The Philippines need your help

nancyk58 · November 25, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 25 NOVEMBER 2009

The PHILIPPINES

Weather forecast (23°C to 32°C). At 2 p.m. Wednesday, a low-pressure area (LPA) was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 350 km east of Surigao while a northeast monsoon affects northern and eastern Luzon.

‘URDUJA’ DISPLACES MORE THAN 400 FAMILIES - NDCC

(11/25/2009 | 07:27 PM - GMA News.TV)

More than 400 FAMILIES were AFFECTED BY the series of LANDSLIDES and FLASH FLOODS that struck EASTERN VISAYAS and NORTHERN MINDANAO due to HEAVY RAINS caused by TROPICAL STORM “URDUJA" since Tuesday, even as the cyclone WEAKENED INTO a LOW-PRESSURE AREA.

In its situation report, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said at least 239 families or about 1,054 people were affected in the provinces of Camiguin and Misamis Oriental since November 24.

Meanwhile, the LANDSLIDES that hit Liloan, Southern Leyte have also DISPLACED 52 FAMILIES, according to a GMA News Flash Report.

In northeastern Mindanao’s Caraga region, 10 people were INJURED AFTER a MINOR LANDSLIDE caused their van to fell off a cliff in Surigao City.

The NDCC also said that 148 FAMILIES in 13 villages have been EVACUATED as the Puyo and Celopan RIVERS OVERFLOWED due to the CONTINUOUS RAINS in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, and Dinagat Islands, although NO CASUALTIES have been reported so far.

Meanwhile, all 11 passengers of a motorbanca (outrigger pump boat), MBCA Lady Coco, including four Germans and one Swiss, have been rescued after their boat sunk in the waters off Limasawa, Southern Leyte on Tuesday.

In its latest update, state weather forecasters warned that FLASH FLOODS and LANDSLIDES still loom over Mindanao even after Urduja weakened into a low-pressure area.

As of 2 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Urduja was spotted 350 kilometers east of Surigao.

"Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over Mindanao, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," Pagasa said.

Pagasa also said the northeast monsoon is affecting Northern and Eastern Luzon, while the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the northeast to northwest over the rest of the country, while coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough, the weather bureau said.

Earlier, Pagasa said it is monitoring the POSSIBLE ENTRY OF a NEW TROPICAL STORM, internationally code-named "NIDA." The cyclone may be named "VINTA" once it enters Philippine territory.

Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV

6.8 QUAKE HITS NEAR TONGA

November 24, 9:43 AM Reno Headlines Examiner William Robinson

http://www.examiner.com/x-25860-Reno-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m11d24-68-quake-hits-near-Tonga

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AP) — A 6.8-magnitude EARTHQUAKE struck off the Pacific island nation of TONGA, sending panicked residents into the streets at night, but there were NO immediate REPORTS of DAMAGE OR INJURIES.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported shortly after the quake struck at 3:32 a.m. (1332 GMT, 8:32 a.m. EST) that there was NO threat of a destructive widespread TSUNAMI, although waves were possible within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of the epicenter.

“There’s no indication of damage right now in this area,” said Faleo Vico, the duty Weather Office staffer in the capital, Nuku’alofa, 120 miles (195 kilometers) southwest of the epicenter.

Residents in the capital said their homes rattled, and the tremors set off frantic barking of dogs.

In the town of Ha’apai, on an island 185 miles (300 kilometers) northeast of the capital, resident Lano Fonua said the quake was strong and lasted about 45 seconds.

“Many people went out into the streets as the quake was shaking the area quite a bit. It was really going,” he said. “We don’t have any reports of major damage here in the center of town.”

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was 6.8-magnitude and was generated from a depth of 38 miles (62 kilometers) in the ocean.

On SEPT. 29, a TSUNAMI spawned by a magnitude-8.3 EARTHQUAKE KILLED 34 people in AMERICAN SAMOA, 183 in SAMOA and NINE in TONGA.

nancyk58 · November 26, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

The PHILIPPINES:

'URDUJA' MOVES EASTWARD; PAGASA MONITORS ANOTHER CYCLONE

(11/25/2009 | 08:02 AM - GMA News.TV)

Even as Tropical Depression Urduja moved eastward and continues to threaten eastern Visayas and Mindanao, state weather forecasters are monitoring a new tropical storm that may enter Philippine territory in three days.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Wednesday the incoming storm is more powerful than Urduja.

"We are monitoring a NEW TROPICAL STORM but it is FAR FROM THE PHILIPPINE AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY as of now. But this is FAR BIGGER THAN URDUJA," Pagasa forecaster Buddy Javier said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Javier said the new storm, with international code-name "NIDA," may affect areas between Visayas and Mindanao once it enters Philippine territory.

When asked when it may enter the country's area of responsibility, he said, "at least in three days’ time."

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) 6 p.m. Tuesday report said Nida packed maximum winds of 55 knots (102 kph) near the center and gustiness of 80 knots (148 kph).

But in the next 24 hours, it may intensify and pack winds of up to 70 knots (130 kph) near the center. JMA said that Nida was moving north northwest.

On the other hand, Pagasa's 5 a.m. bulletin said Urduja was estimated at 70 km east of Surigao City as of 4 a.m. Wednesday, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near its center and moving east slowly.

"Northeastern Mindanao will have rains and occasional gusty winds with moderate to rough seas. Visayas and the rest of Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms while Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers," Pagasa said.

Urduja is expected to be 130 km east of Surigao City Thursday morning, and 220 km east of Surigao City or 210 km east southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar Friday morning. By Saturday morning it is expected to be 310 km east southeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Areas under Storm Signal No. 1 include Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Island, and Siargao Island.

Pagasa reminded residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes in areas under Storm Signal 1 to take all precautions against POSSIBLE FLASHFLOODS and LANDSLIDES.

LG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

2 DEAD, ROADS IMPASSABLE IN 'URDUJA' WAKE - NDCC

(11/26/2009 | 07:34 AM - GMA News.TV)

At least TWO PEOPLE were reported KILLED in the wake of tropical depression URDUJA, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said late Wednesday.The NDCC only identified the two fatalities as members of the Rallos family in Jasaan town in Misamis Oriental.

It added FLOODING and LANDSLIDES in Camiguin and Misamis Oriental, and in Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog cities have affected 900 families or 4,229 people.

Of these, 813 families or 2,938 people were brought to evacuation centers.

NDCC also said several roads were impassable due to LANDSLIDES and OVERFLOWING OF CREEKS, are:

* Cagayan de Oro City: Road section along Sitio Kablua, Bayanga village, where two lanes are not passable because of LANDSLIDE DEBRIS.

* Camiguin: Tupsan Bridge along Tupsan village in Mahinog not passable due to debris; and national highway along Punta Gorda village, Baslingasag and road section along Sitio Mayang in Kabulawan, Lagonglong not passable due to debris.

Water levels of Cagayan de Oro River and its tributaries may still keep rising due to CONTINUOUS RAINS, the NDCC said.

POWER OUTAGES were still experienced in several areas in Camiguin and Gingoog City since Tuesday, it added.

In Caraga region, at least 26 VILLAGES were FLOODED due to the OVERFLOW OF Puyo and Celopan RIVERS. These include 23 in Agusan del Norte and three in San Jose, Dinagat Islands.

Some 1,464 FAMILIES or 7,396 PEOPLE were AFFECTED. Of these, 335 families or 1,751 people were brought to nine evacuation centers.

CLASSES were SUSPENDED in affected areas in Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog.

LG, GMANews.TV

nancyk58 · November 27, 2009

Updates of the situation in Southeast Asia

FILIPINO UNICEF STAFFER SHOT IN MAGUINDANAO

(11/27/2009 | 06:29 PM - GMA News.TV)

MANILA, Philippine — A Filipino staffer working for UNICEF in the southern Philippines was shot in an attack and is in critical condition, the UN agency said Friday.

Police earlier reported that Nestor Bulahan had died after the attack Thursday, but a UNICEF statement later said the staffer was still alive and in critical condition.

UNICEF spokeswoman Angela Travis said the incident was not connected with his work. "He was not on official business and we understand the incident is personal," she said.

Police official Siegfredo Ramos said Bulahan was riding on a motorcycle taxi to meet an acquaintance in Parang township when a gunman shot him.

The shooting occurred in the same province, Maguindanao, where a powerful local politician was accused of ordering a massacre Monday of 57 people, including journalists, relatives and supporters of a political rival.

AP

FILIPINO Weather forecast: At 5 p.m. Friday, an intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) affects SOUTHERN MINDANAO while a northeast monsoon affects NORTHERN and EASTERN LUZON.

nancyk58 · November 28, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 28 NOVEMBER 2009

THE PHILIPPINES

Weather forecast: (24°C to 32°C). At 5 p.m. Saturday, the Northeast monsoon is affecting NORTHERN and EASTERN LUZON.

4 DEAD IN 'URDUJA' WAKE, SOME ROADS IMPASSABLE

(11/28/2009 | 11:01 AM - GMA News.TV)

At least FOUR people were left DEAD while several roads remained impassable in the wake of tropical depression "URDUJA," the National Disaster Coordinating Council said.

In its 6 p.m. Friday report, NDCC said three of the four died from a LANDSLIDE in Misamis Oriental, while one died of electrocution in CEBU.

The Misamis Oriental residents were identified as Isnaje Rallos, 1, and Jenebeb Rallos, four months old, of San Antonio village in Jasaan town; and Dionisio Quilloman, 62, of Santiago village in Gingoog City.

A fourth fatality, Roynaldo Zorobrado, was electrocuted in Dumanjug, CEBU.

NDCC said 13 were INJURED, including three in Misamis Oriental and 10 whose bus fell off a cliff due to a LANDSLIDE in Claver, Surigao del Norte.

SEVEN HOUSES were DESTROYED while 58 were DAMAGED in CARAGA REGION.

STILL IMPASSABLE are:

* Caraga: national highway in Gawad Kalinga area in Claver, Surigao del Norte;

* Manoligao Provincial Road at Sitio Manlangit in Carmen, Agusan del Norte;

* Tupsan Bridge in Camiguin Province; national highway in Mambajao, Camiguin.

POWER was RESTORED in areas of Camiguin province and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental; and in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur.

JHU, GMANews.TV

OVER 50 FAMILIES in SOUTHERN LEYTE affected by LANDSLIDE caused by 'URDUJA' (news from 2009-11-25)

nancyk58 · November 29, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 29 NOVEMBER 2009

THE PHILIPPINES:

Phivolcs: PREDAWN MAGNITUDE-5.9 QUAKE ROCKS PARTS OF MINDANAO

( 11/29/2009 | 07:26 AM - GMA News.TV )

Residents in the General Santos and Davao areas in Mindanao got a predawn jolt Sunday as a quake measuring magnitude 5.9 hit the area.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the temblor with a tectonic origin struck at 2: 10 a.m. Sunday east of General Santos City.

Phivolcs' earthquake bulletin no. 1 sent to GMANews.TV, indicated that the agency expects neither damage nor aftershocks from the quake.

On the other hand, the United States Geological Service (USGS) said the quake occurred at about 2:10 a.m., even as there was no initial report of damage or aftershocks as of Sunday morning.

