Legazpi, Ligao and Tabaco Cities, and Albay Province [Archive] - Page 15

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:01 AM

History of Legazpi City

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c211/hawayano/NatGeoMayonLegazpi.jpg

Origin of Name

Historically, the place was named Legazpi, to perpetuate to the memory of Adelantado Don Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. This was the agreement made between the original inhabitants of the place and the Spaniards during the former’s quest for autonomy. It took them 21 years, in which they sought the help and support of the Spaniards, then living in the town. As a sign of gratitude, the people readily accepted the name, which was also then proposed by the Spaniards upon fulfillment of their efforts.

Foundation

On September 22, 1856, through a Royal Decree, the name Legazpi was officially adopted to include the visitas of Lamba, Rawis and Bigaa, and declaring it an independent town. It was formally inaugurated on October 23, 1856.

It began as a barangay called Sawangan (now Legazpi Port) whose inhabitants were mostly fishermen and farmers. In 1587, Franciscan friars of the Doctrina of Cagsawa began to convert the settlement to Christianity and in 1616 they transformed it into a separate town and parish called Albay. Its first parish priest built a small chapel and established the “Mission de San Gregorio Magno de Sawangan.”

The progress of two centuries was razed to the ground in the eruption of Mayon Volcano on February 1, 1814. The people was evacuated to Makalaya (now Taysan) and on the decree of the Gobierno Superior on October 1, 1829, prohibiting the founding of another town they finally settled in Taytay (Bagumbayan). In 1818, Sawangan, then already known as the town of Albay, was separated from Cagsawa and was made the capital of Partido de Ibalon (the old name of Albay Province).

Some of the people, however, remained in the old town and began anew as a barrio. In lieu of their former patron saint, St. Gregory the Great, which had also been transferred to Albay, they adopted St. Raphael, the Archangel and transformed the ermita into a church. They finally regained their old status but never changed the name of the place as Albay Viejo or Banwang Daan. Even after their autonomy in 1856, they called it “Binanuahan”, meaning the former sit of a town.

Legal Bases of Existence

Now autonomous, and with a fast paced progress and prosperity, Legazpi was declared a Royal Cedula in May 18, 1872, open to world trade. Legazpi first became a city under the Becerra Law of 1892, which constituted the municipalities of Legazpi, Albay Nuevo and Daraga, into the Ayutamiento de Albay. With the American occupation in 1900, the city was dissolved. Upon restoration of peace, the three towns were re-established and in 1908 became the Municipality of Albay, the provincial capital. In 1922, the town of Daraga was separated from the capital, realizing the merger was doing more harm than good to their interests. Legazpi became a city for the second time on July 18, 1948 when Daraga and Legazpi were combined again to constitute its territory, under Republic Act No. 306. With the re-creation of the two municipalities, the city was dissolved in June 8, 1954. Finally, on June 12, 1959, Legazpi became a city once more under Republic Act No. 2234. This was later amended by Republic Act No. 5525.

On February 27, 1973, the City of Legazpi was declared under Presidential Decree No. 125, to comprise its present territorial jurisdiction and the adjacent Municipality of Daraga. With the onset of the Integrated Reorganization Plan however, the decree was permanently mothballed. This plan also made the city as the regional administrative center of the Bicol Region (Presidential Decree No. 1).

Source: CDSEA (http://www.cdsea.org/db/cds_cityprofile2.asp?ID=168)

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:02 AM

ei guys, 10 more posts to go and we're on to lucky thread number 8!

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:07 AM

Legazpi City Economy

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/city.jpg

The commercial activities of the City of Legazpi are characterized by the presence of establishments engaged in various major economic activities. These include establishments in the primary industries such as agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying; secondary activities in manufacturing; and in the tertiary industries such as banking and finance, real estate and related services

Presently the largest mall in Bicol, Pacific Mall Legazpi also serves as the centerpiece of Landco Business Park Legazpi. Recently, Pacific Mall has expanded its floor area to accommodate more tenants. Headquartered in nearby Tabaco City, and with its LCC Central Mall in Naga City, Liberty Commercial Center (LCC) Legazpi remains as Legazpi's original mall. Modernistic Bichara Silverscreen and Entertainment Center is a multi-story haven of shops, bistros, and cinemas.

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/images/pacificmall.jpg

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The city hall and several provincial offices are located in what promises to be another progressive new downtown area known as Albay District (also Old Albay or simply Albay as this place was originally the capital town of Albay Province before it was merged with Legazpi) which has bistros that remain open till late at night although 24/7 shops are still scarce in the city. Legaspi has its share of popular fastfood restaurants such as three Jollibee stores: two in the Port District (LCC Metro and Pacific Mall), and one drive-thru in Albay District; a McDonald's store, two Chowking restaurants, and a Greenwich outlet.

Legazpi City is connected nationwide and the rest of the world through up-to-date communication facilities. It has two cable TV operators, DCTV (Digital Cable Television) and ESTV, and cellular and landline phone operators, Digitel/Sun Cellular, Globe Telecom, Smart/PLDT (Philippine Long Distance Telecommunication); and local MATELCO (Mayon Telephone Company), offering mobilephone, fax, data, and DSL Internet services.

A number of AM, FM, and TV stations including Manila Broadcasting Company's 99.5 LOVE RADIO, GMA (TV 12 and Campus Radio), ABC through its affiliate station TV 6 (ABC/PBN), and ABS-CBN TV 4 and M.O.R. FM broadcast local, national, and international news and shows. GMA TV 12 (10 kW), ABS-CBN TV 4 (10 kW), and MOR FM (5 kW) set up their transmission towers on top of Mt. Bariw, virtually expanding their broadcast reach not only provincewide, but into Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Masbate, and as far as Northern Samar.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/P2230107.jpg

Legazpi City has two air-conditioned arenas, including Albay Astrodome. These arenas served as venues of PBA games in the past.

US Auto Parts, one of the largest online retailers of automotive aftermarket parts and accessories in the U.S., has established its development arm, MBS Tek Corporation, in the city. MBS Tek provides back office support including software development, content development, Internet marketing, research and and customer care services. New York-based Innodata tapped the city's young population and put up a data conversion center that operates three shifts.

The city also boasts of a modern eye center, Legaspi Eye Center (LEC) which serves as regional referral center for ophthalmologic care in the Bicol region. The center has board certified ophthalmologists with subspecialty training in various fields. LEC is reportedly comparable to major eye centers in Metro Manila in terms of services, expertise, and equipment. Meanwhile, the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital in nearby Daraga is reportedly now capable of conducting open-heart surgery.

As a financial center, Legazpi City has more or less 40 bank branches that offer traditional bank products and services such as deposits, loans, and automated tellering machines (ATM).

Legaspi has hosted important events in the past such as Miss Asia-Pacific pageant in 2001. In 2002, it hosted an international convention of the Free Masons. In 2003, about 4,000 members of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) conducted their 57th annual national convention in the city.

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/newpics/IMG_3281.jpg

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:11 AM

Education and Manpower Development

There are 80 schools providing the 3 levels of education needs of the city’s constituents and the neighboring towns in particular and the region in general. Of this number, 45 are public and 35 are privately owned. By location, 67% are urban-based while 33% are rural.

Primary

In SY 2005-2006, 23,357 public elementary pupils were spread out in 42 elementary public schools of the city; while 3,177pupils were accommodated in 14 private elementary schools.

Secondary

There are nineteen (19) secondary schools in the city, of which, four (4) are public and fourteen (14) are privately owned. All the private secondary schools are located in the urban area, while of the four (4) public secondary schools, two (2) are rural-based – one(1) located in the southern portion and the other one 1) located in the northern portion of the city - the other two (2) public schools are located in the city proper.

Tertiary

As of SY 2005-2006, Legazpi City has thirteen (13) schools of higher education. All of these are located in the urban area, with Bicol University the only public higher institution.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bc/SAA.jpg

bonixx

November 19th, 2006, 09:15 AM

Congratulation Legazpi City Thread 8 Zety Kool!

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:17 AM

Transportation

Getting There:

Land: 10-12 hour bus ride from Manila
Air: 1 hour flight from Manila

Legazpi City is easily accessible by all modes of transportation: by land, by sea and by air. Legazpi Airport, with a runway of 2,280 meters, is the region's gateway and trunk line airport. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Airlines (CEB) flies daily to and from Manila. CEB utilizes its brand new Airbus 319, while PAL uses its Boeing 737. Air Philippines has three-flights in a week (Tue, Thu, and Sat), and soon will have daily flights from Manila to Legazpi and vice versa, starting on October 16, 2006. Legazpi City is also the southern terminus of the PNR South Rail, which is set to be redeveloped. It has a seaport handling domestic and international cargo.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/92/Airport_Parking_Area.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Runway.jpg

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:19 AM

I heard 250 pesos daw ang bayad para makapanood ng Pacquiao-Morales III sa Bichara Silverscreens...lugi yung mga nanood, 3 rounds lang e, di pa nga umiinit yung upuan tapos na ang laban :lol:

smb

November 19th, 2006, 09:23 AM

I heard 250 pesos daw ang bayad para makapanood ng Pacquiao-Morales III sa Bichara Silverscreens...lugi yung mga nanood, 3 rounds lang e, di pa nga umiinit yung upuan tapos na ang laban :lol:

uu nga..

btw nice pics you've found there

at saka may thread 8 na

smb

November 19th, 2006, 09:31 AM

Waw! :cheers1:
Nice work! :okay:

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:33 AM

Legazpi City Tourism

Mayon Volcano

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/256567-Mayon-Volcano-0.jpg

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/IMG_3149.jpg

Mayon rises 2,462 m (8, 189 ft) above the Bicol Region of the Philippines and has a base circumference of 62.8km (40mi)

It is located right in the center of the Albay Province, 460km south of Manila. The Mayon is visible from nearly all cities and towns in the Albay Province. It is also visible from neighboring provinces.

Mayon is a stratovolcano known for its almost perfect symmetrical triangle shape. It is commonly referred to as one of the natural wonders of the world.

The upper slopes of the Mayon are steep, reaching up to 40° in angle.

The name Mayon is derived from the Bicolano word Magayon, which means "beautiful."

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/IMG_3789.jpg

She is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines.

There are 49 eruptions since the first documented activity in 1616.

The worst recorded eruption occurred on February 1, 1814. Some 1,200 people from the nearby town of Cagsawa sought refuge inside the local church, but had lost their lives, as the whole town including the church was completely destroyed by the lava. Only the church tower remained standing.

To this day, the Cagsawa Ruins still stand upright as an eerie reminder of the power behind Mayon's beauty. (Click here for a historical picture of the Cagsawa church)

The Mayon has been restless since 1999, when it unexpectedly emitted a large plume of ash startling the local residents. A series of eruptions followed in 2000 and 2001. Prior to this, the last major eruption of the Mayon was in 1993, causing the death of 70 people and evacuation of 50,000 residents.

http://usera.imagecave.com/dexpix/Tigs/100_3911.jpg

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:36 AM

Legazpi City Tourism

Festivals

Magayon Festival

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/images/mfbanner.jpg

Month of May, Albay

It relives the origin of Mayon Volcano. The festival features sports and cultural events and trade fairs. The focus of the event is the stage reenactment of the tragic love story of the legend of Daragang Magayon and Panganoron whose fatal deaths gave birth to the volcano. Legend has it that Magayon’s grave became Mayon while the clouds kissing her is Panganoron.

Ibalong Festival

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2nd week of October Legazpi City

A week-long festivity recounting the brave exploits of the heroes of Ibalong or prehistoric Bicol. The festival is highlighted by a street parade recreating the classic battles between heroes and beasts of Ibalong.

Pastores Bicol

The Pastores Bicol folk festival in Legazpi City offers carol-singing with a difference. Dressed as the shepherds who came to rejoice at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, young people (or pastores) dance through the city singing songs and dancing Christmas folk dances, accompanied by traditional musikeros.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/leg1.jpg
Legazpi City Dining & Nightlife

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:45 AM

Legazpi City Tourism

Parks

Albay Park and Wildlife

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/images/apw1.jpg
A picnic grove and a park rolled into one, this place is the best way to commune with nature right in the heart of Legazpi City. Have a satisfying get together with your family and friends while roaming the park which houses 347 animals belonging to 75 species.

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/images/apw5.jpg

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/images/apw8.jpg

More Pictures Here (http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/albayparkwildlife.htm)

Peñaranda Park

http://elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/legazpicity/image/pena.jpg

Crafted as a modern venue for outdoor fun and relaxation, this park is named after Don Jose Ma. Peñaranda, Albay’s first Governor

Plaza Rizal

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A landscaped park with lights, fountains and promenade area honoring the national hero. Located right across the St. Raphael Church in downtown Legazpi.

Legazpi Boulevard and future Sunwest Wharf

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/LegazpiCitywharfrend.jpg

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:56 AM

Legazpi City Tourism

Monuments

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/museummonuments/pe%F1arandabust.jpg
^^Peñaranda Bust | Dedicated to Spanish Governor Jose Ma. Peñaranda

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/museummonuments/legazpilandingmonument.jpg
^^Legazpi City/Albay Gulf Landing | Built in 1995 in connection with the 5oth Anniversary of the Landing of the Allied American Forces in Legazpi City, which led to the City’s liberation from the Japanese occupation force

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/museummonuments/headlessmonument.jpg
^^Headless Monument | Dedicated to Filipinos martyred during the Japanese occupation.

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/museummonuments/libertybell.jpg
^^Liberty Bell | A gift of United States of America to Albayanos after World War II

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/museummonuments/simeonola.jpg
^^Simeon Ola Monument | Tribute to the last Filipino General who surrender to the American Forces

http://tourism.albay.gov.ph/museummonuments/ignaciopaua.jpg
^^Ignacio Paua Monument | Chinese mestizo general in the Philippine Revolution and leader of the expeditionary force to the Bicol Region

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/oldpics/normal_DSC00804.jpg
^^Battle of Legazpi Trylon | Situated in downtown Legazpi, it is a memorial to the valiant defense of Albayanos against American invaders in 1900

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/DSC00793.jpg
^^Mythical Heroes of Ibalong | Relief sculptures of legendary heroes Baltog, Handyong and Bantong

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 09:57 AM

yup, thanks talaga kay pareng google :lol:

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 10:11 AM

ei smb..long time no post..nagparasain ka? hehe

[dx]

November 19th, 2006, 10:29 AM

Danao Lake, Polangui Albay

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Danao Lake: Home to world's tiniest fish

Smaller than the sinarapan

IN THE 1900s, a marine scientist refuted the claim of the Guinness Book of World Records that the world's smallest fish was the Pandaca pygmaea (dwarf pygmy goby). Dr. Hugh M. Smith, a marine scientist of Georgetown University in the United States who had been in the Philippines for 15 years, said the smallest fish was the sinarapan of Lake Buhi.

Since his finding, no one, even among Albayanos, had ever thought that there was even another fish smaller than the 7-millimeter-long sinarapan. The fish, called tabios, is about 5 to 6 mm long and could only be found in Danao Lake, a mountain lake located between Barangay Quinarabasahan in Malinao town and Barangay Maypiña in Polangui town.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/PICT0031.jpg
^^ Mt. Masaraga

The late Prof. Ramon Salire of the Bicol University Extension Services accidentally discovered tabios on Sept. 15, 1989. At that time, he already believed that it was the smallest fish in the world, dwelling in the lake that he mistakenly identified as a lagoon. His claim during that time, however, had not merited attention until such time that the people of Polangui and some foreign explorers realized that his claim was true and people from other parts of the region, including Lake Buhi, started to attest to Salire's claim.

Later on, Smith gave tabios the scientific name Mistichtys luzonensis, which means "smallest fish in Luzon."

Location

Only about 15 hectares in size, Danao Lake is enclosed by Mt. Masaraga, Mt. Malinao and Mt. Mayon, all in Albay province. It is about 20 km from Polangui town proper and 58 km away from Legazpi City. The lake offers a panoramic view of the lowland towns of Albay and Camarines Sur provinces, and a taste of lush vegetation, invigorating atmosphere and pollution-free air.

The Civil Defense Management Council (CDMC) of Polangui said Danao Lake can produce more than 100 to 300 kilos of tabios a day, which are sold in the local market for up to 120 pesos per kilo and in other parts of Albay, at150 pesos a kilo. Unlike Lakes Makuwaw, San Ramon and Buhi in Buhi town, Danao Lake is considered by the Department of Tourism as unexplored.

On Sept. 29, 1989, one year after it was discovered, Danao Lake was featured in a national daily, but explorers considered it as just another isolated lagoon in Albay. It was not even mentioned that tabios was abundant in the lake.

