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There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!


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Showing posts with label Metro Manila. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Metro Manila. Show all posts

Friday, September 30, 2022

Metro Manila under moderate risk classification for Covid-19 – OCTA

by Charie Mae F. Abarca, Manila Bulletin


Amid its “slow” but “steady” rise in infections, Metro Manila remained at the moderate risk classification for Covid-19, said independent OCTA Research group on Thursday evening, Sept. 29.

(Unsplash)

The growth of Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila has slowed, but cases are still rising. This was according to OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David who noted that the seven-day positivity rate in Metro Manila has climbed from 17.5 percent on Sept. 1 to 18.9 percent on Sept. 28.

In contrast, the reproduction number or the average number of secondary infections by each infected individual, has decreased from 1.28 on Sept. 19 to 1.10 as of Sept. 26.

“The average daily attack rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) was 7.42 per day per 100k [population] as of Sept. 29. This is considered moderate,” said David in a tweet. He then added that despite the slow increase in cases, the region’s healthcare utilization rate and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy remained low.

With the developments in these Covid-19 indicators, David tagged Metro Manila under the “moderate risk” classification of the disease.

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Rains bring floods in parts of Metro Manila as LGUs cancel classes


By Francis Earl Cueto

September 20, 2022


THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday recorded flooding in several roads in the National Capital Region (NCR) due to monsoon rains.

According to an MMDA flood alert as of 7:53 a.m., gutter-deep floods could be seen along EDSA-POEA southbound; MIA-Domestic westbound; EDSA-Ortigas southbound in front of POEA; EDSA-Ortigas northbound on ramp and southbound off ramp.

The MMDA also reported above gutter-level floods along E. Rodriguez-Araneta northbound.

Meanwhile, classes in all levels both public and private were suspended in Rizal while Valenzuela City called off afternoon classes.



The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the southwest monsoon (habagat) is currently affecting Central and Southern Luzon.

Friday, September 16, 2022

Air pollution worse in Metro Manila


COVERED IN HAZE Smog blankets parts of Metro Manila as seen from a spot in Antipolo City on June 29 2021. Phivolcs chief Renato Solidum said the haze is caused by pollution from vehicles and not from Taal Volcano, which has been emitting thick smoke as high as three-kilometers from its main crater over the last few days. FILE PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE


By Bella Cariaso, Manila Times


Air pollution in Metro Manila has worsened with the opening of businesses, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Friday.

The DENR's Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director William Cuñado said that during the implementation of Covid-19 restrictions, all the monitoring stations in the National Capital Region (NCR) registered green which meant good air quality.

Because of the lockdowns, only 10 percent or 35,000 of the 350,000 vehicles in the NCR were allowed to operate.

"During the pandemic, there was a reduction of 90 percent in volume of the vehicles plying within Metro Manila. Because of this, there was a dramatic reduction on air pollutants. There was a good quality of air because of the small volume of vehicles. Almost all the stations had green color, meaning to say, that we had good quality of air within Metro Manila," Cuñado said.

However, as pandemic restrictions eased, a gradual change in the air quality was noticed.

"Now that the vehicles allowed outside are almost the same compared to the volume we have prior to the pandemic, from green, we have monitored yellow or even orange colors," Cuñado said.

Yellow signifies fair air quality while orange means air quality can be unhealthy for sensitive groups such as those with respiratory problems like asthma.

"The air pollution could aggravate their ailments," Cuñado said.

He added that air pollution is high during heavy traffic in a particular area.

"This is the accumulation of gases discharged in a certain area, especially if there is a high concentration of people that are moving and there is heavy traffic. There is an increase in the particulate matters and other substances," the official said.

Monday, September 12, 2022

Metro Manila Covid positivity rate rising

People shop in Divisoria in Manila on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. FILE PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO


By Kaithreen Cruz

(UPDATED) THE seven-day Covid-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila rose by 1.2 percent increase — from 12.1 percent on September 2 to 13.3 percent on September 9, OCTA Research reported Sunday.