USGS said the epicenter was about 160 km east-southeast of General Santos City; 205 km south-southeast of Davao; or 1,185 km south-southeast of Manila. - It said the epicenter was also some 2,535 km east-northeast of JAKARTA, INDONESIA.

GMANews.TV

WEATHER FORECAST: (24°C to 32°C). At 5 p.m. Sunday, NORTHEAST MONSOON IS AFFECTING NORTHERN AND EASTERN LUZON. No tropical cyclone is existing within the Philippine area of responsibility.

nancyk58 · November 30, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 30 NOVEMBER 2009

Weather forecast for the Philippines: (22°C to 31°C). At 5 p.m. Monday, a northeast monsoon affects northern and eastern Luzon. There is no existing tropical cyclone within the Philippine area of responsibility.

GMA News.TV

AMERICAN RED CROSS

http://redcrosschat.org/2009/11/30/cyber-monday/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+RedCrossChat+%28Red+Cross+Chat%29

Cyber Monday (posted on November 30th, 2009 by Gloria Huang)

Happy Cyber Monday! As you prepare to do some online holiday shopping today, remember to take a look at our Holiday Giving catalog. You can send a gift that will help someone who needs it the most this season.

Help save the day by sharing this with your friends:

You can share this blog post with your friends, on Facebook, and on Twitter (use #HolidayGiving)

You can share this Catalog widget

You can join our brand new Facebook Cause called Give the Gift that Saves the Day.

Posted in Press Releases, 11/30/09:

American Red Cross Survey Finds 62 Percent of Americans Plan to Donate More than $25 to Charity this Holiday Season in Spite of Economic Downturn

Red Cross offers online giving catalog to help families make charitable gifts in the name of others.

National Headquarters

2025 E Street, N.W.

Washington, DC 20006

http://www.redcross.org

WASHINGTON, Monday, November 30, 2009 — In spite of the economic downturn, Americans are entering this holiday season willing to support charities in two ways, with 62 percent planning to dig deep into their own wallets to support charities and nearly 40 percent talking with others about donating to charity instead of buying them a gift, according to a new survey for the American Red Cross. The survey shows that nearly 90 percent of Americans planned to donate to charity this holiday season. Half of those making donations plan to donate at least $50 to charity this holiday season, with 25 percent intending to give more than $100.

Importantly, the survey shows that in addition to making their own donations, 39 percent of people are willing to forego another holiday gift and have that money given to charities instead. Moreover, 80 percent said that if asked, they would be happy to make a donation to charity instead of buying a gift for someone. And with many people shopping online this holiday season, the Red Cross is making it easier to give charitable gifts through an online “Gifts that Save the Day” catalog that enables people to make a tax-deductable charitable gift this holiday season. The catalog, at http://www.redcross.org/gifts, allows people to make a donation that could provide FOOD and SHELTER for a DISASTER VICTIM for a day; a MILITARY COMFORT KIT with a robe, phone card and other supplies for a wounded warrior; or a month of BASIC NECESSITIES for a family in another country who lost everything in a disaster.

“In this season of hope, the Red Cross is asking people to give a gift that can really save the day for someone in need,” said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. “Shoppers doing their online gift-buying on Cyber Monday or at other times this holiday season can make a donation to the Red Cross in the name of someone special.”

Gifts made through the catalog are contributions towards a Red Cross program area, not a donation to a specific project or item. The donations will be used to provide assistance where it is needed most within the program area; remaining money is put to use where it is needed most.

WOMEN Most Often Involved in Family Decisions on Charitable Donations

WOMEN have a great deal of influence over charitable giving decisions in the home. Ninety percent of the women surveyed indicated that they are involved in decisions about which charities to support, compared to 81 percent of men. 22 percent said that they involved children in determining charitable donations.

Popular charities for holiday giving this year include those that HELP THE POOR (83 percent); HELP SERVICE MEMBERS (58 percent), HELP PEOPLE WITH A SPECIFIC DISEASE (55 percent) and that ASSIST DISASTER VICTIMS (51 percent).B]In addition, people are supporting charities during the holiday season with more than money, donating CLOTHING, TIME and even BLOOD. The survey found that 84 percent planned to donate used CLOTHING or HOUSEHOLD ITEMS; 75 percent would contribute FOOD to a food bank, 39 percent planned to VOLUNTEER FOR A CHARITY and 22 percent said they would donate BLOOD during the holiday season.

The telephone survey of 1,001 U.S. adults 18 years and older was conducted November 5-8, 2009 by CARAVAN® Opinion Research Corporation. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

nancyk58 · December 1, 2009

Updates of the situation in the Southeast Asia on 1 December 2009

THE PHILIPPINES

Weather forecast for the Philippines [/color](22°C to 32°C). At 5 p.m. Tuesday, a NORTHEAST MONSOON affects NORTHERN and EASTERN LUZON. There is no existing tropical cyclone within the Philippine area of responsibility.

PHOTO EXHIBIT SHOWS BAGUIO BACK ON TRACK AFTER ‘PEPENG’

(PAULINE NIKKA CORSINO11/30/2009 | 12:38 AM - GMA News.TV)

TUBA, Benguet - The pulling out of this year’s Advertising Congress in Baguio City did not deter four of the country’s top photographers from showcasing some of their works in an exhibit dubbed Optical Medium.

“This was originally part of the Advertising Congress. Unfortunately THE TYPHOONS came and the Ad Congress was pulled out of Baguio City," explains National Artist Ben Cabrera, who joins veterans Bien Bautista, Wig Tysmans, and Jaime Zobel in the exhibit.

“All the more that we need an exhibit like this to send the message that Baguio is back to normal," explains Cabrera, when postponement of the exhibit’s opening was thought of following the pullout of the Ad Congress.

However, the exhibit opened as planned on November 17, a day before the opening of the Advertising Congress in Subic.

The exhibit’s opening pushed through without much pomp, with no ribbons cut and no speeches made. Only Bautista and Cabrera were present along with some family members and friends.

Bencab’s works on display reveal the maestro’s versatility with his media. For Optical Medium, Cabrera used digital painting as finishing touches to facial close-ups of his subjects.

Veterans Bien Bautista and Wig Tysmans each rendered the human body in its intense, natural forms—Bautista’s set of passionate, emotion-filled nudes, and Tysmans’ Wrap-ture series with his nude silhouettes rendered in monochrome.

Art photographer Jaime Zobel’s pieces include the master’s signature abstracts rendered in full color. All in all, the four-man exhibit contains 28 pieces, some printed on wood and others on archival watercolor paper.

“This is our contribution to Baguio and the Cordilleras after the recent typhoons. I hope that people will come to Baguio to see the exhibit," says Cabrera.

Optical Medium runs until January 3, 2010 at the BenCab Museum located along Km. 6, Asin Road, Tuba, Benguet. The museum is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM except Mondays, on Christmas Day, and on New Year’s Day. For more information, visit http://www.bencabmuseum.org.

KBK, GMANews.TV

Some older articles from GMA News.TV:

ONDOY, PEPENG PUSH CONSUMER PRICES HIGHER IN NOVEMBER

(11/25/2009 | 06:23 PM - GMA News.TV)

Consumer prices likely rose for the third consecutive month in November owing to the recent weather disturbances which hit the country.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas estimated that inflation for this month could have climbed between 2.4 percent and 3.3 percent, pushed higher by the effects of tropical storm ONDOY and typhoon PEPENG as well as the INCREASE IN POWER RATES imposed by the National Power Corp. and in OIL PRICES.

"he pick up in inflation could be largely attributed to SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS brought about by the recent TYPHOONS and HEAVY RAINS; INCREASES IN UTILITY RATES and INTERNATIONAL CRUDE," Tetangco stressed.

For January to October, inflation climbed 3.2 percent, a marked slow down from the 9.4-percent recorded in the same period in 2008.

Consumer prices had been rising steadily since February until it dropped to a two-decade low in August as Filipinos delayed spending amid the worldwide economic slump.

Despite the HIGHER INFLATION, Tetangco said consumer prices are seen to remain within forecast set by economic managers for this year and in 2010.

“Despite an uptick, November inflation falling in this range would still be consistent with a within-target inflation for 2009 and 2010," Tetangco said.

Inflation for this year is estimated to be between 2.5 percent and 4.5 percent, while for next year inflation range is from 3.5 percent to 5.5 percent.

Tetangco also said the IMF has put no pressure on the BSP to come up with an exit strategy for its relaxed monetary stance.

Owing to the global slump, the central bank has eased key policy rates by 200 basis point since December last year, bringing overnight borrowing rate at a record low of four percent and overnight lending rate at six percent.

Il Houng Lee, head of the visiting International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, said inflation is expected to be contained to 3.1 percent this year and to pick up to 4.3 percent next year as commodity prices and economy of developed countries recover.

“Monetary tightening should only commence when the recovery is on a solid footing. The mission supports the authorities’ policy of limiting foreign exchange intervention to smoothing operations and allowing the exchange rate to adjust to market pressures," Lee added.

GMANews.TV

HER HOME TEETERING ON A SLOPE, BAGUIO WOMAN RECALLS LOSING LOVED ONES TO PEPENG LANDSLIDE

(PAULINE CORSINO, GMANews.TV11/23/2009 | 09:48 PM - GMA News.TV)

On the night of October 8, while typhoon Pepeng was dumping heavy rains over the Cordilleras, laundrywoman Teresita Andrada found herself shivering on the street and unable to get a cab ride home to Bakakeng Central along Marcos Highway.

Giving up hope, she then decided to spend the night in the tourist inn where she works. But despite the safety and comfort the place provided for the unfriendly night, Teresita remained ill at ease. Her family, including her pregnant daughter, was out there fending for themselves.

The next morning, she immediately went home. She was glad to find out her husband and four children were safe and sound, sheltered at the basketball court in front of their house. However, her eldest daughter, Leonora Picar, along with her own brood of six, were missing.

Andrada remembers running to her eldest daughter’s house, only to see that it wasn’t there anymore. Pieces of galvanized iron sheets that had been its walls lay crumpled beneath mounds of earth instead.

“I was worried because no one had seen them. I ran to their house, but it was not there anymore," Andrada says.

Running to the neighbor’s house below, Andrada asked if they had seen Leonora and her family. The neighbors said they didn’t.

The discovery

With the help of a barangay official, Andrada rushed to the Baguio City Hall to ask for help. According to her, it was already 3:00 p.m. when the bodies of all eight family members were dug out - Leonora, 28; her husband Simeon, 40; and their children Edmund, 11; Edison, 10; Loudy Boy, 8; Jennifer, 5; Jane Pamela, 4; and Simeon Jr., 1.

Andrada laments, “No one among the neighbors seemed to have heard the entire house collapse with my grandchildren in it. Not even one went to check them out."

Leonora, who was three months pregnant with her seventh child, was dug up holding Simeon Jr.

All eight members of the family were placed on wooden caskets and laid at the basketball court of the barangay. - Andrada believes Leonora's house collapsed in the wee hours of the morning.B]

Scarce burial lots

Even burial was a problem, Andrada says, with cemetery lots becoming scarce due to the big number of fatalities after the typhoon.

“We got a single cemetery lot and that's where we buried them all. We simply set down their caskets on top of one another," says Andrada.

