HELP RED CROSS AND UNICEF HELP VICTIMS OF NATURAL DISASTERS

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Updates of the situation in Southeast Asia on 19 November 2009

No relevant news on the websites of Red Cross and Unicef or GMA News.TV.

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UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 20 NOVEMBER 2009 – THE PHILIPPINES

GMA News.TV

Weather forecast: (21°C to 33°C). At 2 p.m. Friday, a low-pressure area (LPA) was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 200 km east of Mindanao while a northeast monsoon affects northern Luzon.


PINOYS JOIN RAISE YOUR VOICE CAMPAIGN ON CLIMATE CHANGE

11/20/2009 | 07:37 PM – GMA News.TV

A six-minute amateur video featuring dramatic footage that showed the devastation caused by tropical storm ONDOY is the lone Philippine entry in a YouTube campaign to raise awareness on the issue of climate change.

In a news release, De La Salle University graduates Alfonso Orioste Jr. and Paul Darwynn Garilao said the destruction from the cyclone was the motivation for their decision to join the “Raise Your Voice" campaign.

The contest encourages individuals to send videos containing their views and questions about the United Nations conference on climate change in Copenhagen next month. The campaign is sponsored by CNN, Youtube, and the government of Denmark.

Two winners who will be selected by public voting on YouTube from November 6 to 30 will get a free trip to Copenhagen to attend the landmark conference.

The global gathering will determine new targets for curbing carbon emissions from human activities that scientists have deemed responsible for the earth’s changing weather.

Video entries may also be aired during the CNN/Youtube debates on December 15, one of the many activities during the conference that are meant to draw global attention to the issue.

In their entry, Orioste and Garilao highlighted the disastrous impact of climate change in a developing country – in this case the Philippines – and contrasted the image with initiatives that are underway in rich countries to address the issue.

From Manila, Orioste talked about the need for DISASTER PREPAREDNESS and IMPROVED COMMUNICATION as part of environmental management systems that are necessary to respond to natural calamities more effectively.

“As we have experienced, the storm Ondoy (Ketsana) taught us a lot of lessons. This is a wake-up call for the Philippine government to implement laws and programs on environmental management and disaster preparedness," said Orioste, who is studying law at San Beda.

Meanwhile, from his current work base in Hawaii, Garilao advocated the use of renewable energy such as solar panels and wind turbines as the “best step to combat climate change." An engineer, Garilao has done research on the use of LPG two-stroke engines as an alternative form of clean energy.

To vote for the Philippine entry, visit www.youtube.com/cop15 and click the thumbs up sign for the video entitled “Raise Your Voice by Filipino environmental advocates."

Although their entry may not win awards for best editing or script, it is nonetheless a good push for what they call “GREEN EDUCATION" at a time when disasters are increasingly causing massive destruction in the Philippines.
Yasmin D. Arquiza, GMANews.TV

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I really hope for a good result at the Climate summit in Copenhagen in December.

Now North-West England, Scotland and Ireland have experienced floodings too. Overflooded rivers after RECORD REAINFALL, bridges collapsed, and in England a policeman died. Citizens had to be rescued out of their houses by helicopter.

Terrible, but I still think of places like the Philippines having to go through this - at least four times!

[nancyk58]

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 21 NOVEMBER 2009

THE PHILIPPINES

Weather report: (23°C to 33°C). At 2 pm, Saturday, a LOW PRESSURE AREA was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 220 km. EAST OF MINDANAO.

NORTHEAST MONSOON AFFECTING EXTREME NORTHERN LUZON.

LANDSLIDES STILL LOOM OVER MINDANAO AS LPA MOVES AWAY

11/21/2009 | 10:20 AM - GMA News.TV

A LOW PRESSURE AREA - LPA - that threatened to become a cyclone MOVED AWAY FROM EASTERN MINDANAO Saturday, but STILL THREATENED TO TRIGGER LANDSLIDES AND FLASH FLOODS there.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration - PAGASA - said the LPA was spotted 560 KILOMETERS EAST OF MINDANAO at about 2 a.m.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa also said THE NORTHEAST MONSOON WAS AFFECTING EXTREME NORTHERN LUZON.

GMANews.TV


AFTERNOON RAINS DUE TO LPA AND MONSOON, NOT CYCLONE - PAGASA

11/21/2009 | 08:39 PM - GMA News.TV

The RAINS that pelted parts of METRO MANILA Saturday afternoon were not due to a cyclone but to a low-pressure area (LPA) and the NORTHEAST MONSOON, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Due to the LPA and the MONSOON, "PALAWAN, VISAYAS, and MINDANAO will experience cloudy skies with SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS and THUNDERSTORMS," said Pagasa.

The RAINS will become "WIDESPREAD" over EASTERN MINDANAO, which "may trigger FLASHFLOODS and LANDSLIDES," the weather bureau added in its 5 p.m. bulletin.

MINDANAO should expect OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT RAINS, particularly the eastern and central portions in the next "two to three days." - Pagasa advised residents in said areas to take all necessary precautionary measures.

Meanwhile, it said MODERATE TO STRONG WINDS blowing from the Northeast would prevail over LUZON, VISAYAS, and EASTERN MINDANAO. Coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast to north with slight to moderate seas except during thunderstorms.

STRONG TO GALE FORCE WINDS are also expected to affect the seaboards of LUZON and VISAYAS.

"Fishing boats and other small sea craft are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against BIG WAVES," PAGASA said.

GMANews.TV