Rappler Newscast | November 18, 2013

Story 1: HAIYAN DAMAGE AT P10B; DEATH TOLL NOW 3,976
It’s day 10 – more than a week since Typhoon Yolanda — international name Haiyan — ripped through Central Philippines. Deadly storm surges and monster winds flattened entire towns and plunged provinces off the grid. But help really only started to reach survivors after more than 5 days.
As of Monday, the official death toll climbs to 3,976.
The storm also caused at least P10.38 billion worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure.
Thousands of survivors leave the devastated provinces of Samar and Leyte.
Thousands arrive in Manila and Cebu, while others go to surrounding provinces not as affected by the storm.
Leyte and Eastern Samar suffered the brunt of the typhoon after storm surges of up to 6 meters hit those provinces and washed away houses.
Several countries and international groups send help to the survivors: much-needed food, clothing, medicine, and the manpower to deliver these to affected areas.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council or NDRRMC says 23 foreign medical teams are helping in relief efforts.

Story 2: ON DAY 9, RELIEF GOODS FINALLY REACH ALL 40 LEYTE TOWNS
It took 9 days, but all 40 municipalities of Leyte now have access to relief supplies.
In a press release Sunday, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas says local officials in the towns of Hilongos and Palompon reached the government’s logistics hub in Ormoc.
After the typhoon, the Aquino administration came under fire for the slow delivery of relief services.
As relief goods poured in, the delivery of food supplies started speeding up Saturday — day 8 of the calamity.
On Sunday, local officials say the water supply in Tacloban City is now “back to normal.”
Logistics hubs in Tacloban and Ormoc also distribute more than 140,000 food packs.
Each food pack is designed to last for 2 to 3 days for a family of 5.
In Leyte, food and other supplies are either picked up by local officials or delivered to evacuation centers.
But in remote communities, supplies are delivered by helicopter.
On the island of Homonhon in Eastern Samar, residents wait as US troops unload water supplies from a helicopter that flew off the USS George Washington aircraft carrier.
In many villages, there’s no space to land. Helicopters are forced to hover low and drop the cartons to residents.
Although much-needed aid finally arrives, the United Nations says an estimated 2.5 million people still need food.
An estimated four million people are displaced. Only 350,000 are sheltered in evacuation centers.

Story 3: PETILLA: I’LL RESIGN IF NO POWER BY CHRISTMAS
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla promises to restore power in typhoon-ravaged areas by Christmas Eve.
If not, he says, he will resign.
On Monday, Petilla says the government will do all it can to restore power in areas devastated by the typhoon.
He admits December 24 is a –quote– “very tight target” but says he’s betting his position on it so typhoon survivors won’t have a “dark Christmas.”
Petilla adds, “The first sign of hope is always electricity. We will persevere to give them that.”
But he clarifies the December 24 target doesn’t cover remote barangays, which will take more time.
Petilla earlier said full restoration of power would take about 2 to 6 months.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines or NGCP says 566 transmission towers and poles and 7 substations are damaged.
NGCP spokesperson Cynthia Perez-Alabanza earlier said fixing the transmission backbone and main lines of the grid will take up to 6 weeks.

Story 4: AQUINO, ROMUALDEZ TRADE BARBS OVER HAIYAN
President Benigno Aquino visits Tacloban City on Sunday and turns his anger on local officials who, he says, did not prepare enough for the super typhoon.
Mayor Alfred Romualdez counters: don’t insult the dead.
Paterno Esmaquel reports.

A city left in ruins by a killer typhoon, caught in a clash between leaders from rival families.
President Benigno Aquino says Tacloban City failed to prepare for Yolanda as much as other areas.
He adds, this make him angry.

BENIGNO AQUINO III, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT: Sa ibang lugar ho, parang, hindi na lang ako magsasalita dahil bilang Pangulo n’yo bawal ho akong magalit. Maski na gaano ang inis ko, daanin ko na lang sa asim ng sikmura. Eh pag sinabi sa ‘yo, eto, eto ang dadaanan, eh ano pa nga ba ang gagawin mo – imbis na makinig, ‘di ba, ay kumilos? Pero sa akin na lang ho ‘yon. (Now as for other places, I’d rather not comment, because as your President I’m not supposed to get angry. No matter how frustrated I am, I’ll just stay silent and keep my peace… Now if you’re told that this is the typhoon’s path, what will you do, aside from listen – act, right? But I’ll just keep that to myself.)

Aquino says the second-class town of Guiuan did better than Tacloban. Preparation spells the difference.
Disaster officials say at least 0.31% of Tacloban residents died due to Yolanda.
In Guiuan, only 0.21% lost their lives.
But Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez says the President insult the dead.