Article by a friend, Gil Francis Arevalo of Inq7 (http://www.inq7.net/reg/2004/apr/22/reg_8-1.htm)

Mond87

November 19th, 2006, 11:58 AM

Cool work, dex! This is really a grand entrance to Legazpi's 8th thread! Thanks pala sa paglagay ng name ko... heheh... :D

Mond87

November 19th, 2006, 12:00 PM

gurugeri

November 19th, 2006, 12:05 PM

Mick3y

November 19th, 2006, 03:47 PM

[dx]

November 20th, 2006, 07:00 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/camp17apr04tanya011-900.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/mayon8apr04tanya065-meyonaise2k-900.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/mayon8apr04tanya062-meyonaise25-900.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/mayon8apr04tanya057-meyonaise25-900.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/mayon8apr04tanya022-900.jpg
^^ Overlooking Legazpi City, Albay Gulf, Sorsogon

Photos by meyonaise25

+++++

ei thanks guys! :D

jjpaul_c

November 20th, 2006, 09:14 AM

:banana: [IMG]ei thanks guys! :D
Dx – hiniling ko lang so laban ni Pacman, may ba’go ng Thead ang Legazpi, astig pa ang pangaran ‘Zesty’. Nice opening presentation Dx. I saw the past thread and it gets better with the new ones. Don’t forget to include our famous Spicy Bicol Cuisine. When is the construction on the wharf starting?

jjpaul_c

November 20th, 2006, 09:16 AM

Hello! Wow, what an opening salvo! Haha! Saya-saya! La la la la la lalala! I was looking for the seventh thread and I didn't know the name has been chnaged into "Zesty Legazpi". Wasn't this Mond87's idea? Simple lang pero cute. Ahehehe! Thanks, Dex. Ganda ng gawa mo. At napaka-informative din! The pics are usually great! Whoooaah!

Sir Jerry – Kumusta, to answer your Q about teachers, let see…..I have nothing but the highest regards for teachers. I honestly think that without them, there won’t be any other profession in this world. You see my parents were teachers at BU, AMEC and DWC. I see Monsi teaches at BU. As for food, that’s my weakness. Like to eat good food bro. We’re planning to visit and we might as well know where to have some authentic Legazpi Cuisine. Hey, good luck with your report. Share with us your views on this

jjpaul_c

November 20th, 2006, 09:19 AM

Congrats for the new thread!!!

Great pics Dxpsycho (thread 7)

and thanks Francisxavier for the tip... :)

Maybe sooner or later i could post some pics too...

Yehey Pacman won!!!! In only 3 rnds.. UUNGA, the 250 peso ticket in Bichara is not SULIT kasi nga 3 rnds lang... hehe ayuz na rin yun...

:lol: Morales was paid... :lol: Wahahahahahaha:lol:

Micky – are you giving discount for SSC members? Tell us more about your hotel. I don’t think Peanutbutter is gonna do to well with me for Brkfast:jk:

[dx]

November 20th, 2006, 10:14 AM

Legazpi City Cuisine

Bicol cuisine: Venerating the triumvirate
by Rep. Edcel Lagman

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/80127197_545a3c9b9c-hamptonhousegro.jpg
^^ Bicol Express (photo by hamptonhousegroup)

IF the French has the swashbuckling Three Musketeers, the Bicolanos have the incomparable triumvirate of sili, pili and gata which highlights the delectable cuisine of the Bicol region. These gastronomical delights are unique and indigenous to Bicolandia. They find no rivals in other places in the country and the rest of the world.

Star of the show

The undisputed star of the triumvirate is the sili. Not only does it spice up dishes and whet appetites, it is also a medicinal and health food. Consider the following: The little devils inside the chili responsible for watery eyes and burning mouths are called capsaicin (kap-sáy-s/n). This potent substance has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use as an ingredient in topical ointments for arthritis and shingles, the mother of all chickenpox (herpes zoster). Contrary to allegations that hot peppers cause ulcers, capsaicin in fact inhibits the growth of H. Pylon bacteria, the main culprit in most kinds of stomach sores and blisters;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/81384350_0910ad66a6-thewilyfilipino.jpg
^^ More Gulay na Lada! (photo by thewilyfilipino)

Contrary to allegations that hot peppers cause ulcers, capsaicin in fact inhibits the growth of H. Pylon bacteria, the main culprit in most kinds of stomach sores and blisters; It has been associated with many cures that include lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol and warding off strokes and heart attacks, speeding up metabolism, treating colds and fevers, preventing cancer and controlling pain; Chilies may also be used as an expectorant, decongestant and relief for mild bronchitis;

True to the claims of Bicolanos that the sili is an aphrodisiac, scientists are now convinced that the sili can help treat impotence; It speeds up one’s metabolism and helps burn more calories, thus assertions that the sili can help one maintain a slender figure is also reasonable;An average green chili pepper contains twice the amount of vitamin C as an orange and a red chili pepper has almost three times that amount; and it is loaded with vitamins A and beta-carotene and is naturally low in fat, calories and cholesterol.

Have you ever noticed that when one eats spicy food, one just can’t seem to stop? Scientific data explains why sizzling hot food is so addictive: the burning sensation in one’s mouth when eating spicy food triggers a special reaction in the brain. Because of the initial discomfort of the mini-inferno in one’s tongue after the first spoonful of spicy food, the brain thinks that the body is in actual danger. It therefore releases a dose of endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killers or feel-good hormones.

These are the same hormones released by the brain after a good laugh (or good sex) and the effects of endorphins are not too far removed from that of opium-derived painkillers. Because the release of endorphins gives us a natural high, eating chili-laden dishes can be quite habit-forming. But this is a good and healthy habit. This means, too, that the sili is a natural anti-depressant and this is good news for millions suffering from depression and other related illnesses.

Not just a nut

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/163070137_9e20c4eff1_o-malou_c.jpg
^^ Pili Nut Candies (photo by malou_c)

The next member of the delectable trio of Bicol cookery is the much-venerated pili. The pili tree is indigenous to the Bicol Region, particularly in the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Camarines Sur. The Internet records that the constituency of the pili is much better than the macadamia nut’s. The pili is not only a nut. It is a prolific and versatile fruit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/pili_nut.jpg
^^ Pili Nuts from Eng Bee Tin

The black flesh or covering of the nut is deliciously palatable when immersed for a few minutes in hot water which is neither boiling nor lukewarm; Inside the pili shell is a succulent nut which is a confectionary delight. This is the raw material for sweetened and salted pili candies and savories; The cracked shell itself is among the best fuel for bakeries; The intact shell is used by children in traditional Bicol games like cam/no and sins/to which develop agility and precision among kids;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/652164_8d01d1b73e-jluc.jpg
^^ Pili Nut (photo by jluc)

The unripe nut can be threaded into garlands and is equally tasty as the ripe nut; The oily substance extracted from the trunk of the pili tree is used as an industrial base for many manufactured products like paint and soap; and the oil extracted from the nut itself is an ingredient for cosmetic products.

It may not be an exaggeration to assert that had there been a pili tree in the Garden of Eden, the pili fruit, not the apple, could have made Adam and Eve man and woman.

Oil for the health

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/coconut.jpg
^^ Coconut, a main ingredient in many Bicol delicacies.

Now to the last crucial ingredient of Bicol cuisine—gata. Like the proverbial phoenix, coconut oil which has long been pilloried by makers of other vegetable oils like olive, canola and corn oils, has risen from the ashes and is now considered by many, including cardiologists, as healthful and beneficial. The anti-coconut black trade propaganda in the United States during the ’70s and ’80s had been debunked since various scientific research have validated the truth that coconut products do not contain deleterious properties.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/22941273_a41ec60633_o-verenitagreen.jpg
^^Pinangat (photo by verenita green)

The following are documented findings on the healthful aspects of coconut oil:

Cardiologists have discovered that among all regional groups in the Philippines, Bicolanos have the lowest rate of heart disease because of the abundant amount of coconut milk used in their dishes;

In its pure form, coconut oil actually reduces the risk of heart disease. Virgin coconut oil is composed of medium chain fatty acids that are quickly digested and transformed almost instantly into energy; It does not have time to accumulate inside the body and change into fat; The high lauric acid content in virgin coconut oil is similar to amounts found in nutritious human breast milk;

It strengthens the immune system because it works as an anti-viral and antibiotic agent; Coconut oil can help fight diseases as varied as pneumonia to measles to urinary tract infections. The gastronomic delights of Bicolandia are truly astronomic in proportion. Bicol cuisine is an exceptionally unique and brilliant star in the constellation of Filipino fare.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/47385176_f7b8d0c251-southeaststar.jpg
^^ And More Bicol Express! Can't get enough (photo by southeast_star)

The above was excerpted from the remarks delivered at the opening of the recent Bicol Food Festival at the Heat Café of the Edsa Shangri-la Hotel.

Source (http://showbizandstyle.inq7.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=31387)
Photos from flickr

gurugeri

November 20th, 2006, 12:16 PM

Sir Jerry – Kumusta, to answer your Q about teachers, let see…..I have nothing but the highest regards for teachers. I honestly think that without them, there won’t be any other profession in this world. You see my parents were teachers at BU, AMEC and DWC. I see Monsi teaches at BU. As for food, that’s my weakness. Like to eat good food bro. We’re planning to visit and we might as well know where to have some authentic Legazpi Cuisine. Hey, good luck with your report. Share with us your views on this

Hello! And there would be no one like me without those teachers. Hehe! So your parents were teachers, too? Sa Aquinas ata si Monsi nagtuturo. So you must be a good cook! Haha! I am sure the pics Dex posted made you salivate. Hehe! Well then, I hope you can come sooner and be here longer than you should be.. It wasn't a report I was making--it's a school paper. My students are the writers; I am just the adviser--the harrassed adviser, if you know what it implies.

gurugeri

November 20th, 2006, 12:17 PM

pexgarcia

November 20th, 2006, 12:24 PM

damn! I cant wait to go home and taste zesty legazpi foods again!!!! makaurag man! aluyon pa ang march! nice thread!!!....hello everyone!!!!

Mick3y

November 20th, 2006, 03:22 PM

Micky – are you giving discount for SSC members? Tell us more about your hotel. I don’t think Peanutbutter is gonna do to well with me for Brkfast:jk:

Hey, you're really in New Jersey?
About the discount maybe you (or anyone who likes) may contact me through SSC or my e-mail josemmanueva@gmail.com or mickey_cuteness@yahoo.com in advance so that i could prepare (i'll try to ask my mom, she's the manager)...

OK? :)

btw, the backpacker who ate pnut butter sandwich 4 brkfst was finnish hehe maybe he's already used to it...:lol:

Mick3y

November 20th, 2006, 03:38 PM

pexgarcia

November 20th, 2006, 05:03 PM

mickey r u somehow related to the los banos'es??

bonixx

November 20th, 2006, 06:17 PM

@ dxpsycho

Nakakagutom naman yung post mo ahehehe....sarap.

olineil

November 20th, 2006, 07:12 PM

Nice!!!! Zesting Zesty na talaga and Legazpi City thread!

Guys I would like to apologize for being absent for so long... I'm not really absent, I'm always lurking everyday... and boy am I very extatic on how this simple homage I started grew to this size of a community now.... naiiyak ako...

Everyone!!! Thank you so much for loving the place where we came from. Maybe someday...this community will become so big that we can actually create some tangible impact in the society and economy of our lovely city.

I believe the city's coffers has benifited already because of chance stumblers of this thread. Just look how this thread sparked curiosity out of TIGS! I believe there are a few more tourist of the city decided to finally include Legazpi because of this threads that we nortured!!! Cheers to all Legazpeeps! and Bicolanos in general!

jjpaul_c

November 21st, 2006, 12:10 AM

[FONT="Century Gothic"][B][SIZE="4"]Legazpi ]

Dx – Okay ah! Dakul na ang maharang na sumsuman. Tagay na! :cheers: Igwa kitang ‘Local Brewed Spirits’ from Bicol? Kung wara, I’ll settle for ‘imports’ from other region, San Miguel Beer. :cheers: I noticed you edited a portion of this article which explains why we are and what we are, ‘Uragon’

jjpaul_c

November 21st, 2006, 12:12 AM

Dex, makagugutom man an pics. Six PM na dai pati ako nagmirindal. Hay. Love the pics! But I would have loved them more had they been real. Hehe! Salamat! In a way, I miss eating those, too. Pero I am very sure mas naglalaway sina Matt at JJPaul. Wahay!

Sir Jerry – I guess you can’t post your ‘pupils’ papers here. I’d like to see what young minds think of developments on their surroundings. It was posted that you teach at Aquinas and Monsi at BU. So both of you are teaching at St. Aquinas then. But remember, the future is your hands. Look what Dx brought us, umpisa mo na ang tagay.:cheers:

jjpaul_c

November 21st, 2006, 12:14 AM

A while ago a britton, Christian Kober checked-in at our hotel. He was a simple backpacker who came to Albay to view the Mayon and do other fun things he could experience here in Legaspi. It was brownout (Legazpi port area) and he was okay with it. He first went to the Pacific mall and came back after a while then asked for some directions to a place where he could see Mayon beautifully and nicely... Maybe he would still be here until tomorrow, i'm not so sure though... He even joked; my mom:"did you like your room?" Chris:"i did'nt see it, it was dark.." :lol:
hehe:lol:

P.S. there were many foreign backpackers who checked-in at our hotel and some local filipino celebrities, also...

've always wanted to try Small talk's crispy milkfish, the last time i was there was a long time ago... :nuts:

Micky – Damn, frequent power outage is not good for zzthe buzziness! :ohno: You might want to suggest to your mom to invest on a generator. When tourist (local & foreign) stay in your hotel, do you have a tour guide that can show them around the City? It was posted that we have a tourist center in Legazpi. In short, your objective is making the tourist spend their money, enjoy and keep them coming back to Legazpi! How old are you?

jjpaul_c

November 21st, 2006, 12:16 AM

[dx]

November 21st, 2006, 02:29 AM

I noticed you edited a portion of this article which explains why we are and what we are, ‘Uragon’

Yeah, i didn't notice..hehe..importante pa naman yun :lol: anyway, na add ko na..btw, yup, me too, my tummy was grumbling while uploading those pics..makagutom talaga...sayang lang dai ako nakakua pics ki tilmok, inolokan, tinotongan, igado and other bicolano food..hehehe

Matteo

November 21st, 2006, 02:42 AM

i like igado - liver strips, potato strips, green pepper strips over white rice with a ice cold tall glass of diet coke.
damn. what could be better.
i still cant point out where mickey's hotel is at... is it a big hotel...? :dunno:

and yea, whats up with the wharf project?
nice to see you drop by Oli. we miss you around here.

[dx]

November 21st, 2006, 02:56 AM

^^ it's beside lucky educational supply.

kevinb

November 21st, 2006, 03:46 AM

Congrats sa 8th thread!:cheer:Ang ganda ng presentation.:D

[dx]

November 21st, 2006, 07:48 AM

Projects for Bicol (part of the Central Philippines Super Region)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/bicol.png

from www.gov.ph

Matteo

November 21st, 2006, 09:47 PM

movies!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/292675864_d57243fa8c.jpg

she's broken

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/292679950_c37d39cc67.jpg

pics by monkyatomc, flickr.com

gurugeri

November 22nd, 2006, 06:23 AM

Sir Jerry – I guess you can’t post your ‘pupils’ papers here. I’d like to see what young minds think of developments on their surroundings. It was posted that you teach at Aquinas and Monsi at BU. So both of you are teaching at St. Aquinas then. But remember, the future is your hands.

I shall send you an email on my students' articles about Misibis, the Bicol Arts Festival, and on the proposed international airport in Daraga. Just PM me your email address. And by the way, I teach at Philippine Science High School (Bicol Campus) here in Goa, Camarines Sur. Monsi teaches at Aquinas but is finishing his masters at BU. :)

gurugeri

November 22nd, 2006, 06:25 AM

damn! I cant wait to go home and taste zesty legazpi foods again!!!! makaurag man! aluyon pa ang march! nice thread!!!....hello everyone!!!!

Why? Where are you from? I mean are you out of the country or just in Manila?

Monsi

November 22nd, 2006, 11:29 AM

^Jerry, Patrick's from San Francisco, CA. He introduced himself here (post No. 306): (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=332436&page=16)

I know you are writing your MA Lit thesis; you might be interested in what I posted about Binondo Canal, which seems to have some affinity with Nick Joaquin's "The Woman Who Had Two Navels" as quoted by Wonderboy (post 302, same page).