This increase was gleaned after an average of 10,247 daily RT-PCR tests were made over the past week.


The World Health Organization (WHO) sets a 5-percent positivity benchmark for declaring that Covid in a particular area is under control.


OCTA also noted that the reproduction number, referring to the number of new cases caused by one infected individual, also rose from 0.93 on August 31 to 1.11 on September 7.


"The reproduction number has increased to greater than 1, which means [Covid-19] infections are increasing," OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said in a tweet on Sunday.

David said the slow uptick in cases was not unexpected since more people are on the move after some Covid restrictions were eased.

He advised the elderly and those with comorbidities to take extra precautions to avoid infection.

OCTA also said that the Covid-19 growth rate in the NCR increased to 6 percent from September 3 to 10, compared to the -17 percent from August 27 to September 3.

The average daily attack rate (ADAR) was also slightly up to 5.58 per day per 100,000 population, still considered low by the group.


Positivity rates in 8 provinces down

Hospital bed and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy for Covid-19 patients remained low at 34.5 and 28.9 percent, respectively.

Last Friday, Department of Health (DoH) Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire reported that ICU and severe and critical admissions for Covid-19 that were trending down over the past weeks were showing signs of leveling.

Vergeire said cases in Mindanao have reached a plateau, while the remaining areas were on a slow downward trend.

The DoH also reported that more than 72.7 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of September 8, but only 18.4 million have had their first booster dose and 2.4 million their second booster shot.


Covid positivity rate in NCR dips

The DoH has stepped up its campaign to increase booster coverage among eligible individuals by setting up more than 19,000 vaccination sites nationwide.

It said 2.4 million of the campaign's 23 million targeted individuals were provided with first boosters, and 27,907 senior citizens of the 1.07 million target were vaccinated.

The department continued to remind the public to observe minimum health and safety standards to stay protected against Covid-19.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Metro Manila may reach peak of Covid infections in early July, says OCTA


(SCREEN GRAB FROM LAGING HANDA PUBLIC BRIEFING)


by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz


With the steady increase in new infections in Metro Manila, the OCTA Research Group projected that the Covid-19 cases in the region may reach its peak by the first or second week of July.

In a televised briefing on Tuesday, June 21, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said that Metro Manila’s seven-day average infections increased to 225 cases per day this week, from 131 cases last week.

This translates to a growth rate of 72 percent.

Moreover, Metro Manila’s Covid reproduction number and positivity rate also rose to 2.05 and 4 percent, respectively.

Reproduction number refers to the average number of secondary infections by each infected individual, while positivity rate refers to the number of individuals who yielded positive results from among those who have been tested for Covid-19.

“Posible itong [average daily cases] tumaas between 500 and 1,000 [cases] by end of June or first week of July. Kapag ganyan masasabi na natin baka nasa moderate risk na yung situation natin (It is possible that the average daily cases will rise between 500 and 1,000 cases by the end of June or the first week of July. By then, we can say that our situation may be at moderate risk),” David said.

David pointed out that Metro Manila may see the peak in infections in early July.

“Tumataas yung bilang ng kaso [at] hindi pa natin nakikita yung pagbaba niyan anytime soon. Baka yung peak niyan could happen sometime first or second week of July (The number of cases is increasing and we are not seeing that to decrease anytime soon. Maybe the peak could happen sometime between the first or second week of July),” he added.

However, he noted that the region’s health care utilization remains within “safe” level, at 22 percent.

“We’re not projecting an increase in hospital utilization. Tataas ito pero hindi ganun kataas (It will go up but not that high) so we should still be okay,” David said.

“Hindi naman tayo kailangan matakot, maalarma. Pero syempre patuloy pa rin ang pag-iingat natin at personal responsibility (We don’t have to be afraid, be alarmed. But, of course, we still have to continue to be careful and practice personal responsibility),” he added.

He also noted that other parts of the country, such as Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Iloilo, and Benguet, are also seeing an increase in cases.

David said there is a need to “raise awareness” rather than “raise alert levels.”