ALFRED ROMUALDEZ, TACLOBAN CITY MAYOR: Siguro masasabi ko, ang Metro Manila handa sa Yolanda dahil hindi sila tinamaan. Pero kami, sinong magsasabi na handa? I mean, ayoko nang patulan ‘yan. Ano, iinsultuhin pa ba natin ‘yung mga namatay, at sasabihin natin, namatay kayo dahil hindi kayo handa? (Perhaps I can say that Metro Manila was prepared for Yolanda because the typhoon didn’t hit it. But what about us, how can we be that prepared? I mean, I don’t want to comment on that. Now what, will we still insult the dead, and say they died because they were unprepared?)

Romualdez adds the national government should revamp its response to disasters.

ALFRED ROMUALDEZ, TACLOBAN CITY MAYOR: I think it’s about time – this country is always hit by disasters – it’s about time, if they have to set up one battalion of rescuers on standby, they’re needed. We’ve been hit constantly, and we always rely on local rescuers, rescuers here, rescuers there, but we don’t really have yet a template, or a command of people with more than a thousand people, rescuers, equipment, and all that, and they’re experts in this.

Local governments, after all, can’t handle disasters alone.

PATERNO ESMAQUEL, REPORTING: In Tacloban, at least Aquino and Romualdez agree on one thing: rebuilding the city. For over 270,000 persons that Yolanda affected here, helping them comes first. Now is not the time for the blame game. Paterno Esmaquel, Rappler.

Story 5: TACLOBAN RESIDENTS UNITE TO PROTECT EACH OTHER
More than a week after Typhoon Yolanda hit the Visayas, those who live in V and G subdivision in Tacloban City unite to protect each other and restore order in their community.
Bea Cupin reports.

After Yolanda struck Tacloban, the exodus followed.
But not everyone is leaving.
Some chose to stay.
Residents of a subdivision in Tacloban begin to sort through the debris and damage and bring normalcy back to their lies.
But Zenaida Royo, who live on land owned by a bank, admits she still doesn’t feel safe.  

ZENAIDA ROYO, TACLOBAN RESIDENT: Natatakot, labi na pag nabalita na merong mga tulisan na pumapasok dito, natatakot kami, lalo na ‘pag yung mga malalaking bahay inaakyat. Sa kalagayan namin dito, hindi talaga kami safe. Kasi pag yung masamang tao, walang pinipili yan. Pag masama na yung pumapasok sa utak nila. (It’s scary when you hear news of robbers entering the villages. We get scared, especially when they loot the bigger houses. We are really unsafe. People don’t choose when bad ideas dominate their minds.)

Days after the storm, police and military told residents to set up their own patrols in the village.
Residents set up posts per street and screened vehicles that came in and out of the subdivision
Another resident Euno Areola says he considers Tacloban too risky for his grandmother, wife, and 3-year-old son.
They are now in Manila.

EUNO AREOLA, TACLOBAN RESIDENT: Pag may bagyo tapos may brown out, lagi talagang may magkakanaw. To make it worse ay yung mga balita na meron daw magraransack. May intelligence daw sila na aattackihin yung community. Security wise talaga, nakakatakot. (If there’s a typhoon and there’s no power, there will always be thieves. To make it worse, there’s new of a possible ransacking. They say they have information there will be an attack on the community (in the subdivision). Security wise, it’s really scary.)

At the Tacloban airport, people beg, threaten, or wait patiently.
Those who could afford take commercial flights out.
While those who can’t line up to board C130 cargo planes.
Many took a bus out of the Visayas.
Zenaida says even if she wanted to leave Tacloban, she can’t.

ZENAIDA ROYO, TACLOBAN RESIDENT: Saan naman kami pupunta? Wala naman kaming pupuntahan…Mahirap naman kami eh. Siguro sa mayayaman, takot sila. Okay lang sila kahit pumunta sila sa maraming lugar, marami naman silang pera. Sa katulad namin na ano lang. (Where will we go? We have nowhere to go. We’re poor. They’re scared of the rich. The rich can go anywhere, they have a lot of money. But for us, we have no choice.)

But the residents who stayed behind help each other through the nightmare.

EUNO AREOLA, TACLOBAN RESIDENT: Yung mga cousins who who are even younger than me, sila yung nag-tetend sa barricade, sila yung nagbabantay doon. (My cousins who are even younger than me tended the barricade. They’re the ones who stay guard.)

Zenaida and her family will stay in Tacloban.But Euno says their family will return to Tacloban city soon, the city they will always call home.

EUNO AREOLA, TACLOBAN RESIDENT: Tacloban has been good to us naman eh, ever since. Syempre, meron talagang challenges. This is one of it. And we believe kaya pa naman nating makabangon. (Of course, there are challenges. This is one of it. We believe we can still rise up from this.)