Wonderboy is also into literature as mentioned by Tigs during his visit here October 12/13. BTW, Lili's also into Philippine Literature...(http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=280413&page=5)

Ei, Legazpeeps, busy me ngonyan and the days ahead... Thread 8 na palan, Zesty Legazpi! Thanks, Dex.

drfeelgood17

November 22nd, 2006, 11:23 PM

Congratulations to our 8th thread !!:cheers: :dance:
...especially to Dex who started it.
The opening page and intro are very impressive - a treasure trove of images and info. Keep it up my friends! :)

gurugeri

November 23rd, 2006, 03:17 AM

^Jerry, Patrick's from San Francisco, CA. He introduced himself here (post No. 306): (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=332436&page=16)

I know you are writing your MA Lit thesis; you might be interested in what I posted about Binondo Canal, which seems to have some affinity with Nick Joaquin's "The Woman Who Had Two Navels" as quoted by Wonderboy (post 302, same page).

Ah okay. Thanks for the info. Anyway, my thesis is on the absurdist plays of Eugene Ionesco. Kaso dai ako nag-enrol due to work demands. Sa summer na lang. Harayo pati ako. Maray ka ta yaon lang diyan. Uyam ngani ako. Good luck on your thesis.

jjpaul_c

November 23rd, 2006, 03:44 AM

Dx I guess nobody wants to have a drink with me. What happen, no Legazpeans drink these days anymore? Matt wants to drink Diet Coke.

Sir Jerry, I PM you my email address, Thanks.

Monsi, long time no forum. We miss your Legazpi update. Took a peek at those threads you posted for Jerry. Great links you posted on those tread. I think I’ll stick to Legazpi thread or I will end in front of a computer forever with a million Qs. You know we encounter SSC the same way, thru Wikipedia, wasn’t looking for Legazpi though. Neither a surfer, maybe 10 years ago I was. Wikipedia wasn’t around then. I see you are extremely a busy person. You must be well organized to manage all your time.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

gurugeri

November 23rd, 2006, 05:39 AM

Dx I guess nobody wants to have a drink with me. What happen, no Legazpeans drink these days anymore? Matt wants to drink Diet Coke.

I drink. I drink. I love to.

Sir Jerry, I PM you my email address, Thanks.

Yes, I got it. I have already sent you the articles. I sent the same to Matt.

[dx]

November 23rd, 2006, 06:42 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/DSC04396-jenshovmoller.jpg
Photo by Jens Hovmoller

Mond87

November 23rd, 2006, 08:00 AM

It's been a while na naman since I last visitted this forum and I kinda miss you all... heheh... Gotta leave some messages here:

@dex - really really nice job. for the second time, I have to compliment you... heheh... salamat at kinuha mo ung idea ko... actually, it just entered my mind na may 'z' ang Legazpi kaya naisip ko ang word na 'zesty.' it was like a snap tlga...

@geri - i think you'd be a nice prof... hmmm... i'm hoping na maging prof taka kaso malabo na mangyari ta 3rd year na ako ngunyan...

@mickey - are you a freshman high school student? if yes, baka kilala mo pinsan ko na taga-st.agnes na nag-graduate last year (2005-06)...

@everybody else - have a nice day! Visit Legazpi more often! I'm now in Daraga...

[dx]

November 23rd, 2006, 08:09 AM

^^ Yeah cool idea mond. it zoundz cool, :lol: easily rolls off the tongue..

Mond87

November 23rd, 2006, 08:13 AM

^^ Yeah cool idea mond. it zoundz cool, :lol: easily rolls off the tongue..

Ei dex, ever since i saw ur pics, i haven't seen you... im kinda curious kasi sobrang lapit lang natin, pero nagfoforum pa tau para lang mag-usap... weheheh...

great184

November 23rd, 2006, 08:15 AM

Yeah pls do! I wanna go there!

[dx]

November 23rd, 2006, 08:17 AM

^^ei there..what's your name? :d come visit legazpi soon..we'll give you a big welcome..hehe

Hawayano

November 23rd, 2006, 08:54 AM

I think it's cool that so many Legazpeños congregate here--so congenial a thread! Is there something about us that leads to careers in education? monsi and gurugeri...plus myself, my cousin, my uncle, my aunt--all in education, all rooted in the rich soil of Daragang magayon! Arriba Ciudad Legazpi!

BTW: I found out we also owned Lola Theater, so thanks much for posting the amusing comments and pics! I really miss the old Legazpi, but it looks like the standard of living has improved overall since 1970s when we were last there.:) I also miss my late grandaunt's homemade mazapan de pili!

bonixx

November 23rd, 2006, 12:26 PM

Mick3y

November 23rd, 2006, 02:47 PM

Mick3y

November 23rd, 2006, 03:21 PM

Micky – Damn, frequent power outage is not good for zzthe buzziness! :ohno: You might want to suggest to your mom to invest on a generator. When tourist (local & foreign) stay in your hotel, do you have a tour guide that can show them around the City? It was posted that we have a tourist center in Legazpi. In short, your objective is making the tourist spend their money, enjoy and keep them coming back to Legazpi! How old are you?

We do have a genarator (a really big one) which is under repair. The power outages were very frequent lately (since the Milenyo)... We actually give more attention to those who are trying to budget, that's why the hotel rates are very affordable, this way they could spend more money on their tour. Most of our tourist customers are backpackers:) ... One time my brother had a guest here who was a wealthy newyorker and visited our lovely city... (my bro works in the SC in Manila) and at the same time, he was the newyorker's tour guide...

Where can i find the (now broken) Mayon Planetarium?, it's really interesting but i've never been there before (not that i dont want to).:lol:

Mick3y

November 23rd, 2006, 03:47 PM

Questions... (on ABSEC)

1.Q: Do you think that the Al Bichara Silverscreens and entertainment center(tama ba?)is a successful business?

2.Q: What made it successful or unsuccessful?

3.Q: What does it need to become a prosperous mall? (considering it as a mall)

4.Q: What name do you usually call it?

Kindly answer nlng coz i'm quite curious about what people think about it.:)

My own set of answers: (also a sample hehe:lol: )

1. I think it was but only for a short span of time, a few months after opening, but lately i could not consider it successful because it is seldom visited...
2. It was not so successful maybe because of the absence of known shops and fastfood chains.
3. It needs more popular shops and fastfood chains and the escalator has to be improved and maybe a supermarket inside and dep't store would help the business expansion could be useful...
4. I usually call it "silverscreens" but sometimes we do call it "Bichara" hehe:lol:

Mick3y

November 23rd, 2006, 03:54 PM

We dont have Los Banos relatives, a long time ago (b4 i was born) my granpa rented the building (beside Lucky,presently a hotel) and later on it became a property of my grandpa...:) The original Xandra hotel was on the building where Graceland is located today and moved to the present building.

Matteo

November 23rd, 2006, 08:27 PM

mazapan de pili!

I've tried this one.
A friend of mine went home a couple of years ago and this was his pasalubong para sa akin. Oddly though, he got it not in Bicol, but I think Laguna... cant remember.
My other friends loved it too they ate more of it so konti lang nakain ko

Matteo

November 23rd, 2006, 08:28 PM

Questions... (on ABSEC)
Al Bichara Silverscreens and entertainment center

anyone has photos of this mall's interiors?
they used to have some i think, on their now defunct website :ohno:
www.absec.com.ph

Hawayano

November 23rd, 2006, 09:32 PM

gurugeri

November 24th, 2006, 01:26 AM

@geri - i think you'd be a nice prof... hmmm... i'm hoping na maging prof taka kaso malabo na mangyari ta 3rd year na ako ngunyan...

You wish! Haha! Joke lang. Di pa man gayud ako makaalin didi ta di man ako maka-graduate pa. Di ako nag-enrol. Besides, my target is BUCE. Hehe. Ka-flattering man san pigparasabi mo. Good day!

gurugeri

November 24th, 2006, 01:34 AM

Matteo

November 24th, 2006, 10:19 AM

Bichara-Salceda showdown seen
By Rhaydz B. Barcia
article from bicolmail.com

LEGAZPI CITY – With the political season simmering across the land, expect a heated showdown between Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda and former Albay Governor and now Ambassador to Libya Al Francis Bichara in the gubernatorial race in Albay.

In a meeting with his allies and supporters last week at Pepperland Hotel and Restaurant here, the former governor said he is giving up his diplomatic post in December this year to prepare for the upcoming gubernatorial race.

He will face off with House Appropriation Chairman Rep. Salceda of the 3rd congressional district of Albay whose third term will end on June 2007.

As early as August this year, Salceda had made clear his intention to run for governor. Incumbent Gov. Fernando Gonzalez reportedly is no longer interested to run for re-election but will instead reclaim his seat as mayor of Ligao City.

Bichara and Salceda are former political allies and both are identified to be close with Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Bichara was governor of Albay for three consecutive terms whose term of office ended in 2004.

During the 2004 election, he fielded his father, Don. Alfonso Bichara, 82, for the province’s top post but lost to Gonzalez.

---------------------------------------------

so what do you guys think?

BYAHILO

November 24th, 2006, 10:23 AM

ey all, pag naayos ko na ang lahat. like tickets, accomodatiosn, etcetc ill be in legazi by dec9-10 kasama ko officemate ko

lets all meet! :)

Hawayano

November 24th, 2006, 10:24 AM

So you're a teacher, too? Maybe we want to transform the kids into humanoids. Haha! I wanted to be a nurse but, oh, well, it's a long story. But are you still teaching, if I may ask?

Hahaha! Not teaching anymore: I've made the leap into the dung pile known as administration....:nuts:
...and same for me: I really dreamt of being an architect in my younger days, so siguro 'yan ang reason for my hangin out in SSC!

gurugeri

November 24th, 2006, 10:40 AM

ey all, pag naayos ko na ang lahat. like tickets, accomodatiosn, etcetc ill be in legazi by dec9-10 kasama ko officemate ko

lets all meet! :)

Wow. We will welcome you by any means.

gurugeri

November 24th, 2006, 10:44 AM

Hahaha! Not teaching anymore: I've made the leap into the dung pile known as administration....:nuts:
...and same for me: I really dreamt of being an architect in my younger days, so siguro 'yan ang reason for my hangin out in SSC!

Okay. But your name implies you're in Hawaii. So is it for the Hawaiian government you're working or am I being literal? Hahaha! Whatever.

Mond87

November 24th, 2006, 11:23 AM

I'm a junior, but i know lots of pipz sa skul kya maybe ur cuz is either an acquaintance or a friend... What's his/her name? (and nickname na rin hehe..) Many freshmen tnatawag aqng "kuya mickey" hehehe:)

Arriba Ciudad Legaspi!!! (hehehe:lol: )

her name is Ara. she's now a freshman in aquinas science high... do you know her? she's the talkative type whose enemies are all boys and we find her really hilarious...

Mond87

November 24th, 2006, 11:26 AM

Mond87

November 24th, 2006, 11:28 AM

You wish! Haha! Joke lang. Di pa man gayud ako makaalin didi ta di man ako maka-graduate pa. Di ako nag-enrol. Besides, my target is BUCE. Hehe. Ka-flattering man san pigparasabi mo. Good day!

isus... para taka tiga-bola... heheh... joke lang... :D

Matteo

November 24th, 2006, 12:55 PM

some dude, and i guess his wife, travelling the country
their bicol stopover:

http://www.batch2006.com/visit_legazpi_city.htm

BYAHILO

November 24th, 2006, 04:47 PM

Wow. We will welcome you by any means.

thanks thanks!!!

Lili

November 25th, 2006, 05:18 AM

Back to mazapan de pili...
it's a bit like a marriage between suspiros and bukayo...she would grind up the roasted (?) pili with sugar (I think) and the pastey mixture was then rolled and wrapped in wax paper and aluminum foil for easy (and memorable) pasalubong. Maybe it does originate from outside Legazpi...like, I think my grandaunt was from Oas.

Oh my! These are my father's and my favorites. Mazapan de Pili. Yum Yum! I can never have enough of these.

Matteo

November 25th, 2006, 05:20 AM

Mayon Rest House, viewed from above:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/14_MayonResthouse.jpg

Mayon volcano's crater:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/15_Mayon_crater.jpg

i find it hard to imagine all these comes out of that thing

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/18a_Mayon_eruption_Feb_2000.jpg

photos: www.view-i.com

Lili

November 25th, 2006, 05:22 AM

^^ Oh wow! Nakakatakot yung crater!

drfeelgood17

November 25th, 2006, 06:20 AM

Back to mazapan de pili...
it's a bit like a marriage between suspiros and bukayo...she would grind up the roasted (?) pili with sugar (I think) and the pastey mixture was then rolled and wrapped in wax paper and aluminum foil for easy (and memorable) pasalubong. Maybe it does originate from outside Legazpi...like, I think my grandaunt was from Oas.

This sounds like something I had in Spain, except that it was made with almonds, instead of pili. Pili tastes nicer though. :)
There's another dessert called yemas, made entirely of egg yolks and sugar.

drfeelgood17

November 25th, 2006, 06:20 AM

Back to mazapan de pili...
it's a bit like a marriage between suspiros and bukayo...she would grind up the roasted (?) pili with sugar (I think) and the pastey mixture was then rolled and wrapped in wax paper and aluminum foil for easy (and memorable) pasalubong. Maybe it does originate from outside Legazpi...like, I think my grandaunt was from Oas.

This sounds like something I had in Spain, except that it was made with almonds, instead of pili. Pili tastes nicer though. :)
There's another dessert called yemas, made entirely of egg yolks and sugar.
Btw, what happened to Mayon's eruption? Has it cooled off now?

bonixx

November 25th, 2006, 06:30 AM

This sounds like something I had in Spain, except that it was made with almonds, instead of pili. Pili tastes nicer though. :)
There's another dessert called yemas, made entirely of egg yolks and sugar.
Btw, what happened to Mayon's eruption? Has it cooled off now?

Yes yema is well known all over the country with Pastillas, also Mazapan with Peanuts, Mazapan de pili sounds new for me, i like to taste it really.^^

[dx]

November 25th, 2006, 06:49 AM

Yum, me like mazapan de pili too..hehe

@doc, yep, the lava has solidified already, its nothing but black rock snaking down the from the crater, but mild crater glow is still visible on clear nights.

[dx]

November 25th, 2006, 06:57 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/aguirangan20island2028white20sand29.jpg
View from Aguirangan Island, Presentacion, Cam. Sur

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/sunset20at20bacaca2C20albay.jpg
Bacacay Sunset

Photos by seanjamir

drfeelgood17

November 25th, 2006, 06:58 AM

Morning Dex! I've never heard of this island but that is a truly stunning pic! Even from that distance Mayon looks awesome. Is it near Catanduanes?

[dx]

November 25th, 2006, 07:29 AM

^^ yeah it is. part of the Caramoan peninsula. Morning too doc! pero ala una na ki hapon digdi..hehe

Lili

November 25th, 2006, 07:34 AM

Beautiful shots @Dex! Mayon is always awe-inspiring from any angle.

You can even include those shots in the Photo contest. :)

[dx]

November 25th, 2006, 07:39 AM

Hi Lili! glad to see you here..hehe
yeah i would if these photos were mine..hehe, they're great.

Mick3y

November 25th, 2006, 06:12 PM

I'm really excited for Enrico Dee's visit. I wish you would stay at hotel Xandra... hehehe.:lol:

jjpaul_c

November 25th, 2006, 07:00 PM

Nice picture Dx! I heard the white sands from Misibis Resort are actually from Caramoan Beach. Is this true?

olineil

November 26th, 2006, 02:32 AM

Nice picture Dx! I heard the white sands from Misibis Resort are actually from Caramoan Beach. Is this true?

I believe this are Just speculations. Business rivals makes this noise to tarnish misibis. A friend of mine was able to go to misibis 7 - 8 years ago when it wasnt being developed yet and not even electricity is available in the picnic huts on the area, and they said it was already white sand. Not too white actually its closer to beige. You can easily confirm this by looking at the aerial photos of misibis... the sand at beneath the water is still white which means it is naturally white.

Mond87

November 26th, 2006, 05:23 AM

Guys, have you seen the new blue-and-white building being constructed along Tahao road??? It will be the new PNP-Legazpi station... Can somebody post pics of it? heheh...

FrancisXavier

November 26th, 2006, 06:35 AM

Grab ko yung pic ni dxpsycho ha..yung first pic sa taas..ganda kc eh..

