at 24 kph.

Its forecast position, according to Pagasa by Friday morning is: 220 kms East of Virac, Catanduanes
Saturday morning: 80 kms East of Casiguran, Aurora or 160 kms Southeast of Tuguegarao City
Sunday morning: 60 kms Northwest of Laoag City.

The provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes (all in Bicol) are now under signal number 1 which means it is already experiencing winds of 30 to 60 kph.

Residents in low lying areas and near mountain slopes under signal #1 are advised to take all the necessary precautionary measures against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Pagasa said the public and the disaster coordinating councils concerned are advised to take appropriate actions and watch for the next bulletin to be issued at 5 pm today.



Arroyo visits Albay's vital projects
By Rey M. Nasol

CAMALIG, Albay -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has slated a visit here and two other sites in Albay province for inaugural rites for various government projects, including housing, water system, sea wall and coastal road network, as the province rouses Albay into centerstage of development from both ends.

President Arroyo was met upon her arrival at the Legazpi City airport by Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, Mayor Noel Rosal, Cong. Al Francis Bichara of Albay’s second congressional district, Presidential Assistant for Bicol Tomasito Monzon, 9th ID commander Maj. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan, and PNP Bicol Regional Director, Police Chief Supt. Ruben Padua.

The President then proceeded to Polangui town to lead the ground breaking and capsule laying ceremony of the rehabilitation of the Polangui Water System in barangay Napo.

The President was assisted by Gov. Salceda, LWUA administrator Prospero Pichay Cong. Reno Lim of Albay’s third congressional district, and Polangui Mayor Jesus Salceda, during the groundbreaking.

The rehabilitation of the Polangui Water System will entail a cost of P140,710,000. P12.5 million is pure grant; P12.5 million loan without interest while the remaining balance of P115,710,000 will be paid at an interest rate of 9.2-10 percent per year. The Local Water Utilities Adminstration (LWUA) shall be the source of fund to be granted to the Polangui Water District which is the implementing agency.

“The need for sufficient supply of potable water was felt as soon as this town soared into progress that business establishments are on the rise here such as fast food chains, offices, and the upcoming Land Bank’s full branch here to cater for the nearby towns of the third district of Albay,” Albay Gov. Joey Salceda explained.

Rehabilitation works will include the setting-up of two separate systems. System 1 will cover the upper barangays of Balinad, Napo, Ponso, Alnay, Mendez and Magurang. System 2, on the other hand, will cover the lower barangays of Centro Oriental, Centro Occidental, Ubaliw, Basud, Gabon, Alomon, Kinale and Balangibang.

Scope of works will include; rehabilitation of two existing reservoirs; installation of a 24,148 linear meters of pipelines; power line extension; installation of 5,000 service connections; provision of a treatment facility; improvement of the existing Higiba spring intake; and construction of a pumping station.

From Polangui, Arroyo led the turn-over of Certificates of Ownership to 240 families displaced by typhoon Reming in 2006 as part of the CORE Shelter ‘30,000th’ milestone at a resettlement site in barangay Tagaytay, of this town.

The President was assisted by Sec. Esperanza Cabral of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Cong. Bichara and Camalig Mayor Carlos Baldo during the turn-over ceremony.

The Tagaytay Resettlement site is home to some 840 displaced families from the 16 barangays of the municipality located within the high-risk areas and the 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zones (PDZ) near Mayon Volcano namely, barangays Anoling, Ilawod, Bariw, Cabanagan, Gapo, Ligban, Libod, Quirangay, Salugan, Sua, Tagaytay, Tinago, Tumpa and Barangays 1, 2, 3 and 4.

A total of 840 housing units – each built on 80 square meter lots – are spread over 145,185 square meter area of the resettlement site purchased by the Municipality Government of Camalig and developed by the National Housing Authority (NHA).

These housing units are the results of government and private sector collaboration as funds poured in from the DSWD-CSAP (114 units); DSWD-Habitat for Humanity, Philippines (136 units); Italian Cooperation, Philippines (115 units); International Organization for Migration (350 units) and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri thorugh the OCD (125 units).

To conclude her provincial sorties, the President inaugurated the seawall project (phase I and II) in Barangay Puro in Legazpi City.

