The way to know and love properly

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

SINCE God is the creator of all things, and the original and ultimate lawgiver, he should know all things and love them in the proper way. As a corollary to that, we can also say that we can only know and love all things properly if we base our knowing and loving on God himself. Otherwise, we would just put ourselves along the paths of error and impropriety.

Somehow we are reminded of this point in that gospel episode where the leading Jews of the time of Christ were always suspicious of him and at one time watched if he would cure somebody with a withered hand on a Sabbath. (cfr. Lk 6,6-11) That was when Christ made his point when he asked: “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

We have to realize then that we cannot simply depend on our human estimation of things based simply on our sciences and technologies, on our feelings and passions, on our different social, political and cultural consensus, etc., though they too are important, but as secondary means of our way of knowing the truth and of loving everyone and everything.

We should try our best to know God which should lead us to love him also. By so doing, we would know everybody and everything else properly and to love them properly as well, as a consequence.

And knowing and loving God, the pattern of our own knowing and loving, should not be that difficult because these have been shown to us by Christ, the fullness of God’s revelation to us. And Christ continues not only to reveal them to us but also to enable us to do them because of the many instrumentalities he has left behind.

He founded the Church in which we can have his living teaching, the doctrine of our faith, his presence and continuing work of redemption through the sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. And we are helped by the effective witness and intercession of the saints, especially that of our Lady, the Mother of God and our Mother.

We should just do our part of sitting down and spending time and effort to study the life and teaching of Christ and of the Church, and to develop a working plan of a life of piety that would help us to nourish our relation with God through prayers and sacrifices, ascetical struggles, recourse to the sacraments, development of virtues, etc.

We have to remember that our life ought to be always a life with God through Christ in the Holy Spirit. We have to adapt ourselves to this basic truth of faith about ourselves, because we are notorious in believing that our life is simply our own, and relying only on our own estimation of things.

We really need to humble ourselves to accept this truth of our faith, because it is usually our pride that prevents us from realizing this truth. We need to work on our faith in order to keep it alive, vibrant and functional, especially in some difficult if not impossible occasions. 

We should not be surprised that life and all the challenges and trials we are going to face in it will always demand from us things beyond our powers and resources. And that’s simply because we are meant to go to God for all our needs, without neglecting any effort we can give along the way.

Only through God can we know and love everybody and everything else properly.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE),Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Educational Tablets Turn Over

 DAP sa Mindanao turns over educational tablets for UKP beneficiaries in DdO.

Three hundred (300) educational tablets were officially handed by the Development Academy (DAP) sa Mindanao to the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro thru Governor Dorothy Montejo-Gonzaga on September 1, 2022, in support of the Unlad Kabataan Project (UKP) learners' pre-identified by the Alternative Learning System of the Department of Education.

Governor Gonzaga welcomed and thanked the personnel from DAP sa Mindanao for the provisions granted by the agency to bolster education among the youth in the province. Each tablet has a sim card with free loads and a  learning material from DAP named “Linang Version 2,” which will be used by the learners during their education.

PLGU Davao de Oro is among the fourteen (14) LGUs and the only provincial government that became a beneficiary of DAP’s Alternative Learning System-Education and Skills Training (ALS-EST). Through the program, 300 out-of-school youths (OSYs) were given a chance to continue chasing their dreams through alternative learning modalities.

DAP sa Mindanao, in collaboration with the Youth Development Division of PSWDO-DdO, targets to officially hand off the units to the identified beneficiaries at the end of September this year. Further, DAP will soon offer varied skills training to the UKP beneficiaries.

During the turn-over ceremony, Executive Assistant Dennis B. Anduyan, PSWDO Head Josephine Frasco, YDD OIC-Division Head Alexis Micutuan, and a representative from DepEd-DdO graced the event. 

(JA, PAO-IPRD DdO, photos by A. Dayao)

In the line of duty

 

SPEAKING OUT

Ignacio R. Bunye

The first text message I received early on Aug. 31 asked if I have heard about Rey Samson. “He died yesterday,” the texter said. I was so shocked because I knew that Rey, one of earliest graduates of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa was young and relatively in good health. Subsequent text messages disclosed that Police Lieutenant Rey Samson, who was chief of police of Ampatuan town, and one of his men were killed in an ambush, around 9:40 a.m. of Aug. 30, along the road in Barangay Kapinpilan, Ampatuan, Maguindanao. Samson and his men were on their way to serve a warrant of arrest when waylaid by still unidentified gunmen.

