Lessons from Manila floods on climate change, responses (tags)
As the Philippine government dithered and made excuses for its grossly inadequate response to the catastrophic floods — which inundated 80% of the country's capital, Manila — Sonny Melencio was leading a grassroots relief effort that brought the first food supplies in days to some of the poorest and most badly affected communities.
PHILIPPINES: Appeal for Flood Victims (tags)
In scenes reminiscent of the large scale destruction wrought by Typhoon Ondoy (international name Ketsana) in late 2009 in which 400 died, torrential rains brought widespread flooding in the capital Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Almost a million people are affected and some 250,000 forced to evacuate, majority of whom are workers and poor, with 15 deaths already reported.
PHILIPPINES: How to Slay the Oil Price Monster (tags)
Leaders are elected in order to take decisive action to solve problems. What is demanded from a leader is–after a careful weighing of costs and benefits–action that cuts the Gordian Knot of a seemingly complex reality.
Renewable energy solution to oil price hikes (tags)
Manila, Philippines: Akbayan Party today urged the Aquino administration to push for renewable energy as a long term solution to oil price hikes. Akbayan lawmaker Walden Bello said that the spiraling cost of fuel should send alarm signals to the government and stress the urgency of pushing for renewable energy to address the country’s energy needs.
Dams, flooding and power (tags)
Not long after Typhoon Ondoy inundated the metropolis with flood waters, Typhoon Pepeng reversed course to hover around Western Luzon and drop more than 600mm of rain in the area. This time, it was the Cordillera region and Pangasinan that were under distress. More than 40 landslides occurred in the Cordilleras triggered by the massive rain which resulted in as many as 250 deaths. Local groups attributed the area’s increased vulnerability to landslides to the long-term large-scale mining activities especially in Itogon and Mankayan in Benguet province. We remember the Colalo landslide that happened in 1999 in Mankayan which AGHAM visited with the Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA) and environmental groups. And only three months ago, geologists from AGHAM and the Center for Environmental Concerns conducted an inspection of land subsidence in the same area.
PEOPLE’S CORE DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS PROVE SUCCESSFUL (tags)
Congratulations to volunteers and community members who did an amazing job supporting the relief efforts for the campaigns Sagip-Tulong sa Pilipinas (STP) and Operation Metro Manila. Over 100 volunteers gathered to package relief items to be sent to the areas hardest hit by the floods in the Philippines. Students, activist, families, and community members organized by People’s CORE, Alliance Philippines, GABRIELA Network Los Angeles, KmB Pro-People Youth, Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), UCLA Samahang Pilipino, UCLA Kappa Psi Epsilon, CSULB Pilipino American Coalition, and Search to Involve Pilipino American (SIPA), collected and packed more than 400 bags of material donations for the Typhoon Ondoy victims at SIPA Hall in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, on Saturday, October 3rd, 2009. Please visit our gallery videos to see a brief news coverage of Saturday's STP Donation Drive entitled "Sagip Tulong sa Pilipinas (STP), People's CORE, Alliance Philippines, Gab-Net and SIPA" or click this link to go there directly: www.peoplescore.net/video_gallery.php
A Disaster Waiting to Happen (tags)
The tremendous outpouring of love, brotherhood and assistance by our compatriots in the United States to all our “kababayans” whose lives have been devastated by Typhoon Ondoy captures the essence of our Bayanihan spirit. True to our Filipino core values, organizations, institutions and individuals of various political persuasions bonded together and in their own unique and creative ways extended immediate assistance to our brothers and sisters and continue their plans for long term relief . Most recently, President Obama expressed his “deep condolences for the loss of life and devastation caused by recent storms in the Philippines”. “As part of this effort, the U.S Agency for International Development, has so far allocated $1.8 million to respond to the disaster.”
Sagip Pinoy: A Benefit Concert for Typhoon Ondoy Victims (tags)
A benefit concert to help victims of the recent typhoon and flood in Metro Manila and suburbs.
Philippines: statements and solidarity calls after tropical storm Ondoy devastation (tags)
We are posting below statements and solidarity calls from Philippine left forces after typhoon Ondoy devastation. We shall add more as soon as we receive them.