Upon arrival at the site, the President, together with Gov. Salceda, Mayor Rosal, Cong. Bichara and Sec. Hermogenes Ebdane of the Department of Public Works and Higways (DPWH), boarded an open-top vehicle for the inaugural drive thru along the coastal road network.

The Puro Seawall Phase I and II project was implemented by the DPWH with the Sunwest Construction and Development Corporation, as the contractor.

The project covers the construction of 360 linear meters of seawall and a corresponding 360 linear meters of road to include a walkway and jogging cum bicycle lane in the total amount of P70 million.

The coastal road network, which stretches some 4.095 kilometers, is envisioned to be the “Roxas Boulevard” of Legazpi City.

Several projects are simultaneously undertaken with the road project that once completed it will serve as an alternate route to decongest traffic in the city’s business center, provide commuters safe access and easy transport of agricultural and marine products, and develop tourism potentials in the area.


Albay Gov seeks P86 billion moratorium for GSIS, SSS membersBy Rey M. Nasol

LEGAZPI CITY – President Gloria Arroyo’s top economic adviser Tuesday proposed a one-year moratorium for repayment of Government Services Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security Service to offset sufferings among the victims of devastating ‘Ondoy’ floods in Metro Manila and across the 27 other provinces of the Luzon Island.

The same strategy had eased the burden of coping up with the brunt from series of super typhoons that brought Bicolanos down to the ground and even killed thousands, thus survivors were supposedly haunted with extreme difficulty paying their loans.

A one-year loan repayment moratorium for GSIS and SSS members to provide widespread relief is necessary for Metro Manila especially that the population is composed of working class, according to Albay gov. Joey Salceda.

“Once supply chains have been restored and survival needs have been provided, cash is the best form of social and economic relief after a disaster since victims know better their need, beneficiaries would be more judicious in their procurement, benefit is direct and immediate,”,” Albay Governor Joey Salceda said in proposing a comprehensive package of demand-side measures as a decisive response to mitigate the widespread social damage and overturn the potential economic drag of Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) as he cited the role of four major measures in succeeding to lift Albay from the ravages of two supertyphoons (Reming and Milenyo) and Mayon eruption in 2006 to economic recovery 2007 onwards.

These four measures are designed to inject liquidity into the system that has sustained both temporary disruption in their incomes and permanent damages to capital assets.

These would be directly targeted at impacted households, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and critical entities in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the 27 provinces covered by the declaration of state of calamity included one-year repayment moratorium in all salary and housing loans of GSIS.

Salceda said that there are 700,000 GSIS members in the affected area while SSS members composes 4.8m members in the affected areas out of 8 million members with outstanding live accounts nationwide.

“At a concessional 5 percent imputed interest thereafter easily worth almost P4 billion for GSIS and P28 billion for a total P32 billion,” Salceda said.

SSS members pay a monthly average of P600-P800 or P7,000 to 9,000 per year. This is in lieu of current proposals by the two Government Financial Institutions (GFIs) since Salceda argued that a global repayment moratorium is more pervasive and direct in impact- more take home pay, easier to execute- less effort for members and less paper work for SSS and GSIS and would allow the two institutions to keep within legislative ceilings on exposures to individual loans.

“Both are now slightly above the ceiling and without unduly decreasing their actuarial viability. SSS currently proposes an option of incremental P24,000 salary loans payable in 24 months worth P4.8 billion assuming 200,000 members avail or a housing improvement loan for members with damaged houses of up to P300,000 worth P15 billion if 50,000 members avail. GSIS, meanwhile, proposes an emergency loan of P20,000 payable in 24 months worth P5billion assuming 350,000 members avail.

An incremental home loan improvement of P150,000 for loan-eligible members of Pag-ibig which suffered damages to their homes which could reach P15 billion if 100,000 members avail.

Three-month advance of monthly average reimbursement by Philheath to its accredited outlets including DOH-retained hospitals, provincial hospitals, city health offices and Rural Health Units (RHUs) which could reach P4 billion.

“This helped Albay respond effectively to a surge in a morbidity rates after the disasters even while health facilities also sustained damages,” Salceda explained.

The Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has to set up a P35 billion 5-year special rediscounting window for banks to refinance loan exposures to individuals, entrepreneurs and SMEs at 91-day T-bill plus 2 percent.

