Philippines: Tropical Cyclone Halong - May 2008

This report covers the period 01/01/2008 to 31/12/2008

In brief

Programme purpose: In order to achieve Global Agenda Goal 1, the disaster management programme places emphasis on a global disaster management capacity with a close integration between each of its components that increasingly reflects the new operating model.

Programme summary: This annual report aims at summarizing and highlighting progress achieved through the DM global programme during 2008.

Bureau of Public Affairs
Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

Executive summary

Disasters in the Philippines in 2006 affected 8.61 million families (approximately 10.4 per cent of the country's population) and caused the deaths of approximately 3,000 people (3.59 per 100,000 inhabitants). Poverty among 27.6 million Filipinos (more than 32 per cent of the population) increases impact of disasters. Communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, dengue, and HIV continue to pose significant challenges.

SG/SM/11841

Alaminos City (26 September) -- Except for a few more houses to be built, rehabilitation of Alaminos from the onslaught of super typhoon "Cosme" sometime in May this year is now almost complete with the help of some 200 volunteers.

Mayor Hernani Braganza paid tribute to the volunteers whom he formed in to the Task Force Bayanihan for helping the city build at least 208 new houses to replace those that were totally damaged by the typhoon.

Aside from this, the task force helped repair damaged school buildings and restore partially damaged houses numbering some 3,000.

The …

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has created the Cotabato Flood Control Task Force (CFC-TF) to undertake an integrated flood-control program in the heavily-silted, flood-prone Lower Cotabato River Basin.

Torrential rains spawned by typhoons Frank and Cosme earlier this year triggered massive flooding in the Lower Cotabato River Basin, which covers the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat, the City of Cotabato and parts of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Heavy siltation of the major rivers of the Mindanao River Basin and the …

Simulated Exercise: Typhoon Disaster Scenario

"In the early morning of 27 August 2008, Typhoon "X" with a velocity of 140 km/hour landed at Muang District, Rayong, an industrial and coastal province in Thailand. The typhoon caused heavy damage to houses, public buildings and facilities, cargo ships and fishing boats. It also damaged electricity poles, triggering a power shortage in the province.

Lingayen (9 July) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the province again last Friday, her third since typhoon Cosme battered Pangasinan on May 17, to know the progress of rehabilitation work.

But the situation facing her and the province was practically the same as that on June 4 when the President went to barangay Portic in Bugallon for her second visit.

That time some 4,000 GI sheets were made available for distribution to victims of the super howler.

1. In compliance with HEPGMA's directive/pronouncements, the following are the activities undertaken by PDCC Pangasinan and RDCC member agencies in Region I on the rehabilitation efforts

Bugallon, Pangasinan (3 June) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will inspect on Wednesday the on-going reconstruction of the 9,424 partially and totally damaged residences in this town by Typhoon Cosme last May 17.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the province said some 4,900 GI sheets roofing are being used for the repair of the damaged houses in the 24 most affected towns in Pangasinan including Bugallon.

The President would observe the unloading of the roofing materials from a DPWH truck and the on-going reconstruction of a cluster of houses in Barangay …

I. Highlights

- There were 259,618 families/1,392,102 persons affected in 1,477 barangays, 73 municipalities and 7 cities in 5 provinces of Regions 1, III, VI and CAR. The estimated number of population served both inside and outside evacuation centers were 58,496 families/300,953 persons. Details in Tab A

- Fifty eight (58) persons were reported dead and 29 injured. Details on Tab B

- There were '162,195 houses damaged: 43,365 totally and 118,830 partially. Details on Tab C.

May 26 (Reuters) - China put the death toll from the May 12 earthquake that struck Sichuan province at 65,080 with more than 23,000 still missing.

Here are some of the region's worst recent natural disasters.

Dec. 26, 2004 - ASIA - The number of dead and missing from an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia and subsequent tsunami is at least 232,000.

Typhoon Cosme's swath of destruction has left 53 people dead, 29 injured, some 252,000 families were affected, and 115,000 houses destroyed.

This was revealed in an interview over DzRB this morning by Deputy Spokesman Anthony Golez who said the affected families are spread over 1,459 barangays in 73 municipalities, seven cities and five provinces.

The said local government units (LGUs) are themselves scattered over four regions - three in Northern Luzon (Region I or the Ilocandia, Region III or Central Luzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region) and Region VI or the …

Philippine National Red Cross Chairman and Senator Richard J. Gordon sent water sanitation facilities to two barangays in Dagupan City, Pangasinan to help victims affected by tropical storm Cosme. Gordon earlier received reports that water sources in barangays Lasit Chico and Malued are contaminated because of the storm.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo commended the Philippine National Red Cross for its swift emergency response to the needs of Dagupan City in Pangasinan during the height of tropical storm Cosme.

STA. CRUZ, Zambales - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo promised today the residents of this town that she would help them reconstruct their houses destroyed by typhoon Cosme.

The President made the promise in her brief speech before she personally distributed packages of relief goods from the Office of the President and different government line agencies at Alfonso Tongson Municipal Park in this capital town.

Compared to other towns, typhoon Cosme caused heavier damage to Sta. Cruz with the majority of its electric posts fallen to the ground.

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo presided over the National Disaster Coordination Council (NDCC) meeting here today to look into the status of rescue and relief operations being conducted in the three provinces hardest hit by typhoon 'Cosme.'

Cosme (international code name: Halding) battered Region 1, particularly western and central Pangasinan and some municipalities of La Union, in the late afternoon of May 17, dumping torrential rains and spawning strong winds that caused massive flooding, and destruction to property on a gargantuan scale.

In his …

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today ordered the release of P500 million for emergency assistance to owners of houses damaged by typhoon Cosme.

The President who arrived at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Complex here at 11 a.m.

Manila_(dpa) _ Philippine disaster relief agencies on Thursday stepped up rehabilitation work on northern provinces battered by a storm that killed 44 people, the government said.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said floods have subsided in many affected provinces, making it easier for relief workers to reach out to the victims.

The NDCC said eight fishermen from the province of Pangasinan, the worst-hit area, remained missing.

BACOLOD CITY-President Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo vowed today to help Iloilo province 'get back to life' after it was heavily battered by typhoon 'Cosme' last week.

After acknowledging the presence of Iloilo Gov. Neil Tupas at the Local Peace and Security Assembly for Western Visayas at the Planta Centro Bacolod Hotel here, the President took note of the heavy damage 'Cosme' left on the infrastructure and agriculture of the province.

'There are so many families affected by Cosme.