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- Missing: AirAsia flight QZ 8501
Search and rescue operations are now underway for the missing AirAsia flight QZ 8501, which lost contact with ground control a few hours into a routine flight between Surabaya and Singapore. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said the plane lost contact with Jakarta air traffic control while it was in Indonesian air space. The flight had 155 passengers and 7 crew members (two pilots, an engineer, and 4 flight attendants) on board, AirAsia said.
Read more on Rappler (English and Bahasa Indonesia), and follow our full coverage of QZ 8501 here. Here are the important contacts for families and relatives of the passengers. - Talking peace in Surigao, Malacañang
The weekend saw groundbreaking talks and a pronouncement from the country’s highest office about efforts towards peace with both communist and Muslim rebels.
On Friday, December 26, thousands of members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, National Democratic Front (NDF), New People’s Army, local government units, church groups and people’s organizations, gathered in a clearing somewhere in the mountains of Surigao del Sur for a Mindanao-wide consultation on the stalled talks between communists and the government.
As part of the revival of the talks, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) recommended to President Benigno Aquino III the appointment of retired General Emmanuel Bautista as the government’s chief negotiator with the NDF.
Meanwhile, Malacañang also said that President Benigno Aquino’s focus for 2015 will be the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
Read more about the Surigao talks and the Bangsamoro aim on Rappler. - Rainy Mindanao due to Tropical Depression Seniang
The low pressure area east of Mindanao has developed into a tropical depression overnight and is now named Seniang, state weather forecasters said Sunday, December 28. Public storm warning signal number 1 has been raised over 10 provinces in Mindanao as of 5 am Sunday. PAGASA’s forecast track shows the storm is likely to cross Mindanao in the next few days.
Read more on Rappler’s #WeatherAlert page. - Cebu Pacific gives options for disgruntled passengers
After the so-called ‘Christmas-geddon’ experienced by passengers of Cebu Pacific Air in the past few days, the airline finally spoke up on Saturday, December 27, and offered options to disgruntled customers, from rebooking to full refunds. Massive flight cancellations over the holidays stranded passengers and led to complaints over the company’s failure to deliver serviices. A meeting among government aviation agencies will be held on Monday, December 29, to determine whether Cebu Pacific can be held liable for the cancellations.
Read more on Rappler. - Lessons learned from a disaster
Despite being spared from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the disaster had a huge impact on the Philippines, an archipelagic country prone to earthquakes. For one thing, that disaster increased the awareness and curiosity of Filipinos about tsunamis. For another, it convinced powers-that-be to invest in much-needed equipment that would allow Phivolcs to detect if a tsunami is about to strike. The 2004 tsunami also served as a great teacher for the whole world, the Philippines included.
Read more on Rappler. - Alternative learning centers helping undocumented Filipino kids in Sabah
Many Filipinos who fled Mindanao due to poverty and conflict became undocumented residents of Sabah, which has resulted to high illiteracy rates among their children. Thankfully, there are people who are trying to help, in particular alternative learning centers (ALCs) that help these kids learn how to read, write, and count.
Read more on Rappler. - 1995, 2015 papal visits: What’s the same, different
One thing – or person, rather – will be the same for the 1995 and 2015 papal visits: the presence of Philippine Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr, who organized Pope John Paul II’s visit, and now Pope Francis’ upcoming visit. Speaking to Rappler, Paynor shared the major differences between the 1995 visit and the Pope’s upcoming trip – both much-anticipated but with their own different challenges.
Read more on Rappler’s #PopeFrancisPH site. - Fewer fireworks-related injuries still ‘unacceptable,’ says DOH
The Department of Health on Saturday, December 27, reported a decrease in fireworks-related injuries over Christmas, compared to last year’s celebrations. The agency, in a press release, said there were 113 cases reported this year, 86 cases – or 43% – less from the same period last year. Despite this, the DOH said the trend is still “unacceptable..”
Read more on Rappler. - Slain NYC cop laid to rest
Tens of thousands of officers paid tribute to one of their own at a New York funeral Saturday, December 25, as emotions ran high over recent protests against police violence. But in a sign of the strain between New York’s police force and its mayor, thrown into sharp relief since the officers were shot last week, numerous officers turned their backs outside as Bill de Blasio began to speak.
Read more on Rappler. - MMFF movies: Take your pick
This year’s lineup of films for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is stacked high with sequels and remakes, but there’s still a lot to look forward to this holiday season. Whatever your thoughts on the festival, this year’s lineup showcases a diverse offering of horror films, love stories, historical epics, and family comedies. The MMFF runs from December 25 to January 8, with the festival’s New Wave selections showing from December 17 to 24.
Meanwhile, on the awards front, the movie “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo” led the pack at the Gabi ng Parangal on Saturday evening, December 27, getting the Best Picture award, among others.
Read more on Rappler. You can also read the reviews of the MMFF movies as they come, in our Entertainment section.
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