PEOPLE’S CORE CO-SPONSORS DISASTER RELIEF FOR THE PHILIPPINES FLOOD VICTIMS (tags)
Typhoon Ondoy smashed ashore in the Philippines on Friday, September 25th, killing over 400 people in Manila's worst flooding in generations. More than 80 percent of Manila was under water Sunday. The Philippine authorities are still struggling to help the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the devastating floods of Typhoon Ondoy. Over 240 people have died and the death toll is rising. Thirty-eight people are still missing. Almost 2 million people have been affected by the flooding. More than 380, 000 have reportedly abandoned their homes. Over 450, 000 people have taken refuge in emergency evacuation centers. However, finding shelter has not alleviated the suffering. Food, sanitation, and medical supplies are low. Major relief efforts are underway, yet are not sufficient to support the people’s needs for long. More support is needed. It is our time to help. People’s CORE is a federally recognized non-profit organization locally based in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles (Federal Tax Id Number: 93-1216789). Working in partnership with four other non-profit and community-based organizations, AKAP (Ang Kalusugan para sa Pinoy, Inc.), AJLPP (Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines), KmB Pro-People Youth, and JFAV (Justice for Filipino American Veterans), People’s CORE launched Sagip Tulong sa Pilipinas (STP) Relief Drive on September 27th, 2009. The STP Relief Drive is collecting monetary and material donations such as clothes, shoes, medicines or non-perishable foods such as canned goods, to support the disaster relief efforts in the Philippines. This relief project will support food, sanitation, medical services and supplies for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines.
GMA’s Handling of Typhoon Ondoy is the Real Disaster (tags)
In response to the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy, members of the national Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) and the Filipino youth-based Daluyong Coordinating Committee are organizing Sagip-Tulong Sa Pilipinas (STP) Emergency Relief Fund Campaign. This campaign will raise material and monetary support for the typhoon victims and aims to raise $5,000 by Monday, October 5, and another $5,000 by Friday, October 16.
STP RELIEF DRIVE FOR THE PHILIPPINES (tags)
As many of you know already, and the media has circulated, Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) has submerge major parts of the Philippines. At this point, estimates from varying sources are 360 people have been killed, several thousand are still missing and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. News reports state that this is the worst rainfall the country has seen in 40 years. It was reported that Ondoy's total rainfall was 410mm, while Hurricane Katrina's was 380mm in New Orleans. Lack of an early warning system, and the low-levels of governmental support and action, are all issues that Americans can relate too. Alliance-Philippines, Kabataang maka-Bayan, the ANSWER Coalition alongside many other Pilipino organizations, have teamed up with PEOPLE"S CORE to collect the much needed material for the relief efforts. PEOPLE"S CORE teamed with ANG KALUSUGAN PARA SA PILIPINO (AKAP) in the Philippines will take a huge role in the organization of the relief efforts.
Philippines - Citizens’ Action is Best Response for Disaster (tags)
Saying that the country needs to unite in order to confront and address the calamities brought about by typhoon Ondoy, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Walden Bello on Monday asked every Filipino here in the Philippines and those overseas to summon their Bayanihan spirit and help the victims in any way possible.
SAGIP TULONG SA PILIPINAS RELIEF DRIVE, COLLECTION DAYS, SEPT.28-OCTOBER OCT.3 (tags)
Alliance-Philippines, Kabataang maka-Bayan, the ANSWER Coalition alongside many other Pilipino organizations, have teamed up with Search to Involve Pilipino to collect the much needed material for the relief efforts. The generous people at Team Pacquiao with there efforts titled "Operatin Metro Manila" will take a huge role in the organization of the relief efforts. Collection will happen through out the week at SIPA from 10am to 7pm. Below are the material we are collecting...
PESANTE-USA CALLS FOR ACTION AGAINST GLOBAL WARMING THAT CAUSES DISASTERS LIKE ONDOY (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA, an environmental and a peasant advocacy group based in the united States vehemently condemns the US –Arroyo regime for its criminal negligence and lack of preparedness against the natural calamities that regularly hit the Philippines. It was evident with Typhoon Ondoy (international code name Ketsana) that dumped 334 millimeters of rain in the first six hours, the highest ever recorded rainfall in the Metropolis. The previous record was 341 millimeters over a 24 hour period 42 years ago. Ondoy submerged up to 80% of the city, and covered areas that never experienced flooding before, stranding people on rooftops and bringing death and misery to Filipinos