The lone breadwinner of the family, Andrada recalls enjoying spending time with her grandchildren after work. She shares that her work now helps her cope with the loss of her daughter and her grandchildren, including Leonora’s unborn child.

Nearly two months after the deaths, however, Andrada still fears for their lives in the event of another typhoon as strong as Pepeng.

Their house, a makeshift laundry room owned by her employer, stands at the edge of a slope just above the place where Leonora’s house had stood.

Andrada’s family welcomes the possibility of relocation, but no concrete plans and assistance have so far been extended.

She says this was the first time their place was hit by landslides. Not far from the site, two houses sitting on the edge of a cliff had also collapsed at the height of the typhoon, but nobody died.

The Picar family is among the HUNDREDS OF FATALITIES left by TYPHOON PEPENG, which brought UNPRECEDENTED LANDSLIDES and FLOODING to the Cordillera region.

JV, GMANews.TV

BAGUIO TOURISM STILL STRUGGLING AFTER PEPENG

(By PAULINE NIKKA CORSINO11/22/2009 | 07:36 PM - GMA News.TV)

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - MORE THAN A MONTH AFTER the onslaught of TYPHOON PEPENG (international codename: PARMA), businesses in Baguio City are barely back on their feet, with tourist turnouts remaining low.

Kim, who sells Baguio food products and souvenir items in one of the busiest bus terminals in the Central Business District, laments their consistent decrease in sales this year.

“We usually generate about P10,000 income around the same time last year. In the months before the typhoon, it went down to around P6,000, then to just P800 in the days following the typhoon," she explains in Filipino.

“Tourists who drop by here no longer buy Baguio souvenirs," Kim adds. The products include knitted bonnets, scarves, and necklaces.

Sales were momentarily brisk during the All Saint’s Day weekend but quickly dwindled the following week, adds Kim.

“Our sales usually shoot up starting the last week of October and will last until around June the next year, but this is not the case anymore," Kim explains.

Ellen, another stall owner, says their average P1, 500 sales everyday went down to P100 during the typhoon.

Recovering

She adds, however, that they are slowly recovering, with bus trips having gone back to normal since the reopening of Baguio’s three main roads.

A bus company with routes from Baguio to Manila and nearby provinces records an average 33 round trips per day at around P10,000 per trip, which brings daily losses to more than P600,000 during the four-day trip suspension.

Businesses at Burnham Park, perhaps Baguio’s most accessible tourist spot, have also been suffering.

Belen Ogena says her boats-for-rent business is not coping very well. “Last year we usually had (the boats) rented for 30 minutes at P60. Today we allow customers to stay there for as long as they want for the same price."

“We expected to recover after the RAINY SEASON, but THEN PEPENG came and we have since been hard up coping with the low tourist turnout," she says in Filipino.

Sonny Legaspi, who has a bicycle-for-rent business, has similar concerns. He observes that excursions are hard to come by nowadays, and fewer foreign tourists have come since typhoon Pepeng compared to the same time last year.

Even Baguio’s famous ukay-ukay is affected, as it is heavily dependent on tourist arrivals. Marina Bumatay, owner of one stall along the Bayanihan area near Burnham Park, has not replenished her stock since June of this year.

Lost revenues

Baguio City lost around P300 million in expected revenues from the pullout of the Advertising Congress, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).

But the mountain resort city is expected to gradually regain its losses as the busy holiday season nears, and with several activities lined up to spruce up its tourism.

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Baguio has slashed hotel rates by 30-50 percent until the end of this month to attract tourists back to the city.

The DOT is also set to launch the WOW Philippines, Cordillera’s Best 2009 project on November 25. Among the activities lined up are two grand parades on November 28 and 29 featuring Baguio City and the Cordillera Region’s festivals.

The city is also set to host the 60th edition of the Fil-American Golf Tournament starting November 25. The event is expected to shoot up Baguio’s tourism as it will draw some 1,200 golfers from around the world. It holds a Guiness Record for being the biggest amateur golf tournament in the world.

Says a DOT source, “We are eyeing on conferences as the primary tourism activity to be hoisted in Baguio. Again, we remain optimistic that visitors will still be coming this Christmas season," adding that December is Baguio’s most visited month.

GMANews.TV

nancyk58 · December 2, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 2 DECEMBER 2009

ONDOY AND PEPENG LOSSES NEXT ONLY TO ACEH TSUNAMI

(12/02/2009 | 03:15 PM - GMA News.TV)

The government should FAST-TRACK THE REBUILDING OF RURAL LIVELIHOODS – before the year ends as much as possible – to AVOID PRODUCTION DECLINES, INCOME LOSSES and INCREASED SPENDING during the dry season in the aftermath of tropical cyclones ONDOY and PEPENG, the worst natural disaster in the region since the East Asian tsunami of 2005, a post-disaster assessment report said.

Damages and losses from ONDOY and PEPENG (International names KETSANA and PARMA, respectively) reached $4.4 million – equivalent to 2.7 percent of total economic output. While financing needs are large, “the cost of doing nothing would be larger still," according to the report which was released Wednesday.

The report estimates the total cost of recovery and reconstruction of LUZON, which includes METRO MANILA, at $ 4.42 billion over the short to medium term (2009 to 2012). It said larger investments, particularly in flood control and housing, may need to be considered in the longer term.

The storms hit regions of the country that account for almost two-thirds of the gross domestic product, including the National Capital Region, which accounts for more than a third of total economic output.

The report, prepared by several development organizations from the public and private sectors, cited the need for rapid action in repairing irrigation systems and clearing plantations of gravel, silt and sand while providing farmers with seeds and fertilizer to ensure that there is enough food for everyone in the coming year.

The state should also pay close attention to FLOOD MANAGEMENT and DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, while increasing the participation of local governments in the recovery and reconstruction program and in coming up with measures to mitigate disaster risks.

"]“While ONDOY’s flooding could not have been prevented, its extensive impact was preventable. Similarly, the damage wrought by Pepeng could have been mitigated," the study, prepared by the United Nations and World Bank, among others, pointed out.[/b]

LESSONS FROM SAO PAULO

Preventing such impacts in the future, it added, requires closer attention to areas such as land use planning, housing, water management, environmental protection and disaster risk mitigation. Policymakers should address the congestion of Metro Manila, the proliferation of slums, the heavily polluted environment in urban areas, and the weak performance of agribusiness in rural areas.

The study called for a transparent, accountable and result-based recovery and reconstruction program. It also cited the need to engage local communities in decision-making, implementation and monitoring to lower the risk of fund misuse.

The report noted that the vast majority of damage to the housing stock was concentrated in the informal sector, which serves mainly low-income families, so building back better means providing better alternatives to informal settlers.

The Philippines, it added, can learn much from Singapore and Sao Paulo, which have successfully addressed the issue of slums through more intensive use of urban land. “Given the cost of land in metropolitan Manila and the need to keep people close to their sources of livelihoods, spreading upwards in more compact settlements is a logical solution," it said.

PRODUCTIVE SECTORS WORST HIT

Much of the damage costs, or about $3.22 billion, was sustained by productive sectors such as agriculture, industry, commerce and tourism. Losses and damages suffered by so-called social sectors such as housing, education, cultural heritage and health reached $919 million.

Losses and damages to infrastructure – including electricity, water and sanitation, flood control, drainage and dam management, transport and telecommunications – reached $237.3 million, while local governments lost $7.1 million.

As of November 23, the official DEATH TOLL from the twin natural disasters have reached 956 PERSONS, with 736 INJURED and 84 still MISSING. Most of the deaths caused by ONDOY were due to DROWNING, while deaths from PEPENG were mostly due to LANDSLIDES, especially in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Data showed that more than 9.3 MILLION PEOPLE – about 20 PERCENT OF an estimated POPULATION of 43.2 million living in affected regions – were SEVERELY AFFECTED.

The post-disaster needs assessment report was prepared by the government, multi-sectoral groups, development partners Asian Development Bank, European Commission, United Nations and the World Bank Group.

Cheryl Arcibal, GMANews.TV

nancyk58 · December 3, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 3 DECEMBER 2009

REMITTANCES TO HIT RECORD HIGH DUE TO TYPHOON AID

(Joseph Holandes Ubalde, GMA News.TV - 12/03/2009 | 09:29 PM)

Remittances are expected to reach a record high this year after overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are seen to send more cash home to assist their families whose houses have been damaged by typhoons.

From last year’s $16.426 billion, remittances are expected to grow by $500 million to $1 billion to an unprecedented $17 billion this year, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said.

The increase in remittances will be used for “RECOVERY SPENDING" and HOUSING REPAIRS of OFW families and beneficiaries whose homes were either flooded or washed away by waters that submerged the Philippine capital.

Tropical cyclone ONDOY brought record amounts of RAINFALL, engulfing whole villages for weeks, in September.

Weeks later, typhoon PEPENG also unleashed furious WINDS and RAIN, damaging not only houses but farms, crops, poultry, and livestock.

Citing data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), OFWs sent home $12.789 billion through formal banking sectors from January to September this year. This is up by 4.21 percent from the same period in 2008.

Earlier, the TUCP had projected remittances to drop by 10 percent this year due to the economic slump in the US which leads to job cuts.

Remittances coursed through channels in the US from January to September this year have plunged by 9.71 percent or $5.360 billion from $5.937 billion in the same period in 2008.

But TUCP secretary-general Ernesto Herrera said this was easily offset by the remittances from Filipinos in Canada and Japan.

Filipinos from CANADA, where many Filipino migrants are highly-paid professionals, sent $494.22-million while some $212.43 million was sent from JAPAN.

The surge in remittances from Japan is due to the increased hiring of Filipino seafarers.

RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV

---------------------

UNICEF - AT A GLANCE: PHILIPPINES (from Unicef's website)

SCHOOLS ADAPT and CONTINUE DESPITE POST-TYPHOON FLOODING IN THE PHILIPPINES

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 25 November 2009 – Most schools in metropolitan MANILA have reopened after FOUR TYPHOONS caused MASSIVE FLOODING in SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER, but teachers and students in the flood zone are still in URGENT NEED OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES.

The typhoons that hit the Philippines caused FLOODING in more than 80 PER CENT of the CAPITAL, as well as other areas. Close to 1,000 people were KILLED and 1.7 MILLION were DISPLACED or living in areas that remained FLOODED.

The crisis also took a major toll on education. More than 3,400 SCHOOLS were AFFECTED, and many opened their doors as EVACUATION CENTRES FOR DISPLACED FAMILIES. As a result, teachers had to use a range of strategies to protect children's right to quality education – as enshrined in Article 28 of the Convention in the Rights of the Child, which applies even in emergency or post-emergency situations.

SCHOOL AS SHELTER

Among the worst-affected areas is Rizal province, just outside MANILA. Some communities here are still submerged and accessible only by boat. SEVERAL SCHOOLS remain partially FLOODED, and many others still serve as EVACUATION CENTRES.

A weekday in early November, Patricio Jarin Elementary School Principal Imelda Custodio gave a tour of the damage at her school. Ms. Custodio pointed to a large sports field nearby that now looks more like a lake.

Across the flooded field, displaced people were crowded into several classrooms where they were living temporarily. A few inches of water still covered the floors and an outside walkway.

