PHNO-HL: DEATH TOLL UP TO 60 AS FLOODS RECEDE / NOY MEETS SHALANI FACE-TO-FACE

DEATH TOLL UP TO 60 AS FLOODS RECEDE / NOY MEETS
SHALANI FACE-TO-FACE
MANILA, AUGUST 11, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Philip C. Tubeza —The
death toll from the torrential rains that pounded Metro Manila and nearby
provinces early this week has risen to 60 while damage to crops in one region
alone reached at least P1 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council said Friday.

The death toll from the rains spawned by the southwest monsoon is higher than
the 53 fatalities reported following the onslaught of Typhoon "Gener," which
exited the country last week.

NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos said the southwest monsoon rains also
affected 2,442,135 persons in 31 cities and 16 provinces from Ilocos in the
north down to Western Visayas in the central Philippines.

In Central Luzon alone, the rains and the floods it caused damaged
P1,095,515,193.47 worth of crops and livestock, the agency said.

"The number of casualties has ballooned because the floods are receding. We
are beginning to find their bodies," Ramos said.

Of the 60 fatalities, 11 died in landslides, 39 drowned, four were
electrocuted, 2 died of cardiac arrest while 4 persons remained unidentified.


The official death toll is expected to increase further with the agency's
regional office in Central Visayas has reported 5 more dead who have not been
tallied by the NDRRMC main office in Manila.

The agency said 7 persons were still missing as of Friday morning. As of 6
a.m. Friday, there were still 24 roads and 3 bridges not passable to all types
of vehicles due to flooding in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, VI, the Cordillera
Administrative Region, and Metro Manila.

Ramos said now that the rains have stopped, the agency's main concern was to
ensure that previously flooded areas and the 726 evacuation centers housing
362,307 evacuees are cleaned up.

"An ounce of prevention [is] worth a pound of cure. We don't want to have
breeding grounds for mosquitoes. So far, we have yet to hear of any disease
outbreak," Ramos said.

The NDRRMC said that government and private groups had provided
P45,062,868.96 worth of relief assistance to flood victims.

But as the skies cleared, the destruction to agricultural crops in Central
Luzon became clearer with initial reports showing that Pampanga bore the brunt
of the onslaught.

The NDRRMC-Region III reported that Pampanga lost a total of P847,323,735
worth of crops, fisheries, and livestock, Bulacan (P204,556,617.75), and
Zambales (P43,634840.72).
When Aquino meets Shalani, the sun suddenly shines
By TJ Burgonio Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:51 am | Friday, August
10th, 2012

[PHOTO -Flood victims queue up to receive relief goods at Nangka
Elementary School in Marikina City. AFP PHOTO
]

President Benigno Aquino's visit with the huddled masses in temporary
shelters around Metro Manila on Thursday took him to Gen. T. de Leon High School
in Valenzuela City where, all of a sudden, the sun that had been hiding since
Monday shone and the sky that had since been gray turned blue.

There, also amid the flood victims, was his former girlfriend, Valenzuela
Councilor Shalani Soledad, looking more beautiful months after her marriage to
Representative Roman Romulo of Pasig City.

Shalani and Mr. Aquino were bound to meet again, as the councilor, like the
President, was going around evacuation centers in her city to visit her
constituents who had been forced from their homes by floods brought on by three
days of relentless monsoon rains.

Mr. Aquino, wearing a black jacket over a yellow shirt, shook hands with
Shalani, who looked blooming in a blue T-shirt.

Titillated crowd

The sight of the former lovers meeting again after breaking up two years ago
titillated the rubbernecking evacuees.

"You know, you don't invite me to Valenzuela these days. But this time, I
guess it's OK to visit you," Mr. Aquino said to his former sweetheart.

When, in his pep talk to the evacuees, Mr. Aquino acknowledged the presence
of Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Vice Mayor Eric Martinez and then Shalani, the
flood victims broke into cheers. The President had to pause before resuming his
pep talk.

To build Meycauayan dike

Then the President spoke about the government's plan to build a dike around
Meycauayan River to shield Valenzuela, the neighboring cities of Malabon and
Navotas, and the towns of Meycauayan and Obando in Bulacan province from floods
caused by the river's topping its banks during heavy rains. The plans include
building a station for pumping out floodwaters, Mr. Aquino said.

"I won't flatter you. This will be an 8-kilometer dike, but it will take two
to three years to build, and this will cost around P2.2 billion," Mr. Aquino
said. "We have funds for it," he added.

Debt to Valenzuela

Compared with 19 projects undertaken in the aftermath of Tropical Storm
"Ondoy" that left a wide swath of devastation in the capital in September 2009,
the project's impact would be more extensive, Mr. Aquino said.

"I came here just to check on you," he said. Then he continued: "I'm not
quite sure whether you're sad or you're in the mood to fight. Don't give up.
Your government is prepared to help you out. We will take care of your needs."


Mr. Aquino acknowledged that this was the first time he came back to
Valenzuela since the 2010 campaign, during which Shalani stumped hard for him.


"I got overwhelming support from Valenzuela, that's why I want to show you
our overwhelming attention this time," he said.

Big deal

Then he concluded his talk: "I have to say goodbye to you for now. But
remember, even if I'm not here, you're always on my mind."

On hearing that, a female reporter asked, "Wasn't that for Shalani?"

"The mere fact that the President is here, as well as the Cabinet
secretaries, is a big deal for us because what hit us was stronger than Ondoy,"
Shalani later told reporters.

She said some 5,000 residents of Valenzuela fled their homes because of
rising floodwaters.

Did she sense that Mr. Aquino sounded more inspired?

Shalani smiled and said, "I think you will be inspired if you have a chance
to help this many people."

She also said "communication lines with the President" remain open.



Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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rights reserved




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