“Ang gusto natin is raising awareness na tumataas yung cases, not necessarily raising alert levels. Kasi kung raising awareness yung mga kababayan natin mag-iingat sila, baka magpabakuna, magpabooster, at the same time matutulungan natin ang ekonomiya natin na hindi natin pipigilin (What we want is raising awareness that cases are rising, not necessarily raising alert levels. Because if our countrymen are raising awareness, they will be careful, maybe get vaccinated, boosted, and we can help our economy to further open up),” he said.

Saturday, February 5, 2022

Metro Manila better prepared for dry season



By: Catherine Talavera - The Philippine Star 


MANILA, Philippines — As the water level at Angat Dam continues to drop, the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) said Metro Manila and nearby areas are more prepared to face potential water supply issues in the dry season compared to the shortage in 2019 as augmentation measures are in place.


At a Laging Handa public briefing over the weekend, NWRB executive director Sevillo David said compared to 2019, the country is more prepared to address water supply issues it may face in the upcoming dry season due to the presence of deep wells and water treatment facilities, which were not available before.


Data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration showed that the reservoir water level of Angat Dam continues to decline as it stood at 197.85 meters as of 6 a.m. Saturday. This is lower than the dam’s normal high level of 212 meters.


David said the projects and activities of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and its concessionaires help in preparing for the needed water supply in the summer.


The MWSS said earlier that it has put in place supply augmentation measures, along with its concessionaires, to ease the pressure in the already drought-like trend of Angat and the sustainability of clean, potable water for the 19 million people in the service area.


According to the MWSS, among the augmentation measures by its west-zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. are the non-revenue water reduction of 40 million liters per day (MLD) for summer and additional 42 MLD at the end of 2022; the operation of existing 12 MLD deep wells (one MLD existing and additional 11 MLD for summer); the operation of four MLD Portable Water Treatment Plant by February 2022 and another 18.6 MLD by September 2022 in Cavite.

Other measures include the operation of the backwash recovery system in La Mesa Water Treatment Plants one and two, as well as network pressure management to equally distribute the available water through the regulation of 1,200 Pressure Regulating Valves and 50 primary Valves in the Bagbag network system.


East zone concessionaire Manila Water Co. Inc. announced earlier that it is preparing its water supply contingency and augmentation programs for the summer to ensure water availability, as the water level at Angat Dam continues to drop.


“To prepare for the coming summer months and in light of lower-than-projected levels at Angat Dam, Manila Water puts into motion its water supply contingency and augmentation plans while working and coordinating closely with the MWSS and the NWRB, to help ensure that customers will experience continuous water supply even during peak demand periods,” Manila Water said in an earlier statement.


Among these contingencies are the maximization of the 100 MLD capacity of the Cardona Water Treatment Plant, which draws water from Laguna Lake; operation of deep wells which can provide additional 115 MLD and operation of the 20-MLD Marikina Portable Water Treatment Plant, which can treat water from the Marikina River.


Apart from the MWSS, David said the NWRB is also in coordination with the National Irrigation Administration, as the Angat Dam is also a source of irrigation for farm lands in Bulacan and Pampanga.


The NWRB earlier urged the public to conserve and use water wisely due to the Angat Dam’s lower than expected water level to ensure that sufficient water is available for municipal irrigation and hydropower uses in the subsequent months.

Saturday, January 29, 2022

Metro Manila now down to 'moderate' risk COVID-19 case classification—DOH


The Department of Health (DOH) said that Metro Manila is now under the “moderate” risk classification after a decreasing trend of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases was observed in recent days.


“Moderate-risk na po ang NCR (National Capital Region) kahapon pa. Bumababa na po ng husto ang ating mga kaso at nakarating na tayo sa moderate case classification (NCR is now at moderate-risk since yesterday. The cases are declining significantly and we have reached the moderate case classification),” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during the Malacanang press briefing on Friday, Jan. 28.