Inside their makeshift quarters, several families were sleeping on tables and wooden boards, with cloth and tarps tied up to separate each family's living space. One room had 13 families crammed in. Some who can't afford to buy boots were barefoot, and many had pruned feet from standing in the water.

Despite the major disruptions caused by the floods, students here were back in classes in Patricio Jarin's dry classrooms. The school had to merge classes and ask students to attend in shifts because space was too tight to fit all the students and evacuees.

GETTING BACK TO NORMAL

Back in MANILA, Philippines Undersecretary of Education Antonio Inocentes said education took a back seat after the floods, when schools were taking in so many evacuees.

But the Department of Education has been working with non-governmental partners to get schools back up and running as quickly as possible, he said. Together they've helped distribute school-supply packs to children returning to affected schools. The goal is to restore a sense of normalcy for students.

"We found it very therapeutic for the children when they can be again with their classmates, be able to laugh and to talk, and again do normal things," said Mr. Inocentes.

Teachers and administrators also had to adapt their usual rules and teaching methods to fit the challenging circumstances. In affected areas, for example, schools let parents know that they could send children to school in their regular clothes if they didn't have the proper uniforms. And some teachers travelled to students' houses or to evacuation centres when it was too dangerous or costly for the children to come to school.

PSYCHO-SOCIAL HELP FOR STUDENTS

At Pinagbuhatan Elementary School in Pasig City, on MANILA's outskirts, floodwater and mud damaged desks, chairs, teaching materials and student records. The school reopened in late October after a month of clean-up, repairs and re-stocking.

Many of the students' homes and belongings were damaged or destroyed. After weeks of cleaning out the mud, sixth-grader Louie Mangali said his family's house was still a mess. Like many other students, Louie also lost his school supplies. But he said some of his classmates had suffered more. They were still finding it difficult to concentrate on their studies because what they had experienced during or after the storms.

"Some of my classmates weren't able to relate with the class discussion and they weren't able to do their assignments," Louie noted.

Hundreds lost their lives during the crisis, and some students lost friends or loved ones, or witnessed tragedies. Many schools stepped in to give psycho-social support as children coped with loss. Teachers such as Mary Jane Lattao tried to use alternative education methods.

"We counselled them, we shared experiences and we let them play some games to avoid boredom," said Ms. Lattao.

LIFE-SAVING LESSONS

Re-establishing education after an emergency can play an important role in helping children overcome its psycho-social impact. Post-disaster education can also teach children critical skills, according to UNICEF Philippines Education in Emergencies consultant Arnaldo Arcadio.

"Education can be life-saving, because we provide children with information on health, water, sanitation and nutrition," he said. "We incorporate that into classroom discussions so that they will know how to survive in those conditions."

Mr. Arcadio added that children can teach their family members about the dangers of playing in floodwaters, the risks in evacuation centres and how to avoid them, and the importance of washing their hands with soap before and after eating and using the toilet. In many ways, he said, this aspect of education is as important an emergency response as the provision of food, water and sanitation.

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO DELIVER EDUCATION

In the wake of the recent typhoons, NGOs are taking lessons from these and past storms to better prepare for future natural disasters. UNICEF is working with the Philippines school authorities to develop alternative ways of delivering education – including self-learning exercises that students can do if they can't get to school.

"With these alternative delivery modes, we will be able to minimize the disruption in schooling and, at the same time, ensure that children are safe in their homes – but with their learning activities continued," said UNICEF Philippines Chief of Education Lulay de Vera Mateo.

To make up for time lost during the floods, several schools are extending school hours, shortening holiday breaks or holding make-up classes on Saturday. The country's National Disaster Coordinating Council estimates that it could take until late December for some of the worst-affected schools to reopen.

nancyk58 · December 4, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 4 DECEMBER 2009

SAMOAN TSUNAMI WAVE WAS 46 FEET HIGH

(12/04/2009 | 02:07 PM - GMA News.TV)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The TSUNAMI that KILLED MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE in the SAMOAN ISLANDS and TONGA earlier this year towered up to 46 FEET (14 METERS) HIGH — more then twice as tall as most of the buildings it slammed into, scientists said Friday.

New Zealand scientists studying the size, power and reach of the tsunami as part of efforts to guard against future disasters said they found UP TO THREE DESTRUCTIVE WAVES were caused by the MAGNITUDE 8.0 UNDERSEA EARTHQUAKE in SEPTEMBER.

The MASSIVE WAVES that struck SAMOA, AMERICAN SAMOA and TONGA totally destroyed traditional wooden buildings, many of them singly story, along the coast while reinforced concrete buildings sustained only minor damage, said Stefan Reese, a risk engineer with New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.

The waves were up to 46 feet (14 meters) high, Reese told The Associated Press. The scientists measured watermarks on buildings and trees to help confirm the height of the waves.

"In some areas there was virtually nothing left" after the waves reached up to 765 yards (700 meters) inland, Reese said.

Wide reefs saved some villages by helping to reduce the waves' height to about 10 feet (3 meters), Reese said.

The SAMOAN quake created a sea floor fault up to 190 miles (300 kilometers) long and 23 feet (7 meters) deep.

The SEPT. 29 TSUNAMI KILLED 34 people in AMERICAN SAMOA, 183 in SAMOA and NINE in TONGA. - AP

nancyk58 · December 6, 2009

Updates of the situation in the Southeast Asia on 5 and 6 December 2009

No relevant news on GMA News.TV in the week-end 5 and 6/12 2009

Weather Report for the Philippines: (21°C to 31°C). As of 5 a.m. Sunday, no tropical cyclone is existing within the Philippine Area of Responsibility. A strong to gale force winds is expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and Eastern Visayas.

-----------------------------

Danish Red Cross:

THE POOR ARE GOING TO PAY DEARLY FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

Everyone is talking about climate change right now. Unfortunately, there is very little focus on the millions of people already affected by the warmer climate. 92 percent of them live in poor countries.

Responsible for this page: Ilse lark Kristensen

Climate change is not something that happens in a distant future. They are already today a major cause of natural disasters. Storms, floods and droughts have become stronger, and their number increases.

This means that every year, 243 million people are affected by disasters caused by climate. Everything indicates that the figure will grow to 375 million in 2015.

There is no doubt about the reason for the new disaster picture: The earth has become warmer, and it affects the climate, which in turn affects the disasters.

Climate change affects the world's poor hardest

Those living in poor countries live a dangerous life. The risk of being killed in a natural disaster here is 10 times higher than in Denmark and in other rich countries.

The last 10 years, 72 percent of all natural disasters hit the developing world. It cost both lives and money in countries that already have difficulties in surviving.

Climate change also affects particularly hard in developing countries because large sections of the people here are deeply dependent on nature and its resources. Here the consequences of a bad harvest might be fatal for a family.

Other consequences of climate change:

• Conflicts - Scarcity of resources such as land and water increases the risk of conflict across the world.

• Melting glaciers - Threatening water supplies for millions of people.

• Rising sea levels - The water level in the world's oceans rises and threatens the existence of many countries.

• Diseases - such as malaria and dengue fever are spreading to areas not previously affected.

• Refugees - Millions are forced to flee because of the climate. That figure rises dramatically over the next decades.

Pages

COP 15: We must ensure future generations

Red Cross: We do as we usually do

Photo Series

Climate change shakes Mozambique

Photo exhibition in Copenhagen

Facts

Climate and disasters in numbers

Theme

Climate and Conflict

Other climate sites

Red Cross Climate Center

COP 15’s Official site

UN Climate Convention (eng)

Climate Calendars

People’s Climate Action

Wonderful Copenhagen

Our goals for the Copenhagen summit:

• The rich countries earmark more money to poor countries so that they are equipped to cope with disasters when these strike.

• Adaptation to climate change becomes a permanent part of the work on development and on poverty reduction.

• A marked reduction of global emissions of greenhouse gases.

http://drk.dk/nyheder/temaer/klima-c3-+verdens+fattige+betaler+prisen

sp★rkle · December 6, 2009

Hello Nancy. Thank you for your tremendous job on the threads about Philippines and Southeast Asia. Thank you for the updates, I hope at least some people will be aware of the situations in here that was brought about by climate change.

As I have mentioned to you some weeks ago, things got a bit horrifying in the country. It isn't about just the typhoons that struck the country, it has also greatly affected our economy. What's worse is the massacre that happened very recently in the southern part of the country. It is SOOOO worse that makes me puke just at the thought of it. But on the lighter side, amidst everything that is happening, there's a light that shone upon us, one of our fellow Filipino, Efren Penaflorida, won CNN's hero of the year. This is his story: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/03/05/heroes.efren.penaflorida/index.html

I continuously ask for prayers for our country, especially this Christmastime.

nancyk58 · December 7, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 7 DECEMBER 2009

The Philippines (GMA News.TV):

Weather forecast: (20°C to 31°C). At 5 p.m. Monday, a northeast monsoon affects Luzon and Visayas. There is no existing tropical cyclone within the Philippine area of responsibility.

Other important news from the Philippines:

Full text: Arroyo's declaration of martial law in Maguindanao

'Lawless elements have taken up arms:' Arroyo report to Congress on martial law declaration in Maguindanao

(Updated) Congress sets joint session on martial law Tuesday

SWS: Dissatisfaction with Arroyo increasing

The Ampatuan Massacre: a map and timeline

-------------

UNICEF:

UNICEF is an abbreviation for United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund which was UNICEF's full name until 1953. Subsequently the name has been changed toUnited Nations Children's Fund as the organization expanded its work to include development aid.

http://www.unicef.dk/script/site/page.asp?Cat_ID=228&artID=1350

A new song "It's My World" sung by the Danish choir "Alien Beat Club" and the Choir of Danish Radio. The song is written and donated to UNICEF by the Danish singer, producer and "X Factor" judge Remee (abroad he is probably most known for having written Jamelia's great hit "Super Star"). The new song is to be sung by children from 42 countries at the Childrens' Climate Forum 2009 in December. The Children's Climate Forum was held in Copenhagen from 28 November to 4 December 2009.

The lyrics of "It's My World"

Everyday when I get home

I can see what I did wrong

And the back of my mind say

That I should know better

And I would give it all up

If I could turn back the clock

Would´ve treated you better

Now I see it clearer

I do believe there's a time to change

And I'm not caught up in yesterday

Cause the world will keep on turning

And a light will keep on burning

For the fact that I'll be learning

Every minute of the journey

But if we dont stop pretending

There will be consequenses

For the rivers that are flowing

When the fire's on, the fire´s on

It's my world

Somebody made it all up

The beauty of a raindrop

Just like a work of art

Mountains and rivers

I wanna see where it ends up

If I give it all my love

Every thought I give her will come back forever

I know that we've got the right to change

And there's no reason to place the blame

Cause the world will keep on turning

And a light will keep on burning

For the fact that I'll be learning

Every minute of the journey

When the fire´s on, the fire´s on

It's my world, it's my world…

I got a choice to make (for my world)

Before it fades away (my world)

It's now or never

Can´t be like hey whatever

Whatever motivates (my world)

I gotta make a change

We´re in this together

Cause the world will keep on turning

And a light will keep on burning

For the fact that I'll be learning

When the fire´s on, the fire´s on

It's my world

----------------

Our World, Our Future

CHILDREN’s CLIMATE FORUM DECLARATION 2009

Climate change threatens our lives, our families and our future. We, the youth delegates from 44 countries attending the Children’s Climate Forum 2009, will not sit back and watch. We already face the effects of climate change. Our communities are deprived of clean drinking water, denied access to education and vulnerable to disease every time it floods. Our plates are empty due to drought. Our future is at risk, and we demand that something be done. The youth in the world are ready to take action, and we request the same of governments worldwide. The time for talk is over. Now, we hold you accountable for your commitments.

