New low-pressure area spotted

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon “Gener” (international name: Saola) left the Philippine area of responsibility late Thursday even as the state weather bureau spotted a new low-pressure area off Northern Luzon that is expected to bring more rains over the country in the next few days.

In its 10 a.m. advisory yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the low-pressure area was still too far to affect any part of the country.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was spotted at 1,710 kilometers east of Northern Luzon.

PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez said the low-pressure area is expected to enter Philippine territory tonight. It will be given the local name “Helen” once it intensifies into a tropical cyclone.

On the other hand, the southwest monsoon will continue to bring scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Luzon and Western Visayas, becoming widespread over Western Luzon which may continue to trigger flashfloods and landslides, Perez said.

He said Metro Manila would also continue to experience occasional rains due to the enhanced southwest monsoon.

PAGASA continued to warn residents in low-lying and in mountainous areas against possible flashfloods and landslides, while fishing boats and other small craft are advised not to venture out to sea in areas affected by the southwest monsoon.

Gener – the seventh tropical cyclone to hit the country this year – left at least 37 people dead and affected more than 500,000 people, of whom more than 17,000 remain in evacuation centers.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said more than 20 of the fatalities were from Luzon – Ilocos, Cordillera, Southern Luzon regions and Metro Manila.

New fatalities were recorded in Malabon, Ilocos Sur, Bataan, Pampanga and Occidental Mindoro.

The bodies of Jerome Orea and Justin Francisco, both 19 and from Meycauayan, Bulacan were recovered in Manila Bay yesterday. Both drowned.

In Malabon City, three persons – Angela Gregorio, Patricia Gregorio and Elisa Mae Dolfino – drowned at the Artex compound in Barangay Panghulo.

Three persons also died of drowning in Ilocos Sur, namely Anthony Capsuyan, 25, Reynaldo Polca Frio, 38, and Arlene Paz, 16.

Four new fatalities were recorded in Central Luzon – Crisanto Rapusol, 22, and Winnie Capiles, 43, both from Bataan, six-month-old CJ Marco Carlos of Obando, Bulacan and Angel Ocampo of Pampanga.

All of them drown.

In Occidental Mindoro, Hazel Mae Arpullos of San Jose town also drowned while the typhoon was battering the province.

Lessons learned

President Aquino visited an evacuation center in Manila yesterday and called on residents to cooperate with the government in its efforts to relocate them to safer areas.

Speaking before the residents of Barangay 105 Vitas in Tondo, Aquino said it was unfortunate that they had to deal with so many dangers every time there was a typhoon, such as floods and even barges ramming their houses. During summer time, Aquino noted the residents have to deal with fire incidents.

Aquino told residents they should not have to worry about these dangers all the time and that the government was trying to relocate the 1.4 million families or more than five million informal settlers.

He said 560,000 of these families had been in the National Capital Region – 130,000 to 140,000 were in the danger areas.

Aquino said there were in-city relocation projects while others were being urged to go back to the provinces and provided jobs or livelihood.

The President said the government was also ensuring that relocations sites would have schools, health centers, and other basic facilities.

“Isn’t it much better to do this rather than deal with this problem every time the weather is bad?” Aquino asked.

Aquino said the number of typhoons passing through the Philippines was no joke – 23 to 24 in a year – and this would make residents in danger areas problematic the whole time.

He assured residents who lost their shelters after being hit by barges that there would be temporary houses for them and that the National Housing Authority (NHA) would build houses in a relocation site in Montalban and save them from danger.

He said the government could not continue to risk the lives of the people and that they should have peace of mind in their new communities.

Aquino said he would visit other areas affected by the typhoon and that it was time to put an end to the cycle of evacuating people when there were disasters and then they would go back again to the dangerous areas.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said earlier the country’s experiences following this latest calamity should not just serve as a lesson to local chief executives but to everyone in general as “we continue to learn how to adapt to the effects of climate change.”

“We saw the amount of trash that washed up on Manila Bay… so far 100 trucks (of garbage has been collected) by the (Metro Manila Development Authority) along Roxas Boulevard. This should serve as a lesson to all of us,” Valte said.

Damage to crops

The NDRRMC said agriculture accounted for the bulk or P160.42 million of the damage.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. said the possible damage to agriculture could raise prices of chosen food products and affect overall inflation.

“It could (affect inflation) but let’s wait for the assessment of the DA (Department of Agriculture),” Tetangco said.– Aurea Calica, Alexis Romero, Jose Ro- del Clapano, Czeriza Valencia, Prinz Magtulis, Eva Visperas, Charlie Lagasca, Ric Sapnu, Pete Laude