Immediately there was an outpouring of messages of condolence from friends, former students, former teaching colleagues at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa, former mistahs, Masonic brothers as well as a condemnation from the PNP hierarchy of the deadly ambush.

I remember Rey as one of the pioneer students in the Muntinlupa Polytechnic College (MPC) which I, as then Muntinlupa mayor, founded in 1991. The MPC has since been upgraded to university status and renamed Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMUN). After finishing a bachelor’s degree course, Rey never stopped studying. He has been conferred masters degrees in public administration, education and later a PhD in education. He taught at PLMUN, Philippine Public Safety College of Calamba, Laguna and Laguna Northwestern on a subject close to his heart– Security Administration. He sat in the PLMUN board of regents as alumni representative. At the same time, Rey enlisted in the Philippine National Police where he felt he could make a difference.

In a fairly recent Facebook post, Rey described himself as a teacher at heart. I understand that even after he was assigned in Ampatuan, Rey continued to give online lectures. “God put me in the teaching profession, to be a positive influence of change … for the sake of my students’ development and to prepare them for a better future. Salamat oh aking Panginoon sapagkat ako’y ginawa mong guro… guro ng pagbabago para saaking kapwa tao.”

So long Rey. You will be sadly missed.

I received this bit of good news from my good friend BPI Foundation Executive Director Owen Cammayo. Just two weeks ago, the first BPI Bayanihan Center in the country was unveiled in simple ceremonies in Barangay Malainin, Ibaan, Batangas.

The BPI Bayanihan Center consists of a new two-story building which will provide not only a safe shelter for the people of Batangas in times of calamity but also a health care facility, a livelihood center and a multi-purpose hall for activities that bring the community together.

The 528-square-meter BPI Bayanihan Center can accommodate around 300 evacuees and is accessible to persons with disabilities. It is also equipped with a breastfeeding station and a kitchen.

Cammayo said the structure was developed by BPI, BPI Foundation with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF)’s Project Safe Shelters. The facility was built with funds from BPI Foundation and donations from the bank’s clients and employees who wanted to help those affected by Taal Volcano eruptions since 2020.

Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, BPI President and CEO TG Limcaoco, Owen Cammayo, PDRF Executive Director Veronica Gabaldon, PDRF Chief Resilience Office Bill Luz, and PDRF President Butch Meily formally opened the center.

“BPI’s success as a long-standing institution, especially highlighted now on our 171st anniversary, ties back to the success of our nation,” said Limcaoco. “It is our belief that more than growing our business, it is equally important to help build and grow the communities around us, especially when unexpected tragedies strike (… ) Let the BPI Bayanihan Center be a reminder for all of us to help each other especially during hard times, so that as we work towards recovery and progress, no Filipino gets left behind.”

Just recently, BPI Foundation turned over pre-owned computers and laptops to four schools in Muntinlupa, namely, Poblacion Elementary School, Itaas Elementary School, Muntinlupa National High School and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMUN). Indeed, Bayanihan matters.

PSE hopes for highest number of IPOs in 26 years

by James A. Loyola, Manila Bulletin

The Philippine Stock Exchange expects the number of its initial public offerings in 2022 to reach a 26-year high of 11 companies as it has three more maiden offerings in its pipeline for the year.

Year-to-date, the PSE has had eight IPOs, matching the number of IPOs for the entire 2021. While it is far from the PSE’s record of 21 IPOs in 1994 (16 in 1995 and 13 in 1996), this will put an end to the single-digit IPOs since 1997.

PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon attributed the growth in the number of IPOs for the year to a confluence of several factors.

“We see companies requiring capital to fund their post-pandemic recovery plans. At this time of high interest rate regime, selling shares to the public is a more viable option than taking out loans,” he said.

Monzon noted that, “It helps that we relaxed our listing rules last year and government repealed the IPO tax under Republic Act No. 11494 also known as the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan II.”

The Amended Listing Rules of the PSE and the Bayanihan II IPO tax repeal have contributed to a faster, more accessible road to IPOs.

In March 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the Amendments to PSE’s Consolidated Listing and Disclosure Rules which included time-bound relief for IPOs filed in 2021 and 2022.