(C) 2022 Manila Bulletin

Saturday, January 15, 2022

DOH sees community transmission of Omicron in Metro Manila


By: Xave Gregorio - Philstar.com

Passengers present their vaccination cards to personnel upon entry at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in Tambo, Parañaque City on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. The Department of Transportation has started implementingn a "no vaccination, no ride" policy on public transportation throughout Metro Manila.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health said Saturday that there is community transmission of the highly infectious Omicron variant in Metro Manila, the epicenter of the latest surge in infections in the country that is reaching unprecedented highs.

“We are seeing community transmission of the Omicron variant here in the National Capital Region,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in Filipino over state-run People’s Television.

DOH: Philippines now at 'critical risk' for COVID-19.

Community transmission means that an infectious disease has spread extensively in a group of people, so much so that the source of the infection can no longer be traced.

“While our whole genome sequencing is lagging behind, we have already determined that there are local cases,” Vergeire said, adding that current COVID-19 trends in the country are “characteristic” of an Omicron-driven wave.

The Philippines has so far detected 43 cases of the Omicron variant, which is believed to be driving the steep increase in COVID-19 infections. Meanwhile, there are 8,497 cases of the Delta variant in the country.

While whole genome sequencing has been slow, the Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has declared that Omicron is now the dominant variant in the country, outpacing the Delta variant that previously drove a surge in cases beginning in August 2020.

From January 6 to 12, Metro Manila logged 83,649 cases — the highest ever in a week — according to preliminary data from the Department of Health.

The new wave of infections, suspected to be driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant, started out in Metro Manila and is now beginning to spread outside of the capital region, prompting the government’s pandemic task force to tighten coronavirus curbs in most of the country.

But Vergeire said that the DOH is still not seeing the peak of coronavirus cases, even after new infections hit an all-time high on Friday, when health authorities reported 37,207 new cases.

“We are still yet to see the peak which may happen at the end of the month or even later in the second week of February,” she said, adding that active cases may even double by next month.

Saturday, January 1, 2022

Metro Manila placed on Alert Level 3 from Jan 3-15



Metro Manila placed on Alert Level 3 from Jan 3-15; stricter measures for unvaccinated ordered

The National Capital Region (NCR) will be under stricter measures starting the year 2022 after the government’s pandemic task force decided to place the region under Alert Level 3 from January 3 to 15 due to the recent spike of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.


In a special announcement on New Year’s Eve, December 31, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases made the decision to escalate the alert level prevent a surge of cases.

(C) 2022 Manila Bulletin

Saturday, September 18, 2021

57 NCR areas under granular lockdown – DILG


Romina Cabrera - The Philippine Star 

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 57 areas in Metro Manila are on granular lockdown under the new quarantine alert level system, with 11,808 people breaking health protocols on the first day of its implementation last Thursday, authorities said.

Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, spokesman for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), told the Laging Handa media briefing yesterday that the 57 areas under granular lockdown are spread throughout all local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“We had an orderly pilot run on the first day of implementation of the alert level system. LGUs were clear on the guidelines, which were the result of a series of consultations with the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) and mayors,” Malaya said in Filipino.

He said LGUs have deployed marshals and officers to monitor compliance of establishments with the guidelines as more businesses are allowed to reopen under the new system.

He noted that there were unvaccinated individuals caught in barber shops and they were instructed to leave.

Malaya said LGU personnel and police have been ordered to intensify their enforcement of minimum health standards, as enforcing the rules across so many more establishments allowed to operate is a challenge.

“On the issue of warning (residents in lockdown areas), that’s in the hands of the LGUs,” Malaya said. “I must emphasize the granular lockdown is smaller and better (managed). Our goal in intervention must be to the smallest possible affected area. PNP flags 11,808 violators

The first day of the new alert level system with granular lockdowns was “generally peaceful” even if the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded 11,808 health protocol violators.

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said yesterday about 55 percent of these individuals flagged by the police were warned, 38 percent of them fined and seven percent charged with various violations of mandates against mass gatherings and wearing of masks.

“Compared to MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) the past 26 days, we were averaging 12,600 violators per day.

So it’s almost the same number even though we all know that more people are expected outdoors because of additional permitted industries to operate,” Eleazar said.

