U.S. - RP JOINT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITIES ON PANAY ISLAND. Vice Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council Anthony Golez (Deputy Presidential Spokesman) along with sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan Aircraft Carrier Group (CVN 76) and Philippine military personnel unload bottled water and food supplies that were distributed to various communities on Panay Island by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. [U.S. Embassy photo 6/26/2008]

PIA 2008/06/27

IloIlo (27 June) -- NDCC chair Golez is hands-on with massive relief assistance for the victims in the Western Visayas, which have been hit hard by the recent typhoon Frank.

Golez said the different line Agencies of government are fully mobilized hand in hand with the Philippine Armed Forces, the Philippine national Police and the US Navy Forces distributing relief assistance to alleviate thousands of families that lost their places of abode as a result of typhoon Frank.

Tons of ready to eat foods, clothings, bottled drinking water,Medicines have been flown in via series of C-130 flights to Ilo-Ilo, Aklan, Kalibo, Roxas and other areas in Western Visayas.

Executive Secretary Ermita also said that the USS Reagan of the US Navy is also on hand assisting not only in the provision of relief and medical assistance to typhoon victims but also providing air support for the search, rescue and retrieval operations of victims of the ill fated Princess of the Star.

Ermita said that President Arroyo while on Official Mission working for the country in the United States continue to be hands-on in monitoring and giving orders ensuring relentless day to day relief operations in all areas in the country that was hard hit by the typhoon frank.

The President has ordered the fast rehabilitation of all infrastructures in all areas of the country particularly in the Western and Eastern Visayas which were hard hit by typhoon Frank.

Ermita said soft loans of Php 5Million pesos was ordered by the President to be released to Electric power cooperatives to immediately rehabilitate respective power systems in the Ilo-Ilo and Aklan provinces of which power systems were destroyed by the cyclone. The loans were provided thru Secretary Reyes of the Energy Department.

He said the NDCC have solicited several units of water purification system and were flown to the Ilo-Ilo, Aklan, Kalibo, Roxas, Panay island to provide potable water considering that these areas were totally flooded and potable water is badly needed.

DOTC Sec. Mendoza said that Task Force Princess of the Star, headed by DOTC under Secretary Len Bautista, have employed over hundred of divers from the Philippine Navy, PNP with the assistance and the facilities of USS Reagan of the US Navy is doing a lot of progress in the rescue and retrieval operations of victims of the ill-fated passenger Ferry Princess of the Star. (PIA-MMIO)

U.S. - RP JOINT HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITIES ON PANAY ISLAND. Vice Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council Anthony Golez (Deputy Presidential Spokesman) along with sailors from the USS Ronald Reagan Aircraft Carrier Group (CVN 76) and Philippine military personnel unload bottled water and food supplies that were distributed to various communities on Panay Island by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. [U.S. Embassy photo 6/26/2008]

PIA 2008/06/24

Manila (24 June) -- Cluster agencies of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported today that power services were generally restored in Visayas and Luzon regions, particularly in Metro Manila, Cebu and Bohol and that relief and rescue operations are continuing in typhoon Frank devastated areas.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said that only individual households whose electric connections were affected by fallen trees and power posts in their respective areas have remained unenergized.

The energy secretary advised consumers to call Manila Electric Company in case they have other problems during the NDCC update press briefing held at the NDCC in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

For the rest of Luzon, Reyes said, at 12 noon today, only a few Quezon province towns -- Fami, Infanta, Guimaca -- and other small areas have remained not energized.

In the Visayas region, Cebu, Bohol, and Negros are now 100 percent energized while Leyte is 85 percent, Samar is 32 percent, Panay is 52 percent energized.

Reyes said that Panay island, the hardest hit of typhoon "Frank" in terms of power disruptions, is only two percent energized.

He said that Iloilo which is part of Panay and serviced by Panay Power Corporation, is now 50 percent energized.

Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie G. Fondevilla reported to NDCC that Region 8 has suffered only minimal losses in agriculture estimated at only three percent of the total rice area.

Fondevilla said that Region 6 is the hardest hit by 'Frank.' The region covers Panay island where 53,000 hectares of rice fields were totally damaged.

He added that the reported loss of 165,000 rice of bags in the NFA warehouse in Iloilo because of floods are still being verified.

In Marinduque, he said, some 50% of the riceland were destroyed while 100% of its corn areas were totally lost including banana plantations. He said some 40% of its coconut seeds were damaged heavily.

Some 40% of Romblon's areas planted to rice covering 400 hectares were totally lost, he added.