BYAHILO

November 26th, 2006, 08:34 AM

I'm really excited for Enrico Dee's visit. I wish you would stay at hotel Xandra... hehehe.:lol:

mmmm magkano accomodations jan? im still looking for murang accomodations. baka kasama ko officemates ko punta jan.

grabe ang ganda ng mayon sa pics! excited na ko punta jan!!!! sana kitakits tayo jan. i'd love to meet mga legazpi-based forumers din..

yves188

November 26th, 2006, 07:11 PM

Guys, have you seen the new blue-and-white building being constructed along Tahao road??? It will be the new PNP-Legazpi station... Can somebody post pics of it? heheh...

I think that's gonna be the new police station..??

Here are some photos from last week..kinda old news but might as well share..

Milo Marathon 2006

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/newpics/normal_IMG_4463.jpg

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/newpics/normal_IMG_4471.jpg

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/newpics/normal_IMG_4484.jpg

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/newpics/normal_IMG_4533.jpg

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/newpics/normal_IMG_4542.jpg

and here's one I took today during sunset, This new setup looks better for photos, though I'm not sure it's safer for traffic...

http://www.dphotography.org/gallery/albums/newpics/IMG_4621.jpg

yves188

November 26th, 2006, 07:21 PM

drfeelgood17

November 27th, 2006, 01:25 AM

I believe this are Just speculations. Business rivals makes this noise to tarnish misibis. A friend of mine was able to go to misibis 7 - 8 years ago when it wasnt being developed yet and not even electricity is available in the picnic huts on the area, and they said it was already white sand. Not too white actually its closer to beige. You can easily confirm this by looking at the aerial photos of misibis... the sand at beneath the water is still white which means it is naturally white.

That's what I thought....:)
I know there are many white sand beaches in Sorsogon and Catanduanes but are there others within Albay province, apart from Misibis?
Sorry, but I only really remember our local black sand one in Rawis and another greyish one in Bacacay. :lol:

olineil

November 27th, 2006, 06:40 PM

10/26/2006

http://www.misibis.com/ImageFiles/hotel%20operators%20in%20expansion%20mode2.JPG

HOTEL OPERATORS are aggressively expanding their operations in the Philippines as they continue to be upbeat on the growth of tourism in the country, experts said during a Good News Kapihan at the M Cafe in Makati yesterday.

HSAI Raintree, operator of Discovery Hotels in the country, is teaming up with property developer MISIBIS Realty group to put up hotels and entertainment centers in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon.

Misibis Realty will be the developer while Raintree will be in charge of the operations and management of the hotels.
"Bicol has a lot to offer". There are airports and roads and it has a rich historical heritage but it lacks five-star tourist facilitates," HSAI Raintree president Annabella Wisniewski said.

She said Misibis Realty would develop an island resort with a five-star hotel in Barangay Misibis north of Albay province.

The first phase of the project, which will open by 2008, covers a 48-hectare property that will house 40 villas, a 75-room resort hotel, a spa village and swimming pool.

In five to six years, the island resort will expand to 200-400 ha.
The partners are also planning a samll resort hotel on a 4-hectare lot in Donsol, Sorsogon province.

In the meantime, the Discovery Hotel Group is set to launch "Discovery Shores," a five-star hotel in Boracay in February.

Boracay chamber of Commerce president Charlie Uy said tourists arrivals in Boracay wre expected to grow to 800,000this year from 500,000 last year.

jjpaul_c

November 27th, 2006, 10:15 PM

I believe this are Just speculations. Business rivals makes this noise to tarnish misibis. A friend of mine was able to go to misibis 7 - 8 years ago when it wasnt being developed yet and not even electricity is available in the picnic huts on the area, and they said it was already white sand. Not too white actually its closer to beige. You can easily confirm this by looking at the aerial photos of misibis... the sand at beneath the water is still white which means it is naturally white.

Thanks Olineil! Just want to get facts from fiction. I think our resorts have more potential than boracay since it is more accessible from Manila by means of tranportation. In Boracay, No Railway, No Road access, too far by boat, No major airline in Caticlan. Daily flights to Kalibo but it's 2 hours away from boracay.

Hawayano

November 28th, 2006, 02:38 AM

[dx]

November 28th, 2006, 03:05 AM

^^Thanks for sharing! I'm really curious about how Legazpi looked like in the 1800's. I've seen a handful of photos here though.

[dx]

November 28th, 2006, 10:08 AM

http://www.cinemalaya.org/image/posters_med/donsol.gif

"Donsol"

Here are some of the awards this movie has reaped both locally and internationally:

Jury Prize for Best Low Budget Feature - Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival 2006
Winner, Special Jury Prize- 2006 Asian Marine Film Festival Japan

Best Actress, Best Cinematography - Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2006

In Competition - Monaco International Film Festival 2006

Festivals of Festivals - Cairo International Film Festival 2006

Official Selection - Dominican Republic International Film Festival 2006

Starring:

Angel Aquino
Sid Lucero
Jacklyn Jose
Bembol Roco
Cherie Gil
Mark Gil

Synopsis:

Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province, serves as a sanctuary to a group of whale sharks, the largest fish in the world. Locally, known as butanding, whale sharks visit the waters of Donsol from November to May. In this film, Donsol is a place of refuge for the butanding but also a holding pen for lost and lonely people who wish for things they are no longer likely to get. Daniel, a Butanding Interaction Officer who accompanies tourists on whale watching expeditions and assists them in interacting with the sharks, is a broken hearted man who meets an older woman, Teresa, a widow fighting breast cancer. The two share their miseries and discover that they like being together. Will their newfound bond be strong or will it be blown along with the amihan wind which signals the end of the butanding migratory visit to the small town?

About the Director:

ADOLFO ALIX, JR. graduated magna cum laude from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila with a degree in Mass Communication. He was a scholar of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. He was co-writer of the multi-awarded Mga Munting Tinig by Gil Portes and art director of the prizewinning Mano Po by Joel Lamangan. He also co-wrote Gil Portes' Beautiful Life, Homecoming and Mourning Girls and Joyce Bernal's D'Anothers. He teaches scriptwriting at San Beda College-Alabang.

Watch Trailer Here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrht6EW_v7A)
Now showing at A. Bichara Silverscreens.

[dx]

November 28th, 2006, 10:13 AM

St. Agnes' Academy Parlor or Lobby

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/vienna089.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/PICT0254.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/PICT0253.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v739/dxpsycho/PICT0242.jpg

Source (http://www.agnesian.org)

drfeelgood17

November 28th, 2006, 03:57 PM

@Hawayano, that's a fascinating piece of Bicolano history. Did you know that thanks to the abaca trade (bizarrely called Manila hemp) Albay was one of the most richest provinces in the country during the 19th century?
@ Olineil, that's great news for Bicol - I hope they keep up with hotel building - we just need the tourists to keep arriving!
@ Dex, thanks for showing the interior pics of my former school. I wonder what the elementary building looks like now.

Lili

November 28th, 2006, 05:02 PM

^^ Perhaps it was called Manila hemp because it was shipped from Manila.

Lili

November 28th, 2006, 05:04 PM

Okay, guys and gals of the Legazpi forum: I couldn't help but share a glimpse into our past since I just recently acquired this print done in the 1860s by a European publisher:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c211/hawayano/Albayprint.jpg

The caption translates as the "daughters of a wealthy Daraga businessman in their sala". Those candles must've made for a very sweaty room, yet they look rather composed (making "tiis" parang 19th century Maria Clara-type Filipina, heheheh).

Beautiful print. What a good acquisition @Hawayano.

The print even captured how glossy the wooden floors are. That was how it was before. "Pakintaban ng sahig." I remember in my lola's house, we used to polish the wooden floors with "bunot". Either they use kerosene or wax. It's good exercise and really fun even for kids.

Hawayano

November 28th, 2006, 05:19 PM

..."Pakintaban ng sahig." I remember in my lola's house, we used to polish the wooden floors with "bunot". Either they use kerosene or wax. It's good exercise and really fun even for kids.

Heheheh! @ Lili: yep, you sure brought back memories about the floors--but our lolas made sure they were absolutely immaculate, didn't they?

@drfeelgood17: yes, Albay was really thriving until the development of synthetic rope took over when the US was cut off from our abaca during the Japanese occupation. Someone also informed me that there was a thriving patadyong trade in Albay at the turn of the century.

Hawayano

November 28th, 2006, 05:20 PM

@dxpsycho: St. Agnes' looks so clean and well-kept!

Lili

November 28th, 2006, 05:24 PM

Heheheh! @ Lili: yep, you sure brought back memories about the floors--but our lolas made sure they were absolutely immaculate, didn't they?

@drfeelgood17: yes, Albay was really thriving until the development of synthetic rope took over when the US was cut off from our abaca during the Japanese occupation. Someone also informed me that there was a thriving patadyong trade in Albay at the turn of the century.

Yeah our Manila hemp was very important in maritime activities then. So, we gained that distinction as being the number one source of abaca ropes.

Oh, imagine the 'patadyong' made of abaca. It can be makati or itchy to the body. Then there are the high-end 'jusi' and 'pinya' fabrics.

drfeelgood17

November 28th, 2006, 06:26 PM

^^ Perhaps it was called Manila hemp because it was shipped from Manila.

Most likely, yes. "Manila" was also a kind of international shorthand for everything Philippine. Hence "Manila Cigars" despite the fact that they were produced in Ilocos and the Cagayan Valley. Apparently, we were also the biggest exporters of cocoa to France in the mid-19th century.

I'm amazed at the number of chandeliers in that room!! Even European houses usually only had one or two per room. It must have been a very ostentatious mansion.

Matteo

November 28th, 2006, 06:29 PM

werent those women worried about candle wax dripping on them...?
unless they thought it was kinda kinky :naughty:

so whats patadyong?

[dx]

November 29th, 2006, 04:40 AM

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1231/1220/1600/P4290178.jpg

DJC Halo-Halo in nearby Tiwi town, arguably the best-tasting Halo-Halo (some say the secret is in the shaved ice: its soft and creamy)

Source (http://euphoricspitfire.blogspot.com/)

gurugeri

November 29th, 2006, 05:06 AM

I've missed this forum. I am just dropping by to say hi to all. Keep everything aflame. Bye for now.

Busy me.

davaoeagle

November 29th, 2006, 06:15 AM

werent those women worried about candle wax dripping on them...?
unless they thought it was kinda kinky :naughty:

so whats patadyong?

Patadyong is a native pinoy kind of textile the Filipino women used as long skirts in the yesteryears. There's a lot of these in native/ethnic stores in Pinas especially in Mindanao.

jjpaul_c

December 1st, 2006, 10:06 AM

Hello everyone. Hope most of Legazpeans are okay after the typhoon Reming.

bonixx

December 1st, 2006, 03:59 PM

Nakakalungkot ang balita kanina grabe,sana naman Ok lang kayo jan sa Legazpi, alam ko kayang kaya bumangon ng Albay just like Quezon province during flash floods,God bles Us and keep praying.

Sinjin P.

December 1st, 2006, 04:05 PM

(8th UPDATE) 'Reming' ravages Albay

Heavy rain from supertyphoon Reming (international codename Durian) caused mudslides that smothered dozens of villages in Albay province Friday, killing 388 according to the Red Cross.

The rain mixed with volcanic ash on the slopes of the Mayon volcano, located some 350 kilometers (217 miles) southeast of Manila, creating a thick brown sludge that swept down the mountainside, local authorities said.

The mudflow struck shortly after midnight, burying everything in its path and reaching the rooftops of the region's bamboo houses.

"We do not have exact figures, but we are looking at about 200 dead ... principally in the vicinity of Mayon volcano," said Glenn Rabonza, the executive officer of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.

He said rescuers were concentrating their efforts on trying to save lives.

The Philippine National Red Cross later said some 388 were killed and 96 missing following the mudflow.

Corazon Alma de Leon, PNRC’s secretary general, said the latest figures have been recorded in Legaspi City and Daraga and Sto. Domingo towns. She added that PNRC has already sent 500 cadaver bags to these areas.

"The information is that 388 were reported dead. Whether all of them were already recovered, [we are] still verifying [that] from [the] field. At any rate the important thing is that we have people on the ground to check on that. Every hour, we’re getting the report from the people on the ground," she told ANC.

"In addition, we’ve sent two assessment teams to go there to further asses their needs," she added.

De Leon also reported that in Quezon and Mindoro provinces a total of 2,338 families, or 11,814 individuals, were affected by Reming.

Sen. Richard Gordon, PNRC head, said local government officials in Marinduque reported that 90 percent of houses in the province lost rooftops but this has yet to be confirmed.

He said he was alarmed over the slow reports coming from the provinces of Mindoro and Romblon. He added that he had received no word from Catanduanes, the area where the typhoon made the first landfall.

"What I’m really concerned about is the fact that we have no report in Catanduanes and [the province] is the first landfall of that typhoon. In addition to that, I'm worried about other places and other outlying barangays (village), and of course, Quezon, Mindoro, Marinduque, Laguna and Batangas," he said.

He added that the death toll might probably reach 400.

The senator also noted that most of the areas hit by Reming have been battered by the previous typhoons "and most of the local governments have already extended their calamity funds."

"We need to generate money for medicine, money for food and money for rebuilding homes quickly," he said.

The typhoon, which hit the eastern region of Bicol before dawn Thursday, packing maximum winds of 150 kilometers (93 miles) per hour, knocked out electrical services, telephone lines and water supply, further hampering rescue and relief efforts.

People could be seen wandering around many of the worst affected areas outside Legaspi, bewildered and confused, as they sifted through the debris looking for personal effects.

Some were seen repairing damaged roofs, ripped off by the typhoon during the night, with iron sheeting.

Relief services were stretched to the limit trying to find survivors and investigating reports of villages swept away.

The typhoon was initially expected to hit Metro Manila but veered south and struck the Bicol region instead, before moving west toward the South China Sea.

Local resident Wally Magkatok said in a radio interview that "the rain was really hard and the volcanic materials mixed in with it" in his village of Tagas.

"It was only three minutes before the water level suddenly rose," he said.

"We had to rescue people in our village, especially those who had climbed onto the roofs, still hanging on to their children," he said.

They were taken by surprise as the area had rarely been hit by flooding before, he added.

Emmy Salgado, a local resident, said that a two-month old baby had been found alive on a buried hut's rooftop.

In Daraga town, just outside Legaspi city, over 20 mud-covered bodies were brought to the local basketball court for identification.

Carolyn Wilson, an English examiner with the British Council who was in Legaspi when the storm hit, said it struck with incredible force, tearing off roofs, blowing in windows and uprooting trees.

The Pepperland Hotel where she was staying had roof damage, causing water to cascade in and flood most of the rooms, she said.

She added many of Legaspi's streets were flooded, with people wading through waist-deep water to check on relatives and friends.

Those living around Mayon had been evacuated from their homes only recently, in mid-August, when the volcano began belching ash and oozing lava, raising fears of a major eruption.

The volcano had calmed down by September and the residents were allowed to go home, thinking it was safe.

drfeelgood17

December 1st, 2006, 05:59 PM

This is really sad news. I hope our Legazpi forumers our safe.

drfeelgood17

December 2nd, 2006, 12:38 AM

Video clip of the Durian/Reming typhoon, from Italian paper La Repubblica:

http://multimedia.repubblica.it/home/491123

Latest pics of the disaster from the same paper:

http://www.repubblica.it/2006/05/gallerie/esteri/filippine-tifone/1.html

I only recognise one or two pics that are of Legazpi - the others are from other parts of Luzon. According to this report the number of deaths are now around 400.

tigidig14

December 2nd, 2006, 12:42 AM

its all over the news BBC, CNN and etc. condolences sa mga natamaan.. :(

@DEX: kamusta na, OKs ka lang ba, bro. malayo din naman sa inyo d ba?

drfeelgood17

December 2nd, 2006, 01:06 AM

yeh, Dex, Monsi, Mond, Yves, etc...I hope you guys are all OK -
send us news as soon as you're able to
wala pa kasing electricity
hindi naman cguro nagrabe ang centro...I hope

Lili

December 2nd, 2006, 04:18 AM

Is Albay the hardest hit by the typhoon? I hope that there is not too much damage and they are coping better by now.

A lot of casualties.... God bless. Hope our forumers here are all right.

sandrn

December 2nd, 2006, 05:12 AM

So sad for the Mayon folks. Nobody anticipated this catastrophe to happen. Is this mud flow somewhat similar to lahar flow?
It's obvious that the typhoons in RP are more deadly than any volcanic activities. Every year, typhoons could caused landslides that bury a number of villages. Pinoys should take the threat of typhoons seriously and must keep in mind that the perils brought about by typhoons are greater than the intensity/signal that is always accepted as merely a number. It is not just a number, but what is behind that number could kill.

