MM, other areas prone to storm surges

INUNDATED: (Clockwise, from left) Commuters walk along España Boulevard in Manila; residents turn back at a bridge destroyed by floodwaters in Barangay Kabuluan in Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte; and a commercial aircraft is towed at the aviation area at the NAIA, whose tarmac was flooded with three to four inches of water. JOVEN CAGANDE, FRANCIS ELEVADO, AND RUDY SANTOS

MANILA, Philippines - At least 23 areas in the Philippines, including Metro Manila cities, are prone to storm surges during typhoons as strong as Yolanda, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)’s Nationwide Operational Assessment Hazard (NOAH) project found out.

The risk areas include the coastal cities of Navotas, Las Piñas, Parañaque and Manila in Metro Manila and the coastal towns in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan, Quezon, Albay and Camarines Sur.

“We did simulation and we found that no less than 23 areas are prone to a storm surge whenever there is a typhoon, and we have submitted this to the respective local government units, so they can make the necessary preparations,” Project NOAH executive director Mahar Lagmay told participants of the Business Case for Disaster Risk Reduction summit held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City the other day.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr., meanwhile, warned that should the West Valley Fault move again and cause a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, around 31,000 people may die.

The West Valley Fault – which runs across Marikina, Quezon City, Pasig, Makati and Taguig – has moved four times in the last 1,400 years, with a major earthquake occurring every 400 years. The last major earthquake took place in 1658 or 356 years ago. “Given such facts, it is safe to say that we can expect the West Valley Fault to move within our lifetime,” Solidum said.

He explained that the earthquake itself would not cause the deaths, but the effects of the shaking would cause buildings to collapse, fire, liquefaction and landslide, which are expected to claim thousands of lives.

Moreover, the damage and death would happen not only in the areas along the fault line but also in the areas around it.

“We should not feel complacent if our houses or buildings are not located along the fault line or near it because even those far from it will be affected because of the shaking effect. The shaking will bring the damage and the deaths if we are not prepared,” Solidum explained.

Aside from loss of lives, natural disasters also cause dire economic losses to both government and private business.

In 2012, floods, typhoons and earthquakes caused more than $274 billion of economic losses in Asia.

Last year, natural disasters affected 95 million people and caused $116 billion in direct economic losses, of which $10.42 billion belonged to the Philippines, according to data from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

These are the reasons why SM Supermalls hosted the forum that gathers stakeholders to share their views on how people, the government and private businesses could work together to improve disaster resiliency and preparedness efforts.

SM Supermalls aims to present ways to make businesses more risk-sensitive so that all stakeholders, including the government, will be encouraged to invest more heavily in disaster risk reduction efforts.

The forum was held in coordination with SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday sought the immediate relocation of over 7,000 families still living along rivers and creeks in Metro Manila, long after the government evacuated those residing in identified danger zones.

“Around 1,685 informal settler families have been transferred and the remaining 7,092 are still living in rivers, creeks and waterways situated in 13 cities within urban National Capital Region, although the P50-billion budget for their relocation has been released,” TUCP said.

At least 2,123 informal settler families are living along Tullahan River that runs through Quezon City, Caloocan, Valenzuela and Malabon; 1,840 along Tripa de Galina in Pasay City; 1,520 on Manggahan Floodway in Pasig City; 837 along San Juan River; 482 along Maricaban creek; 587 along Estero de Maypajo; 326 along Estero de Sunog Apog, and nine along Pasig River.

Last week, the TUCP said, families living in Manggahan Floodway in Pasig City were given eviction notice by the Department of Public Works and Highways. They were ordered to leave their homes by the end of this month in spite of an agreement between the government and program participants that no informal settler families would be evicted while there is no housing unit available.

“It’s revolting to see poor working people and their families still in danger areas in Metro Manila waiting to be transferred to affordable housing units. Many of them are beginning to give up on government promise to transfer them. Some felt abandoned and decided to no longer cooperate,” TUCP executive vice president Gerard Seno added.

The TUCP also said the relocation of the informal settlers may further be delayed when the national ban prohibiting transfer of people takes effect four months before the May 2016 elections. – By Perseus Echeminada (The Philippine Star) With Mayen Jaymalin

TUCP suggests ways to deal with traffic woes

Traffic jams in Metro Manila have resulted in substantial losses in manhours--that means the productive hours of workers. A workers group has some suggestions on how companies can deal with that problem. This report by AC Nicholls aired on 9TV Network News on September 18, 2014.

House begins work on Bangsamoro law amid kinks

MANILA - The Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is expected to be the key to a lasting peace in Mindanao. However, the start of its legislation has turned out to be rather problematic.

House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II said the closed door organizational meeting of the ad hoc committee on Tuesday turned out some problems.

"Unang-una, kita niyo naman kahapon kaagad that's organizational meeting of ad hoc committee, marami na kinks. And si committee has requested the committee on rules to have to meet kahit may plenary kami Wednesday next week. We will grant them, pwede magsimula sila before session starts 9 a.m. 'til 2 p.m. Mas kailangan quorum pagdating ng hapon," he said.

