Day: October 31, 2024

Manila: Leon (international name Kong-Rey) has weakened into a typhoon but continues to affect Luzon, a Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster said Thursday. “It continues to affect mostly Northern Luzon. Leon’s trough could possibly bring rains across the whole island,” Veronica Torres of PAGASA said in a briefing shortly before noon. According to Philippines News Agency, Leon packs maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 215 kph. It was located 155 km north of Itbayat, Batanes as of 10 a.m. Torres said heavy to intense rains and storm-force winds

Dagupan city: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed PHP49 million worth of family food packs and other non-food items to over 68,000 families in the Ilocos Region affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine. According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD data as of Oct. 31 showed that of the total, some 68,436 family food packs, 86 bottled drinking waters, 201 family kits, 87 hygiene kits, 87 kitchen kits, and 287 sleeping kits have been distributed. Most of the relief items were given to beneficiaries from Pangasinan amounting to PHP40.79 million followed by those from La Union, PHP4.34

Manila: The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has announced a significant policy change, now allowing its members to claim benefits for readmissions due to the same illness within a 90-day period. This move comes as PhilHealth lifts its Single Period of Confinement (SPC) policy, which previously restricted compensation to only one claim for admissions and readmissions related to the same illness or procedure within a 90-calendar day timeframe. According to Philippines News Agency, PhilHealth Chief Emmanuel Ledesma emphasized that the decision to lift the SPC rule was made after extensive evaluation. “After extensive evaluation, we have lifted the rule of

Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured the public on Thursday that the government is on top of the situation as Typhoon Leon (international name Kong-Rey) batters Northern Luzon. ‘I assure the Filipino people that the government is ably handling all disaster management efforts. We remain in full control,’ Marcos said in a statement. According to Philippines News Agency, although parts of the country are still reeling from the effects of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name Trami), the President said the government still has sufficient assets to ‘mitigate the worst impact, recover from the wreckage, and rebuild stronger than

Manila: Malacañang has reinstated Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chair Monalisa Dimalanta after the Office of the Ombudsman lifted the preventive suspension order issued against her. In a memorandum Wednesday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin ordered the immediate reinstatement of Dimalanta as Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ERC, citing the Ombudsman decision. According to Philippines News Agency, Dimalanta was placed under a six-month suspension without pay last September to avoid prejudicing the case filed against her by the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms Inc (Nasecore). In its complaint, Nasecore claimed that Dimalanta allowed the Manila Electric Company