Bea Cupin, Rappler, Tacloban City.

Story 6: MONITOR FOREIGN AID ONLINE WITH FAiTH
Responding to calls for transparency, the government launches an online tracker of humanitarian aid from international organizations.
The Foreign Aid Transparency Hub or FAiTH is an online portal of information on calamity aid and assistance that tracks aid coursed through Philippine government agencies like the social welfare department and the Office of Civil Defense.
It excludes aid given directly to other groups or organizations.
As of Monday, total foreign aid pledged stands at P11.65 billion or $271 million.
The website can be accessed at www.gov.ph/faith.

Story 7: #RELIEFPH: VICTIMS OF TYPHOON YOLANDA (HAIYAN) NEED YOUR HELP
Relief drives are still ongoing to help survivors of the typhoon.
They need more food and supplies like rice, water, canned goods, clothes, toiletries and medicines.
If you are abroad, there are community-driven relief efforts in places like Singapore, the US, the UK, Spain, and Australia.
Rappler is compiling and updating a list of relief efforts for the typhoon victims.
Take a look at Rappler’s list to see how you can help. Every little action counts.

Story 8: HONG KONG OFWs MOBILIZE TO HELP YOLANDA VICTIMS
The destruction from the super typhoon prompts Filipinos all over the world to help survivors.
In Hong Kong, the 180,000-strong Filipino community holds relief operations and raise funds to send back to the Philippines.
Natashya Gutierrez files this video blog.

Across the ocean, here in Hong Kong thousands of overseas Filipino workers also grieve the devastation left by typhoon Yolanda. They too do what they can to help their fellow countrymen rise up and start anew.
Hong Kong has a Filipino population of 180,000. As soon as reports of the storm’s aftermath came in, they mobilized, shocked by the massive damage brought by the super typhoon.
Donation call outs are plenty, with communities working together to repack relief goods. At St Joseph’s church, volunteers pack 187 boxes of food, milk, and clothes in just one day.

ROSE PINEDA, DOMESTIC WORKER: Kahapon po ay nagko-collect po kami ng mga donation. Lahat ng mga OFWs, individuals at may mga employers din po na nagdala ng mga donasyon dito. So the whole day po, nagpa-packing po kami kahapon. (Yesterday we collected donations. All the OFWs, individuals and the employers sent over donations. We were packing the whole day yesterday.)

Remittances increase in just 2 weeks, as Filipino donors, 95% of whom are domestic workers, contribute cash. Metrobank says donations have reached P1 million – a hefty amount considering most of them earn an average of only P21,000 a month.
Even wealthy Filipino businessmen host expensive dinners and galas to fundraise for victims.

ALFREDO VALENCIA, GENERAL MANAGER, METROBANK: Kaya ginawa nga nitong mga Pilipino, mga OFWs natin, kahit kami, kahit na yung Philippine consulate talagang on the following day, may tawag agad ng meeting ang Philippine consulate about kung ano ang maitutulong natin sa mga kababayan natin especially sa Tacloban. (On the following day, the Philippine consulate set up a meeting for us Filipinos, OFWs about what we could do to help our countrymen, especially in Tacloban.)

The Philippine Consulate says its never seen anything like this — referring to both the typhoon and the response.
Despite the sadness, relief efforts here offer a ray of hope, a reminder that the bayanihan spirit of the Filipino is alive regardless the distance.
Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, Hong Kong

Story 9: MILITARY PENSIONS IN DANGER AS COA REPORTS P47-B FUND SHORTFALL
The pensions of members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP may be in danger.
The Commission on Audit or COA says the current assets of the AFP Retirement and Separation Benefits System or RSBS fall short of estimated funding requirements.
The COA report shows the assets stand at only P14.339 billion.
It’s P47.291 billion short of the estimated requirements of P61.63 billion.
COA says this puts the payment of retirement and separation benefits to AFP members at risk.
Five percent of an enlisted military personnel’s monthly base and longevity pay is contributed to the RSBS.
It will be refunded to him upon retirement or separation, plus an interest of 6%.
COA also studied the RSBS fund since its creation in 1973.
Citing past actuarial valuation studies, COA says this was underfunded and  “never reached the state of self-sufficiency.”

Story 10: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 6, Indonesia’s vice president downplays suggestions of a rift with Australia because of disputes over asylum-seekers and spying.
Since Tony Abbott’s conservative government took office in September, relations between the two countries have been strained, mainly over how to deal with boat people heading for Australia via Indonesia.
Relations also took a hit after claims that Canberra’s overseas diplomatic posts, including in Jakarta, were involved in a US spying network.