What do you think are the solutions to prevent this kind of disaster from happening again..... The National Disaster Council should enumerate and specify all possible cause and effect, and consequences of any catastrophic events that could hit the country and educate all Pinoys to take the threat seriously.

Sou-jiro

December 2nd, 2006, 05:48 AM

im so so worried.......i have been having a hard time calling in Legazpi Albay,....both smart & particularly Globe tower are down....take care you guys...

nakakalungkot talaga,.....meron pa naman darating na two more typhoons before the end on Dec...di pa nga nakaka recover sa Milneyo tapus eto na naman :( dami ko na tinaawagan dun day & night wala talaga

Sou-jiro

December 2nd, 2006, 05:50 AM

madami na rin calamities sa atin pero this particular one im really affected.... :( di naga ako pumasok sa office ng fri kaka alala ko

dancethingy

December 2nd, 2006, 06:44 AM

i wonder how misibis faired in this storm

garzland

December 2nd, 2006, 10:02 AM

According to the reports... Among the Bicol provinces, Albay was the hardest hit..Naga is also heavily damaged. Many infra here are destroyed or damaged

olineil

December 2nd, 2006, 12:34 PM

Hi guys, My Parents house sadly is one of the victim of the typhoon. Our G.I. Roffing + Trusses + Ceiling were subdued by the winds (at least 3/4 of the house is GI roofing). Thank God that my parents were alert enough to have moved most of the things that are important into the portion of our house that is concrete slab roof.

I am currently cramming now to mobilize funds to send to them for the immediate replacement of the wholee roof. My sister is currently applying for calamity fund sa pag-ibig plus the amount I can spare to practically rebuild. It is crunch time for me at the moment. Hopefully we can get passed this without much people taking advantage of my parents situation.

sandrn

December 2nd, 2006, 01:06 PM

Sorry to hear that Olineil. Thankfully, you're family emerged physically unscath. Hope you solve this problem soon.

habagatcentral1

December 2nd, 2006, 03:00 PM

Ey hopefully they would reply in our posts. Bicol and especially Albay pips, hopefully you're all ok. I was surprised by the prowress of Reming and also of Daragang Magayon.

They said that it even reached Barangay Cagsawa of Daraga. Ganun kalayo!

Condolences for those who lost love ones and praying for the fast recovery of the place.

Lets rebuild Bikolandia! Help our Bikolandia Kababayans!

drfeelgood17

December 2nd, 2006, 03:57 PM

@ Olineil, sorry to hear about your parents' house, hopefully they'll get back on their feet with your help.
I hope our region will recover swiftly from this.

IMPRESARIO

December 2nd, 2006, 04:19 PM

sad to hear, keep the faith you guys!!!

bitoy

December 2nd, 2006, 06:40 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/sm/events/sc/120106typhoondurian/p:1

Here are some Photos of the damages done by Durian.
Grabe talaga.

Philippine typhoon death toll passes 300 (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061202/ap_on_re_as/asia_storm)

Hawayano

December 2nd, 2006, 07:33 PM

Tragic...our prayers go out to all victims and their families. I'm waiting for the Philippine Consulate here in HNL to inform us about contributing to the typhoon relief drive. With hope and lots of help, Albay will rise again.

Lili

December 3rd, 2006, 04:42 AM

Still no word from Dex, Monsi, Mond87, et al.

Hope everything's okay.

FrancisXavier

December 3rd, 2006, 04:53 AM

Perhaps they're still experiencing region wide black out. Reports say, the power could partially be back by 15th.

Sinjin P.

December 3rd, 2006, 05:33 AM

^ Yes and they say that total power restoration would be achieved still 2 months after. :runaway:

Sinjin P.

December 3rd, 2006, 08:15 AM

Kawawa talaga ang mga taga-Albay. Sila pa nga ang nasalanta ng husto napakalakas na bagyo, may nakaafford pa na mag-false alarm ng tsunami. As reported kanina in ABS-CBN's News Patrol, nagpanic talaga at nagsitakbuhan ang mga tao sa Albay dahil sa pekeng banta ng tsunami. Nakakainis talaga ang mga taong walang magawa sa buhay kundi mambola

sandrn

December 3rd, 2006, 12:51 PM

saan ba talaga nagkaroon ng lanslide. nakarating ba si Tigidig sa area na yon.
malapit ba yon sa bell tower sa daraga?

habagatcentral1

December 3rd, 2006, 12:59 PM

^^ They say Barangay Cagsawa, Daraga town was also one of the affected areas.

Sinjin P.

December 3rd, 2006, 01:02 PM

Rescuers fear Bicol death toll could pass 1,000

LEGAZPI CITY - Rescuers in the Bicol region said the death toll from devastating mudslides triggered by typhoon rains could pass 1,000 as President Arroyo declared a state of national calamity.

As emergency workers and residents continued to dig bodies out of the thick mud, local Red Cross officials said they had confirmed 406 deaths and another 398 missing.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, said he expected that the death toll could pass 1,000 as hopes faded of finding more survivors of the tragedy overnight Thursday.

He said: "We have recovered a lot of dead people and the number of missing has grown. I expect the number dead could be well over 1,000.

"But the real toll may never be known."

"It is important we recover as much as we can... but at some point we have to declare closure and declare a mass grave over the area," he said in radio interviews.

Many villages have not yet reported how many residents have died. In some cases, whole families have been buried by torrents of mud and ash unleashed by super typhoon Reming (international codename Durian) and which swept over villages on the slopes of the Mayon volcano.

Mrs. Arroyo declared a "state of national calamity" and authorized the immediate release of P1 billion ($20 million) to rehabilitate areas affected by the tragedy.

She said the government will continue to mobilize its resources to try and find survivors and thanked foreign countries for offers of aid and sympathy.

"All resources of the government will continue to be mobilized without let-up as we pin hope against hope on the search of survivors," she said in a statement.

"We need to rise up from this trial and help rebuild devastated communities and lives."

Among the rescuers arriving at the scene was a five-member Spanish rescue team with a dog trained to sniff for bodies.

In various parts of the Bicol region, southeast of Manila, communities have resorted to mass burials to deal with the scores of unclaimed bodies that were starting to decompose.

In one case, residents of the riverside town of Rawis in Albay province used handtools in a desperate attempt to reach five college students believed trapped in a ruined dormitory.

The Red Cross said as many as 31 villages with some 14,871 residents were hit by the mudflows.

In the eastern Bicol region over 500 villages and hamlets were affected by the storm. Many are still cut off and out of reach of the rescue teams.

Power, communications and water remained out of service across most of the region, further hampering rescue and relief efforts, as tales of tragedy and loss abounded.

At a hospital in Legazpi, Arthur Atierros tried to comfort his distraught wife Mercy, 35, whose leg was amputated after the wall of their home collapsed on her.

Their nine-year-old daughter Armira stood nearby, the only one of their four children they were able to find after mud swamped their home.

Atierros, 37, said he and his relatives carried his wife for eight hours on a makeshift stretcher to the hospital.

Nearby, Adrian Bagasala was tending to his 29-year-old wife, Ivy, who also had to have her leg amputated when their home collapsed.

Bagasala said he dug his seven-month pregnant wife out of the mud but the strain caused her to go into labor, giving birth prematurely. The infant died soon after birth.

The disaster comes after some 30,000 people were evacuated from the slopes of Mayon earlier this year amid signs that the volcano was erupting.

Residents, however, were allowed to return home in September after Mayon simmered down. AFP

drfeelgood17

December 3rd, 2006, 04:39 PM

saan ba talaga nagkaroon ng lanslide. nakarating ba si Tigidig sa area na yon.
malapit ba yon sa bell tower sa daraga?

The affected areas are the barrios on or around the southern slopes of Mayon, i.e, the northern outskirts of Daraga, Legazpi and Sto Domingo. At the moment, I don't know how much damage has been caused in the town centres since all the pics in the news are of these outlying barrios.
Even without taking into account the landslide the damage from the wind and floods looks much worse than that caused by Super Typhoon Sisang back in 1987, when I was still living there.

jjpaul_c

December 3rd, 2006, 04:42 PM

Typhoon death toll may be 'thousands'
POSTED: 1424 GMT (2224 HKT), December 3, 2006

Story Highlights• NEW: Death toll from Typhoon Durian rises above 400
• 489 people injured and another 398 reported missing
• Canada pledges $870 million, Netherlands Red Cross $53,000
• Durian is fourth major typhoon in Philippines in as many months
Adjust font size:

MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- Relief efforts in the Philippines faced delays Sunday for survivors of Typhoon Durian, as fears grew of a rising death toll in the archipelago nation from last week's storm.

The Red Cross put the death toll Sunday at 406, and another 489 as injured. Another 398 people were missing, the organization said.

But the death toll caused by the typhoon could eventually be "in the thousands" as more people are believed to be buried under the mud, Red Cross Executive Assistant Gwendolyn Pang said Sunday. (Watch how destruction has left hundreds dead )

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared a state of national calamity Sunday, news services reported.

The move allows the government to more rapidly release funds needed to bolster search-and-rescue efforts. Relief efforts were facing challenges from roads blocked by debris, Pang said.

"We are trying as much as possible to broaden our reach," she told CNN. (Watch as Pang describes Red Cross relief efforts )

Canada pledged $870 million and the Netherlands Red Cross pledged $53,000, said the Red Cross' Pang. The United States also promised aid, she added, but did not say how much.

The donations will help the country deal with the aftermath of the storm that triggered massive flooding and volcanic mudslides.

Many provinces lost power, which made communication practically impossible and some of the areas were in "neck-deep" water, Pang said.

In one of the worst hit provinces, Albay, two villages were buried by volcanic mudslides and volunteers were working to recover bodies from the wreckage.

According to the Red Cross, rescue boats were used to survey the damage and usher people to the 305 evacuation centers. Pang said about 8,905 families were in the shelters so far.

The Red Cross estimated about 66, 616 people were now homeless based upon the number of homes destroyed in the wake of Durian.

Earlier, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said 38,473 displaced people were in evacuation shelters.

Durian is the fourth devastating typhoon to strike the Philippines in the past four months.

A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that occurs in the western Pacific or Indian oceans.

CNN Radio's Lee Garen contributed to this story

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/12/03/philippines.typhoon/index.html

drfeelgood17

December 3rd, 2006, 04:59 PM

• Canada pledges $870 million, Netherlands Red Cross $53,000

Thank you Canada!! So far not a penny from the generous UK government...

FrancisXavier

December 3rd, 2006, 05:08 PM

$870M? WOW! That's many times more than the cost of infra damage w/c is only at P35M(accdng to TVP)

drfeelgood17

December 3rd, 2006, 10:31 PM

^^Actually, I think it's $870,000 and NOT $870m, according to another article.

drfeelgood17

December 4th, 2006, 12:22 AM

Bicol, post-Reming

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian1.jpg?t=1165184223
source: La Repubblica

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian47.jpg?t=1165184361
source: Reuters

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian32.jpg?t=1165184566
source: AFP

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian6.jpg?t=1165184647
source: La Repubblica

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian2.jpg?t=1165184800
source: Reuters

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian7.jpg?t=1165184931
source: AFP

bonixx

December 4th, 2006, 12:35 AM

sana ibili na agad ng food and medicine yung pledges,malaking tulong yan para sa Albay.Speachless ako pag napapanood ko yung news about sa tragedy.

tigidig14

December 4th, 2006, 01:13 AM

wow grabe talga ang nangyari, ipagdasal na lang natin lahat

habagatcentral1

December 4th, 2006, 01:36 AM

^^ Still, no SSC Legaspi replying. Hopefully they're ok. I'm worried...
Ipagdasal natin ang mga nasawi at ang muling pagbangon ng Bikolandia!

Lili

December 4th, 2006, 01:38 AM

Bicol, post-Reming

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian1.jpg?t=1165184223
source: La Repubblica

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian32.jpg?t=1165184566
source: AFP

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian7.jpg?t=1165184931
source: AFP

Gosh! Those are even big concrete houses toppled by the typhoon! So, there was lahar flow? Coz they seem buried deep on earth.

FrancisXavier

December 4th, 2006, 01:43 AM

yup...the lahar w/c was stucked up on the volcano's foot. and more than 300 people are feared to have been buried down under the lahar.. :no:

drfeelgood17

December 4th, 2006, 02:23 AM

DPWH, Phivolcs blamed for deaths

TJ Burgonio Michael Lim Ubac
Inquirer

WITH POSSIBLY more than 1,000 people dead in the wake of Supertyphoon “Reming” (international codename: Durian) the finger-pointing has begun.

And the fingers were trained on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Distraught Guinobatan Mayor Juan Garcia blamed the DPWH’s dredging project in his town for the deaths of more than 100 residents.

“I have to be frank about it. This would not have happened had the DPWH not dredged the area there,” he told Senator Richard Gordon during a brief meeting near the town plaza on Saturday. “The barangay officials had objected to it and tried to stop it, but to no avail. We would not have had such a huge casualty (figure) in Maipon.”

As a result of the dredging in an area called Maninila, Maipon became the catch basin of mudflows and floodwaters when Reming battered the Bicol region on Thursday, the mayor said.

“We will investigate that,” said Gordon, chair of the Philippine National Red Cross.

Gordon said Phivolcs and the Red Cross had warned the people about the mudflows before the typhoon hit the region.

Aboard an Air Force helicopter Saturday, one could see the black rivers of mud that had cascaded down Mayon volcano, cutting through fields of palay and coconut trees in Guinobatan, Daraga and Legazpi.

The biggest shock was the sight of a wide expanse of Guinobatan covered by mudflows and littered with boulders. There, no more trees or houses stood. The town at the foot of the volcano had become a virtual wasteland.

‘Worse than Milenyo’

“Everything disappeared,” Gordon remarked during the aerial survey, shaking his head.

In other places, houses with tin roofs blown off, tangles of fallen trees and downed power lines, and fields dotted with coconut trees with limping branches were a common sight.

“This is worse than Typhoon ‘Milenyo’ and the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. It killed more people, it destroyed more property and it put the province on its knees,” said Gordon.

Among Albay’s towns, Guinobatan sustained the highest number of fatalities.

Phivolcs should explain

Albay Representative Joey Salceda said Phivolcs officials had a lot of explaining to do.

“Like a femme fatale, Mayon is the culprit. Reming just pulled the trigger to the humanitarian disaster in Albay,” said Salceda, who believed that the crisis was preventable if Phivolcs had advised a forced evacuation.

He noted that the weather bureau had announced as early as Nov. 27 that a supertyphoon would hit the country.

“That should have triggered Phivolcs to issue an alert on possible lahar flows. Yet it was clear that the areas hit by Mayon’s lahar were beyond the extended 8-kilometer permanent danger zone which would have been covered by Alert 4, the highest issued during Mayon’s eruptions,” Salceda said.

Lethal combination

Salceda said mudflows and a supertyphoon with a 466-mm rainfall (a 40-year high), plus wind gusts of 265 kph, were a “lethal combination.”

“But it was preventable with an early warning (and a) response of a forced evacuation. PAGASA’s warning came but Phivolcs’ didn’t, so there was no forced evacuation by local government units. Loss of lives was indubitably unnecessary,” Salceda said.

PAGASA, or Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, is the state weather bureau.

He said only a full investigation “can do justice if only to elicit lessons and corrective measures.”

Salceda noted that all of Albay’s 15 towns and three cities uniformly reported to the National Disaster Coordinating Council chest-deep flooding.

“But why are the casualties concentrated only in Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Legazpi and Sto. Domingo towns? They are all in the southeast quadrant of Mayon,” he said.

“They all had evacuations last July to September. All affected barangays were in the vicinity of Mayon. Ergo, Reming caused the floods but Mayon’s lahar caused the deaths.”

Related sites:
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)

Copyright 2006 INQ7.net and content partners. All rights reserved.

attitude2win

December 4th, 2006, 02:55 AM

hi guys im also from legazpi city but based here in manila... i txted dex sabi nya ok namn sya and his family....heavily damaged lang daw bahay nila and lahat ng legazpi city nakita nya daw after the typhoon.... wasteland ang legazpi ngayon.... my family are okay din thanks God. yun nga lang hard time contacting all of them..... sa city proper nga lang daw lampas tao yuung baha sabi nila....still LCC and gaisano malls are closed.... hope maka bangon ang lugar natin.... please just pray for all our kababayans na namatayan.... hopefully makayanan nila itong trial na to.....i'll keep you guys updated through dex...thanks

sandrn

December 4th, 2006, 03:44 AM

This article explains the catastrophe brought about by mudflow and lahar.
The deaths could be preventable. Aside from early warning evacuation, filter dams on the sides of the mountains must be built to allow the water to pass, but retain the volcanic material similar to what Japan built.
Also, household residences must stay a few more kilometers away from the foot of the volcano.

