Pinoys in South Korea pray for quake victims

PNoy confers Order of Lakandula on Jasmin Lee

SEOUL—Along with President Aquino and members of his delegation, Filipinos in South Korea bowed in prayer for the victims of the earthquake that hit the Visayas.

Aquino met with the Filipino community here before flying back to Manila Friday night.



Aquino conferred the Order of Lakandula on Jasmin Lee, the first immigrant elected as member of the Korean national assembly.

In his speech, Aquino trumpeted positive developments under his administration.

He said government now has more resources to be able to repatriate distressed citizens overseas with three available C-130s and is negotiating to acquire two more.

He also mentioned the government's acquisition of two Hamilton Class Cutters.

He cited the government's ability to fund relief and rehabilitation efforts following the Zamboanga crisis with funds readily available because of prudent spending.

He said some in the media had wanted to look for victims who were unaided only to find them already attended to by government.

"Nariyan din po ang mga kasamahan natin sa media na minsan, para may storya, hahanap ng mga hindi naasikaso. Ang natuklas po nila, pati ang mga Badjao na hindi pwedeng lumayo sa dagat, nabigyang-lingap din ng estado. Ang punto po natin, supisyente na ngayon ang kakayahan ng pamahalaang matugunan, kahit pa isama ang mga may kakaibang pangangailangan," he said.

He added that his administration has been working to stop corruption to enable government deliver social services and address the shortage in classrooms.

"Hindi natin kinailangan ng magic o milagro para makamtan ang pagbabago. Simple lang naman po: Kapag naharap kami sa isang desisyon, ang tanong namin, hindi 'paano ba ako makikinabang diyan? o 'paano ba ako mananatili sa puwesto dahil diyan?' Ang nagkukumpas po sa aming mga kilos at desisyon: 'Ano ba ang pakinabang nito sa taumbayan?'" he said.

Commenting on the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel misuse, Aquino said the fight against corruption is far from over.

On the ligher side, Aquino indicated that he enjoys being a bachelor. He said he saw in his friends the difficulty of being a father of a bride letting go of his daughter.

“So ang masasabi ko lang ho sa lovelife ko, ang pakinabang ko lang na hanggang ngayon e, nag-iisa pa ako. Pagdating ng punto na problema ko po ‘yung mga nabanggit ko sa inyo, palagay ko po’y ulyanin na ako, hindi ko na mararamdaman. (laughter) Pati ‘yon ho palagay ko good news,” he said. (laughter/applause)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Fil-Ams worry about loved ones in Bohol, Cebu

GLENDALE, California - For the past two days, it has been difficult for RD Alba to log on to Facebook, seeing landmarks from his hometown of Bohol in ruins after a powerful 7.2 earthquake hit the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

He said his mother is safe, with the family's home suffering minimal damage.

"It's just kind of unreal because my family lives there and I'm just glad that my mom is fine. It's the older structures that are really, like, broken down, like the old churches. Thankfully, our place is fine, small cracks here and there, but nothing major," said Alba.

Alba, who spent his childhood and teenage years in Bohol, felt the 1996 earthquake as a youth. But he said the '96 quake does not compare to the devastation he's seen that has left over a hundred dead.

"It's really one of the rare things that happen in Bohol because it's one of the biggest earthquakes that happened. I was there during the '96 earthquake. I was still like in 3rd high school," he said.

While Alba breathes a sigh of relief, Akima Abrahan is still holding his, as he's waiting to hear from his nephew and his family who live and work in Cebu.

"I'd like to contact them tonight. I wrote them yesterday, Facebook and they haven't responded to my message. So I don't know their condition," said Abrahan.

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Bohol is the most powerful in three years.

Meanwhile, a pair of magnitude 5.1 aftershocks hit Bohol on Wednesday morning.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Actual collapse of church belfry

A Bayan Patroller films the collapse of the belfry of the Basilica Minore de Santo Nino in Cebu City during the magnitude 7.2 earthquake on Tuesday.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Why earthquake insurance should be mandatory

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Insurers and Reinsurers Association (PIRA), the umbrella group of all non-life insurance firms, reiterated the need for a mandatory earthquake insurance following the magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Bohol that resulted to casualties and damages to infrastructure.

PIRA said only a small number of Filipinos are insured against earthquakes because it is considered an “extra expense.”

Only an estimated 12 percent of the country's buildings have a fire insurance policy. From the figure, only 20 percent have earthquake insurance.

"Earthquake is a standard exclusion in a standard Fire policy. You have to 'buy back' this exclusion so you will be covered…It is sad but many clients consider earthquake cover as extra expense since they have to pay extra for it," PIRA spokesman Michael Rellosa said in a statement.

An extra premium of 0.15 percent of the total sum insured is required to cover earthquakes, typhoons, and floods, on top of the 0.1 percent fire premium.

For instance, a P1 million house requires an additional P1,500 in premiums on top of the P1,000 fire premium.

Rellosa said making earthquake insurance mandatory will also make it affordable.

"The only way for earthquake insurance to be affordable is for it to have a huge base. And for it to have a huge base, it must be mandatory," Rellosa said.

Mandatory earthquake insurance is being proposed by PIRA, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Insurance Commission.

"Earthquake is a risk that we all have to face one way or another. It is a reality in this country, just like typhoons. That is why we are pushing for this mandatory insurance to be able to empower our countrymen to face this risk," said Rellosa.

Tuesday's major earthquake caused several buildings, homes and churches in Bohol to collapse.

A total of 591,577 families or 2,957,885 individuals were affected by the quake in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Hospitals in quake-hit areas under red alert

MANILA -- The Department of Health (DOH) has placed all hospitals in quake-ravaged areas under red alert, DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag said.

Under red alert, all medical and non-medical personnel are required to report for work.

In an interview with ANC's "News Now" on Tuesday afternoon, Tayag said they will also deploy staff from hospitals in the National Capital Region to augment the teams in the affected areas.

Tayag said the hospitals are expecting an influx of patients as aftershocks are still expected to persist this week.

The DOH earlier said cracks were discovered in six hospitals but assured that they are still operational.

Tayag said inspection of the buildings is ongoing to ensure the safety of the patients as well as the hospital staff.

The government said relief efforts are underway and funds for the affected areas are ready.

The provinces of Bohol and Cebu have been placed under a state of calamity due to the devastating effects of the magnitude 7.2 quake that rocked parts of Visayas and Mindanao Tuesday morning.

The death toll is currently pegged at 73.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Prized Chocolate Hills damaged by quake

MANILA - Some parts of Chocolate Hills, a top tourist destination in the province of Bohol, were damaged after the province was hit by a strong earthquake Tuesday morning.

A photo taken by Robert Michael Poole, Japan bureau chief of Blouin Artinfo, showed a portion of one of the hills which gave way as a result of the tremors.

A viewing deck was also destroyed, another photo taken by Poole showed.

The Chocolate Hills, dome-shaped hills made of limestone which turn brown during the dry season, is situated in Carmen town where the epicenter of the magnitude 7.2 was located.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) executive director Renato Solidum said Carmen is vulnerable to earthquakes as it lies on the path of the East Bohol Fault, which triggered today's earthquake.

Aside from the Chocolate Hills, Bohol's prized centuries-old churches were also destroyed.

ABS-CBN Bayan Patroller photos also showed Bohol's Loboc, Baclayon, Dauis and Loay churches badly damaged, while the one in Loon was completely destroyed.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com