Rappler Newscast | October 18, 2013

Rappler.com

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A ghost town in Bohol waits for aid. Senators want to use pork barrel to help disaster victims. Pope Francis tells Filipinos: don’t get tired of mercy.

Today on Rappler.

  • Residents in an isolated town in Bohol struggle to survive as they wait for aid. 
  • Senators want to use their frozen pork barrel to help disaster victims.
  • Pope Francis tells Filipinos: don’t get tired of mercy.


Story 1: BOHOL GHOST TOWN STRUGGLES AFTER QUAKE
Three days after a magnitude 7.2 quake struck Central Visayas, Barangay Napo of Loon in Bohol is a ghost town.
Residents live in makeshift tents at the town plaza, beside mounds of rock, metal and roofing.
This used to be Loon’s pride, the Church of Our Lady of Light, now reduced to rubble.
Locals tell Rappler at least 4 people are buried in the church rubble.
On Wednesday night, they kept hearing the voice of a young boy from the ruins, but no one was able to help.
Those who lived in Loon for decades say the destruction from the quake is the worst thing they’ve seen in their lifetime.
The slightest tremor makes the locals nervous.
Residents say aftershocks caused more damage after the quake.
Road access to the worst-hit towns in Bohol make relief efforts difficult.
It’s impossible to use Mualong bridge, which connects Loon to nearby Calape town.  
Only boats and helicopters are able to reach isolated towns.
Help finally reached the isolated village Thursday, with relief workers bringing sacks of rice, food packets and medical kits.
On Friday, the government says the death toll rises to 172.
Bohol suffers the most casualties with 160 people killed.
Twenty two others are still missing.

Story 2: GOV CHATTO: BOHOL STILL A TOURIST DESTINATION
The Governor of Bohol is confident the province can bounce back from the earthquake and still remain a tourist destination. Bea Cupin files this video blog.

BEA CUPIN, REPORTING: Destruction and devastation – that’s what most people think now when you say the word Bohol, but the province will not be defeated. 10 of Bohol’s historic churches — gems — not only of the province but of the country, are partially damaged or in ruins as a result of a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit central Visayas.
We spoke to Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto earlier and he says this is not the end of Bohol’s heritage sites.

EDGAR CHATTO, BOHOL GOVERNOR: We’re much excited to turnaround this temporary setback into an asset for Bohol. Because our destruction of churches, it can be rebuilt. Assuming that it will still take some time to rebuild it. Many tourists would like to see ruins, would like to see how it looks now compared to how it looked before. And that will be part of the story. That will be part of history.

Still, several towns in Bohol are in dire need of help. Several LGUs such as Antequera and Maribojoc are still out of power as of 3:16 pm, as a result, the water supply is still a problem.
Bea Cupin, Rappler. Tagbilaran City.

Story 3: GOV’T GEOLOGISTS TO MAP BOHOL SINKHOLES
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau or MGB will send 3 geologists to Bohol next week to map the sinkholes residents reported after the earthquake that hit the province.
MGB Director Leo Jasareno says the findings will be released to local government units, which can be used to warn residents.
In the town of Loon in Bohol, 6 sinkholes are reported in barangays Basak and Basdacu.
Sun Star Cebu also reports a sinkhole in Cebu is getting wider.

Story 4: ‘PORK’ FOR DISASTER? SENATORS WANT TO UNFREEZE PDAF
Senator Ralph Recto wants to use senators’ Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF to help the victims of the killer earthquake.
Senators are allotted P200 million annually, but the Supreme Court stopped the release of the remaining PDAF in the 2013 budget.
On Friday, Recto says the Senate can issue a resolution authorizing the executive branch to use senators’ withheld PDAF for rehabilitation efforts, and help victims of the earthquake, Typhoon Santi, and the Zamboanga crisis.
He adds, “It is perhaps time to thaw the frozen pork and use it to help victims.”
The quake that hit Tuesday destroyed roads, bridges, homes and centuries-old churches.
Recto proposes “resurrecting” the PDAF into a disaster fund, where senators have no say on how it is spent.
Senator Grace Poe also files a resolution to use the 2014 PDAF for a P10 billion special fund for quake victims.

Story 5: POPE TO PH: DON’T GET TIRED OF MERCY
The biggest event in the Philippine Catholic Church this year ends on a historic note – with a message from Pope Francis.
Paterno Esmaquel reports.

For the first time, Pope Francis sends a video message to Asia’s biggest Catholic country.
Francis appeals for mercy for the poor and neglected.

POPE FRANCIS: Don’t get tired of bringing the mercy of the Father to the poor, the sick, the abandoned, the young people, and the family. (Don’t get tired of bringing the mercy of the Father to the poor, the sick, the abandoned, the young people, and the family.)

He also tells Filipinos to bring their faith to various fields.

POPE FRANCIS: Bring Jesus now into the world of politics, business, arts, science, technology, and social media…Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Asia! Pagpalain kayo ng Diyos. (Bring Jesus now into the world of politics, business, arts, science, technology, and social media. Long live the Philippines! Long live Asia! God bless all of you.)

Up to 5,000 people hear the Pope’s message at the Philippine Conference on New Evangelization, a three-day event to revive the Catholic faith.
Tagle apologizes for the sins of the Church against non-Catholics, women, and the poor.
He also asks adults not to judge the youth as evil and rebellious.