Police personnel have been ordered to maintain their presence in outdoor leisure areas such as parks amid the enforcement of Alert Level 4 in Metro Manila.

“The presence of our uniformed personnel in these areas will serve as a reminder for our citizens to continuously observe the necessary protection for themselves and their companions,” he said.

Those who are not allowed outside their residences under Alert Level 4 are people aged below 18 and above 65; those with immunodeficiencies, comorbidities or other health risks and pregnant women.

These individuals will only be allowed to go out to access or obtain essential goods and services, or if it is for work in permitted industries and offices.

Like restaurants and other business establishments, tourist spots are also gradually opening.

In Manila, Rizal Park now allows the entry of a maximum of 500 people at a time, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.

Several areas in Intramuros also reopened but under shortened hours of operation. Alert downgrade eyed. MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos said they are aiming to have a downgrade of the alert level once the pilot implementation of the new quarantine system lapses at the end of the month.“The challenge here is for us to be successful, because we (Metro Manila LGUs) are the pilot implementation. If we are successful, hopefully, we could go down one level so the economy would be more open,” Abalos told an episode of the “The Chiefs” aired on Cignal TV’s One News.

“The goal is to make sure that the region would be downgraded by one level, into Alert Level 3, so there would be an increased capacity of 30 percent (in business establishments),” he added.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

How is the rest of the Philippines different from Manila or Metro Manila?

 

Profile photo for Joy Gutierrez
By: Joy Gutierrez

I understand that Manila is distinct in that it is an economic (and cultural) hub and population center, but how is it different from the average Philippines and Filipinos?

I grew up in Cebu City. So my impressions of Manila are that of a Filipino living outside of it. Metro Manila is huge. It is composed of 16 cities or municipalities in a 620 sq. km. land area. Cebu City is tiny by comparison. Life in Manila is very different from life in other provinces.

I find that life in Manila is very fast paced. Like any metropolitan city, everything is far away. Your daily commute eats up a lot of the time in your day. When we think of Manila, we would always have that in mind: everything is far away. Of course Manileños will probably disagree with me but you asked how the rest of the Philippines differs from Manila.

Life outside of Manila is more slow-paced where hanging out at the mall is actually a thing (usually it is to have coffee with friends among other things), the beach with crystal clear water is less than an hour’s drive, and freshly caught seafood is widely available daily.

The cost of living in Manila is also higher. Wages are higher too but if you factor in the cost of living, I doubt they would end up with more disposable income.

Air pollution is a bigger problem in Manila than it is comparatively, to the rest of the country.

It is easier to commune with nature when you live outside of Manila where beaches, rivers, waterfalls and lakes are in abundance. I also find that the further you are from the cities, the friendlier the people are.

Monday, July 12, 2021

Why did Metro Manila not become one city?

Profile photo for George Bennett
George Bennett

I’m proud to be a Filipino, and an Asian.

#StopAsianHate


But instead it became 16 cities as it is today, even though if we compare the area and population of Metro Manila is equivalent to the average area and population of big cities in the world?

Because it wasn’t meant to be just one city. It was meant to be a province.

Metro Manila is the modern-day restoration of the historic Province of Manila (formerly called Tondo until the 1850s)The province of Manila’s territory encompassed the pre-hispanic states of Namayan, Tondo, and Maynila

The cities we know now in Metro Manila are basically the same municipalities and arrabales that made up the province of Manila until it was dissolved in 1901 to make way for the creation of the Province of Rizal, which took territories from both Manila and Morong provinces.

During the American Period, Manila was treated the same way as Washington D.C., a separate, unincorporated area we call a chartered city.

It stayed that way for most of the20th Century when Ferdinand Marcos re-unified the old territories of the Province of Manila, with the exception of Montalban and San Mateo in 1975.

However, despite the reunification, Marcos didn’t reestablish a province, instead, the territories formed a special region in the country, the National Capital Region, a region composed of towns and self-governing chartered cities like Manila, Quezon City, Pasig, etc. As years passed, due to urban sprawl, other towns within the NCR gradually developed into cityhood, most notable being Makati which became a city in 1995.