Albay disaster shows danger of volcanic ash landslides
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=58109
By Sebastien Blanc

JAKARTA (AFP) - The enormous torrent of mud and ash which killed hundreds of people in Albay province starkly illustrates the danger of "lahars" -- landslides comprising volcanic debris and water, which can cause widespread destruction, experts say.

These frightening phenomena are frequent at the beginning of the typhoon or rainy season in tropical countries with a lot of volcanic activity, such as Indonesia or the Philippines.

Nearly 400 people lost their lives on the slopes of Mount Mayon volcano when a devastating torrent of mud and volcanic ash triggered by typhoon rains swamped their villages and swept them to their deaths, according to Philippine National Red Cross officials.

"A lahar is a mud flow which is formed from the large quantities of ash deposited during volcanic eruptions," Jean-Paul Toutain, a geophysicist responsible for Franco-Indonesian cooperation on vulcanology, explained to AFP.

"Mayon is a typical explosive volcano," said Toutain, who is attached to the Midi-Pyrenees Observatory in Toulouse.

"The more ash there is, the steeper the slope and the higher the rainfall, the greater the risk," he said.

The Bicol region was lashed by supertyphoon Reming (international codename Durian), which brought torrential rains and packed winds of up to 150 kilometers (94 miles) an hour.

Lahars -- a term of Indonesian origin used by the scientific community -- have caused other terrible catastrophes, such as that of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia in which about 23,000 died in the city of Armero in 1985.

While descending the slopes of a volcano mixed with rainwater, the loose volcanic deposits can reach such a velocity that there is no hope of escape for anyone caught in its path.

"They are very fast, extremely mobile and can carry away everything they meet, such as tree trunks," said Toutain.

Merapi volcano, in the center of the Indonesian island of Java, spewed thousands of tons of ash between April and June which now forms the dome of the mountain.

The danger from lahars has been increasing with the arrival of the rainy season.

"There is a threat and it's something that we have been looking [at] over the last several weeks," said Zola Dowell, United Nations area coordinator for central Java.

The first villagers were recently evacuated from the area as rains dislodged some of the debris.

"The risk remains for at least 10 years after an eruption," vulcanologist Jean-Claude Thouret from Blaise-Pascal University in Clermont-Ferrand told AFP.

In contrast with "nuees ardentes", extremely destructive clouds of scorching volcanic gas and ash, lahars are often cool.

"In general it's cold, it's not directly volcanic. It needs moisture with a very mobile material," said Thouret, who worked on Mount Pinatubo in Central Luzon, whose eruption in 1991 was the second biggest of the 20th century, after Novarupta Volcano, Alaska, in June 1912.

He said preventative measures do exist, such as in Japan where they build filter dams on the sides of the mountains, which allow the water to pass, but retain the volcanic material.
__________________

habagatcentral1

December 4th, 2006, 04:20 AM

davaoeagle

December 4th, 2006, 04:40 AM

• Canada pledges $870 million, Netherlands Red Cross $53,000

Thank you Canada!! So far not a penny from the generous UK government...

I think that amount from Canada is too much if indeed it was in Canadian Dollar. The latest I've heard, Canada's pledge was at 40 million in Phil pesos.

Lili

December 4th, 2006, 06:04 AM

kevinb

December 4th, 2006, 07:00 AM

Let's all pray to the Virgin of Peñafrancia to help the Bicol region.

attitude2win

December 4th, 2006, 09:26 AM

thanks lili.... i still dont know kung directly naapektuhan ng mudflow yung city proper but i guess hindi cguro pero baha yun sobra sobra taas ng baha sa centro daw.... ang daming putik sa downtown legazpi.... all houses near yawa river were washed out yun nakukuha kong info...... yung bogtong road, dun umapaw tubig from yawa kaya napaka putik daw dun...mostly daraga town yung nadaanan ng mudflow, barangay cullat, cagsawa ruins natl park and all the business estabs daw dun wala na.. even sa town proper ng camalig and some barangays sa guinobatan dun yung mudflow.... lahat na lang daw buhangin ng huge rocks.... im soo sad about this guys

habagatcentral1

December 4th, 2006, 09:31 AM

^^ What happened to Cagsawa a century ago happened again. They say it was not a lavaflow that buried Cagsawa but similar to the mudflow that happened during Ruping's wrath. That explains the big black boulders as far as Downtown Legaspi.

Let's help them kahit sa dasal o di kaya sa munting tulong tulad ng pag-dodonate.

attitude2win

December 4th, 2006, 09:56 AM

that is correct berniemacksouthcentr. walang wala na ang lugar natin. but im not losing hope. surely we will stand firm from the typhoon's wrath. evrything from downtown camalig to legazpi is just mud and silence... i was texting my cousin right now and they are riding on a motorcycle to assess the destruction...wala daw talaga... no more laughters sa mga tao dun....others are still shocked to what happened to their houses, businesses, families and relatives.... until now im having difficulty contacting some of my friends there but no luck. i just hope they are all fine...

pexgarcia

December 4th, 2006, 10:34 AM

sandrn

December 4th, 2006, 01:22 PM

My Condolences to the families that lost their love ones to Reming.....I'll offer prayers for those who lost their lives and speedy recovery of my beloved Albay...God bless....Im still coming home on march! nothing can stop me!

That's the spirit, the more Albay needs visitors so don't shun them away from your trips.
The most important thing to do now is rise and rebuild though it should be further away from the foot of the volcano and build a dam similar to what Japan did.

Lili

December 4th, 2006, 05:04 PM

kevinb

December 4th, 2006, 06:22 PM

:eek: Wala nang Cagsawa ruins park?!

Lili

December 4th, 2006, 08:48 PM

^^ At least you and Tigs got to see that, right Kevin?

Lili

December 4th, 2006, 09:04 PM

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/ECdoesit2/6D8AC03244A626333E479CEBE25E1.jpg

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16003778/displaymode/1107/s/1/

Now, let's see Legazpi and Albay rise up!

Francis20

December 4th, 2006, 09:15 PM

malambot ang puso ko pagdating sa mga ganitong bagay. after seeing those photos, i just want to sit down somewhere else alone...ponder about life...how worse these calamities have become.

the 8th photo (man crying over his wife's death). I was not touched by the death alone. but also the manner these victims were buried. wala na ring pinagkaiba sa mass burial. at least, nailagay pa sila sa coffin.

i was contemplating, how could it be if i were a resident of Albay. siguro nagpunta na lang kami ng manila or somewhere where it is safe. but my parents could have insisted of staying. there must be similar thousand of stories for the residents of albay and bicol. they could have be a little relaxed about this typhoon. i assume there was not a typhoon to hit bicol one as devastating as Reming.

Matteo

December 5th, 2006, 06:46 PM

i was watching this on tv patrol the other night.
it was really bad.
my relatives were fine, for that im thankful.
my mom got to talk to her sister back home the other day too, and was told that i think one of their cousins is missing, so he's probably dead.

hopefully dex, monsi, mond and them are fine as well.
im just worried cause i know dex and mond live close to those spots that are shown in pics with lotsa damages

Lili

December 5th, 2006, 06:49 PM

We will wait for The Return:

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/ECdoesit2/dexad.jpg

Matteo

December 5th, 2006, 07:06 PM

^ yep.
anyway, some photos:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/7BB4.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/70A8.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/5971.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b332/MatteoMatt/4E00.jpg

photos courtesy of gobicol.com

sandrn

December 5th, 2006, 07:41 PM

Just reposting this idea from the natural disaster thread.

Does anybody know how to get the satellite images of the "before and after" mud flow on the the vicinities affected? Please post the satellite images here.
I hope the National Disaster Council could study the Satellite images before the Mayon eruption, after the Mayon eruption, before the typhhon reming and after the typhoon reming. It will help them map out the movement of the mud flow which could be very useful in the future in case something similar happens. In fact we have to study the satellite images of the mountain terrains, volcanoes, and shores to come up with multiple back-up plans on disaster management.

bonixx

December 5th, 2006, 08:30 PM

We will wait for The Return:

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/ECdoesit2/dexad.jpg

wala bang nakakaalam ng contact no. ni Dex?^^ ----pray tayo for Bicol!

bonixx

December 5th, 2006, 08:39 PM

Ewan ko ba mas lalo akong naiinis kapag sa news mayroong sinisisi at nagmamarunong kung kelan nangyari na,ang totoo wala ng dapat sisihin sa nangyari wala na tayong nagawa sa trahedya ,ganun talaga siguro nalalaman ang mga pagkakamali ,nalalaman ang dapat gawin ,nalalaman pwedeng gawin pag dumating na ang sakuna . Sana ang mga kawang gawa ay hindi ningas kugon. At sana maging advance ang pag aaral at pag handaan pa ang mga susunod pang pagsubok. God bless us.

drfeelgood17

December 5th, 2006, 09:36 PM

More Reming pics

photos courtesy of Yahoo News:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian45.jpg?t=1165346609

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian38.jpg?t=1165346848

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian26.jpg?t=1165346913

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian9.jpg?t=1165347008

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian22.jpg?t=1165347133

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian5.jpg?t=1165347192
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian24.jpg?t=1165347261

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/am.jpg?t=1165347321

Matteo

December 5th, 2006, 09:47 PM

^ damn!
that photo with a coffin sealed shut using brown packaging tape broke my heart.
its just so sad

drfeelgood17

December 5th, 2006, 09:50 PM

Long waiting times at a Legazpi supermarket

pics from Yahoo news

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian29.jpg?t=1165347552

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian28.jpg?t=1165347600

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian27.jpg?t=1165347639

looks like LCC, Matt

Rescue team from Spain:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian15.jpg?t=1165347726

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian16.jpg?t=1165347776

aid arrives at Legazpi airport:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian18.jpg?t=1165347833

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian3.jpg?t=1165347979

some Legazpi petrol stations have re-opened, but with long queues

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian12.jpg?t=1165348105

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian35.jpg?t=1165348161

bitoy

December 5th, 2006, 10:21 PM

http://eur.news1.yimg.com/eur.yimg.com/xp/ap_photo/20061203/all/l2251055.jpg

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20061205/capt.xbm10612050546.philippines_asia_storm_typhoon_xbm106.jpg
Philippine Air Force personnel unload food and medicines from an Indonesian Air Force C-130 cargo plane in the first arrival of foreign aid for mudslide-ravaged Albay province

Aids are pouring in, but the lives lost on this tragedy could have been lessened or even prevented with an organized evacuation procedures by the regional and local gov't.
I'm sure they can rebuild, Bikolanos have been thru this lots of times............ and here comes GMA for some photo sessions again.

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20061205/capt.xpr10712050758.philippines_typhoon_asia_storm_xpr107.jpg

drfeelgood17

December 5th, 2006, 10:37 PM

Waiting for Gloria

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/arroyo1.jpg?t=1165350990

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/arroyo2.jpg?t=1165350888

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/arroyo3.jpg?t=1165350920

drfeelgood17

December 5th, 2006, 11:28 PM

Here are some pics of my aunt's pension house in Legazpi and the damage caused by the typhoon. I never in my wildest dreams expected the mudflow to reach all the way to their house! Luckily the mud is only ankle-deep in this part of Legazpi, rather than neck-deep like in other places. I'm just relieved that my relatives are safe and well. Some of them are staying in Manila until the house is fully repaired and power is restored.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/house4.jpg?t=1165353134

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/house3.jpg?t=1165353173

my cousin's restaurant:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/salu-salo.jpg?t=1165354002

Just to give you an idea, this part of Legazpi is only 5 minutes walk from this:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian25.jpg?t=1165353451

Filipino soldiers dig at a river bank where six students are believed to be buried after their dormitory collapsed in Legazpi City. source: Reuters
This dorm is located in Rawis, the district of Legazpi which was at the centre of the recent jueteng scandal. A scary thought, my cousin's restaurant was originally located almost at this exact spot before they moved in the late 1970s.

And my relatives are just 20 minutes drive from Padang, the barrio that got completely buried by lava:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a141/drfeelgood17/durian46.jpg?t=1165353831

tigidig14

December 6th, 2006, 12:35 AM

wala bang nakakaalam ng contact no. ni Dex?^^ ----pray tayo for Bicol!

malayo si dex dyan, pagkaka alam ko, taga legazpi si dex e, malapit sa centro

09213292674<---to pala text number nya, last time na nagte-texan kami e sira fone nya pero pinapagawa. HOY Dex sagot naman, nagaalala na kami sayo :D

anyway, cant beleive there aint anymore cagsawa ruin, talagang naimbak na sya :no:

attitude2win

December 6th, 2006, 03:59 AM

bitoy

December 6th, 2006, 07:29 AM

It was just startling to find out that no one expected those after effect of the storm. Now they know that those mudflow just like lahar are very devastating also.
Just glad to hear that the Legazpi SSCers are safe and sound, konting tiis lang, at makakaraos din yan.

Matteo

December 6th, 2006, 08:54 AM

attitude, so cagsawa ruins is no longer there?
doc, yea those orange bags says LCC on them. i hope they didnt jack up the prices.

jjpaul_c

December 6th, 2006, 11:28 AM

hello everyone, Dex is alright, he's kicking :banana: he said dont worry daw...as soon as ma restore power sa legazpi he will post here sa forum... ayun naglalakwatsa na nga..... 2 days din daw syang naglinis ng bahay nila hehehe.. so dont worry na daw..his family is safe as well..thanks daw sa pag worry

I'm glad to hear that attitude. I hope same goes with the other forumers. So many heartbreaking images. We are desperate of hearing more good news. Time to put words into good deed. Here are some ways to help:

http://www.philnews.com/landslide/bicol_landslide.htm
Below are two ways to donate
Method 1:
Send your donation directly to the Philippine National Red Cross through:

A. Wire Transfer to Metrobank Port Area Branch
1) Dollar Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151–2–151–00218–2
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM
2) Peso Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151–3–041–63122–8–MBTC

B. Globe G-Cash
Just text: DONATE <space> <AMOUNT> <space> <4-digit MPIN> <space> RED CROSS then send to 2882

C. Globe Donate-A-Load
Just text RED <space> <AMOUNT in 5/25/50/100/300> then text to 2899

D. In-Kind Donations
We are only allowed to receive in-kind donations that are in good condition. The goods should not be expired and damaged, so as to make our rescue and relief efforts more efficient and effective.

Steps:
1. A letter of intent to donate should be sent to the PNRC.
2. A letter of acceptance from PNRC will be sent back to the donors after receipt of the letter of intent.
3. The donor should send the PNRC the deed of donation in advance.
4. Immediately after shipping the goods, send the advance copy of the Bill of Lading for sea shipment and Airway Bill for air shipment together with the List of Contents/Items
to the PNRC before the shipment arrives to the Philippines.

Note: *All original papers are to be forwarded to this address:

THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS
c/o Sec. Gen. Corazon Alma De Leon
National Headquarters
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area
Manila 2803, Philippines

For further information, you may contact the following:

· Ms. Gwendolyn T. Pang, Director of Fund Generation Department
phone : + 632.527.0000 loc. 159 / +632.525.5654 (8 :00am to 5 :00pm)
mobile phone: + 63.917.827.7421 (24 X 7)
email : gwenpang@redcross.org.ph

· Mr. Richard M. Villena, OIC of Corporate Partnership Unit
phone: +632.527.0000 loc. 114 (8 :00am to 5 :00pm)
mobile phone: +63.917.882.5776 (24 X 7)
email : fundgeneration@redcross.org.ph

· Fund Generation Department (8:00am to 5:00pm)
Ms. Thelma Aguilus : Telefax +63.2.404.0979
Ms. Edna Andales : Telefax +63.2.527.0575

· PNRC Operation Center (24 X 7)
phone: +63.2.527.0000 / +63.2.527.0864 / +63.2.527.0865 /
mobile phone: +63.917.806.8513

Method 2:
Send your donations to the Philippine National Red Cross through Philippine NewsLink.
Philippine NewsLink is offering this service for our readers who would like to donate via credit card. You can send a safe and secure donation to our PayPal™ Account. Philippine NewsLink's parent company Datu Enterprises will compile your donations and deliver these directly to the Philippine National Red Cross' Port Area Office

Please note that your donations sent via Philippine NewsLink may not be tax deductible as we are not a tax-exempt organization. Standard PayPal Service

tigidig14

December 7th, 2006, 03:00 AM

attitude2win

December 7th, 2006, 06:25 AM

attitude, so cagsawa ruins is no longer there?

ei mat, cagsawa belfry is still standing tall but burried in thick mud and sands from mayon.... just imagine the entire surrounding ng cagsawa ruins park.... it's now a black desert. the resorts there the museum, restaurants souvenir shops WALA na..... from the main road you can see the tower already cause from the main road to the exact location of the bell tower lahat na yun sand.... the houses were gone...everything in there was gone...

nakakalungkot talaga...

davaoeagle

December 7th, 2006, 08:49 AM

kevinb

December 7th, 2006, 03:10 PM

^^ At least you and Tigs got to see that, right Kevin?

