The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Monday said it is still verifying reports that three people have died due to the effects of Tropical Storm Agaton in Region 11 (Davao Region). In its Monday afternoon update, the agency said two of the victims were from Monkayo, Davao De Oro and one from Cateel, Davao Oriental. It is also verifying reports of one missing person in Monkayo. Meanwhile, two persons from Region 10 (northern Mindanao) were reported injured. As of posting, a total of 2,362 passengers, 1,180 rolling cargoes, six vessels, and one motorbanca are stranded in

The public should avail of the booster dose as preparation for the possible surge in cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) because primary vaccine is not enough. “There is no protection for Covid-19 and its variants other than booster shots. I think our booster is just around 34 percent to 36 percent out of the total vaccinees for the primary vaccines,” Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said, referring to vaccine coverage in the city in a press conference on Monday. He said the city has more vaccines left because of the low turnout of booster shots. “The national government is

Flooding has been affecting portions of Western Visayas due to rains brought by Tropical Storm Agaton. Civil Defense Western Visayas information officer Cindy Ferrer said they are monitoring incidents of rain-induced landslides and flooding especially that an orange rainfall warning was issued by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) over Western Visayas past 11 a.m. of Monday. “That’s the second level of heavy rainfall. There is a threat of flooding in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas,” she said in an interview on Monday. The towns of Dumalag, Maayon, Sigma, Panit-an, Cuartero, Dumarao and Panay and

The city government has eased the requirements to get a business permit in the city to allow owners to rectify the errors and align their business activity to the standards of the city’s zoning ordinance. Aileen Refuerzo, city information office chief, said in a phone interview on Monday that City Council Resolution 118-2002 was signed to grant amnesty to businesses that are not compliant with the National Building Code and the zoning law due to circumstances beyond their control. “Marami kasi ang na-apektuhan ng pandemic ang mga pinagkakitaan nila kaya naka-isip ang city na makatulong din para maka-recoup muna sa

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said it is closely monitoring and coordinating a response to the outbreak of dengue cases in Region 9 through the Center for Health Development of Zamboanga and its Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit. This, after Zamboanga City’s disaster risk reduction council declared an outbreak as the area recorded 893 dengue cases with 11 deaths from January 1 to April 2. The city’s mayor has directed the reactivation of the dengue preparedness plan and task force based on the 2019 dengue outbreak response – the year the country last declared the disease an epidemic. In