This provision permits the PSE to consider, on a case-to-case basis, the profitability of the applicant for any two fiscal years in the three most recent fiscal years, excluding the year of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Specific requirements for Main and Small, Medium and Emerging (SME) Board Listing were also introduced. For the Main Board, the PSE previously required that the profit test, market capitalization test and shareholders’ equity requirements should be satisfied.

Under the new rules, the market capitalization test was removed but the two other requirements must be met by the IPO applicant.

The profit test was likewise revised such that the applicant-company must show an aggregate net income of P75 million for the last three financial years and a net income of P50 million for the most recent financial year.

In the past, the profit test used the company’s Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) specifically requiring at least P50 million for the last three years and a minimum EBITDA of P10 million for each of the three years as gauge.

For the SME Board, from a purely EBITDA-based screening, the applicant now has the option to satisfy either the EBITDA requirement or the net sales/operating revenue.

The latter requires applicant-companies to have a cumulative net sales/operating revenues of at least P150 million for the last three years or such shorter period as the company has been operating and show at least 20 percent average growth rate for net sales/operating revenues over the latest two years.

The Amended Listing Rules also contain Sponsor Model provisions for listing applicants in the SME Board under which the applicant’s suitability for listing will be evaluated in the first instance by a listing Sponsor accredited by the PSE.

“There are several companies that do not qualify to list based solely on the SME Board listing requirements. We want the stock market to be accessible to these businesses and give them equal opportunity to raise capital through equity financing, especially if they are profitable and have rosy growth prospects,” said Monzon.

To further assist potential listing applicants in their future IPO journey, the PSE is hosting the Road to IPO 2022 on September 15.

The virtual session aims to help business owners understand the strategic value of becoming a publicly listed company (PLC) and obtain firsthand information on how to prepare for a maiden share offering from members of an IPO deal team.

Te one-day event will showcase three main topics: “What Lies Ahead for the IPO Market?”, “IPO as a Key Strategic Initiative,” and “IPO Readiness Tips.”

“e want this Road to IPO activity to dispel the notion that an IPO is a daunting undertaking. Through this forum, we want to demystify the IPO process and simplify what is seemingly technical about going public with the help of speakers that have conducted their own IPOs and those who are tapped by companies to help them in their IPO journey,” Monzon explained.

The Philippines is on track to be the next hyperscaler hub in the Asia Pacific

 PRESS RELEASE

02 September 2022

The Philippines is on track to be the next hyperscaler hub in the Asia Pacific 

As the Philippines is gearing to be the next hyperscaler hub in the Asia-Pacific region, many opportunities for investments and partnerships await the hyperscaler and data center firms who want to invest in the country, especially from the companies in Hong Kong and China.  

 

The promising prospect and competitive advantage of the Philippines as the next investment destination for the hyperscaler and data center industry were highlighted during a webinar held by the Board of Investments (BOI), through its International Investments Promotions Service (IIPS), and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong on August 24, 2022.  

In the event, Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual underscored that the Philippines is ready to be the next hyperscaler hub in the Asia Pacific. “We believe that the hyperscalers industry will be the next growth engine of the Philippines. We are keen on helping hyperscalers cloud services and start-up ecosystem in the Philippines,” he said.  

 

“We hope that you find these opportunities as promising as we do with your trust and passion. Let us make hyperscaler investments and partnerships happen in the Philippines,” Secretary Pascual emphasized.  

 

Also, Mr. Victor Aliwalas, VP and Technology Management Advisor of the PLDT Enterprise, shared his thoughts about the Philippine data center market. According to him, the country is ripe for digital and bullish growth prospects. In 2022, the Philippines is expected to lead the technology spending growth in Asia, ahead of Vietnam and Malaysia. Mr. Aliwalas also highlighted the Jupiter Cable System, the newest trans-Pacific cable facility connecting the Philippines to the USA and Japan. With a network distance of 14,866 kilometers, it is the fastest cable system between the Philippines and the US with 126ms latency between Daet, Camarines Norte, and Los Angeles, California.  

 

Other officials who pitched for the country’s standing as the next hyperscaler hub was Consul General in Hong Kong Raly L. Tejada, who highlighted the growing data center capability of the Philippines. While Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba of the DTI – Competitiveness and Innovation Group presented the value proposition of the Philippines for the hyperscalers as well as the numerous government initiatives for the firms.  

 

According to Undersecretary Aldaba, the Philippines has a thriving digital economy landscape with strong macroeconomic fundamentals that will continue to attract positive investment prospects.  Also, she mentioned that the Philippines is an early adapter of 5G technology in the Asia Pacific, according to Moody’s, along with Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.  