Ah yeah. I'm sad for Albay.:( Especially the family who's loved ones were taken away. :(:(:(

FrancisXavier

December 7th, 2006, 03:12 PM

brown out pa rin cguro dito no? We hvnt been hearing from legazpi folks yet..

kevinb

December 7th, 2006, 03:19 PM

^^ Buong Bicol wala pang ilaw.

Wonderboy

December 7th, 2006, 05:44 PM

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20061205/capt.xpr10712050758.philippines_typhoon_asia_storm_xpr107.jpg

Oh my. Another photo op. And she's wearing black to mark the ocassion. The front page of PDI has another GMA Photo op.

My friends and I here in Manila will start a relief drive and send the goods to GMA 7 Foundation.

The people of Bicol, Catanduades, Sorsogon are all included in my prayers.

drfeelgood17

December 7th, 2006, 07:28 PM

^^Thanks for your fundraising efforts, Jeff, much appreciated.

drfeelgood17

December 7th, 2006, 07:43 PM

ei mat, cagsawa belfry is still standing but burried in thick mud and sands from mayon.... just imagine the entire surrounding ng cagsawa ruins park.... it's now a black desert. the resorts there the museum, restaurants souvenir shops WALA na..... from the main road you can see the tower already cause from the main road to the exact location of the bell tower lahat na yun sand.... the houses were gone...everything in there was gone...

nakakalungkot talaga...

At least the Cagsawa bellfry is still standing. As long as the church tower remains, the ruins still exist. As for the rest, it can always be dug out, eventually. Restaurants, museums, etc are all replaceable. One positive result is that this disaster has given a new dimension to the name of Cagsawa Ruins - the additional rocks and mud from the typhoon will add to the sense of desolation and will return the site to the bleak, atmospheric, wilderness it once was, rather than the manicured tourist park it has become of late. This should enhance its attraction for future tourists.
I know it's hard but let's try to think of creative ways to turn this calamity into our advantage. Look at how Pampanga eventually turned the bleak Pinatubo landscape into a tourist attraction.

Matteo

December 8th, 2006, 08:02 AM

are they still gonna dig it out?

kevinb

December 8th, 2006, 08:03 AM

That'll be a big job, Matt. Pero sayang ng Cagsawa ruins. Ruins na nga, mas naging ruins pa. I hope i-excavate nila un.

drfeelgood17

December 8th, 2006, 06:00 PM

are they still gonna dig it out?

They should. I don't think it's fully buried anyway, maybe just up to five feet or so, otherwise they wouldn't be able to tell if it's still standing. If they focus on the belltower first and the worry about the rest later, then it shouldn't take too long to dig out.

[dx]

December 9th, 2006, 02:18 AM

Hi, everyone. I'm back, we're safe and thanks to all of you for the kind thoughts and prayers. :)

drfeelgood17

December 9th, 2006, 03:04 AM

Hi, everyone. I'm back, we're safe and thanks to all of you for the kind thoughts and prayers. :)

Hey Dex! I'm glad to know you're well. :)
I hope power has been restored in Legazpi. Any news from Monsi and our other Legazpi forumers?
We're also dying to find out about Cagsawa - is it true it's been buried in mud? Any pics? Thanks

[dx]

December 9th, 2006, 03:09 AM

Hey Dex! I'm glad to know you're well. :)
I hope power has been restored in Legazpi. Any news from Monsi and our other Legazpi forumers?
We're also dying to find out about Cagsawa - is it true it's been buried in mud? Any pics? Thanks

Hey! Salamat saindo gabos. No power yet but internet is already up. Back to work na kami.
No news yet from Monsi and the others. I hope they're OK.
No the Cagsawa belfry is not buried in mud. It's still standing tall despite the destruction in nearby Cullat and Busay. The belfry is now actually visible even from the highway. I'll try to borrow photos from my co-worker. They visited the place last week.

tigidig14

December 9th, 2006, 03:14 AM

^ey Man wazap...okay ka pala, thank god. kamusta si Papa Jose, ok rin ba

[dx]

December 9th, 2006, 03:17 AM

Ei tigs, yup ok naman..hehe. thanks sa concern 'nyong lahat

drfeelgood17

December 9th, 2006, 03:21 AM

Hey! Salamat saindo gabos. No power yet but internet is already up. Back to work na kami.
No news yet from Monsi and the others. I hope they're OK.
No the Cagsawa belfry is not buried in mud. It's still standing tall despite the destruction in nearby Cullat and Busay. The belfry is now actually visible even from the highway. I'll try to borrow photos from my co-worker. They visited the place last week.

Wow this is great news! Cagsawa is still standing! :applause: :applause:
I heard Camalig and Guinobatan were also badly hit.
How much damage was there in the centro of Legazpi? Is it still flooded?

habagatcentral1

December 9th, 2006, 03:32 AM

Ei tigs, yup ok naman..hehe. thanks sa concern 'nyong lahat

We were so concered about you guys because there are speculations that the mudflow reached as far as downtown Legaspi.

Its good to hear u are ok. Hopefully the rest will be ok too.

Was there mudflow too in Downtown Legaspi?

[dx]

December 9th, 2006, 03:51 AM

Downtown Legazpi Port District and Old Albay District are free from mudflows. But there's mud on Peñaranda Street, near the hotel row and Peñaranda Extension from Bonot to Aquinas University. No big boulders in downtown Legazpi as some have speculated.

[dx]

December 9th, 2006, 03:57 AM

Wow this is great news! Cagsawa is still standing! :applause: :applause:
I heard Camalig and Guinobatan were also badly hit.
How much damage was there in the centro of Legazpi? Is it still flooded?

So far, all establishments were affected because of the 3ft-5ft flash flood. Luckily, no casualty at the downtown area. The northernmost barangay of Padang was severely affected, practically erased from the map.

Lili

December 9th, 2006, 05:13 AM

^^ As I said when I caught you on YM earlier Dex, I'm glad you are back on board and doing fine. Stay safe. :)

FrancisXavier

December 9th, 2006, 05:29 AM

^^ so may kuryente na rin?

gurugeri

December 9th, 2006, 06:55 AM

Well, i was in Goa (Camarines Sur) during the typhoon. The next day, I couldn't contact my family in Daraga, so I was pretty worried. There was no radio signal so I didn't have any means to know what happened. Friday PM, I dared going to Albay. Pagdating ng Guinobatan (three towns from Legazpi), I heard a co-passenger in the van that there were mudflows in Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, and Legazpi. I then assumed that Yawa River welled with floodwaters and mud. But I didn't expect it was that worse. Di na ako nakarating ng Daraga kasi the road was impassable. Hanggang Camalig lang ako. I spent the night at my tita's place. Na-grabe din ang Camalig. Tapos yun na, stories about the mudflow covering several barangays in Daraga, beginning Busay. I then assumed na pati kami sa Bañag naapektuhan. I wasn't mistaken. When I reached our place, wala na kaming bahay. All I got was the plastic chair na ginagamit ng sis ko when washing clothes. But my family was safe. I was so happy to see my father. They saved nothing but their lives. Sabi ng nanay ko, they left the house minutes before the deadly mudflow. My three-month old niece was submerged into the rampaging water kasi yung sis ko nadapa. Hanggang dibdib na raw yung tubig. Ang di ko ma-imagine was how all of them got out of the danger, kasi umuulan ng malakas tapos ang lakas daw ng hangin. The roads were blocked by fallen trees and some electric posts.

Well, I am just happy that despite losing the house where I had lived since birth, my family got to safer grounds.

We can only hope the grieving, and the heavily battered Albay province would recover soon.

Musta na lang sa fellow Legazpi forumers.

Lili

December 9th, 2006, 07:01 AM

habagatcentral1

December 9th, 2006, 07:07 AM

Finally, people are coming back from the tragedy that struck Bicolandia last week. Nice to see these guys are ok now. Like Ate Lili said, babangon ang Bicol! ;)

Hawayano

December 9th, 2006, 07:29 AM

^^ ^^ ^^ great to hear the report from gurugeri that his family's okay despite their material losses. Just reading those details is harrowing enough.

I also finally heard from my kamaganak whose homes lost roofs, while their downtown buildings were flooded and their tenants sustained computer damages. Sabi nila ang estimate is given that walang kuryente hanggang mga two months daw; kulang pa rin ang fuel products (may rationing pa ba sa buong Legazpi?)

[dx]

December 9th, 2006, 07:47 AM

Finally, people are coming back from the tragedy that struck Bicolandia last week. Nice to see these guys are ok now. Like Ate Lili said, babangon ang Bicol! ;)

Yup, babangon ang Legazpi, babangon ang Bicol.

The resilience of Bicolanos, in particular (and Filipinos in general) is really remarkable. Kinabukasan lang after ng bagyo, while rescue and retrieval operations were still going on in different parts of the province, Albayanos were already picking up the pieces. Instead of lamenting what was lost, we thank God for, and try to save, what has remained and have already started the long and arduous process of rebuilding our shattered homes.

@Hawayano, there's no rationing of fuel. Medyo exagerrated lang ang news kaya nagpanic yung mga tao, thinking mauubos yung fuel. Wala naman daw problema sa supply, sa distribution lang since down ang maraming gas stations.

[dx]

December 9th, 2006, 07:51 AM

Finally, news from Monsi. They're OK.

garzland

December 9th, 2006, 08:18 AM

Hey! Salamat saindo gabos. No power yet but internet is already up. Back to work na kami.
No news yet from Monsi and the others. I hope they're OK.
No the Cagsawa belfry is not buried in mud. It's still standing tall despite the destruction in nearby Cullat and Busay. The belfry is now actually visible even from the highway. I'll try to borrow photos from my co-worker. They visited the place last week.

That's good news... Cagsawa belfry is one of the landmarks of Bicol, knowing that it still standing is really great....
:banana: :banana: :banana:

garzland

December 9th, 2006, 08:19 AM

Does legazpi have power now? Even just some parts of the city....

drfeelgood17

December 9th, 2006, 04:04 PM

^ December 16, according to one article I saw. It always takes so long for power to be restored.

Hawayano

December 9th, 2006, 07:34 PM

^ December 16, according to one article I saw. It always takes so long for power to be restored.

Good to hear that it won't be much longer. Any news of profiteers and price gouging going on? I would think there would be great demand for gas-powered generators, for example.

tigidig14

December 9th, 2006, 07:54 PM

drfeelgood17

December 10th, 2006, 02:58 AM

Good to hear that it won't be much longer. Any news of profiteers and price gouging going on? I would think there would be great demand for gas-powered generators, for example.

In one of the articles on the mudflow, there's a pic of this lady selling dozens of portable generators by a roadside near Camalig. :)

Sinjin P.

December 10th, 2006, 03:01 AM

Glad to see everyone safe, take care guys :)

drfeelgood17

December 10th, 2006, 04:19 AM

Typhoon-struck businesses to get loan reprieve

Inquirer
Last updated 06:08am (Mla time) 12/10/2006

LEGAZPI CITY—The national government would extend help to businesses, which suffered damages and losses in the wake of Supertyphoon “Reming,” through a loan reprieve program by the Banko Sentral.

This was disclosed by Rep. Joey Salceda (3rd district, Albay) over a local radio station here.

He said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amado Tetangco has agreed to recommend to the Monetary Board “for all banks, including commercial and rural banks, to grant a rediscounting window to all Bicol-based businesses hit by the recent typhoon.”

The recommendation was made on Monday, a day before President Macapagal-Arroyo visited Camarines Sur and Albay, two provinces which suffered the most in terms of casualties and damage to property, he said.

Salceda said this is as “good as approved by the Monetary Board.”

Salceda, who also chairs the House committee on budget and appropriation, added that under the 5-year rediscount program, the Central Bank will assume loans at a 4.2-percent discount rate, or based on the prevailing 91-day Treasury Bill rate.

Businesses here suffered heavy losses as many shops and establishments, warehouses and factories were flooded and many businessmen have to contend with damaged or useless inventory.

The biggest mall in the region, the Gaisano-owned Pacific Mall here only opened yesterday, after the typhoon blew off parts of its roof.

Liberty Commercial Center, the oldest department store chain and mall, with branches in Legazpi and Tabaco City, was also heavily flooded, but in less than a week after Reming, it reopened for business.

Also seriously affected were rice mills, coconut plantations, copra mills and other agri-based businesses which were flooded, struck by heavy winds and covered by mudflow from Mayon volcano.

The loan reprieve for businesses follow the announcement on Tuesday by the President of a 6-month installment deferral package or “moratorium without penalties” for client-members here of the Social Security System, Pag-Ibig and the Government Service Insurance System.

At least 109,000 houses were totally damaged in the Bicol region while 140,000 were partially damaged.

He said that all these measures are efforts by the national government to “normalize the economy in Bicol as soon as possible.” Delma L. Peyra, Inquirer Southern Luzon

sandrn

December 10th, 2006, 05:13 AM

gurugeri

December 11th, 2006, 06:35 AM

Great to see you @gurogeri! I'm sorry about your losing your family house in the mudflow, but I'm glad that you and your family are intact. And your disposition is still upbeat.

Bicol will recover and spring back!

Thanks. We now live somewhere in Guinobatan, but we will go back to Daraga. Yes, we will recover. Bicol will.

gurugeri

December 11th, 2006, 07:06 AM

awwww gurugeri, what a tearful story. i'm glad everyone is alive and kicking and hopefully recover mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially, sooner. hope you get to build a new house that would be farther away. just think positive and be glad to stand up on your feet with the your intact family.

I am just so happy to be blessed with generous co-teachers and friends from my previous workplaces in Makati and Laguna. I have received big help from them so I don't worry about the finances. Naaawa lang ako sa mga walang-wala, who have to stay in evacuation centers kasi wala na silang bahay o di kaya yung bubuhay sa kanila namatay na rin. I worry about the children who have lost their parents.

I've seen the list of casualties sa barangay lang namin, 18 dead and 78 missing. Yung iba pang barangay may list din. Nakakapanghina. I wonder if any of you watched GMA news interview with a certain Engineer Llaguno of Busay, Daraga, Albay whose family got buried too. Yung anak nya student ko dito sa Phil Sci - Bicol (which is at Goa, Camarines Sur). Kawawang bata. She was so promising, ambitious, very kind, and intelligent. On Nov. 29, a day before the typhoon, our students were required to go home kasi nga may bagyo. That student didn't like to go home, but her mother was forcing her (through a phone call); so wala syang choice kaya umuwi sya. She took with her all her books kasi the following week marami silang long exams (she had been a consistent honor student since her freshman year). On Nov 28, she was insisting to her English teacher that a certain literary piece on the subject death be discussed because it was already discussed in the other sections by a different English teacher. Well, it was only after we received news that her body had not been recovered that we took those instances as premonitions.

Anyway, long post na 'to. I have to be at the printing press for our school paper. I will keep in touch. Thanks to the very concerned forumers!

drfeelgood17

December 11th, 2006, 02:45 PM

Heartbreak, laughter merge for typhoon survivors
POSTED: 9:02 p.m. EST, December 10, 2006
By Julia Campbell
For CNN
Adjust font size:
PADANG, Philippines (CNN) -- A woman has slipped into the daily disaster relief meeting at Padang Elementary School almost unnoticed, until she was asked later to introduce herself. "Paseniya Na Po. I'm sorry," says the woman, apologizing for being late to the debriefing. "They have just found my son."

The body of her son, Cristo Rey Baltar, a college student who would have celebrated his 18th birthday on December 28, was pulled from the mass of volcanic ash, boulders and water that swallowed this village when Typhoon Durian -- called Reming by Filipinos -- caused devastating mudslides here on November 30.