He said in Region IV-A : more than 62,000 metric tons of rice and around 2.8 thousands metric tons of yellow corns were destroyed by typhoon and 250 metric tons of vegetables and 20,000 metric tons of fruits were also totally damaged.

"We are still continuing our efforts to verify the extent of the damage," Fondevilla said.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on its part reported that rescue operations is continuing to look for survivors and bodies of passengers of ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars.

PCG said that vessels carrying 30 divers had left for Romblon to make an opening on of the hull of the vessel in the hope that they might be survivors inside it.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez said 98 were confirmed dead, 66 injured and 115 missing. (PIA-MMIO)

U.S. Embassy photo

PIA 2008/06/26

Manila (26 June) -- As pledges of aid from the international community start pouring in to conduct search and rescue/retrieval (SAR) operations for the victims of typhoon "Frank," President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today directed the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to conduct a "systematic" needs assessment to identity specific requirements from good Samaritans.

The President issued her directive during a joint Cabinet and NDCC meeting she presided over via remote video conference in Malacaņang this morning.

The President said that aside from the US government's pledge to donate US$100,000 and for the US Navy ship Stockton to help in ongoing SAR operations, the international community has also pledged aid.

The President added that the governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, has pledged to send the National Guard stationed in Hawaii to help in SAR operations.

She said Spain "has come forward" and presented itself to help the country in its SAR efforts.

The President pointed out, however, that the country needs to inform international donors of our specific requirements to facilitate the immediate deployment of the respective country's pledge of aid.

"So, you have to do the Needs Assessment systematically and apprise the different countries, knowing their respective capabilities," the President said from her seat at the Willard Inter-Continental Hotel in Washington, DC.

President Arroyo is on a 10-day working visit to the United States to meet with US President George W. Bush to discuss outstanding global issues of common concern to the two countries, notably terrorism, food security, non-proliferation of nuclear arms and human rights.

The M/V Princess of the Stars capsized Sunday after big waves spawned by typhoon "Frank" battered the marine vessel.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in its latest update on the M/V Princess of the Stars tragedy, said the latest death toll from the capsized ferry has reached 70 while 48 survivors have been rescued.

On the other hand, the number of persons confirmed killed during the onslaught of typhoon "Frank" (whose international codename is Fengshen) has reached 291.

With the 70 ferry fatalities so far, the total number of confirmed deaths due to typhoon "Frank" is now 361. (PIA)

6/26/2008 - NDCC Vice Chair Anthony Golez with P/C Supt. Isagani Cuevas, RDCC Chair and Civil Defense Regional Director Eligio Calaor receive from USS Reagan servicemen relief assistance for Typhoon "Frank" victims in Panay, as part of the on-going massive relief and rescue operations of government. (PIA Photo)

PIA 2008/06/28

Iloilo City (28 June) -- Military doctors will reinforce government and private doctors in extending medical services to areas badly hit by typhoon Frank in Western Visayas.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Jr. who is also the chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said that the problem on the lack of medical persons should be given focus in order to protect the health of thousands of people who were rendered homeless by the typhoon.

Secretary Teodoro was in Iloilo City June 28 to interface with the officials and members of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council 6 and iron out plans for a well coordinated and massive delivery of relief and rehabilitation.

RDCC 6 Chairman and PNP 6 Director, P/C Supt. Isagani Cuevas during the briefing on the status of typhoon "Frank" said that the cost of damage to infrastructures, agriculture and properties was estimated at P3 billion.

The affected number of barangays was recorded at 2,545 with 50,000 damaged houses; affected families- 417,399; affected persons- 2,094,105. Some 306,535 evacuees are temporarily housed at 785 evacuation centers in the region.

Western Visayas has now recorded 342 persons dead; missing-290; injured-886.

The RDCC Chairman said that the cost of assistance extended to the typhoon victims amounted to P13,133,167.88.

Secretary Teodoro urged the RDCC here to be pro-active and strengthen coordination with the other sectors of the community "so that our efforts will not be waste".

6/26/2008 - NDCC Vice Chair Anthony Golez with P/C Supt. Isagani Cuevas, RDCC Chair, and Civil Defense Regional Director Eligio Calaor receive from USS Reagan servicemen relief assistance for Typhoon "Frank" victims in Panay, as part of the on-going massive relief and rescue operations of government. (Official US Navy photo)

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed her profound thanks to the United States government and the American people including the Filipino-Americans for their immediate assistance to the victims and families of the super Typhoon "Frank" that hit the country.

The President gave all assurances that the government is doing everything to aid in the clean-up, provide disaster relief and bring comfort to the families of the victims. (PIA/T. Villavert)