Gonzales thumbed down plans to invite as resource persons former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Nur Misuari, who has been blamed for the 2013 siege of Zamboanga.

"DOJ (Department of Justice) has no intention of applying for the withdrawal of warrant of arrest. Di ko alam how committee can go about it considering we have no power to stop implementation of warrant dahil that's a judicial function, not a legislative function."

The House is on day 3 of plenary deliberations on the 2015 national budget. Under the rules, no committee can hold hearings during this time unless with prior authorization.

Gonzales said all committees have been allowed to meet during the coming 3-week break.

"Nothing prevents the committees including the ad hoc committee to meet during the break. Nakita ko schedule, napag-agree-han mukhang at least 7 ang gusto outside committee meetings," he said.

The ad hoc committee finds itself in the same boat as the energy committee, which is also hammering out an equally important piece of legislation -- a joint resolution authorizing President Aquino to contract additional power generating capacity to address a power crisis in the summer of 2015.

Both committees will be granted permission to hold hearing alongside the budget plenary for so long as they can rush to the plenary during quorum calls.

WARRANTS VS MNLF, BIFF

Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez, who chairs the committee, told ABS-CBN they agreed to ask the DOJ to apply for a suspension of the warrants of arrest for Nur Misuari and Umbra Kato to allow them to attend the congressional hearings in Manila on behalf of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The panel expects to finish the bill by November 30 and have it enacted by Congress by December 17.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte previously declared "we have set the ball rolling in creating this Ad Hoc committee and it's systems go" for the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

"The passage of a Bangsamoro Basic Law is our fundamental role as legislators recognizing and responding to the call of our diverse culture as Filipinos. It is also our contribution to a global quest for genuine and sustainable peace," Belmonte stressed.

The ad hoc committee agreed to hold open public hearings, starting September 24 until December 17, five days a week, with hearings to be conducted in Zamboanga, Zamboanga Sibugay, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Marawi, among others.

The 75-member committee represents leaders and members of the majority coalition and five members of the minority group.

HB 4994 is entitled: "An Act providing for the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro and abolishing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, repealing for the purpose Republic Act No. 9054, entitled 'An Act to strengthen and expand the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,' and Republic Act No. 6743, entitled 'An Act providing for the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,' and for other purposes."

The authors of the proposed law consists of the leaders of the majority coalition led by Belmonte, among them are: Deputy Speakers Henedina Abad, Giorgidi Aggabao, Sergio Apostol, Pangalian Balindong, Carlos Padilla and Roberto Puno; with Gonzales; and Representatives Mel Senen Sarmiento, Enrique Cojuangco, Mark Llandro Mendoza, Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Antonio Lagdameo, Jr., Rolando Andaya Jr., Nicanor Briones, and Raymond Democrito Mendoza. - By RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

‘Why rent power for 2 years when it’s needed only for 3 months?’

While the House of Representatives is ready to grant emergency powers to President Benigno Aquino III to deal with a looming power crisis next year, House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II on Wednesday asked Malacañang to justify the necessity of releasing public funds to pay for the lease of additional generating capacity.

Renting power from an outside source is one of the options presented by the Department of Energy to Aquino and Congress to address the power crisis expected to hit the country in the summer of 2015.

“Our problem is how do we justify this rental? They say we have to rent [the additional generating capacity] for a minimum of two years but we’d only need it for three months. Will it be right to ask the people to shoulder P6 billion for additional power you’d need for only three months next year? That’s a bit steep (Medyo mabigat ata ‘yun),” Gonzales said.

Aquino has asked Congress to grant him emergency powers to contract additional generating capacity to avert a potential power crisis next year, citing as basis Section 71 or the Electric Power Crisis Provision under Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, chair of the House energy panel, said the government would spend some P6 billion to generate additional capacity for the Luzon grid since the minimum lease period for contracting companies was two years.

DOE Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said the government is eyeing sourcing the amount from the accumulated royalties from the Malampaya gas-to-power facility.

No price hike

Gonzales said Malacañang should specify the parameters of the emergency powers the President was seeking because it is difficult for the House to draft a joint resolution based solely on Aquino’s request.

“What we have received is a [formal] communication from the President but we don’t know what exactly he is asking for,” he said.

The Majority Leader said emergency powers that would be granted to Aquino should not result in higher electricity prices for consumers.

Gonzales said that while giving Aquino the authority to contract additional generating capacity was one of the options provided in the EPIRA for addressing a potential power shortfall, there were also other steps the government could take to increase power in the Luzon grid.

"Even without emergency powers, the government has the capacity through the DOE and ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) to assess the situation," he said.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) has said it would support Aquino’s request for emergency powers on the condition that it would not drive up electricity rates.

“We insist that the DOE now present their tariff simulations and cost-impact scenarios to the public so we will know what to do,” said TUCP Executive Director Luis Corral said in a statement. — NB, GMA News