Palawan, Philippines Hit by Storm Auring

Southern Palawan remains under public storm warning signal No. 1 as tropical storm "Auring" maintained course as it moves away from the country, the state weather bureau said.

Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Forecaster Alvin Pura said that as of 10 a.m. Friday, Auring was located at 330 kilometers southwest of Puerto Princesa City (8.5°N, 115.8°E) packed with maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

Pura said Auring has maintained its direction and speed as it moves west at 28 kph. The tropical storm is expected to be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday afternoon towards Vietnam.

The warning signal in southern Palawan is now lowered to signal no.1 (winds of 30-60 kph). Storm warning signals elsewhere are also now lowered.

Tropical storm "Auring" will bring 10-20 mm of rains per hour (heavy-intense) within its 300-km diameter, PAGASA said.

PAGASA is advising residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal 1 to be on alert against possible flash floods and landslides.

The weather bureau warned fishing boats and other small sea craft against venturing out "into the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon and the western seaboards of Southern Luzon due to the northeast monsoon.

PAGASA said that tropical storm Auring is expected to be at 930 km southwest of Puerto Princesa City by Saturday morning or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

PAGASA said gradual weather improvement or "fewer rains" is expected over Visayas and Mindanao starting Friday evening, as the cyclone leaves the PAR.

Meanwhile, Pura said they have spotted a new cloud cluster over the Pacific Ocean that may become another LPA.

Philippine Typhoon Auring Slams Palawan

by PNA

Trees falling on power transmission posts due to strong winds brought by tropical storm "Auring" rendered this highly-urbanized city without power for more than two hours on Friday.

Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) spokesperson Vicky Basilio said Puerto Princesa and several municipalities in the southern part of the province experienced the power loss shortly after midnight. Power was restored at around 2:27 a.m. in some parts of the town proper.

Several outlying barangays in the north remained without electricity Basilio said.

In southern Palawan, the towns of Aborlan, Narra, Brooke's Point, Sofronio Española, Quezon and Bataraza were experiencing intermittent power losses.

Basilio said power will only be fully restored when the strong winds and rains have stopped.

"All our clearing teams were dispensed in the north to repair power lines where trees have fallen," she said.

In Brooke's Point, resident Gina Quimat said that families have been evacuated to higher grounds in Barangay Mainit where river has swelled because of continued heavy rains.

Strong wind toppled the 15-foot Christmas tree in front of the Brooke's Point Municipal Building on Thursday night.

Philippine Chess Tournaments 2013

The city is now in the thick of preparations for the hosting of the 2013 National Age-Group Chess Championships Visayas qualifying leg slated on Jan. 9 to 12 at the multi-purpose hall here.

Mayor Patrick Escalante was informed of the hosting last Wednesday by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) as a last minute substitution for Roxas City, Capiz which is affected by flooding.

The mayor readily accepted to generate revenue and uplift their sports-tourism program.

Grandmaster Jason Gonzales will act as the tournament director and international arbiter Gene Poliarco as chief arbiter.

The qualifying leg will be the basis to select qualifiers to the Grand Finals of the 2013 National Age-Group Chess championships.

The winners will also represent the Philippines in the 2013 ASEAN-Age Group in Bangkok, Thailand on June 8 to 17, and the 2013 Asian Youth Chess Championships in Mashdad, Iran on June 20 to 27.

The chess players are set to compete in six categories; the boys' and girls' 20 & below; 16 & below; 14 & below; 12 & below; 10 & below and 8 & below.

A registration fee of P200 and P300 as NCFP membership fee will be charge.

The tournament format will be six to seven rounds Swiss System, depending upon the number of participants for each category.

The top two boys and top two girls from each category shall advance to the Grand Finals together with the seeded and qualified titled players.

Philippine Inflation Rate 2012 Slows Down

The Aquino administration expressed elation over the report of the National Statistics Office the country's annual average headline inflation rate slowed down to 3.2 percent in 2012 from 4.6 in 2011, a Palace official said.

"This is the slowest pace inflation has grown on a year-on-year basis since 2008," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a statement issued Friday.

Citing the NSO report, Valte said the monthly inflation rate for December increased marginally to 2.9 percent from November's 2.8 percent.

"The rate is considerably lower than the 4.2 percent inflation rate of December 2011. According to NSO, this was due to higher annual rates in the food and non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages and tobacco indices," Valte said.