At number 7, the wife of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela says the anti-apartheid icon remains “quite ill” and is unable to speak.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela says the 95-year-old is not on life support, but cannot talk because of tubes inserted in his mouth to clear fluid from his lungs.
Mandela was discharged on September 1 after nearly 3 months in hospital for a lung infection.

And at number 9, For her humanitarian work in at least 40 missions around the world, movie star Angelina Jolie is awarded an honorary Oscar.
Since 2012, Jolie travelled around the world as a special envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency.
Speaking during the awards ceremony, Jolie says, “It was only when I began to travel that I understood my responsibility to others. I realized how sheltered I had been and I was determined never to be that way again.”

Story 11: PACQUIAO LEAVES FOR MACAU MONDAY
Team Pacquiao arrives in Macau Monday to prove he still has what it takes to become a world boxing champion.
Manny Pacquiao will be shaking off an 11-month layoff when he faces hard-punching American Brandon Rios Sunday morning at the Cotai Arena of the posh The Venetian Hotel.
Pacquiao last fought in December 2012 in a heartbreaking knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez.
It was his second consecutive loss after a controversial split decision to Timothy Bradley in June 2012.
Pacquiao was supposed to arrive in Macau Tuesday, but he decided to arrive a day earlier.

Story 12: GREASE THE MUSICAL COMES TO MANILA
After 10 years, the musical Grease is finally coming back to the stage, this time in Manila. 9 Works Theatrical gives the audience a taste of America in the 50’s with retro music, slicked back hairdos, and Grease Lightning.
G Tongi reports.

G TONGI, REPORTING: I’m here for an exclusive sneak peak at the rehearsal process for 9 works theatricals’ Grease The Musical.

Grease is the 1978 American musical film made popular by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John on the  youth subculture of the working class in the fifties.
Songs from the musical like Summer Nights and Grease Lightning are so familiar, people remember Grease more for it’s music than it’s story of teen rebellion.
TV Actress & Host Iya Villania plays Betty Rizzo, the vixen character in Grease.
She says the music was more than enough reason to accept the role.

IYA VILLANIA, TV ACTRESS/ BETTY RIZZO IN GREASE: Common Grease, who doesn’t know Grease! I mean for crying out loud, I got myself into this musical without even knowing what the story was, only because I know the songs! It’s music that everyone’s just so familiar with and people have grown up knowing.

Villania says the musical gives her an opportunity to portray characters who are nothing like her in real life.

IYA VILLANIA, TV ACTRESS/ BETTY RIZZO IN GREASE: On the contrary, I’m actually quite conservative so here’ Rizzo who makes out here and makes out there., who’s such a sexual person here in Grease and on the contrary, I’m really not like that (laughs). It’s quite fun to play. It’s quite fun to play someone that you’re really not!

TV actress & host Ciara Sotto, stepped in to fill the role of Chacha De Grigorio.
She learned her dance choreography in only two days.
Sotto was last seen onstage for Atlantis Productions Full Monty earlier this year.
She admits, instant gratification is one of the reasons she enjoys theater.

CIARA SOTTO, TV ACTRESS/ CHA-CHA IN GREASE: It’s the commitment and the dedication. Everyone is so responsible, you don’t have to wait so long, you know what I’m talking about it. It’s just you don’t waste any minute when you’re in theater. It’s the feeling here people clap for you right there and then so you know there’s that sense of achievement…Yeah I like that!

Gian Magdangal plays the title role of Danny Zuko in Grease.
Magdangal says the play introduces Grease to this generation.
The last production was staged 10 years ago.

GIAN MAGDANGAL, STAGE ACTOR/ DANNY ZUKO IN GREASE: It’s an eyecandy to see all the other beautiful cast members and at the same time it hasn’t been staged for a long time here in Manila and Im sure the new generation now will really appreciate and be intrigued about what Grease is all about.

9 Works Theatrical Artistic Director Robbie Guevarra directs Grease.
He hopes people will not only enjoy the music and dance, but also get a glimpse of that era.

ROBBIE GUEVARA, DIRECTOR OF 9 WORKS THEATRICALS’ GREASE: There was that drastic change of lifestyle made by the youth in the 50’s as a reaction from the previous lifestyles of the 40’s, 30’s and 20’s. World War 2 happened and that gave the impetus to remind people okay  we might not live that long so we might as well enjoy ourselves right now so they went to the other side of the pendulum and people started getting careless. Girls didn’t care if they turned around and their underwear was seen when they were dancing whereas in the forties no way right? I’d like to invite you to come watch Grease by 9 Works Theatrical. We will be opening on November 9 until December 1 at the RCBC Plaza. See you there!

Nostalgia, pure retro and music – that’s the magic of Grease.
G Tongi, Rappler Manila.