It's still search and rescue ops to look for Robredo, companions off Masbate waters

by MALoterte, EADelgado

LEGAZPI CITY, August 20 (PIA) – Even as President Aquino left Masbate this afternoon, several key officials have stayed behind taking the reins of the search and rescue operation to find Interior and Local Government Sec. Jesse Robredo and two others who have since been missing after the plane carrying them crashed off Masbate waters Saturday afternoon.

President Aquino left the officials with a directive that remains a search and rescue operation for the missing.

The President has been since early morning yesterday until this afternoon in Masbate City overseeing the massive aerial, surface, and underwater search and rescue operations conducted kilometers within the vicinity of the crash site off Masbate waters.

Before returning to Manila, President Aquino met with Atty. Lenny Robredo, wife of the secretary, and other members of the family this afternoon at the airport lounge in Naga Airport and briefed the same on the status of the operation in Masbate.

The President left Naga Airport around 5:45 pm now heading toward Manila.

Meanwhile, staying put in Masbate City search and rescue operation center include Transportation and Communication Sec. Mar Roxas, Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin, Budget Sec. Butch Abad, Presidential Communication Development and Strategic Planning Office Sec. Ricky Carandang, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Jessie Dellosa to take the lead and work hand in hand with the local officials and response units.

In a briefing this afternoon, Roxas said that still more aerial, surface and underwater search will be conducted.

Roxas said that sea crafts are continuously combing the surface within kilometers off Masbate shore while specialized technical deep diving group, including volunteer foreign divers, from  Cebu with special equipment have since 1:00 pm entered the water and intend to dive down to 250 meters depth.

“We have also yet to pick up ELT emergency locator signal from the plane that is being usually transmitted if plane equipped with which when it crashes to help us speed up the search,” he added.

Earlier today in Naga City, Aika Robredo, eldest daughter of Sec. Robredo, said during the press conference that “our family remains hopeful that our father and the two other missing will be found alive and hopes for more definitive news as we have also prepared ourselves and braced for the worst”.

Robredo’s daughter furthered that the family is very satisfied of and very grateful to the government’s relentless effort, especially to President Aquino and his Cabinet, to find the still missing passengers of the ill-fated Piper Seneca plane off Masbate waters.

"We are just overwhelmed by the unbelievable outpouring of support and prayers for our father and our family," she said.

Jun Lavadia, a close friend of the DILG chief and serving as spokesperson for the Robredos, said in an interview that they remain optimistic that the secretary is alive and may perhaps be able to escape from the plane, along with his companions, prior or after the crash and swam to shore noting that he is a good swimmer.  (MAL/EAD-PIA5)


Robredo family comforted by people support

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Aug 20 (PIA) -- In two days of uncertainty and anticipation, Atty. Leni Gerona Robredo, wife of missing Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo still managed to smile as she accepted friends and supporters at their residence in Bulusan, Dayangdang here hoping for the best but spoke of being practical in the face of odds.

In her Facebook account, Leni expressed her sentiments at the moment and her gratitude for the overwhelming support that their family is receiving.

The post said, “Day 2: Waiting game continues. We remain hopeful as we brace ourselves for the worst… overwhelmed by the unbelievable outpouring of love and prayers for Jess and our family. Thank you to Sec. Dinky Soliman who stayed with me throughout the day. Thank you to President Noynoy for personally overseeing the search and rescue operations. Thank you also to two of Jess' closest and dearest friends in the cabinet -Sec. Mar Roxas and Sec. Butch Abad for regularly updating us from Masbate. We are truly indebted.”

The President stayed overnight in Masbate to personally oversee the ongoing search and rescue operations, accompanied by Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmen, and Congressman Joseph Abaya of Cavite.

During the first day of the search, Mrs. Robredo also requested for prayers through her Facebook status.

It stated, “ Thank you for your prayers in this very difficult time in our lives. As of the moment, Jess has not been found yet but we are very grateful for all the support and the help everyone has been extending. Please continue praying with us that God will bring him back home safely.”

After news of the plane crash, the social networking sites, specifically the accounts of Atty. Leni including that of her daughters-- Aika, Trisha and Jillian--had been flooded with support and prayers for the rescue and safe delivery of Secretary Robredo and his two companions - Captain Jessup M. Bahinting and Kshitiz Chand, a Nepalese student pilot.

In the official site of the local government of Naga, Mayor John Bongat, who is still currently in Masbate, said, “That as the search and rescue operations for our beloved Sec. Jesse M. Robredo continue, we call upon all Nagueños, Bicolanos and Filipinos to join us in prayer for the good Secretary's safety and that of the two pilots as well. Viva la Virgen!”

All Naguenos and everyone praying for Secretary Robredo and his two other pilots - are still hopeful that prayers will do wonders .(MAL/LSM-PIA5, Camarines Sur)


All system go for the 1st PTCCCA
...stakeholders affirm support and participation

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, August 20 (PIA) -- In less than a week from today, the First Philippine Tourism Conference on Climate Change Adaptation (PTCCCA) will open at The Oriental Hotel Legazpi.