In the present day, only one municipality remained in the region, Pateros while the rest of the region’s territory has developed into cities.


To conclude, Metro Manila did not become one city because it was never treated like one. Historically it was a province, while in the present day it worked as a collection of independent, self-governing cities with their own rules and laws. It would be very impractical to make it one city when the cities themselves are autonomous.

I think a better way is to re-establish the old Province of Manila so the territory will have better-unified control under a Provincial Governor because as of the present, only MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) has power over the NCR, but even their power is limited. By re-establishing the old Province of Manila, the Provincial Governor can have full control of the province without affecting the city status of the cities in Metro Manila.


www.quora.com


Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Clark as new NCR?


Clark as new NCR?



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It took us over two hours to check out the new developments in Clark and we didn’t even get to see the proposed site of the new Clark City because it was way further off. Even with light traffic, it takes time to go around Clark because it is just too expansive. It is easy for a space oppressed Metro Manila resident to be overwhelmed.
Flat lands, rolling hills and even mountains can be found at Clark. In the area known as Clark Sun Valley, a well maintained and challenging golf course has been attracting Koreans for some time now. A new Hilton Hotel is being constructed as you drive up the clubhouse. And the panoramic view is simply fantastic.
Feverish construction activities are all over the Clark Freeport as they rush facilities for the ASEAN summit conference late this year. A master planned 177-hectare development known as the Clark Global Gateway City is fast rising to rival Metro Manila’s central business districts with its extra wide avenues and underground utility connections.

