Rappler Newscast | January 8, 2014

Story 1: DPWH DIDN’T KNOW STANDARD FOR SHELTERS
It is now two months since Super Typhoon Yolanda — international name Haiyan — hit the central Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and damaging more than a million homes.
The Department of Public Works and Highways or DPWH commissions temporary shelters for typhoon survivors, but groups criticize the bunkhouses, saying they do not comply with international standards.
The DPWH admits it wasn’t aware of these standards.
Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson says he only got to read the Sphere Handbook, a widely recognized benchmark for humanitarian response, on Tuesday.
Singson says the DPWH was not invited to meetings of the Shelter Cluster, a grouping of United Nations agencies that coordinate humanitarian shelter.
Humanitarian groups say the bunkhouses initially fell short of Sphere standards by around 50%.
Sphere says a shelter for disaster survivors should provide 3.5 square meters per person.
In Yolanda-hit Eastern Visayas, a bunkhouse unit for an average family should measure at least 16.45 square meters.
In a media briefing Monday, Singson says the DPWH’s original design allotted 8.64 square meters for one bunkhouse unit — that’s roughly the area for two ping-pong tables.
International group Camp Coordination and Camp Management or CCCM says the bunkhouses don’t comply with international benchmarks, but adds the social welfare department initially presented designs that comply with Sphere standards.
It adds, “It is unclear why such significant differences exist.”
On Tuesday, Singson says the DPWH should have been informed about these concerns earlier, but adds the department improved the bunkhouses based on the comments.
To create more space, the DPWH reduced the number of units per bunkhouse from 24 to 12.
On Wednesday, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda says the shelters do not have to follow world standards.
He says the government is following its own standards: safety and livable space.
Lacierda adds the bunkhouses are temporary and are –quote– “better than tents, better than living under tarpaulins.”

Story 2: P9B NEEDED FOR AGRI, FISHERIES IN HAIYAN AREAS
The Department of Agriculture or DA says it will need P9.17 billion to rehabilitate the agriculture and fisheries sector in typhoon-affected regions.
The sum is divided for two major needs: rehabilitation of livelihood and infrastructure rebuilding.
The rehabilitation of livelihood will cost P6.93 billion.
Constructing fish ports, irrigation facilities and post-harvest facilities will cost P2.23 billion.
Total damage from the typhoon is pegged at P31.13 billion.
The super typhoon also damaged P4.06 billion worth of facilities and infrastructure used by farmers and fishermen.
The DA says the extent of the damage compromises the source of income of more than 200,000 farming and fishing households.

Story 3: MORE THAN HALF OF TACLOBAN CITY STILL WITHOUT POWER
More than half of the villages in Tacloban City are still without power, two months after it bore the brunt of the super typhoon.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council says 82 barangays still don’t have electricity while power is restored in 56 barangays.
The typhoon damaged 1,959 transmission facilities of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in the Visayas.
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla earlier promised to resign if power in all typhoon-hit areas would not be restored before Christmas.
He offered his resignation on December 25, but President Benigno Aquino did not accept it.
Aquino said Petilla only missed restoring power in 3 towns, and said electricity was restored 14 hours after the deadline.

Story 4: METRO MANILA TRAFFIC REROUTED FOR BLACK NAZARENE PARADE
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority or MMDA identifies alternative routes for the annual Black Nazarene procession on Thursday.
Classes in all levels in Manila are suspended in preparation for the religious event, which is expected to draw millions of devotees.
The procession starts from the Quirino Grandstand at 7:30am and will proceed to the Quiapo church.
The MMDA suggests vehicles take alternative roads to avoid heavy traffic.
Check out the map and list of alternate routes on Rappler.

Story 5: MMDA LAUNCHES HIGH-TECH SYSTEM TO REDUCE METRO TRAFFIC
With the Metro becoming more congested, the MMDA inaugurates a state-of-the-art Traffic Signalization System or TSS, expected to reduce traffic and travel time, and make the roads safer for pedestrians and commuters.
The advanced traffic management network will be based in MMDA’s new Command and Control Center in Makati City.
MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino says the TSS “aims to upgrade, automate and optimize the management and traffic engineering installations” around the Metro.
The system will initially manage 85 priority intersections and 25 video surveillance locations.
Phase 1 of the project also includes the installation of 36 video screens that will monitor 150 CCTVs in the metropolis.
The system is expected to eventually manage up to 500 intersections across Metro Manila.
At the launch, President Aquino says the new system will help the MMDA respond to traffic problems and help ensure the safety of the public.