 

Undersecretary Aldaba also pointed out that the Philippines has a “demographic sweet spot” because of its rich talent pool of 46.5 million workforces, and the country is producing an average of 750,000 graduates annually. With the amended PSA, the official said, the government is allowing 100 percent foreign ownership in the country’s telecommunications industry.  

 

The event was supported by Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John E. Uy, who delivered a presentation on the state and direction of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure in the Philippines, and by the Department of Energy (DOE) –  Renewable Energy Management Bureau Director Mylene Capongcol who presented the government’s plans and commitment to developing the renewable energy sector, which would also support the growing data center industry in the country. 

  

Meanwhile, the Philippines as a high potential market was attested by two of the leading hyperscaler companies in Hong Kong and China.  

 

Mr. Paul Lai, Senior Vice President, In-Country Project Investment of HGC Global Communications, Ltd., and Mr. Allen Guo, Country Manager of the Alibaba Cloud Intelligence – Philippines, both affirmed the country’s readiness as an ideal investment location, citing its resilient economy amid the pandemic, its “welcoming regulatory environment”, particularly with the passage of the amended Public Service Act (PSA) and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, coupled with the Philippine businesses increasingly relying on cloud-based IT solutions for growth. 

 

Executive Director Evariste M. Cagatan of the BOI’s Investments Promotion Services (IPS) delivered the closing message at the end of the webinar and emphasized that the country  “has a bullish economic growth trajectory” to host hyperscaler and data center operations, as the government has been aggressively promoting the Philippines with its competitive advantage.  

 

“We acknowledge the support of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence and HGC Global Communications Limited, both of whom already made it happen in the Philippines. They have generously shared their positive experience. With the likes of Alibaba and HGC Global that invested in the country and many others that have signified their interest in the field and further expand their footprint, the Philippines is now positioned to be the next hyperscaler hub in the Asia Pacific,” the BOI official concluded. # 

...

BOI Information and Communications Division

Office Address: 3/F Board of Investment Bldg. #385 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Makati City 1209

Telephones: 8897.3086 / 8897-6682 local 277 

Mobile: (0920) 9814742

Email Address: infocomms@boi.gov.ph 

Why is music important in my life?

Music can raise someone's mood, get them excited, or make them calm and relaxed. Music also - and this is important - allows us to feel nearly or possibly all emotions that we experience in our lives.

Music is one of the most important and powerful things in my life. My life without melodies and harmonies would be totally empty. Listening to and playing different tunes helps me to de-stress, relax and it can also help to motivate me in trying times.

It is the expression of deep emotions and feelings.” “Music calms me down, lifts me up and always makes me feel a certain way. Explains things when words fail; Music speaks. Music means something that's inspiring and can match your moods Music helps me connect to life.

The music matches our mood, or it can help us change it too— it's as we wish, since we choose its purpose. Music's ability to change our mood into the direction we want, to understand and comfort us, to soothe or stimulate us in whatever way we need— is powerful and life-enhancing.

It is scientifically proven that music enhances brain function, our brains are most active as we listen to music. Some people consider music as a way to escape from the pain of life, bringing relief from all forms of stress.

At the age of four, I started playing the piano at home. I listened to several worldwide operating radio stations. I was honored to be invited to Radio Moskow during the early 1980s.  My record library, which contains about more than 20,000 different pieces, accompanied me with my book library to the Philippines. I enjoy them up to this moment.

While every country has its own ways of communicating, there’s only one language we can all understand: the language of music. We don’t even need words to understand what music is saying. Every year people from diverse backgrounds come together for live performances and festivals. When the music is being played, it seems every one understands what’s coming out of the speakers as they move in unison. In a time of deep divisions music stands to be the magnetism that is able to draw humanity together.

During the last years, I was able to share my passion for music during innumerable radio shows hosted in the Philippines.  My listeners love to tune in and leave a lot of comments and music wishes. It made me really so happy.

Music is all around us intersecting our lives, regulating our moods and bringing good vibes to those who are listening. It raises your mood, bringing excitement, or calming you down. It allows us to feel all the emotions that we experience in our lives. It has the profound ability to help those who struggle to express how they feel too.

Musicians provide a powerful therapy that helps the listener make sense of the world we are living in. People have always found music significant in their lives, whether for enjoyment in listening, for an emotional response, performing or creating. This is no different for classical music or contemporary music performers.