“Summing up, GSIS- P4 billion, SSS- P28 billion, Pagibig- P15 billion, Philhealth- P4 billion and BSP – P35 billion for a total of P73 billion. Of these, P34 billion will benefit households directly, P4 billion for health institutions and P35 billion for SMEs. And, all these would have minimal impact on deficit of the national government,” Salceda explained.



Bicol workers leave asap during typhoonsBy Rey M. Nasol

LEGAZPI CITY – Learning from devastating rains, Bicolanos won’t have to wait for Pagasa’s advice to leave their workplaces, if only to help attain zero casualty during and after calamities.

“Let them go home early” The Department of Labor and Employment-Bicol suggested in order to protect the lives and properties of both labor and management advises companies and individual workers here, to take necessary pre-cautions by sending home workers early on before the on-set of calamities such as typhoons.

DOLE-Bicol Regional Director Ernesto C. Bihis said that loss of life and limb can very well be prevented if employers would release their workers ‘early’ or even before the on-set of calamities. “Let us learn from typhoon Reming. Hundreds of employees were stranded in a mall in Legazpi for about two days,” Bihis explained.

It will be much safer and cheaper for management, if their employees are dismissed early and are in the comforts of their homes during typhoons rather that be stranded at the workplace. If employees are stranded within the confines of the workplace, it will be the responsibility of the management to care for them. “They (employers) must provide the basic needs during that time, including food,” Bihis reminded.

Records show that after Typhoon Reming, about 90 percent of establishments in Legazpi City are closing their shops even on a mere Signal No. 2 advisory of Pagasa, the best practice, according to DOLE Information Officer Raymond P. Escalante.

“Legazpeños were traumatized by Reming. Nobody wanted to be caught off-guard again, no establishment here wanted to have additional burden on their shoulders. As they say, prevention is always better than a cure” Bihis pointed out.

The DOLE-Bicol official suggested that establishments nationwide must also adopt the practice of Legazpi City based establishments. The office also urged companies to have a Calamity-Emergency Response Plan (CERP) to ensure workplace safety, secure properties, ready first aid kits, and for worst scenario cases identify escape routes, and if possible have a stand-by vehicle for evacuation purposes.

However, DOLE-Bicol clarified that it has no power to order a closure during a calamity. Sending employees home during calamities or typhoons is the discretion of the establishment’s owners.

“We cannot force establishments to close down or tell them to let their employees go but we can try to convince them that it is probably the best and the cheapest way to survive a calamity. If and only if establishments in Legazpi have released their employees sooner during Reming, then perhaps nobody was stranded.” Bihis explained.


6 approved bridges boost GUICADALE business platform
By Rey M. Nasol

LEGAZPI CITY – A new fund worth P212 million from the French Protocol is seen to boost the implementation of the new business platform away from the hazards of Mayon Volcano, under a joint venture between the provincial government of Albay and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Albay governor and concurrent Regional Development Council Chairman Joey Salceda believes the development of the western part of Albay and the unexplored areas of the Bicol region will give rise to attainment of permanent solutions to bugging hazards of Mayon eruptions, lahar flows, and strong typhoons usually originating from the eastern part of the country that passes through the province.

The bridge projects will be implemented by the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) by Salceda and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) by Under Secretary Emil Sadain starting October 9, this year under a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the joint undertaking.

Counting on the rise of an international airport and the massive road opening efforts, Salceda said the provincial government of Albay pursues gradual expansion of the main thoroughfare towards safer grounds where permanent developments are worth the investment both by the government and other funding institutions.

“These bridges will interconnect critical roads surrounding the South Luzon International Airport and many relocation sites. It will also connect Sorsogon to Albay via new road openings traversing Donsol town,” Salceda said.

Salceda claimed that the budget was made possible through persistent follow-ups and the persuasive power as RDC chairman and his long time friendship with Sadain.

The bridges named to be put up are for Albay; Cagbacung Bridge (Legazpi City), Gabawan-Kiwalo Bridge (Daraga town), Ligban Bridge (Camalig), Rawis-Tamaoyan Bridge (Legazpi City), Homapon-Mariawa Bridge (Leazpi City), Taysan-Malangka Bridge (Legazpi City) and Donsol Bridge (Pioduran).

Salceda’s help was critical in securing funding from the French Protocol facility.