The challenges may appear insurmountable, yet as stakeholders, our generation is ready to collaborate in this cause.

We commit to personal lifestyle changes that place the common good above our individual desires and

current way of life.

We commit to educate and empower ourselves and our communities to adapt to and mitigate the changing climate.

We commit to engage and actively cooperate with all generations and governments in combating climate change.

As our efforts alone will not be enough, we expect our leaders and fellow citizens to cooperate. The following actions need to be taken:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADAPTATION

· Governments of industrialized countries should contribute more, through financial and technological support, to the adaptation of developing countries to climate change.

· We want cities to be well‐planned and sustainable, with clean drinking water, many green spaces and efficient transport networks. Governments should take more proactive efforts to prevent uncontrolled urban growth and strengthen rural communities by creating sustainable employment, quality education and entertainment.

· Regulations, safety standards and standard emergency protocol, consistently centered on and informed by children, need to be established to prepare for climate induced disasters.

· As lack of water is already causing drought and desertification in many areas, governments must work towards water conservation and provide clean water sources for areas in need.

· Education on sea level rise and flooding, along with policies that allow communities to adjust to changes, must be implemented. When communities’ water supplies are threatened by rising sea levels, alternative sources should be provided to aid their adaptation.

· Biodiversity‐related projects that promote the conservation of threatened species must be widely implemented.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MITIGATION

· Research, development and sharing of green and energy‐efficient technologies, especially renewable energy production, must occur between industrialized and developing countries to ensure sustainable development globally.

· Investments should be made in sustainable transport infrastructure, such as train and bus networks, cycling lanes and environmentally friendly fuel.

· An international carbon trading system should be introduced. All transactions within the market should be taxed and the revenue generated should be used for an adaptation fund.

· We propose a new classification where countries are divided into three annexes - the industrialized countries, the developing countries which pollute heavily and the less polluting developing countries - to distribute responsibilities fairly among nations.

· Governments should establish and develop recycling systems on a national level.

We demand that our authorities provide accessible recycling facilities in all communities.

· Climate change education should be a mandatory and substantial area of the school curriculum. Governments should also support organizations which already educate youth on climate issues.

The battle against climate change is upon all of us. We are ready to act and we invite you to join us. Climate change is affecting our lives, our families and our future. We must act immediately and we are ready to fulfill our commitments. We are prepared to give all we have as long as there is the possibility of saving our

planet.

We expect the same courage from you.

-----------------------------

THE WORLD's CHILDREN DEMAND CLIMATE ACTION BY WORLD LEADERS

07-12-2009 - On Friday 4 December 2009 children from around the world gathered in Copenhagen presented their own Climate Forum Declaration to the Danish Minister, Mrs. Connie Hedegaard who is President of COP 15.

The children's commitments

The Declaration commits the children to change their own lifestyles and demands that world governments act now to protect the world from the terrible consequences of climate change.

164 children with a voice

"The battle against climate change is upon all of us. We are ready to act and we invite you to join us. Climate change is affecting our lives, our families and our future. We must act immediately and we are ready to fulfill our commitments. We are prepared to give all we have as long as there is the possibility of saving our planet". So a total of 164 young people from around the world wrote in their Climate Forum Declaration. "We expect the same courage from you," the declaration concludes.

The next generation demands action

During the closing ceremony today at the Copenhagen City Hall Connie Hedegaard received the Children Climate Forum Declaration with a big thank you to the 164 youth delegates, because they put pressure on the politicians.

"Tell them they cannot leave Copenhagen empty-handed in two weeks! Because you - the community / citizens - the next generation - demand that they act now," said Connie Hedegaard, in her speech to the youth climate ambassadors.

Concrete proposals

The Children's Climate Forum Declaration recommends the governments of industrialized countries to contribute more financially to combat climate change; the planning of cities in a way so that they are sustainable; the implementation of laws and disaster preparedness to mitigate the consequences and effects of natural disasters; the conservation of clean water; schools to educate children on sea level rise and flooding, and implementation of biodiversity-related projects to conserve threatened species.

New classification of the world's countries

The youth delegates also came up with recommendations for reducing CO2 emissions. In addition, they propose a new classification of the world's countries - in industrialized countries, developing countries which pollute heavily and less polluting developing countries - to distribute responsibilities fairly among nations.

Week-long battle for justice

Climate justice was altogether a recurring theme at the week-long children's forum, where 164 youth delegates between 14 and 17 years from 44 countries met in Copenhagen City Hall to discuss and learn about climate change and to submit plans for the continued action for a better climate when they return to their home countries.

164 new ambassadors

After the forum the youth delegates were formally appointed youth climate ambassadors. "It has been very cool that children with so many different backgrounds can agree on so many items. I hope we can keep in touch across the countries to exchange ideas and experience. At this forum, there are so many young people who have experienced many terrible things. I will take that with me when I go out as climate ambassador to give lectures, "says 15-year-old Martin Dover who is Danish climate ambassador.

Eight children participating at the Adults' Climate Summit

Eight youth delegates from Bangladesh, Bolivia, Haiti, Kenya, Maldives, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia will stay in Copenhagen to draw attention to children's concerns and recommendations in the first week of the adults' Climate Summit, COP 15.

The ceremony was supported by climate song

During the closing ceremony, the children's climate demands were supported by the Danish singer Remee and the Danish choir "Alien Beat Club" who - together with the 164 climate ambassadors - sang the hit "It's My World". The song was written by Remee specifically for the Children Climate Forum.

Extract of Children’s Climate Forum Declaration 2009

We commit to personal lifestyle changes that place the common good above our individual desires and current way of life.

We commit to educate and empower ourselves and our communities to adapt to and mitigate the changing climate.

We commit to engage and actively cooperate with all generations and governments in combating climate change.

Tonsu · December 8, 2009

Thank you once again Nancy.

As I have mentioned to you some weeks ago, things got a bit horrifying in the country. It isn't about just the typhoons that struck the country, it has also greatly affected our economy. What's worse is the massacre that happened very recently in the southern part of the country. It is SOOOO worse that makes me puke just at the thought of it. But on the lighter side, amidst everything that is happening, there's a light that shone upon us, one of our fellow Filipino, Efren Penaflorida, won CNN's hero of the year. This is his story: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/03/05/heroes.efren.penaflorida/index.html

I continuously ask for prayers for our country, especially this Christmastime.

I would like to second sp★rkle's hopes for continued prayers and support. The situation must be so bad there that almost none of us might imagine it. The massacre hit the news in the UK, but there is no news here of how those affected by the floods are continuing to survive...it's heartbreaking.

Please, plenty of prayers and good wishes, and donations if you can manage anything over this Christmas period; surely the true meaning of the holiday season is caring for our fellows.

Tonsu

nancyk58 · December 8, 2009

Thanks Peter.

I posted a lot yesterday - some headlines about Arroyo's declaration of martial law in Maguindanao and then some UNICEF articles about the Children's Climate Forum and the Children's Climate Forum Declaration.

I just read on the site GMA NEWS.TV that Arroyo's declaration of martial law is supported by Mindanao governors.

Today I'll only post the weather report for the PHILIPPINES (GMA News.TV):

(20°C to 31°C). At 2 p.m. Tuesday, a low-pressure area (LPA) was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 250 km east of Eastern Visayas while a northeast monsoon affects northern and eastern Luzon

nancyk58 · December 9, 2009

THE PHILIPPINES NEED YOUR HELP TO MITIGATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS TYPHOONS. A GOOD DEAL at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen would provide some help.

Today I received the e-mail below from Paul Hilder - Avaaz.org:

Call Europe, rescue Copenhagen!‏

From: Paul Hilder - Avaaz.org ([email protected])

Sent: 9. december 2009 10:18:48

To: Nancy Boysen

Dear friends around Europe,

The COPENHAGEN CLIMATE SUMMIT is on the verge of collapse already - developed countries have failed to lead the way with sufficient cuts and real money to finance a deal, and trust was lost when a flawed draft by the Danish hosts leaked today.

European nations have led the way on climate before. But so far in Copenhagen, we have failed to do our job. In these last short days, Europe’s leaders must rise to the moment and become true dealmakers.

Our leaders are meeting in Brussels this Thursday and Friday to decide how far they’ll go for a real deal in Copenhagen. Let’s flood them with thousands of phone calls from their own citizens, pressing them to rescue the summit by offering fairer and more ambitious proposals, instead of standing by and watching our future fall apart.

Click here to take action now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/europe_be_a_leader

At the link, you’ll find everything you need to send your message – suggestions about what to say, the right phone numbers, and reports of how our calls are going.

After years of careful preparation, we can’t fail in the last days for a simple lack of leadership. Let’s do all we can to save the climate deal -- follow the link above to act now.

With hope and determination,

Paul, Iain, Benjamin, Alice, Milena, Ricken, Paula, Graziela, Taren and the whole Avaaz team

More information:

Newsweek -- "The ‘Danish Text’ Disrupts Copenhagen: What You Need to Know":

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/12/08/the-danish-text-disrupts-copenhagen-what-you-need-to-know.aspx

Guardian -- "Gordon Brown: EU cuts must go deeper to get Copenhagen climate deal":http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/07/gordon-brown-eu-emissions-cuts

E3G -- "30 Percent and Beyond: Strengthening EU Leadership on Climate Change":

http://www.e3g.org/programmes/europe-articles/eu-should-raise-its-emissions-reduction-target-latest-e3g-briefing/

China View -- "40 percent emissions cut in Europe feasible: study" :http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/09/content_12614055.htm

----------------------------------

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nancyk58 · December 9, 2009

A document mentioned in today's other post:

Posted Tuesday, December 08, 2009 12:33 PM

The ‘Danish Text’ Disrupts Copenhagen: What You Need to Know

Daniel Stone

You might call it a modest setback to the climate talks. Or you might call it the puncturing of a lung in Copenhagen that has left negotiations wheezing on the floor.

On day two of the two-week conference, attention focused late in the day on what’s been dubbed the Danish Text, a document devised by several parties—including Denmark, the U.K., and the U.S.—that would hand most regulatory control to rich nations and would replace the U.N. as arbiter of global cuts with the World Bank’s more financially minded eye. Small players at the table, specifically the developing nations that have sought to pin large countries to the mat on making cuts, interpret the Danish proposal as a deeply troubling attempt by the biggest emitters to maintain control over their emissions…and the rest of the world's.

The proposal is essentially a reversal of the main principle of the Kyoto Protocol, which provided that large countries make sweeping steps to curb their emissions, but excludes smaller countries that may be limited in doing so. In an about-face, the Danish document proposes that future negotiations would take place on larger countries’ political and economic turf. But to the developing countries, the most infuriating component of the proposal comes down to numbers. Under the plan, by 2050 poor countries would have to limit per capita emissions at 1.44 tons, while rich countries would be given extra leeway at 2.67 tons per person.