"It's so hard to lose a child, even if I have so many," says the woman, Alicia Baltar, a mother of 10. Baltar, a 50-year-old village councilwoman, was spared because she was helping others evacuate to the school. Her son Cristo was helping members of their family climb to safety on a roof when the strong floodwaters swept him away, she says.

All that is left of the fishing and rice farming community of Padang, a village of the city Legaspi, is a few crumbled concrete homes, some visible rooftops, bare trees and dozens of traumatized people.

On the afternoon of November 30, as Durian pounded the Philippines with 260 kilometer-per-hour (162 miles-per-hour) winds and relentless rains, a massive volcanic mudslide from the slopes of Mount Mayon hurled black ash, water and boulders the size of bedrooms on villages at its base.

Padang and villages in the neighboring city of Daraga recorded some of the highest casualties from Durian. In Padang, dozens were reported dead and as many as 165 listed as missing. Most of the 508 families in Padang lost at least one member.

"Once I look at this place I am just crying," says Renato Gonzalez, 26, who survived, but lost his mother, wife and their 1-year-old son. "I live near the river. My house became part of the river and it was gone. There is nothing left."

Gonzalez tells how his family was torn from his arms as muddy water and black ash poured inside his concrete home. Gonzalez says he survived when he was sucked outside and thrown into a tree, his clothes ripped from his body. Gonzalez, four other men, and a woman all scantily dressed or naked, clung to the same tree for 27 hours.

"There was no rescue," he says. Instead, others around them cried for help. "There were so many people who wanted to live. But because there was no rescue, they were too cold and did not survive."

Mercy Arquero, 35, and her husband, Arthur, 37, tried desperately to hang on to their four children as water and mud came crashing into the larger concrete home where they had sought shelter from the storm.

"The water was strong," says Mercy, who is four months pregnant and is covered with wounds and bruises. "We were just yelling and praying. We tried to break open the roof as the water rose inside the house. I was washed away holding my youngest child." The Arqueros lost three of their four children, all girls, ages 11, 4, and 1, with only 10-year-old Almera surviving. "It's so painful," says Arquero, "especially since I haven't found any of my other children."

School provides shelter
Many survivors found their way to the local elementary school. The school now serves as an evacuation center for dozens of families. It stands as the last cluster of intact buildings in Padang.

After the storm, relief workers and volunteers began to hike into the area -- the highways had been covered with mud -- and a woman offered to show the way. "Come with me," she said in her native language. "I am staying there. I have nothing. I lost my husband and four other members of my family."

As relief goods trickle in, people are sleeping 10 families to a classroom each night at the school. Food, fresh water and sanitation are chief concerns now. Healing the psychological wounds may be an even greater concern later on. The mothers say the children have been staring at each other or nothing at all for days. At night, screams can be heard from classroom to classroom as children waken from nightmares.

A group of U.S. Peace Corps volunteers stationed in the area arrived at Padang last Monday to help and began to play games and sing songs with the children to relieve stress. Smiles and laughter returned again.

" Filipinos are fighters. Life must go on even though we suffer very much."
- Jason Bataller

But the trauma is still evident in the drawings the children colored for the volunteers. When asked to draw the "Pinakamaganda," (Tagalog for "most beautiful thing") in their lives, most of the students colored Mount Mayon, which is known as the world's most perfect cone volcano and a symbol of pride and beauty for people here, even though it was the very thing that swallowed up their parents, siblings, uncles and grandparents.

"This is my house," said one little boy, explaining his picture. "It's under the volcano."

Filipinos talk about their resilience. In August Mount Mayon spewed lava and gas forcing the evacuation of thousands of people from its space. Just two months ago, Typhoon Melania ripped through this area destroying power lines and infrastructure, but caused few casualties. The people had just begun to recover when calamity struck again.

For many Filipinos, coping with hardship is made easier by believing in God's will. The popular belief, "Bahala na ang Diyos," literally means it's up to God.

Filipinos also deal with tragedy through laughter. There is a joke going around the "jeepney" -- the half-jeep, half-bus contraptions that serve as the chief mode of transportation in the Philippines -- of a man who dropped hot noodles on his lap and yelled "Su mami," triggering a tsunami scare after the typhoon that reportedly killed one and injured dozens when hundred of people in Legaspi panicked and ran for higher ground. The false alarm actually was caused by an errant radio report.

But through all the laughter and tears, Filipinos say they will move on.

"Filipinos are fighters," says Jason Bataller, a food vendor from Padang who is volunteering at the evacuation center. "Life must go on even though we suffer very much."

Julia Campbell is a former journalist from New York City volunteering with the U.S. Peace Corps in the Philippines.

Lili

December 11th, 2006, 03:44 PM

^^ That news article really evoked mixed emotions from me -- from sadness to hopefulness, and back.

pexgarcia

December 11th, 2006, 11:48 PM

"There Will Be Long Lasting Peace After The Tribulation"
.......Jesus Christ on Revelation........

God Bless You All....My Brothers And Sisters.....We will overcome......

sandrn

December 11th, 2006, 11:54 PM

Metro communities adopt storm-ravaged Bicol villages
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/front04.php
By Fernan Marasigan, Paul Isla, and Blessie Cordero

AS Metro Manila communities prepare to go to Bicol to help in the clearing of the heavy debris left by at least three typhoons in a month, at least 220 trucks laden with relief goods for the hungry and homeless victims there rolled out of Manila for the same destination at midnight Tuesday.

Accompanying the food, clothing, medicines, kitchen utensils, blankets and other materials needed by the Bicolanos are several disaster-mitigating teams to help rehabilitate public infrastructure and houses, clean streets and rivers as well as help find temporary potable water sources.

The National Transmission Corp. (Transco) has also started work in restoring power to the Visayas, even as it is completing similar efforts in the Bicol Region.

Transco vice president for Visayas and Mindanao Lorrymir Adasa reported they had energized Monday the Panitan-Roxas, Panitan-Mianay, and Mianay-Dao 69-kilovolt lines in Panay, and the Babatngon-Tacloban 69-kilovolt line in Leyte.

Power was also fully restored in Cebu Monday afternoon following the energization of the Compostela-Medelin 69-kilovolt line.

Typhoon Seniang left the country, meanwhile, with three children dead, four injured and four missing. The dead were Angelina Besana, 1, of Panay, Capiz; Jonard Adremesin, 3, of San Fernando, Romblon, and April Cilicin, 4, of Tacloban City.

The mother of Jonard was among those reported missing together with Paquito Recto, 70; Alexander Marquez, 16, and Anicieto Rendon, 47, all of Tibiao, Roxas City. The injured were Carmelo Montojo of Romblon, Ednalyn Besana, 29, of Capiz; John Ray Cilicin, 6, of Tacloban City, and Liezel Vega, 13, of Leyte.

On Monday, President Arroyo and her Cabinet met disaster-mitigation officials and nongovernment organizations at a conference at the headquarters of the National Disaster Coordinating Council in Camp Aguinaldo to coordinate their rehabilitation efforts to make it more effective and speedier.

At the conference, Mrs. Arroyo called on volunteers to join in the rehabilitation efforts of affected areas.

The relief caravan will, meanwhile, also help other victims along its route and in Lucena City, a part of the convoy will be left behind to help Southern Tagalog victims of super typhoon Reming and typhoon Seniang, but most of the vehicles will go on to Legazpi City and Naga City.

In Manila, MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando said Albay officials had asked them for help in clearing their areas of fallen trees and other such debris, and that the MMDA is just waiting for Navy ships to ferry their heavy equipment and they are ready to go.

He also reported discussing other assistance to the region with metropolitan mayors; and has so far met with Mayors Sonny Belmonte of Quezon City, Sherwin Gatchallian of Valenzuela; Joseph Victor Ejercito of San Juan; Marides Fernando of Marikina; Florencio Bernabe of Parañaque; Freddie Tinga of Taguig; and Toby Tiangco of Navotas, and everyone was willing to help.

[dx]

December 12th, 2006, 04:54 AM

hey everyone, unstable pa rin internet sa office, kaya dinala muna kami dito sa manila. I hope we can return to Legazpi just in time for Christmas. Take care, everyone:)

Lili

December 12th, 2006, 05:34 AM

^^ Hey Dex! You're in Manila! So, maybe you can meet up with our SSCers in Manila. :)

jjpaul_c

December 12th, 2006, 03:54 PM

Good to hear Legazpi forumers are alright. Dx, Monsi and Jerry great to hear y’ah all! I just saw on the news last night that another typhoon hit Albay. This shit just never stop.

kevinb

December 12th, 2006, 03:58 PM

hey everyone, unstable pa rin internet sa office, kaya dinala muna kami dito sa manila. I hope we can return to Legazpi just in time for Christmas. Take care, everyone:)

Oi nasa Manila ka palan? Maiba ka sa meet sa Dec18?

[dx]

December 12th, 2006, 05:50 PM

^^ Not sure. Monday afternoon gari ang flight mi pauli.

kevinb

December 12th, 2006, 06:01 PM

Aaay. Dai ka na talaga makakaiba. Monday nin banggi ang meet eh.:( Anyway, ingat na sana kamo dyan saka sa pag-uli nindo.:)

[dx]

December 12th, 2006, 06:01 PM

k lang. I'd rather be home in Legazpi than anywhere else.

Hawayano

December 12th, 2006, 07:31 PM

k lang. I'd rather be home in Legazpi than anywhere else.

Alam ko nga...anyway, we have the kids in my highschool doing a fund drive for the Diocese of Legazpi's Social Action Center. We hope to get the funds there by next week. Little by little, we can rehabilitate those in need--we just must not forget and neglect them.

This holiday season is to be one of the genuine spirit of giving from those of us in more fortunate situations.

drfeelgood17

December 12th, 2006, 08:44 PM

For those who would like to help here is a repost from JJPaul:

Here are some ways to help:

http://www.philnews.com/landslide/bicol_landslide.htm

Below are two ways to donate

Method 1:
Send your donation directly to the Philippine National Red Cross through:

A. Wire Transfer to Metrobank Port Area Branch
1) Dollar Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151–2–151–00218–2
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM
2) Peso Account
Account name: The Philippine National Red Cross
Account number: 151–3–041–63122–8–MBTC

B. Globe G-Cash
Just text: DONATE <space> <AMOUNT> <space> <4-digit MPIN> <space> RED CROSS then send to 2882

C. Globe Donate-A-Load
Just text RED <space> <AMOUNT in 5/25/50/100/300> then text to 2899

D. In-Kind Donations
We are only allowed to receive in-kind donations that are in good condition. The goods should not be expired and damaged, so as to make our rescue and relief efforts more efficient and effective.

Steps:
1. A letter of intent to donate should be sent to the PNRC.
2. A letter of acceptance from PNRC will be sent back to the donors after receipt of the letter of intent.
3. The donor should send the PNRC the deed of donation in advance.
4. Immediately after shipping the goods, send the advance copy of the Bill of Lading for sea shipment and Airway Bill for air shipment together with the List of Contents/Items
to the PNRC before the shipment arrives to the Philippines.

Note: *All original papers are to be forwarded to this address:

THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL RED CROSS
c/o Sec. Gen. Corazon Alma De Leon
National Headquarters
Bonifacio Drive, Port Area
Manila 2803, Philippines

For further information, you may contact the following:

· Ms. Gwendolyn T. Pang, Director of Fund Generation Department
phone : + 632.527.0000 loc. 159 / +632.525.5654 (8 :00am to 5 :00pm)
mobile phone: + 63.917.827.7421 (24 X 7)
email : gwenpang@redcross.org.ph

· Mr. Richard M. Villena, OIC of Corporate Partnership Unit
phone: +632.527.0000 loc. 114 (8 :00am to 5 :00pm)
mobile phone: +63.917.882.5776 (24 X 7)
email : fundgeneration@redcross.org.ph

· Fund Generation Department (8:00am to 5:00pm)
Ms. Thelma Aguilus : Telefax +63.2.404.0979
Ms. Edna Andales : Telefax +63.2.527.0575

· PNRC Operation Center (24 X 7)
phone: +63.2.527.0000 / +63.2.527.0864 / +63.2.527.0865 /
mobile phone: +63.917.806.8513

Method 2:
Send your donations to the Philippine National Red Cross through Philippine NewsLink.
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Monsi

December 13th, 2006, 01:51 AM

Thanks a million for your prayers, condolences, and help.
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r244/Legazpeep/DSC07267.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r244/Legazpeep/DSC07263.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r244/Legazpeep/DSC07268.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r244/Legazpeep/DSC07246.jpg
^Photographs taken by Rico Manallo of Aquinas University while Reming was still raging.
Yawa River bursts its banks and swallowed shanties and concrete houses.
I'm in school right now, our computers running on generator, internet access through Smart Bro.
Our house suffered minor damage; just the same, the news might have moved relatives far and near they are sending relief in cash and in kind. Calamities bring the worst and the best in people.
Salamatunon sa indo gabos.

Hawayano

December 13th, 2006, 03:33 AM

^^ ^^ Monsi! So good to see your postings again, my friend!
These pics depict the horrendous extent of the catastrophe brought on by the typhoons...I can hardly believe they're of the same Yawa river with the domed auditorium in background that had been posted in an earlier (this past June??) Legazpi SSC thread! That time the pic had lazy carabao entering a glassy river reflecting a tranquil Mayon. Take care!

Mond87

December 13th, 2006, 09:20 AM

Haaaay... we still don't have power and internet connection... Good thing dex, monsi, guru are all alive as well!!! Kumusta??!!! grabe talaga ang bagyo... I think it's the worst ever in the Phil. history! Nakiki-internet na lang ako dito coz nag-jojob muna ako bfore magpasukan (January pa!!!)...

jjpaul_c

December 13th, 2006, 03:55 PM

^Great to hear from you Mond87. I read on an article that GMA ordered the power company to restore electricity one week from now. If it means anything.

drfeelgood17

December 13th, 2006, 05:47 PM

I'm glad to know all our Legazpi forumers are safe. Welcome back Monsi and Mond!
It's hard the to believe that the normally placid Yawa river can turn into such a raging torrent! It's usually so shallow you can wade right across it.

Matteo

December 13th, 2006, 06:21 PM

i heard from my mom that gas prices were jacked up to P70/liter.
and that one of my old friend's house got washed away by the flood.

so when things like this happen, do stores just raise up their prices cause of selfishness, or are they just really forced to, even if they do not want to, because supplies are limited, or something?

whats up doc

[dx]

December 13th, 2006, 06:36 PM

Ei guys. Kumusta? There are unconfirmed reports that a part of the highway in Travesia, Guinobatan has collapsed. Can anyone confirm?

drfeelgood17

December 13th, 2006, 08:27 PM

Hey Matt and Dex:hi:
@ Matt, nice avatar pic - was it taken by a photographer? looks like a studio pic

@Dex, I think this is the story you're referring to - ironic that it was caused by the relief convoy:

Relief goods cause bridge
collapse in Guinobatan
from: Manila Times

By Rhaydz Barcia, Correspondent

LEGAZPI CITY: Organizers of Malacañang’s relief caravan for victims of Supertyphoon Re*ming got a bad scare Wednesday when the heavy load of close to 200 trucks cause the collapse of the Traversia bridge in a known rebel haven in Guinobatan, Albay.

An aide of Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya confirmed the report but said no one was hurt. Malacañang spokesman Igna*cio Bunye said he did not know of the incident, which happened about 1:30 p.m.

Albay officials called it “a near disaster” but said no one was hurt in the incident. The remainder of the relief caravan managed to make it to Guino*batan by dusk, using diversion roads.

The bridge collapse, however, caused widespread dismay with local executives warning it could hamper rehabilitation efforts.

At one point, Councilor Cerilo Chan of this city even asked Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando to help in the construction of a substitute bridge.

Rep. Joey Salceda promised that a temporary replacement would go up in two days.

Army troops rushed to secure the convoy and 65th Army battalion chief, Col. Manny Or*duna, said soldiers would stay to guard over relief teams and commuters forced to use diversion routes.

The original caravan was composed of 286 trucks when it left Manila but organizers said dozens of more trucks joined as they passed through Laguna, Batangas and Quezon provinces.

Nearing the devastated Bicol region, the relief caravan broke into several convoys.

The first batch reached Pili, Camarines Sur about 9 p.m. Tuesday night. The last convoy straggled in about 3 a.m.

The caravan kicked off again 10 a.m. on Wednesday, leaving behind around 90 trucks for Pili, while 10 more went in the direction of Marinduque province.

Andaya’s aide said 148 trucks had arrived in Guinobatan proper by dusk. Other trucks were left in Sorsogon and 10 went to Catanduanes, another devastated province.