Story 6: CEBU PACIFIC BUYING TIGERAIR PH FOR $15M
The operator of budget carrier Cebu Pacific is set to buy Tigerair Philippines in a bid to strengthen its position in the regional market.
In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Cebu Air says it will buy Tigerair for $15 million.
Singapore’s Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd. also confirms it is selling its share of Tigerair Philippines.
The airline owns 40 percent of Tigerair Philippines and will sell it for $7 million.
Tiger Airways says it will continue to operate routes between Singapore and the Philippines under an alliance with Cebu Pacific.

Story 7: COLDER THAN MARS: BRUTAL ARCTIC CHILL GRIPS US, CANADA
A brutal arctic chill grips the United States, as a record-breaking cold snap brings temperatures lower than the surface of Mars.
The so-called polar vortex of dense, frigid area sends temperatures plummeting in the continental United States, forcing schools and offices to close and cancelling more than 4,300 flights.
The town of Embarrass, Minnesota, records the lowest temperature in the US at -37 degrees Celsius.
The Smithsonian Institute says Minnesota is colder than some of the daily temperatures on Mars.
The Mars Rover is sending back daily temperature readings from its tour of the Red Planet, ranging from -25 degrees Celsius to -31 degrees Celsius.

Story 8: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 5, the International Monetary Fund or IMF says it will revise its global growth forecast in about three weeks.
In a press conference in Kenya, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde says the international lender will be –quote– “revising upwards the global forecast of the economic growth.”
The IMF lowered its forecasts in October’s World Economic Outlook report, saying global growth “remains in low gear.”

At number 7, the first shipment of chemical weapons material leaves Syria on Tuesday, following a US-Russia deal to destroy Syria’s chemical arsenal.
Escorted by Chinese, Danish, Norwegian and Russian naval vessels, the ship leaves the Syrian port of Latakia, where it will stand offshore.
The chemicals will be transported to an Italian port and offloaded onto a US vessel, where they will be destroyed at sea.

And at number 8, Spanish King Juan Carlos’ youngest daughter Cristina is summoned to face tax crime and money laundering charges.
Cristina is linked to the business affairs of her husband Inaki Urdangarin, who is under investigation for allegedly misusing public funds through a non-profit sports organization.

Story 9: PACQUIAO-BRADLEY REMATCH LOOKS LIKELY FOR APRIL 12
The selection process for Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent scheduled on April 12 in the United States is down to two.
Pacquiao can either chase revenge against the WBO welterweight titleholder Timothy Bradley, who defeated him by a controversial decision in 2012 or pursue a bout with Russian knockout artist Ruslan Provonikov.
Pacquiao’s close friend and former boxing champion Gerry Peñalosa says he is “200%” sure Pacquiao will look to avenge the Bradley loss in his next outing.
Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz says the rematch is –quote- “not confirmed yet” and they are still discussing options.
Freddie Roach, who trains both Pacquiao and Provonikov, is against the idea of the two fighting and prefers a rematch against Bradley.
He says, “I think Bradley is someone that we have to avenge that loss, even though he won that fight so easily.”

Story 10: CES 2014 DAY 1: SAMSUNG IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND MICHAEL BAY WALK OUT
Samsung takes center stage at the first day of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The South Korean company introduced a slew of new devices, starting with its new line of point and shoot cameras equipped with WIFI connectivity and Near field communication.
Another new camera by Samsung is the mirrorless NX30 which now has a viewfinder — a feature unavailable in previous NX cameras.
Samsung also updates its tablet lineup with its Tab Pro and Note Pro line. All of the new tablets run Android’s latest OS – KitKat 4.4.
But what caught everyone’s attention was the walk out of director Michael Bay in an event promoting Samsung’s new curved 105-inch ultra high-definition TV.
The ‘Transformer’ director left the stage after the teleprompter malfunctioned.
Bay later explains what happened in a post on his website.
He says, “I got so excited to talk, that I skipped over the Exec VP’s intro line and then the teleprompter got lost. Then the prompter went up and down – then I walked off. I guess live shows aren’t my thing.”