"Considering the strong performance of the Philippine economy, which grew at 7.1 percent in the third quarter of 2012, the inflation rate has remained stable and well within the 3 to 5 percent target set in the Philippine Development Plan (2011-2016)," she said.

Reaction on Philippine Reproductive Health Bill

By Jelly Musico

Senators who voted for the passage of Reproductive Health Bill say they respect the rights of anybody to question the legality of the newly-passed law, hoping the Supreme Court would act swiftly on the petition to stop its implementation.

"I hope the SC will act swiftly on this case to remove any shadow of doubt with respect to the law," Sen. Francis Escudero said.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the petition for certiorari and prohibition against Republic Act No. 10354 filed by lawyers James Imbong and his wife Lovely-Ann at the SC Wednesday shows that democracy in the country is alive and healthy.

"Once in a while, it is good to test the constitutionality of laws passed by congress. Providing the check and balance in whatever means is healthy for the country's democracy," Lacson said.

"I hope the SC as the final arbiter will see what is in the best interest of the country and people when they render a ruling on the filed petition," Lacson added.

The Imbongs, who filed the petition on behalf of their two children, asked the SC to stop the implementation of the law which they claimed "mocks the nation's Filipino culture."

Escudero said the petition "is the correct and legal course of action instead of other means that may have a destabilizing effect on our economy."

Escudero said the petition would hamper the implementation of the RH law "unless of course the SC issues a temporary restraining order."

Escudero and Lacson were among the 13 senators who voted for the passage of the RH bill in the Senate last December 17 after months of heated debates on the floor.

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, one of the eight senators who opposed the bill, welcomed the petition, hoping "the SC will scrutinize it to decide the constitutionality."

"I still believe that RH is a foreign imposition as I have been saying all along and therefore cuts through our sovereignty," Sotto said.

"That's why even if my amendments were accepted, I still voted against it. I wonder what has happened to some of our so-called nationalists," Sotto added.

Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012

By Lilybeth G. Ison

Malacanang welcomed the filing of petition before the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of Republic Act No. 10354 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012.

"Well, maganda po 'yung ginawa nila at least umakyat na sila sa Supreme Court. Alam naman natin na that was expected from our friends who were opposing the RH Law," said Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda during a press briefing on Thursday.

Lacierda said the government, through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), is prepared to defend the new law.

"Now that it is before the Supreme Court, the government through the OSG will be prepared to defend the RH Law," he said.

A Catholic couple has asked the High Tribunal to stop the RH Law.

The petition was filed Wednesday before the Supreme Court by lawyer James Imbong and his wife, who claim the law signed by President Benigno Aquino III last month was unconstitutional.

The couple also urged the SC to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) and/or writ of preliminary injunction to prevent respondents Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Education Secretary Armin Luistro, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas II from implementing the RH Law.

Lacierda said the arguments raised by the petitioner are "not something new" and have already been brought up during the congressional debates.

"The contention that was raised by Mr. James Imbong is not something new. It has already been raised during the debates," he said.

On the other hand, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman insists that RA 10354 is constitutional and will pass any test on this score.

"The Imbong petition before the Supreme Court is premature because it seeks to prevent the implementation of a law which is not yet effective," said Lagman in a statement.

Lagman, one of the proponents of the controversial measure at the House of Representatives, said the law does not run counter to the constitutional principles proscribing abortion and protecting the unborn, religious freedom, family life, marriage and responsible parenthood.

Dipolog City Affected by Philippine Typhoon Auring

By PNA

At least 90 families in Dipolog City were evacuated due to heavy rains brought by the low pressure area which has developed into a tropical depression "Auring."

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Benito Ramos said Thursday 90 families in Barangay San Jose, Dipolog were evacuated to higher grounds because Lubungan River overflowed.

Ramos also said some areas in Zamboanga Del Norte experiencing flood which included the Municipality of Katipunan- Katipunan National Highway has knee deep water level, Mia sans Dicayo Bridge has high water level while the Municipality of Roxas has high water level affecting barangays Piao, Tanayan, Irasan, Langaitan. Two houses in barangay Lower Irasan and barangay Situbo were totally damaged.

There were no reported casualties or missing person.

Ramos said the agency also went on red alert status on Thursday to prepare for the possible effects of tropical depression "Auring" which is expected to make a landfall in Palawan on Friday morning.