The first building to be completed is the now functioning Medical City’s Clark hospital which was built from scratch. The buildings intended to house various business offices are interconnected and reveal a close attention to the interrelationship of buildings, people and the environment. There are wide sidewalks and bicycle paths. A solar energy installation is providing half of Clark’s needs.
They are finally serious about modernizing and expanding Clark’s airport. The BCDA, not DOTr, is bidding out the construction of the new French designed terminal that is good for up to eight million passengers. After construction has been awarded, BCDA will also award the operations and management to a qualified private sector entity. It should be able to start operations by 2020.
As far as I know, BCDA was ready to bid out and complete the Clark airport as early as 2012 until Mar Roxas transferred it to DOTC without consulting BCDA. That was a few months after I last visited Clark to get a briefing from then airport head Chichos Luciano.
Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Indeed I recall BCDA’s energetic former president, Arnel Casanova, fighting hard to have it returned. The worst part is that Mar and P-Noy did not appoint members to the airport’s board of directors for about two years so that absolutely nothing moved. Mar wasted the time and talent of Chichos who had great plans that is only now being realized.
Then again, even after P-Noy appointed a cousin to head Clark airport, it didn’t help. He and former DOTC sec. Abaya ignored him for the most part. That’s why nothing happened until now.
Art Tugade knew this sad situation as CDC head at that time. I am sure it is Art who worked to return the Clark airport project to BCDA in this administration. Art knows BCDA, a corporate entity, can do the project faster and better. Art, unlike most bureaucrats and politicians, is not after turf protection… he just wants the project done.
BCDA and CDC also recently received an unsolicited proposal to build a government center from the group that helped build Malaysia’s Putrajaya.  If the proposal is taken seriously by BCDA and CDC, six government departments will be the first tenants of the new buildings. Best of all, there are no front end costs for the taxpayers. The proponents will be compensated as the facilities are used.
It seems it is all systems go to develop Clark as a new National Capital Region. Of course that will take time, but the attraction of the proposal is to move government offices out of Metro Manila and into Clark. 
Unbearable describes the feeling that comes from the severe congestion being felt in an expanded metro area of over 25 million souls. We all suffer daily traffic jams. And living conditions for the poor are so inhuman something has to give.
Just before he took over the transportation department, Sec. Art Tugade said he wants to decongest Metro Manila. It isn’t a cure all but it should help.
Tugade said he would, among others, propose to stop giving tax incentives for BPOs and other industries locating within Metro Manila to alleviate transport congestion problems. Indeed, they should just reject all pending applications for PEZA BPO incentives to property developers who insist on building within Metro Manila.
Ordinary Metro Manilans can only agree with Tugade. Many of us view Metro Manila as increasingly dysfunctional or even unlivable. Many of us see the need to decongest it by relocating major urban functions or building new cities outside the existing metropolitan area.
Urban planner Dr. Art Corpuz, in a recent paper, agrees that Metro Manila’s problems are indeed unacceptable, especially based on international benchmarks, but he is not convinced moving out of Metro Manila by itself is the right response. In other words, he asks, if something is broken, do you discard it (by moving to another location) or do you fix it in its place?
Dr. Corpuz warned of unintended consequences. “If the relatively low density government activities in the Malacañang, Batasan and other affected areas are replaced by high density, large scale commercial and residential uses (following the prevailing practice of maximizing government revenues from the disposition of public land), then it is likely that congestion, at least in those parts of Metro Manila, will worsen.”
Dr. Corpuz pointed out that “in the case of the 240-hectare portion of Fort Bonifacio that government auctioned off in 1995, total gross floor area has increased more than 10 times since it was initially redeveloped. It has been transformed into the second largest business district and one of the largest traffic generators in the country.”
Dr. Corpuz also observed that bigness by itself is not the problem. “It is also difficult to equate density, which is one of the most easily perceived characteristics of an urban area, to levels and perceptions of quality of life.
“Services and environmental conditions in some higher density urban areas are much better than in Metro Manila. In Hong Kong, where quality of life is arguably much better, Kowloon has a density of over 45,100 persons/sqkm; the density of the Kwun Tong district is even higher at 56,300 persons/sqkm. (An area of Hong Kong even reaches 400,000 persons/sqkm.) These are higher than Metro Manila’s 20,300 persons/sqkm or even the 40,400 persons/sqkm of the city of Manila, which approximates the scale of Kowloon…”
Dr. Corpuz is of the opinion that “there is no basis for saying that Metro Manila or any other city is too big and over-concentrated…” He correctly pointed out that we just failed to deliver primary government responsibilities to the extent similar to other cities…
Ultimately, Dr. Corpuz concludes, “city size and density thresholds are products of history, governance and technology, and none may be considered as empirical absolute limits.” But the reality is that it is doubtful our government (national and LGUs) will ever be able to put greed and vested interest aside and do what is right for Metro Manila.
This is why the points of Dr. Corpuz considered, I still think we ought to work to make Clark bloom if only to show our people we are capable of having a well – planned and well – managed city. Seeing it happen in Clark should hopefully make us realize that the mayors have been sleeping on their jobs and should be kicked out.
I hope the enthusiasm of Clark officials won’t fade until they are able to deliver on the promises. They have everything they need to have a model major city… from an international airport to hotels, resorts and the factories and businesses that are the envy of other areas. The only thing I didn’t see them doing or planning to do is a good public transport system.
Still, it is morale boosting to see the current heads of BCDA and CDC actually moving projects forward. No more excuses… let’s get going now.
Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

LIVE List: Flooded areas in Metro Manila

LIVE List: Flooded areas in Metro Manila, July 27

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A commuter hops onto stones for a fee to avoid getting wet as heavy rains continue to inundate low-lying areas Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, in Manila, Philippines. Heavy rains continue to dump in Metropolitan Manila and nearby provinces forcing some residents to evacuate to higher grounds. AP /Bullit Marquez
MANILA, Philippines — As Tropical Storm Gorio and the southwest monsoon continue to prevail in the country, some areas experienced flooding on Thursday.