Drafters of the text maintain that the proposal wasn't intended to be released until more countries could offer amendments and sign on, and that the leaked draft is far from final. But that reasoning isn't seeming to resonate in Copenhagen at the moment. Poor countries see the draft as a way the wool was almost pulled over their eyes. And even stateside, climate watchers have labeled the secret nature of the proposal "despicable," dishonest, and unfair.

Whether the negotiations can recover is an open question. Considering the urgent demands of curbing emissions is not going away, it’s likely they will. But the biggest difference now is the hefty amount of humility larger countries will need to exhibit in order to bring everyone back to the table. With the risk of the breakdown of the talks being blamed on them, there’s certainly extra incentive for the parties at the center of the document to get things back on track.

UPDATE: Briefing reporters Tuesday evening in Copenhagen, U.S. delegate Jonathan Pershing played down the implications of the document. "There is no single Danish text, there are many Danish texts." He went on, "If there was no Danish text, I would be appalled" since "[the delegates'] job is to bring something to the table."

nancyk58 · December 10, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 10 DECEMBER 2009

The Philippines:

Some headlines followed by some articles - all from GMA News.TV

'All RP seafarers to take anti-piracy training'

Poor Filipinos on the rise despite growth — ADB

Japan hiring qualified Filipino nurses, caregivers

Obama defends US wars as he accepts peace prize

FILIPINO WHO SAVED LIVES DURING STORM AMONG TIME's TOP 10 HEROES

(SOPHIA REGINA M. DEDACE, GMANews.TV - 10 Dec. 2009 | 04:30 PM )

A FILIPINO who SACRIFICED HIS LIFE life during the onslaught of tropical storm ONDOY (KETSANA) in SEPTEMBER was named among TIME Magazine’s TOP 10 HEROes this year.

The international publication recognized the SELFLESSNESS of 18-year-old Muelmar Magallanes, who braved raging currents, helping bring neighbors and relatives to safer ground when RECORD RAINFALL SUBMERGED THREE-FOURTHS OF THE PHILIPPINE CAPITAL.

“By the time the storm had unleashed its full fury, bringing the worst rains the region had seen in more than 40 years, Magallanes had changed the lives of dozens of family members and neighbors – and lost his own," TIME said on its Web site.

Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City was among the worst-hit communities in the metropolis when Ondoy ravaged vast swaths in Luzon on September 26.

Magallanes, said to be a strong swimmer, rescued about 30 people but was unable to save himself.

While trying to save other neighbors, a wall collapsed on him and a television set fell on his head, killing him instantly.

ONDOY may have KILLED HUNDREDS, DISPLACED THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES, and DESTROYED THOUSANDS OF HOMES.

But Magallanes and several other faceless heroes show that tragedy cannot dampen Filipinos’ resilience and bravery.

Just last month, CNN hailed Filipino Efren Peñaflorida for pioneering the mobile pushcart classrooms to bring education to impoverished children in Cavite, providing an alternative to gang wars prevalent in the communities.

RJAB, Jr./GMANews.TV

HOUSE APPROVES DISASTER RISK REDUCTION BILL (posted 9 Dec. 2009)

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure that seeks to strengthen the country's disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) system.

The consolidated bill entitled “An Act Strengthening The Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction And Management System" was approved by the chamber Tuesday night, a week before Congress goes into recess for the Christmas break.

The Senate passed its version of the DRRM bill last September. Calls for the passage of the measure in the House intensified a few months ago following the onslaught of tropical storm "ONDOY" and TYPHOON "PEPENG," which WREAKED HAVOC IN LARGE AREAS OF LUZON.

MEMORIAL PLAQUE FOR 956 ONDOY-PEPENG DEAD UNVEILED IN AUSTRALIA

(posted 09 Dec. 2009 - GMA NEWS.TV)

The plaque was unveiled at the Pinegrove Memorial Park in Minchinbury, New South Wales, according to a report from the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney.

According to the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs, the plaque is now a permanent marker in a section of the cemetery called the “Filipino Memorial of Christ the Risen Lord."

US GIVES $10 MILLION FOR RP STORM VICTIMS (posted 3 Dec. 2009)

The United States has donated an additional $10 million to help about 2 million Filipinos cope with the aftermath of back-to-back TYPHOONS THAT DEVASTATED THE NORTHERN PHILIPPINES.

NEARLY 1,000 PEOPLE DIED when THREE TYPHOONS from late September to late October unleashed the HEAVIEST FLOODS IN DECADES in and around MANILA AND IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS, where LANDSLIDES buried entire families.

US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said Thursday the latest assistance brought total American aid for the typhoon victims to $30 million. The UN is separately seeking $144 million to cover the work of relief aid agencies until March 2010.

Kenney said the money will be used for education, water and health needs. - AP

STORM'S ECONOMIC IMPACT STRONGER THAN ESTIMATED (Posted 3 December, 2009)

The economic toll of recent storms will be substantially more than earlier estimated but secured pledges are more than enough to fund reconstruction and recovery efforts, the government said on Wednesday.

Some $5 billion has been committed by the state and its development partners, Finance Secretary Margarito B. Teves announced on Wednesday following what the government called a "Public-Private Sector Dialogue on Post-Disaster Assistance."

The claim followed the World Bank’s reporting late on Tuesday that the toll from TYPHOONS ONDOY and PEPENG, WHICH DEVASTATED PARTS OF METRO MANILA and NORTHERN LUZON, would be $4.38 billion (P206 billion), equivalent to 2.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

The amount is a marked increase from the National Disaster Coordinating Council’s damage estimate of just over P38 billion.

The STORMS, which hit late September/early October and KILLED NEARLY A THOUSAND PEOPLE, would also CUT GROWTH by nearly half a percentage point and add 480,000 people to the ranks of the poor, the report said.

The total cost of recovery efforts over the next three years would be $4.42 billion (P207.8 billion), it added.

In announcing the pledges, Mr. Teves said "There is an indication of support from our development partners to the tune of $3 billion. Together with available funding from the public sector of about $2 billion plus private sector efforts, we have more than enough funds to meet the requirement for the country’s recovery and reconstruction."

"[The funding can come] by way of grants, concessional loans, based on terms that are mutually agreed upon," he said.

"This is a clear indication of support ... [but] We will have to thresh out the projects to be funded".

He declined to elaborate on the contributions of each development partner but said the largest amount was pledged by the Asian Development Bank. Details on specific projects were also not announced.

Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Augusto B. Santos said the pledges would be formalized through separate agreements.

"The disbursement of these funds will happen within the next three years. It will be in tranches. About one-third of these will be released in 2010," he said.

Mr. Teves said the bulk of the public sector funding would come from government financial institutions like the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines, and state-run firms Home Mutual Development Fund and National Development Co.

"The impact will be on the consolidated public sector so there will be less pressure on the national government ... For now we are sticking to our deficit and borrowing programs," he said.

Mr. Teves, who heads the Special National Public Reconstruction Commission, said the private sector had yet to commit any amount but said he was confident that funds would be made available once the projects are being implemented.

According to the World Bank’s post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA), "A total of $942.9 million is required to meet recovery needs and a total of $3.48 billion is required for the reconstruction efforts over the short term (2009-2010) to medium term (2011-2012)."

"The needs for financing are large but the cost of doing nothing would be larger still. This PDNA estimates the total cost of recovery and reconstruction at $4.42 billion (P207.88 billion)."

Reconstruction refers to short-term activities such as road repairs while recovery involves long-term initiatives such as housing and flood control.

More than half of the costs, around $2.44 billion, will have to be shouldered by the government while the private sector will have to contribute the remainder.

The report said storm damage and losses totalled $4.38 billion (P206 billion), equivalent to 2.7 percent of GDP and pulling down growth by 0.4 percent this year.

"Tropical storm Ondoy and typhoon Pepeng caused substantial damage and losses equivalent to 2.7 percent of GDP. The storms hit regions of the country that account for over 69 percent of GDP," it read.

"The GDP growth will decline by 0.4 percentage point from pre-disaster baselines in 2009 followed by an increase of 0.4 percentage point in 2010 ... Reconstruction and recovery activities are fiscal stimuli that will add to the growth rate," Jehan Arulpragasam, World Bank human development coordinator, said in a briefing last Tuesday.

The PDNA defined damage as the direct impact on assets and stocks including final goods and raw materials. Losses, meanwhile, refer to the impact on economic flows such as production declines and reduced incomes.

The assessment said more than 90 percent of damage and loss fell on the private sector.

"It should be noted that in contrast to other disasters in which destruction of infrastructure is predominant, nearly 95 percent of total damage and losses were sustained by the productive and social sectors," the report states.

"The impact was felt mostly by micro to medium sized enterprises, which normally have limited or no access to credit."

Specifically, 43 percent of the damage and loss was felt by commerce while 19 percent and 17 percent were borne by the agriculture and housing sectors, respectively. Also affected were the industrial (9 percent), transport (4 percent), health (3 percent) and other (5 percent) sectors.

Poverty incidence could increase by as much as three percentage points in Luzon areas affected by the storms and by 0.5 percentage point nationwide.

"The number of poor people in the Philippines is expected to increase by 480,000 in 2009. The storms severely disrupted livelihoods in the affected areas with about 170 million workdays — equivalent to about 664,000 one-year jobs — lost..."

Total income lost was pegged at P50.3 billion, including informal workers with family-based livelihoods.

The PDNA said rehabilitation efforts should be implemented in the following: rural production, flood management, housing, disaster risk reduction, and local governance.

From a report by Alexis Douglas B. Romero

FOREIGN DONORS PLEDGE FUNDS FOR REHAB EFFORTS (posted 2/12-09)

The Philippines is hoping to raise huge funds from the donor community and private sectors until 2012 to FINANCE RECONSTRUCTION and RECOVERY EFFORTS following the disasters of TROPICAL STORM ONDOY and TYPHOON PEPENG.

Manila is seeking P207 billion, about 2.7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, to fund its rehabilitation and recovery projects following the damages and losses caused by the twin calamities.

Leading the government team were President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Finance Secretary Margarito Teves while Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of telecommunications giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and holding firm Metro Pacific Investments Corp., headed the private sector group.

Teves told reporters that the donor community committed to grant the Philippine $3 billion or P141 billion worth of loans, mostly with easy terms than those given to commercial borrowings.

"We are pleased with the broad indication of support by our development partners that reached $3 billion," Teves said.

Bulk of the amount would come from Manila-based Asian Development Bank, while other sources include World Bank, United Nations and the Japanese government.

For its counterpart funding, the government would provide about $2 billion or P94 billion, mostly coming from government financial institutions such as Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines and government-owned and controlled firms including the Home Mutual Development Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund and the National Development Co.

The private sector, meanwhile, has yet to provide a detail about how much it will chip in for the rehabilitation efforts.

"Together with available funding from the private sector of about $2 billion plus private sector efforts through the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation of the private sector, we are confident that we can have enough funds to meet the requirements for the country's recovery and reconstruction," Teves said.

The Special National Public Reconstruction Commission was earlier created by the President to raise funds for recovery projects.