Ramos advised residents in Palawan and the local government units to be prepared.

"They still have 18 hours to go, kaya binigay na natin sa local disaster management units yung discretion kung sila ay mag-preemptive evacuation," he said.

Red alert status requires all disaster management personnel to be on standby and all vacation leaves deferred, while a blue alert requires half of the agency's personnel to be ready for contingencies.

Ramos said particularly ordered red alert for disaster management are officials in the Visayas and Mndanao as some areas are under public storm warning signal no. 1.

The NDRRMC also said it has directed the disaster risk reduction and management councils at the local level to prepare residents for evacuation, if needed.

"Office of Civil Defense centers were instructed to undertake precautionary measures in their respective areas of responsibility," the NDRRMC chief said.

The agency also advised local disaster risk reduction and management councils to "initiate preemptive evacuation of families in low-lying and mountainous areas if the situation warrants."

New Filipino Officials Appointed by Pnoy

By PNA

Malacanang Thursday bared appointments of new officials in various government agencies.

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed Tomasito Villarin, former convenor of the Reform ARMM Now movement, as Office of the President undersecretary for political affairs.

The President also appointed Rodolfo de Ocampo as Public Works undersecretary and member of the Road Board representing the transport and motorist organizations.

Other appointees are as follows:

Felix Oca as member of the governing board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, representing the sea-based sector; Eulogio Castillo as member of the Cooperative Development Authority board of administrators, representing Luzon; Maria Lourdes Rubueno and Virgilio Yuzon as members of the board of directors of the National Development Company; Oliver Butalid as member of the board of governors of the Board of Investments; and Julius Cainglet as member of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Council representing the labor sector.

Philippine Typhoon Auring Update

by PNA

Government agencies are prepared to handle any situation with the entry of Typhoon Auring in the country, a Palace official said Thursday.

In a regular press briefing in Malacanang, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council is on top of the situation.

He added the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development has been informed about the new typhoon.

"Our standard operating procedure is to identify areas that will be hit by the path of the LPA (low pressure area) and so we have pre-positioned goods already in those areas, and also the local government units have already been warned," Lacierda said.

"I think, our level of preparedness has improved, and the local government officials are more than aware of what they need to do in times of a storm," he stressed.

Lacierda said a group of foreign scientists would come to the Philippines, hit annually on the average by 21 typhoons, to observe the country's climate.

Lacierda said the government has been working on a more understandable storm warning system so the public could do the necessary preparations if there's an incoming typhoon.

The President issued a directive a few months ago calling on government agencies to make their storm warnings more comprehensible to ordinary people after noting that the NDRRMC and Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's reports were too technical to be understood, he said.

Among the basic information that should be given and must be understood by the public during times of weather disturbances are wind gustiness and the amount of rainfall affecting a locality, Lacierda added.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Fails to Get Preliminary Injunction

By Perfecto Raymundo

The Court of Appeals has dismissed a petition filed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the P5.4-million damage suit pending before a Quezon City Regional Trial Court against her.

In a three-page resolution written by Associate Justice Victoria Isabel Paredes, the CA's 14th Division denied for lack of merit Mrs. Arroyo's application for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and/or a writ of preliminary injunction.

"In reference to the prayer for the issuance of a TRO…we find no compelling reason for the grant of such extraordinary remedy/ies…" the CA ruling said.

Concurring in the ruling were Associate Justices Japar Dimaampao and Elihu Ybañez.

While the TRO and injunction petition was denied the main case still remains pending.

The case arose from the complaint filed by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines for the alleged extrajudicial killings of five protestant church members and the abduction of another one from 2003 to 2006.

The UCCP impleaded Arroyo in her capacity as then President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The complaint said that church pastors and leaders were either liquidated, harassed, unlawfully detained or tortured with impunity, by military agents and operatives who, by law, were then all under the ultimate control and command responsibility of Arroyo.

Representing UCCP as general secretary, Bishop Reuel Norman O. Marigza joined with six UCCP families as plaintiffs against Arroyo for damages to the church and co-plaintiffs human rights violations victims.

The UCCP said Arroyo and the military agents for whom she was responsible must be held accountable for the injustice they have exacted on the Church and the Filipino people.

The Arroyo camp elevated the case to the CA after the Quezon City RTC denied its motion to dismiss and its motion for reconsideration.