Music plays a very important role in bringing people together. Whether it’s a festival, concert or a club night, people come together to enjoy the music that’s being played. It doesn’t matter where you come from, everyone is the same.

As a musician your gift, your talent must never be kept hidden. You have a responsibility to populate the airways with sound.

Music is not only important in MY life. Music is everyone's life. 

DOT chief overwhelmed by lawmakers’ proposal to enhance budget for tourism

by Jun Marcos Tadios, Manila Bulletin

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco was elated by the proposal of lawmakers to extend an additional budget for the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the Fiscal Year 2023.

Frasco unveiled new projects and convergence programs of the DOT on Wednesday, Aug. 31, during the briefing with the House Committee on Appropriations on the proposed 2023 budget.

The secretary rallied for the favorable decision of the House of Representatives on the P3.573 billion proposed budget for next year in able to attain the DOT’s plans and programs.

The attached agency under the DOT was the Intramuros Administration (IA), National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), and the Philippine Commission on Sports SCUBA Diving – PCSSD.

“The plans (for 2023) will include the establishment of tourist service rest areas and information counters across the country; the development of a Tourist lifecycle app for tourists; a Tourist Assistance Call Center, and the launching of a guest incentive system, among others,” said Frasco.

Several lawmakers, however, noted the necessity of increasing the DOT’s proposed budget, underscoring the tourism industry’s significant contribution to the Philippine economy.

Frasco thanked the members of the House Committee on Appropriations that shows support for the proposed budget of DOT including Minority Leader Rep. Marcelino Libanan; Albay 1st District Congressman Edcel Lagman; Rep. Jefferson Khonghun from the 1st District of Zambales; and Congressman Wilter Palma from the 1st District of Zamboanga Sibugay.

“While I could have just stayed in my beloved town of Liloan, I accepted the tourism portfolio with high hopes because the President has identified the tourism industry as one of the top priorities of his administration,” Frasco uttered.

To fulfill the visions and programs of the present administration, Frasco uttered that they should have a commanding budget needed to fulfill all the visions and programs of the President.

House bill penalizes prank callers to emergency hotlines with jail terms, fines

by Raymund Antonio, Manila Bulletin

Prank callers to emergency hotlines may soon face jail time and fines if the proposed measure of Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Gus Tambunting becomes law.

House Bill 3851, or “An Act Penalizing Prank Callers to Emergency Hotlines,” filed on Aug. 22, 2022, recognized “the inherent nature of having an accessible nationwide hotline by providing penalties to persons who will intentionally make mischievous and malicious calls that will spoil the government resources and make ridicule them for their benefit/reasons.”

“An emergency hotline should be able always accessible, free from interruption, and seamlessly receive emergency calls to save lives for those needing it at a crucial moment,” the explanatory note said.

“To uphold the reliability and integrity of this public service, this legislation is proposed to forbid and penalize prank callers for irresponsibly alarming the emergency hotline,” it added.

Any person who would be found to make prank calls to emergency hotline numbers should be held liable with the following penalties: arresto menor, or jail time of one day to 30 days, and a fine of P5,000 for the first offense; arresto mayor, or jail time of one month and one day to six months and a fine of P10,000 for the second offense, and prision correccional, or six months and one day to six years, and a fine of P20,000 for the third and succeeding offenses.

The explanatory note cited Memorandum Order No. 07-07-206 issued by the National Telecommunications Commission and Executive Order No. 56 that assigned emergency hotline 911 as the nationwide emergency answering point, replacing Patrol 1197.

“The government is duty bound to serve and protect the people and it is expected that this crisis hotline is used appropriately by the public,” the bill said.

The proposed measure defined a prank call as “a mischievous or malicious telephone call made to trick or fool someone to annoy, abuse, threaten, harass, or solicit any comment, request, suggestion, or sound which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, or indecent, or a call intending to make false requests or false alarm of an emergency, knowing the report or information or alarm to be false.”

Adapting all the way

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

WE are somehow reminded of this need of ours to adapt all the way to all kinds of persons and situations in life in that gospel episode where Christ was asked why the disciples of John the Baptist fast, while he does not. (cfr. Lk 5,33-39) That’s also where Christ said that famous line about not putting a piece of new cloth to patch an old one, and new wine into old wineskins.