ONDOY HIT METRO MANILA with an unusually MASSIVE amount of RAINFALL and caused severe FLOODINGS, while PEPENG battered most of NORTHERN LUZON, main source of the island’s vegetable and rice needs.

GMANews.TV

nancyk58 · December 11, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 11 DECEMBER 2009

(http://www.unicef.dk/script/site/page.asp?Cat_ID=228&artID=1355)

Youth climate ambassador spoke

10-12-2009 - Hundreds of participants at the climate summit COP15 listened attentively as the newly appointed Ambassador of Climate, 15-year-old Mohammed Axamer Maumoon of Maldives took to the podium at the Bella Center. The debate was organized by the Prime Minister's Department, and among the many prominent participants was the Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

Future disappears

"I hear and understand the anxiety and pain expressed by the world's children. My eyes are not wet when I see a sad movie or when I lose a football game and certainly not when I give my toys away. But they are wet, because I know how it feels to see your own future and be forced to see it disappear. " In this way Axamer opened his speech and thus he signaled clearly that he had something to say.

Unfair climate change

The youth climate ambassador talked about the unfair way in which climate change affects the world: "Those who have more than enough to continue blindly in their struggle for more and thus continue their harmful behavior, while those who have nothing, are suffering and they experience a misery that they can not see an end to. "

One of eight youth ambassadors

Axamer is one of eight climate ambassadors who, last week, was chosen among 164 children at Children's Climate Forum to represent the world's children at COP15. As the only speaker besides Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Axamer delivered his speech from the podium, and not from soft chairs in the panel: "This is where I have practiced and rehearsed ," was the honest explanation.

The future belongs to children

"When the future now belongs to the children, then you should all think about this: How old are your children in 2050? Are they lucky enough to survive on a dying Earth? Our work on this started late, but it is not too late. Believe me, now is the perfect time to start working. "

Representative of all the world's children

In his concluding speech, Axamer reminded the politicians and experts of the fact that he was not alone at the podium: "I am Mohammed Axamer Maumoon from the Maldives, I represent and give voice to all children of the world - including your own!," he concluded. Axamer's moving speech was given a standing ovation by the audience in the hall.

Tonsu · December 12, 2009

Nancy, your work on this thread has been extraordinary, I cannot thank you enough.

nancyk58 · December 12, 2009

TODAY on SATURDAY 12 DECEMBER 2009 I WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE DEMONSTRATION IN COPENHAGEN ON THE OCCASION OF THE UN CLIMATE SUMMIT - COP15 - IN COPENHAGEN FROM 6 TO 18 DECEMBER 2009.

THE AIM OF THE DEMONSTRATION IS TO LAY PRESSURE ON THE POLITICIANS AND THE WORLD LEADERS TO SIGN A GOOD CLIMATE DEAL IN COPENHAGEN CONTAINING SUBSTANTIAL CO2 EMISSION REDUCTIONS AND A COMMITMENT TO PAY ENORMOUS SUMS OF MONEY INTO A CLIMATE FUND TO ENABLE THE POOR STATES THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY NATURAL DISASTERS TO ADAPT TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE.

nancyk58 · December 12, 2009

I had a really nice day at today's demonstration in Copenhagen on the occasion of the UN Climate Summit / COP15. The weather was sunny, but cold - around 3 degrees Celsius.

100,000 people participated in the overall peaceful demonstration. Where I was, everything was quite peaceful. But I understand that 700 activists have been arrested and that a policeman was hit in his head by a paving stone. Some activists threw stones at the police, in which connection 20 activists were arrested. A 43-year-old Swede was slightly wounded as he ignited a chrysantemum bomb - he was arrested afterwards. 4 cars were set on fire.

I met some nice people and had a wonderful day, but I am a little bit tired, but happy. In my opinion this demonstration was a huge success.

Macintosh · December 13, 2009

You did great work in Copenhagen! I consider that as more such a peaceful actions will be, as quickly business and politicians will understand all danger of position. While we in able to fix something, we must show attitude of society toward a problem. Global warming is obvious!

Today in Kiev on a central square we also had the small mass meeting in support of summit in Copenhagen. Ukrainian delegation left there with petition about permission to multiply the troop landings of CO2 on 30 %. Its awfully!:shocked2:

nancyk58 · December 14, 2009

UPDATES OF THE SITUATION IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ON 14 DECEMBER 2009

The Philippines

MAYON MAY ERUPT SOON; ALERT LEVEL 3 RAISED

( AIE BALAGTAS SEE, GMANews.TV - 12/14/2009 | 09:35 PM )

After five successive minor ash explosions and 43 volcanic earthquakes recorded for the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology = Phivolcs on Monday raised the alert level at Mayon Volcano from two to three.

“This morning, Philvolcs had recorded minor explosions from the volcano, while tonight, our staff noticed fresh volcanic materials coming out of its crater," said Phivolcs director Renato Solidum in an interview with radio dzBB.

Because of this, we have raised the alert status in Mayon Volcano from alert level 2 to alert level 3," he added.

Alex Baloloy, senior science research analyst at the Phivolcs Mayon Observatory in Daraga, Albay, said the volcanic activity recorded in the volcano's parameters, particularly the rolling of incandescent materials or lava trickles, could eventually lead to hazardous magmatic eruption.

Solidum said state seismologists would closely monitor developments at the volcano.

For the meantime, residents are prohibited from performing any activity around the volcano’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone and one-kilometer southeast sector, Solidum said.

RESCUE GROUPS READY

Solidum said they have already coordinated with the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) in preparing for a possible evacuation of residents living at the foot of the volcano. Albay Governor Joey Salceda has also ordered local government units in the province to activate the evacuation plans to maintain the zero casualty goal.

Salceda also advised local disaster coordinating councils to directly advise the population in the danger zone to have their evacuation kits ready and wait for an advisory to be issued any time from Monday night to Tuesday.

Salceda also ordered the Joint Task Force Mayon to pre-position its vehicles for a possible evacuation of 30,000 residents.

Phivolcs had earlier said that there had been an increase in the current activity of Mayon Volcano since June 2009.

HISTORY OF ERUPTIONS

Phivolcs’ Web site on Mayon said the volcano has had at least 40 eruptions since February 1616, the most destructive of which occurred in Feb. 1, 1814 when pyroclastic flows, volcanic lightning, and lahar affected Camalig, Cagsawa, Budiao, Guinobatan and half of Albay. - At least 1,200 were listed as casualties.

The second most destructive eruption was from June 4 to July 23, 1897, as pyroclastic flow, lava flow, lahar and volcanic lightning caused 350 casualties.

On July 20-24, 1766, pyroclastic and lava flows destroyed Malinao and damaged Cagsawa, Guinobatan, Budiao, Polangui and Ligao. There were 39 casualties.

On July 7, 1853, 34 casualties were listed as ashfall and pyroclastic flow and lahar affected Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao, Oas, Polangui, Malilipot, Bacacay, and Cagsawa.

From Feb. 2 to April 4, 1993, pyroclastic and lava flow killed 77 and injured five.

Mayon erupted again from July to October 2006. In August 2006, government ordered the evacuation of people living near the volcano.

On Oct. 3, 2006, Phivolcs downgraded the threat level to Alert Level 2. On Oct.25, it downgraded the threat level to Alert Level 1. But on Nov.30 that year, Typhoon Durian caused mudslides of volcanic ash and boulders from the slopes of Mayon Volcano, burying at least 1,000.

with Michael Jaucian/KBK, GMANews.TV

------------------------------------------------------------

THE CLIMATE SUMMIT IN COPENHAGEN / COP15 FROM 6 DEC. TO 18 DEC.

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES BOYCOTT UN CLIMATE TALKS

( 12/14/2009 | 11:07 PM GMA News.TV )

COPENHAGEN – CHINA, INDIA and OTHER DEVELOPING NATIONS BOYCOTTED U.N. CLIMATE TALKS MONDAY, bringing negotiations to a halt with their demand that rich countries discuss much deeper cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM 135 DEVELOPING COUNTRIES said they refused to participate in any formal working groups at the 192-nation summit until the issue was resolved. The developing countries want to extend the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which imposed penalties on rich nations if they did not comply with its strict emissions limits.The AFRICAN-led move was a setback for the Copenhagen talks, which were already faltering over long-running disputes between rich and poor nations over emissions cuts and financing for developing countries to deal with climate change.

However, the move was largely seen as a ploy to shift the agenda to the responsibilities of the industrial countries and make emissions reductions the first item for discussion when world leaders begin arriving Tuesday.

"I don't think the talks are falling apart, but we're losing time," said Kim Carstensen, of the World Wildlife Fund. The developing countries "are making a point."

The dispute came as the conference entered its second week, and only days before more than 100 world leaders, including President Barack Obama, were scheduled to arrive in Copenhagen.

"Nothing is happening at this moment," Zia Hoque Mukta, a delegate from Bangladesh, told The Associated Press. He said developing countries have demanded that conference president Connie Hedegaard of Denmark bring the industrial nations' emissions targets to the top of the agenda before talks can resume.

Poor countries, supported by China, say Hedegaard had raised suspicion that the conference was likely to kill the Kyoto Protocol. The United States withdrew from Kyoto over concerns that it would harm the U.S. economy and that China, India and other major greenhouse gas emitters were not required to take action.

"We are seeing the death of the Kyoto Protocol," said Djemouai Kamel of Algeria, the head of the 50-nation Africa group.

It was the second time the Africans have disrupted the climate talks. At the last round of negotiations in November, the African bloc forced a one-day suspension until wealthy countries agreed to spell out what steps they will take to reduce emissions.

An African delegate said developing countries decided to block the negotiations at a meeting hours before the conference was to resume. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was held behind closed doors. He said applause broke out every time China, India or another country supported the proposal to stall the talks.

U.N. climate chief Yvo De Boer said Hedegaard was holding informal consultations with delegates "to get things going."

In Washington, the White House on Monday announced a new program drawing funds from international partners to spend $350 million over five years to give developing nations clean energy technology to curb greenhouse gas emissions and reduce global warming.

The program will distribute solar power alternatives for homes, including sun-powered lanterns, supply cleaner equipment and appliances and work to develop renewable energy systems in the world's poorer nations.

The funding plan grew out of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) established among the world's top economies earlier this year.

The U.S. share of the program will amount to $85 million, with the rest coming from Australia, Britain, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland, the White House said in a statement.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Energy Secretary Steven Chu is to coordinate with partners in the group to ensure immediate action on the program.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's office said he would go to Copenhagen on Tuesday — two days earlier than planned — to try to inject momentum into the talks.

Former Vice President Al Gore told the conference that new data suggests a 75 percent chance the entire Arctic polar ice cap may disappear in the summertime as soon as five to seven years from now. Gore, who won a Nobel Peace prize for his work on climate change, joined the foreign ministers of Norway and Denmark in presenting two new reports on melting Arctic ice. - AP

-----------------------------------

To MACINTOSH from UKRAINE: Thanks for your kind words and for your report of the small mass meeting in support of the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen / COP15. I was glad to read that.

nancyk58 · December 15, 2009

Updates of the situation in Southeast Asia on 15 December 2009

12,000 RESIDENTS MOVED FROM MAYON DANGER ZONE

(12/15/2009 | 04:30 PM - GMA News.TV)

Nearly 12,000 people or 3,000 families living at the foot of the restive Mayon Volcano in Albay province have already been evacuated after state volcanologists raised the volcano's alert level from two to three on Monday evening, officials said Tuesday.