The state weather bureau issued a yellow rainfall warning over Metro Manila, Cavite, and Bulacan and warned of flooding in low-lying areas.
It also said "Gorio" may intensify into a Severe Tropical Storm within the next 24 to 36 hours. PAGASA said the southwest monsoon will enhance the weather system and bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over the western section of Luzon and light to moderate rains over the rest of Luzon and Visayas.
Below appears the list of flooded areas in Metro Manila.
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Manila 

11:15 a.m. - P. Burgos Victorino East Bound - Flood has subsided, All lanes passable
11:15 a.m. - R. Papa both bound - Above gutter deep, Not passable to light vehicles
11:15 a.m. - Quirino Roxas Boulevard along Taft Avenue South Bound / North Bound - Gutter deep, Passable to all types of vehicles

Caloocan City

10:00 a.m. -  Balintawak Cloverleaf in front of St. Joseph Church North Bound - Flood has subsided, All lanes passable

Malabon City

10: a.m. - Tonsuya - Gutter deep
11: 40 a.m. - E. Aquino Street - Below Knee Deep
11: 40 a.m. - P. Bautista Street - Below Knee Deep
11: 40 a.m. - Encarnacion 
11:40 a.m. - Niugan Elementary School - Below Knee Deep 
Interior Street
11: 40 a.m. - 
N. Vicencio Street (Sarmiento Area) - Knee Deep
11:40 a.m. - N. Vicencio Street (Mallari Area) - Knee Deep 
11:40 a.m. - N. Vicencio Street (Chapel Area) - Below Knee Deep
11:40 a.m. - M. Aquino Street (Pilapil Area) - Above Knee Deep
11:40 a.m. - C. Santos Street (Pastrana Area) - Below Knee Deep 
11:40 a.m. - C. Santos Street (Legaspi Compound) - Knee Deep 
11:40 a.m. - C. Santos Street (Cruz Compound) - Knee Deep

Taguig City

11:15 a.m. - C5 near Market Market South Bound - Flood has subsided, All lanes passable

Quezon City

11:15 a.m. - Quezon City A. Bonifacio C3 South Bound /  North Bound - Gutter deep, Passable all types of vehicles
11:15 a.m. - Quezon City A. Bonifacio 11th Avenue South Bound / North Bound - Gutter deep, Passable to all types of vehicles
11:15 a.m. - G. Araneta / Victory Avenue East Bound / West Bound - Knee deep, Not passable to light vehicles
11:15 a.m. - EDSA Aurora Tunnel North Bound / South Bound - Gutter deep Passable to all types of vehicles
11:15 a.m. - Quezon Avenue Biak na Bato East Bound - Gutter deep, Passable all types of vehicles
11:15 a.m. - Quezon Avenue Biak na Bato West Bound - Half tire deep, Not passable to light vehicles

Makati City

6:01 a.m. - Dela Rosa Street - Gutter deep
6:01 a.m. - Fernando Street - Gutter deep
6:01 a.m. - Taylo Street - Two feet-deep
6:01 a.m. - Victor Street - Three inches-deep
6:01 a.m. - Pasong Tamo - Gutter deep
6:01 a.m. - Barangay Pio del Pilar - Gutter deep
6:01 a.m. - Barangay San Antonio and Lumbayao corner Camachile - Two to three inches-deep
6:01 a.m. - Sampaloc corner Estrella Street - Two to three inches-deep
6:01 a.m. - Malolos Street, Davila Street, Primo Rivera Street, Barangay Tejeros District 1 - Gutter deep

Valenzuela 

8:00 a.m. - MacArthur Highway Road Condition corner Pio Valenzuela (3-4 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles
8:00 a.m. - Savemore Marulas (6-7 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles
8:00 a.m. - Corner PhilGun (13-14 inches) -  Not passable to light vehicles
8:00 a.m. - Corner CJ Santos (7-8 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles
8:00 a.m. - MH Del Pilar 3S Malanday(7-8 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles
8:00 a.m. - MH Del Pilar cor Tiwala (4-5 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles
8:00 a.m. - Coloong 1 (4-5 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles
8:00 a.m. - Pinalagad (2-4 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles
8:00 a.m. - Karuhatan Market(18-19 inches) - Not passable to Light vehicles
8:00 a.m. - Maysan Road Condition corner CJ Santos (7-8 inches) - Passable to all types of vehicles