LUIS ANTONIO CARDINAL TAGLE, MANILA ARCHBISHOP: Tatapusin ko po sa pakiusap ng mga kabataan. (I will conclude by voicing the youth’s request.) Listen to us, understand us, take care of us. Many of us come from broken homes. We need fathers among the priests. We need mothers, brothers, and sisters among the parishioners.

Tagle says God sends the crowd on a mission.
He says believers should preach not with a judging eye, but a listening ear.

PATERNO ESMAQUEL, REPORTING: Two leaders, one message. The Philippine Conference on New Evangelization ends on a note of mercy… key to reviving faith in a world of prejudice. Paterno Esmaquel, Rappler, Manila.

Story 6: SAUDI DEADLINE NEAR; 5K PINOYS NOT REPATRIATED
The deadline for Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia to legalize their status is in two weeks, but the Philippines has yet to repatriate 5,000 Filipinos.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs says 4,003 Filipino workers returned home from Saudi Arabia.
DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez says 1,761 Filipinos are waiting for immigration clearance.
Saudi Arabia extended the deadline to November 3 from the original July 3.
Violators face up to two years in prison and fines of at least 100,000 riyal or $27,000.

Story 7: CHINA POWERS AHEAD, POSTS 7.8% GROWTH IN Q3
China’s economy expands 7.8% in the 3rd quarter of 2013, putting the world’s second-largest economy on track to meet its own growth target of 7.5% for 2013.
China’s National Bureau of Statistics says the economy grows 7.7% in the first 9 months of the year.
Economists say the jump is a result of government stimulus since late June.
This comes after economic growth slowed for two straight quarters: 7.7% in the first quarter and 7.5% in the second quarter.

Story 8: BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS: AN ORIGINAL FILIPINO MUSICAL
Trumpets big musical comeback brings families and friends together for The Bluebird of Happiness.
G Tongi reports.

G TONGI, REPORTING: It’s a family affair! I’m here at the Meralco Theater with my children to watch Bluebird of Happiness an all-original, Filipino musical brought to us by Trumpets.

Based on the play by Maurice Maeterlinck, with book and lyrics by Jaime Delmundo and Music by Rony Fortich, Bluebird of Happiness combines entertainment with enriching values.
Delmundo hopes original musicals like Bluebird grow in popularity.

JAMIE DEL  MUNDO, DIRECTOR OF BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS: It is very important for Filipino audiences to come to the theater whether it be bluebird of happiness or any other show that’s showing. It just happens that Bluebird of Happiness caters to a specific audience that we had in mind – the family entertainment, the people who come for family entertainment, families, and kids and so that’s its role, isn’t it? Not only to share something that Trumpets feels very strongly about but to introduce a new generation to come to the theater and help support Philippine theater as a whole.

Mio Infante creates the eye catching magical backdrop for the musical. He shares how he created one of the costumes for the tree characters.

TONGI: So tell us, how did you make this piece of headgear?
MIO INFANTE, SCENOGRAPHER: It’s actually piano wire inside and a lot of it, so we make piano wires as the main base so it’s not too heavy ‘cause the actors would complain about, you know, how heavy the things are and then I remember this was made out of sack cloth but it became too heavy when the actors tried it on so we had to do different ways of doing fabric and stuff like that and then putting retaso, I even call this thing retaso the musical because it’s all from different costumes as well.
TONGI: All recycled costumes to make a new costume.
INFANTE: Yes, correct.
TONGI: So that’s what we call upcycle!

Infante uses innovative ways to create characters that come to life onstage, much to the delight of children and their family and friends.
Don’t miss the theatrical extravaganza that touches the heart and delights the senses.
Catch The Bluebird of Happiness before they close this weekend!
G Tongi, Rappler, Manila.

Story 9: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 2, US President Barack Obama says the fiscal shutdown leaves “no winners” in Washington.
The last-minute deal hammered out by Congress ends the 16-day government shutdown and raises the debt ceiling.
But Obama calls on Republicans and Democrats to come together to pass a long-term budget.
He adds, “Probably nothing has done more damage to America’s credibility in the world, our standing with other countries, than the spectacle that we’ve seen these past several weeks.”

At number 6, The World Health Organization says outdoor air pollution causes cancer.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer or IARC classifies outdoor air pollution as a “Group 1” cause of cancer, the riskiest category on its four-step scale.
The IARC says pollution exposure levels increased significantly in parts of the world in recent years, especially in rapidly industrializing nations.
2010 data shows 223,000 lung cancer deaths worldwide are because of air pollution.

And at number 9, Bushfires ravage communities and destroy at least 100 homes in southeastern Australia, leaving one man dead.
Firefighters warn of “substantial” property damage as seven major blazes burn across the state of New South Wales.
Cooler temperatures and a drop in wind offer firefighters some relief, but the fire department says the situation is still “very active, very dynamic, very dangerous.”
Wildfires are common in Australia’s summer months between December and February.

– Rappler.com

Newscast Production Staff

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER / WRITER Lilibeth Frondoso
DIRECTOR Rupert Ambil
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER / PUBLISHER Rodneil Quiteles
  Dindin Reyes
HEAD WRITER / PROMPTER Katerina Francisco
MASTER EDITOR / PLAYBACK Vicente Roxas
  Exxon Ruebe
  Jom Tolentino
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR / CAMERAMAN Charlie Salazar
  Adrian Portugal
  Francis Lopez
  Naoki Mengua
GRAPHICS Jessica Lazaro
  Matthew Hebrona
3D GRAPHICS Sten Bautista

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