As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, a total of 2,611 families or 11,981 people from the towns of Malilipot, Daraga, Camalig, Guinubatan, Ligao and the city of Tabaco have been transferred to safer grounds.

Rafael Alejandro, director of the Office of the Civil Defense-Bicol Region, said the evacuation of residents around Mayon's six-kilometer permanent danger zone and one-kilometer southeast sector started 8 a.m. Tuesday.

"The evacuation is ongoing... [this was prompted by] the raising of level 3 in Mayon, it has increased activity. Under Level 3, the eruption is eminent," he said.

According to Alejandro, the government is aiming to evacuate over 9,000 families more or about 47,000 people in the next three days.

In Malacañang, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) through acting Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales to monitor the situation in Albay.

Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral has been likewise tasked to prepare for the distribution of relief assistance to residents who will need the government’s help.

Nonetheless, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the Albay Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) is so far in control of the situation.

"The Albay PDCC has been one of the most active in disaster risk reduction and management... Let’s all pray," Remonde said.

Aie Balagtas See/RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV

STAY AWAY FROM MAYON, US ADVISES CITIZENS

(12/15/2009 | 10:36 PM - GMA NEWS.TV)

The United States government on Tuesday advised its citizens to stay away from Mayon Volcano in Albay province after state volcanologists placed it under Alert Level 3.

In a warden message, the US Embassy said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has already warned of increasing volcanic activity.

"This alert condition signifies magma is near the top of the crater and incandescent materials are now detaching. Mayon volcano is now at a 'high level of unrest' and may have more dangerous explosions," it said.

It also noted that Phivolcs had recommended that the provincial government evacuate areas under threat.

Local governments have ordered evacuations in an 8-kilometer zone, it added. At least 12,000 residents were affected.

The US government advised its nationals to monitor the Phivolcs and United States Geological Service websites at phivolcs.dost.gov.ph and volcanoes.usgs.gov.

KBK, GMANews.TV

--------------------------------------

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES END BOYCOTT AT CLIMATE TALKS

(12/15/2009 | 07:21 AM - GMA News.TV)

COPENHAGEN – Poor countries ended a boycott of U.N. climate talks Monday after getting assurances that rich nations were not conspiring to soften their commitments to cutting greenhouse gases, European officials said.

European Union environment spokesman Andreas Carlgren said informal talks resolved the impasse, which was started by African countries and backed by major developing countries, including China and India.

Rich and poor countries "found a reasonable solution," he said.

Developing countries agreed to return to all working groups that they abandoned earlier in the day at the 192-nation conference, said Anders Frandsen, a spokesman for conference president Connie Hedegaard.

The boycott had disrupted efforts to forge a pact on global warming and forced the cancellation of formal working groups, delaying the frantic work of negotiators trying to resolve technical issues before the arrival of more than 110 world leaders, including President Barack Obama, later this week.

The move was largely seen as a ploy to shift the agenda to the responsibilities of the industrial countries and make emissions reductions the first item for discussion Tuesday.

"We are really prepared to discuss all issues in the negotiations. It means also absolutely all issues under the Kyoto Protocol," Carlgren said.

The developing countries want to extend the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which imposed penalties on rich nations if they did not comply with its strict emissions limits but made no such binding demands on developing nations.

Poor countries, supported by China, said Hedegaard had raised suspicion that the conference was likely to kill the Kyoto Protocol. The United States withdrew from Kyoto over concerns that it would harm the US economy and that China, India and other major greenhouse gas emitters were not required to take action. China is now the world's largest greenhouse gas polluter.

It was the second time the Africans have disrupted the climate talks. At the last round of negotiations in November, the African bloc forced a one-day suspension until wealthy countries agreed to spell out what steps they will take to reduce emissions.

"They are trying to put the pressure on" before Obama and other world leaders arrive, said Gustavo Silva-Chavez, a climate change specialist with the Environmental Defense Fund. "They want to make sure that developed countries are not left off the hook."

An African delegate said developing countries decided to block the negotiations at a meeting hours before the conference was to resume. He said applause broke out every time China, India or another country supported the proposal to stall the talks.

Jake Schmidt of the Natural Resources Defense Fund said "this is all part of the negotiating dynamic, especially as you get closer to the end game."

U.N. climate chief Yvo de Boer said Hedegaard was holding informal consultations with delegates "to get things going."

Canada's Environment Minister Jim Prentice said the dispute set back negotiations.

"We have lost some time. There is no doubt about that," Prentice said. "It is not particularly helpful, but all in all it is our responsibility to get on with it and continue to negotiate."

In Washington, the White House announced a new program drawing funds from international partners to spend $350 million over five years to give developing nations clean energy technology to curb greenhouse gas emissions and reduce global warming.

The program will distribute solar power alternatives for homes, including sun-powered lanterns, supply cleaner equipment and appliances and work to develop renewable energy systems in the world's poorer nations.

The US share of the program will amount to $85 million, with the rest coming from Australia, Britain, the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in Copenhagen.

Former US Vice President Al Gore told the conference the Arctic polar ice cap may disappear in the summer just a few years from now. Some computer models suggest "that there is a 75 percent chance that the entire north polar ice cap during some of the summer months will be completely ice-free within the next five to seven years," Gore said.

Gore, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on climate change, joined the foreign ministers of Norway and Denmark in presenting two new reports on melting Arctic ice.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's office said he would go to Copenhagen on Tuesday — two days earlier than planned — to try to inject momentum into the talks. His spokesman denied that Brown — facing a national election by June — was seeking any personal credit if a deal is struck.

Earlier Monday, British Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said countries needed to offer more than fast-start financing for developing nations, noting that the British have called for a yearly fund of $100 billion by 2020.

The financing is intended to help poorer nations build coastal protection from rising seas, modify or shift crops threatened by drought, build water supplies and irrigation systems, preserve forests, improve health care to deal with diseases spread by warming, and move from fossil fuel to low-carbon energy systems.

At the conference center, throngs of newly arrived delegates, journalists and climate activists jammed the security and accreditation lines, forcing police to shut down the nearby subway stop.

In downtown Copenhagen, police said they detained about 20 people among 3,000 climate activists protesting outside Parliament.

More than 1,200 others were detained in weekend protests, although almost all were released after questioning. About a dozen were arraigned on preliminary charges of assaulting police officers or carrying sharp objects.

There were also sporadic reports of vandalism across the city overnight Monday.

Police spokesman Henrik Moeller Jakobsen said 12 cars had been set on fire, including three vehicles belonging to Danish power company Dong Energy. Vandals also smashed windows and threw red paint at the headquarters of the Danish Immigration Service. It was not immediately clear whether those attacks were related to the conference. - AP

US-CHINA SHOWDOWN LOOMS OVER CLIMATE TALKS

(12/15/2009 | 09:51 PM - GMA News.TV)

COPENHAGEN – A showdown between the world's two largest polluters loomed over the U.N. climate talks Tuesday as CHINA accused the UNITED STATES and other rich nations of backsliding on their commitments to fight global warming.

Trying to ease the tension, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said rich and poor countries must "stop pointing fingers" and should increase their pledges to CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS to salvage the faltering talks on a climate pact.

The 27-nation European Union, meanwhile, called on both the U.S. and China to increase their commitments on emissions cuts.

Ban's warning in an interview with The Associated Press came as world leaders started arriving in Copenhagen, kicking the two-week conference into high gear in its quest to deliver a deal to curb emissions of the heat-trapping greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

Key issues remain, however, and the conference so far has been marked by sharp DISAGREEMENTS between CHINA and the UNITED STATES and DEEP DIVISIONS between rich and poor nations.[/B]

China and other developing countries are resisting U.S.-led attempts to make their cuts in emissions growth binding and open to international scrutiny rather than voluntary.

China, the world's largest polluter, is grouped with developing nations at the talks but the U.S. doesn't consider China a nation in need of climate change aid.

In Beijing, China accused developed countries Tuesday of trying to escape their obligations to help poor nations fight climate change.

"We still maintain that developed countries have the obligation to provide financial support," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said, adding that was "the key condition for the success of the Copenhagen conference."

President Barack Obama and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao are among more than 110 world leaders expected in Copenhagen this week.

The U.S. has offered 3-4 percent cut in emissions by 2020 from 1990 levels. China has pledged to cut "carbon intensity" — a measure of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of production — by 40-45 percent by 2020, compared with 2005 levels. But neither offer impressed the EU.

"We expect them both to raise ambition level," said EU environment spokesman Andreas Carlgren. "Otherwise we won't be able to reach the 2 degree target."

Scientists have warned that commitments to cut or slow emissions so far fall short of what is needed to keep global temperature increases below 2 degrees C (3.6 F) above preindustrial levels and head off the worst of global warming.

Ban said he remains cautiously optimistic about a successful outcome at Copenhagen, but warned that negotiators must work out their differences and not leave major problems for world leaders to resolve.

"This is a time where they should exercise the leadership," Ban said. "And this is a time to stop pointing fingers, and this is a time to start looking in the mirror and offering what they can do more, both the developed and the developing countries."

He said all nations "must do more" to keep carbon emissions below dangerous levels and rich countries should step up commitments to provide a steady flow of money for poor countries to combat climate-linked economic disruptions such as rising seas, drought and floods.

Speaking to The AP at a hotel in Copenhagen, Ban said if negotiators cannot resolve those problems before the world leaders arrive "the outcome will be either a weak one, or there will be no agreement."

"This will be a serious mistake on the part of the negotiators and the leaders if they go back empty-handed," he said.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was among the first heads of state to touch down in the Danish capital, avoiding a travel ban imposed by Western nations because he was attending to a U.N. conference. Mugabe was to address the conference on Wednesday.

"The meeting may be taking place on Danish soil but we're playing by U.N. rules and these rules mean that all the world leaders can meet," Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen told reporters.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was also expected later Tuesday — a day earlier than planned to help push the talks forward.

The U.N. conference's working groups were finishing up two years of work Tuesday and drawing up their final recommendations on such issues as deforestation, technology transfers and the registration of plans by developing countries to control their emissions.

Drafts on those issues showed some narrowing of gaps but left many disputes to be decided by environment ministers, which ultimately may go up to the heads of state.

Conference President Connie Hedegaard said environment ministers already in Copenhagen had worked late into the night Monday to resolve outstanding issues.

"Ministers have to be very clear and focused over the next 48 hours if we are to make it," she said.

Talks hit a snag Monday when developing countries walked away temporarily from the negotiations, fearing industrial countries were backpedaling in their promises to cut greenhouse gases.

The issues concern the details of a final treaty to be negotiated over the next six to 12 months and may not even be included in the political deal reached in Copenhagen.

"The options take us closer to the final agreement, not just the political declaration," said Gustavo Silva-Chavez of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who was having lunch Tuesday with the U.N. chief, told the conference on Monday that new data suggests a 75 percent chance the entire Arctic polar ice cap may disappear in the summer as soon as five to seven years from now.

Scientists say global warming will create rising sea levels, increasing drought, more extreme weather and the extinction of some species. - AP

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