Like Christ, we should try our best to adapt ourselves to all kinds of persons and situations to such an extent that we can echo what St. Paul once said about becoming all things to all men for the sake of the salvation of man. (cfr. 1 Cor 9,22) This, we should try our best to do without losing our Christian identity.

As we all know, Christ is the Son of God who became man to recover us from our state of alienation from God due to sin. He went all the way to become like sin, without committing sin, if only to identify himself with us even in our worst condition. (cfr. 2 Cor 5,21) In so doing, he shows us the way of how we can recover our Christian dignity as God’s image and likeness, children of his, sharers of his divine life.

If we are consistent with our Christian identity, we should do the same. The challenge of adapting ourselves to all kinds of persons and situations is enormous. It is, in fact, overwhelming. But there’s always the grace of God to help us when we reach our human limits in this regard.

Fact is to make Christ present in the lives of all of us is next to impossible. And yet that is what we are asked to do. How would you, for example, transmit the doctrine of our faith, or show the beauty of the liturgy, etc., so full of mysteries, to different kinds of people, from kids to adults, from manual workers to intellectuals, etc.?

I always find this challenge unnerving. And yet that is what is always presented to us. What immediately comes to mind in trying to tackle this challenge is for us to truly exert the effort to know and accept people in the way they are, but always referring them to Christ with whom we should keep a living relationship.

Let’s remember that Christ was always adapting himself to the people, being flexible to everyone, and yet managed to accomplish his mission, whatever the situation was. He was not only passively adapting himself to the environment. He was also actively pursuing his goal in different ways. That’s versatility for you.

Eventually, he rounded off all these expressions of adaptability, flexibility and versatility by offering his life on the cross. There he made as his own all the sins of men, died to them and rose from the dead. He turned the cross from being a tree of sin and death into a tree of life. His death conquered sin and death, and reopened the door to eternal life for us.

To become Christ-like would indeed require a lifetime effort, but we can always start and develop it anytime. Let us not wait for some so-called opportune moment to be so. Any time, any situation can and should be an occasion to be like Christ. Obviously, we have to know Christ more and more. Thus, we need to be familiar with his life, his teachings and his example.

Let us put our mind and heart into this most important responsibility of ours.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

PNP disaster teams ready for 'Henry'

By Francis Earl Cueto  and Arlie O. Calalo

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said that its disaster response units to Northern Luzon regions are ready to be dispatched as Super Typhoon "Henry" had been spotted closest to Luzon at past midnight on Thursday.

PNP Chief, Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., said police disaster response units, personnel and equipment were immediately deployed to Ilocos and Cagayan Valley and some parts of Cordillera.

At the same time, government resources have been prepositioned near designated evacuation centers for possible relief operations in areas threatened by Henry.

At the national headquarters, the PNP high command activated the NHQ Disaster Incident Management Task Group (DIMTG), an updated and enhanced plan of action by the PNP on disaster preparedness and response management in support of other concerned agencies.

The Chief PNP said the DIMTG supports the government's disaster risk reduction and management efforts in accordance with the PNP Critical Incident Management Operational Procedures (CIMOP).

Earlier on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said "Henry" has slightly increased its strength while moving to Batanes while Tropical Depression "Gardo" has weakened into a low pressure area (LPA).

Weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said in a press briefing that Henry moved south-southwestward northeast of Batanes at 25 kilometers per hour (kph).

Estimated some 430kms east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, the super typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 195kph near the center and gustiness of up to 240kph, Ordinario said.

"Due to the forecast expansion in the extent of tropical cyclone winds associated with Henry, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals may be hoisted for localities in extreme Northern Luzon within the day," the Pagasa forecaster had said.

"By Friday afternoon, Henry may begin tracking slowly northwestward before eventually accelerating northward by Saturday and it may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) either on Saturday evening or Sunday morning," Ordinario said.

Meanwhile, the LPA was located at 760kms east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes while moving westward at 35kph.

"The remnant low is unlikely to directly affect the weather condition as well as the sea conditions over the coastal waters of the country," Ordinario said.

Super typhoon weakens a bit as it nears Batanes

Pagasa said the trough of the super typhoon enhanced by the southwest monsoon or "habagat" is affecting Metro Manila, Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Also affected are Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Batanes, Cagayan, Zambales and Bataan where cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms can be experienced.

"Flash floods or landslides are possible in these areas due to moderate to at times heavy rains," Pagasa said.