On-line registration of participants continues to pour in from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

As of this writing, five of the premier hotels in Legazpi City are almost fully booked but organizers assured that there are enough hotels to accommodate the more or less one thousand expected delegates.

President Benigno S. Aquino III is invited to keynote this historic conference to find solutions to the disastrous effects of extreme weather events like the recent floods that hit Metro Manila and its environs.

The participants expressed anticipation on what the President’s pronouncements will be considering the brunt of “Hagupit ng Habagat” that caused so much hopelessness to the victims.

Besides the President, other key officials of the government are expected to grace the PTCCCA such as Vice President Jejomar Binay; Senator Loren Legarda, the UN Asia-Pacific Senior Champion on Climate change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCA and DRR); Secretaries Jesse Robredo of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Ramon Paje of Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Lucille Sering and Heherson Alvarez of Climate Change Commission (CCC), among others.

Senator Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Climate Change hopes to include the result of the PTCCCA deliberations in the framework plans to address the massive flooding in Metro Manila and the Camanava areas following the revelation of Dr. Fernando Siringan, an expert of the UP Marine Science Institute that Metro Manila has started to “sink” and why there is massive flooding even in the absence of a typhoon.

On the local scene, Mayor Geraldine Rosal of this city, Tourism Regional Director Maria “Nini” Ravanilla and Local Climate Change Adaptation for Development (LCCAD), Inc. President and PTCCCA Conference Director Nong Rangasa are the prime movers in this national conference.

Rosal said “the PTCCCA, which coincides with the Street Carnival of the annual Ibalong Festival, will boost investment ventures in the city in as much as the twin events will be highlighted by the inauguration of the Boulevard de Legazpi, a new road opening going to the South Luzon International Airport.”

While the major partners are all agog in the preparation of this significant event, local executives, development and planning officials, tourism officers, and other major stakeholders who have signified their attendance to the PTCCCA have already reached the maximum number of expected participants yet there are still more are placing reservations and hotel accommodations.

Even as the countdown begins today, some national legislators other than the six Bicolano representatives have also manifested their interest in joining the event, not to mention the local officials in Bicol who were mandated by an Memorandum Circular (MC) from the DILG to attend the conference as well as officials of government owned or controlled corporations who were also mandated by an MC from the Civil Service Commission.

LCCAD president and PTCCCA conference director, Nong Rangasa disclosed that flood-ravaged areas like Pampanga, Bataan, Alaminos and Nueva Vizcaya are sending more participants than the expected number. (MAL/LCCAD-PIA5)


Committee on population briefs media on reproductive health

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Aug 20 (PIA) -- The Philippine Legislator’s Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD), briefed members of the local media, Thursday, at StarMark Royale, here on the status of the reproductive health bill currently being amended in Congress.

PLCPD is an organization of legislators from the Senate and House of Representatives working together among legislative bodies from the national down to the local level to develop policies on population and human development.

Rio Magpayo, PLCPD Local Governance and Development Center manager, discussed the salient provisions of House Bill 4244 or an Act providing for a comprehensive policy on responsible parenthood, reproductive health, population and development among members of the press.

Contrary to the belief the RH bill is centered on abortion or the aspects of family planning only, Magpayo clarified it is only one of the 12 elements of the said bill.

“We are sometimes misguided with the notion that we are only talking about family planning when we say reproductive health. There are other concerns that are included in this bill, all for the over-all welfare of the mother and her child specifically regarding health concerns, that will not just benefit the family but the society as well,” Magpayo said.

The 12 elements of reproductive health contains maternal, infant and child health and nutrition, including breastfeeding, prevention and management of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, treatment of breast and reproductive tract cancers and other gynecological conditions and disorders and proscription of abortion and management of abortion complications.

The RH Bill also includes salient provisions on the treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction, mental health aspect of reproductive health care, counseling and education in sexuality and sexual health, male involvement and participation, elimination of violence against women, adolescent and youth reproductive health, education and counseling on sexuality and reproductive health and family planning information and services.

Magpayo reiterated that the inclusion of the family planning provision in the bill aims to provide accurate education and counseling on the full range of legal and medically safe Family Planning (FP) methods. It also aims to provide education in information on human sexuality and responsible parenthood in schools and workplaces.

In the establishment of the RH Care programs, members of the society will also be provided with information and services addressing RH needs of the poor, senior citizens, women in prostitution, differently-abled persons and women and children in war crisis situation.

Dr. John Ferchito Avelino, OIC Director III of the Center for Health Development , Department of Health (DOH) Region V, also one of the invited speakers during the media briefing , acknowledged the importance of a multi media campaign to raise the level of public awareness on the urgent need to protect and promote reproductive health and rights and population and development. (MAL/LSM-PIA5, Camarines Sur)