Canada, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand have pledged to provide over PHP187.9 million to assist provinces hit hard by the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. On top of this, several countries like China, the United States, Japan, Israel, and Australia allocated in-kind goods for immediate deployment to the affected families. World leaders also sent their condolences to the bereaved families of those who perished in the aftermath of the super typhoon. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa is providing financial assistance through the Red Cross, which should help address the urgent need for water and sanitation on the

The balance of payment (BOP) position turned into deficit last November but an economist forecasts a reversal in the coming months partly on seasonal inflows of remittances during the Christmas holidays. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported the USD123-million BOP deficit last month, a turn-around from the USD1.47-billion surplus in the previous month, bringing the year-to-date figure to USD353-million surplus. Citing the BSP data, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort, in a report on Tuesday, said net payment of the country’s foreign currency-denominated liabilities and wider trade gap partly caused the BOP deficit. “Nevertheless, BOP data

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed thousands of its personnel to help in the ongoing clearing and rehabilitation efforts in areas devastated by Typhoon Odette. “We will never cease to help since it is integral in our mission. Calamities such as Typhoon Odette can best gauge the strength of our working force even if some of our personnel are catastrophe victims too,” PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said in a statement Monday night. A total of 5,837 personnel from Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will deploy a contingent of about 50 engineers and linemen to help in clearing operations and power restoration in areas that were severely affected by Typhoon Odette (international name Rai). In a statement, the company said 25 of these engineers and linemen arrived in Cebu Tuesday. It immediately coordinated with the Department of Energy and the Visayan Electric Co. (VECO) and sent an advance party in Cebu on December 19 to help assess the extent of damage to power facilities. Meralco is also coordinating with concerned offices, including the Philippine Navy and PLDT, for the

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) on Tuesday reported 29 verified casualties and 25 persons still missing in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette, which hit the province on December 16. In a report, the police said 16 persons died in Sipalay City alone, where all the victims drowned in floods. In Kabankalan City, four drowned, while in Moises Padilla, three figured in an accident due to strong winds. San Carlos City, La Carlota City, Manapla, Candoni, Ilog and Isabela towns recorded one death each, and the victims either drowned or were hit by felled trees. On Monday, 33 deaths

The provincial government of Bohol and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday delivered tons of food, water, and clothes to the island villages cut off from the mainland due to Typhoon Odette. Governor Arthur Yap, in a presser before boarding the Philippine Coast Guard vessel “Tubattaha”, said they targeted to deliver the relief assistance to 16 villages in two coastal towns. He stressed the need to rush the distribution, considering that islanders have had no food and water since Thursday when the typhoon hit the province. “Their situation is so bad. Imagine that they are living on an island