News Roundup 24 October 2024
Oct 24, 2024 • 5 min Read
17 military aircraft to be used for ‘Kristine’ rescue, relief operations | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Office of Civil Defense has 17 military aircraft ready for deployment to assist communities devastated by flooding from Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami), an official confirmed Thursday, October 24.
OCD spokesperson Edgar Posadas confirmed during a Palace press briefing that the air assets are already stationed at Villamor and Cebu, awaiting safe weather conditions for takeoff.
“We have 17 air assets prepositioned and readily deployable, weather permitting, as we need to ensure the safety of both our pilots and assets,” Posadas said in mixed Filipino and English.
The OCD spokesperson also reported that critical aid is already reaching the flood-stricken Bicol region, with support flowing in from the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) and Eastern Visayas.
Aid has already reached the towns of Polangui and Libon in Albay, though Posadas acknowledged difficulties in accessing remote barangays.
“With the augmentation from SOLCOM and the Region 8 contingent, we expect that to be a big help,” Posadas said.
Heavy rains dumped by Kristine over the past few days have submerged several cities and provinces in the Bicol region. Overwhelmed by the number of distress calls from residents trapped by floodwaters, rescuers from Bicol’s disaster risk reduction and management council sounded the alarm for additional rubber boats late Tuesday night.
Responding to residents’ call for aid — including from former Vice President Leni Robredo — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday that additional rescue boats and other assets are already on their way. These, however, will have to be flown in through airlift due to impassable roads to Bicol.
Full Story at: 17 military aircraft to be used for ‘Kristine’ rescue, relief operations | Philstar.com
A race to reach the stranded as Kristine’s death toll rises | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Rescuers raced Thursday to reach residents still stranded by flooding in the hard-hit Bicol region, after torrential rains from Tropical Storm Trami submerged villages and killed more than 20 people.
Schools and government offices were shuttered across the northern Philippines as the storm made landfall on the country’s main island of Luzon after first paving a trail of destruction south of the capital.
“As of 7 am, we have 20 dead (throughout the Bicol region),” regional police chief Brigadier-General Andre Dizon told reporters Thursday, adding the figure had yet to be finalised. “Most of them from drowning or buried in landslides.”
In Naga city and the town of Nabua, rescuers were using boats to reach residents still stranded on rooftops.
“They are seeking assistance through (Facebook) posts and that’s how we learned about them,” Bicol police spokeswoman Luisa Calubaquib told AFP.
According to the national weather service, the eye of the storm was passing over the northern Philippines’ mountainous interior as of 8 am (0000 GMT) with maximum sustained wind speeds of 95 kilometres (59 miles) per hour.
It was predicted to exit the island within 12 hours.
More than 30,000 people were forced to evacuate in Bicol on Wednesday, police said, as “unexpectedly high” flooding turned streets into rivers.
Full Story at: A race to reach the stranded as Kristine’s death toll rises | Philstar.com
Fernandez: Duterte’s call to Garma about 2 other topics I can’t disclose | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to former police colonel Royina Garma was not only about his explanation of his preference for the head of the national task force that implemented the drug war, Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez said on Thursday.
In an online press briefing, Fernandez said there were two more topics discussed when Garma and Duterte talked last October 17, contrary to Garma’s initial claims that it was only about why Duterte preferred an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member as head of the task force.
However, Fernandez admitted not having the clearance from Garma’s lawyer to disclose the two other topics, as it is a private conversation between her and Duterte.
“We don’t want to break it (details) here unless they have some approval, so that they would not feel betrayed after they mentioned this information in confidence, right? Then suddenly we would speak. I think it’s not fair for them,” he said in Filipino.
“So give us time, we will talk to them again…Actually, there are two big issues there, chairman Barbers (Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers) knows that, but these two topics, I think it is quite heavy,” he added.
Full Story at: Duterte’s call to Garma about 2 other topics – Fernandez
DILG: Marcos wants an enhanced delivery of aid in flood-hit Naga | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered scaled-up preparations for the provision of emergency field hospitals and medicines to be deployed in Naga City and other areas devastated by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami).
This directive was issued by Marcos to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, he said in a statement on Thursday.
“Today, we briefed President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. and provided him with critical updates on the situation on the ground,” Remulla said.
“He personally instructed me to ramp up preparations for the provision of emergency field hospitals and medicines, which shall be deployed in Naga and all other affected areas as soon as conditions improve,” he added.
Remulla said that they are “constantly monitoring” the situation on the ground and pushing for efforts for the rescue, assistance, and recovery of all individuals affected.
Full Story at: DILG: Marcos wants an enhanced delivery of aid in flood-hit Naga
