by magnolia_eic | Apr 13, 2011 | Headlines, National News, World
KASUNOD sa pagmando sa mandatory evacuation sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
sa mga Pinoy nga nakabase sa 50-kilometer radius zone nga apektado sa Fukushima
nuclear plant sa Japan, gitakda na usab ang unang lakang sa mga Pinoy nga pagpaule sa
Pilipinas.
Target sa DFA nga himuon ang unang biyahe sa repatriation sa Abril 17 diin abagahon sa
gobyerno ang gasto sa repatriation, apil ang pletehan ug gasto sa travel documents.
“The Philippine Government will absorb the full cost of repatriation to the Philippines. Our
plan to repatriate will involve the chartering of aircraft which is being planned to originate from
Niigata airport located in northwest Japan. We are targeting the first repatriation flight to be
scheduled for Sunday, April 17,” pamahayag ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.
Paningkamotan usab sa DFA ug embahada sa Pilipinas sa Tokyo nga ibakwit ang mga Pinoy
nga naa sulod sa 50-kilometer radius sa Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Bisan pa niini, gi klaro usab ni Del Rosario nga dili pugson sa gob-yerno ang mga Pinoy nga
adunay pamilya sa Japan sa pagbakwit kun dili nila gusto.
Alang sa mga mag-desisyon nga magpabilin, mahimo usab silang i-relocate sa mga
relocation center nga naa sa Tokyo nga may gilay-on nga 250 kilometro gikan sa nuclear
power plant.
Apan matud pa ni Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel Lopez, kun dili tanan ang
modesisyon nga mobakwit, himuon pa gihapon sa embahada ang tanan nilang mahimo aron
makumbinsi ang tanan. (ecb/PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Mar 29, 2011 | Headlines, Major Events, National News
The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) reported on Monday that radioactive
particles from the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan
have reached the country but the amount is not harmful to humans.
“Environmental radiation monitoring all over the world, including the Philippines, has detected
very tiny amounts of radioactive isotopes which appeared to be coming from the Fukushima
nuclear power plant and which pose no human health hazards,” the PNRI said in a bulletin.
It said latest radiation level check at PNRI grounds in Quezon City as of 9 a.m. Monday
remained “normal” at 93 to 115 nanosieverts per hour (nSv).
The PNRI said it continues to monitor the situation at the nuclear power plant.
“The condition in the (Japanese) plant remains very serious but is not worsening,” the agency
said.
It said high level of radiation remains inside the nuclear power plant but poses danger only to
the emergency workers.
Very small amounts of radiation from the nuclear plant have also reached the US West Coast
but federal and state officials said they posed no health risks.
by magnolia_eic | Mar 22, 2011 | Headlines, National News
PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III assured that the government will put in place contingency
measures for the country to be able to cope with the global impact of the powerful earthquake
and tsunami that hit Japan last week.
In a press briefing on Monday at Malacanang, the President said the Japan twin disasters
will definitely have an effect on the country’s economy. He said his economic team is now
studying the effects of Japan’s economy falling out on the country.
“I was informed by the economic team that we will be guided (by the study) as to how we
will cope with the fall of one of the world’s biggest economies, one of our biggest official
development assistance (ODA) source and one of our biggest trading partners,” the
President said.
“The directions that we will take after the study will tell us exactly what needs to be done so
we can cope with this development that has happened,” he added.
Some of the country’s economists have said that the government should look for other loan
and financing alternatives as Japan gears for a massive reconstruction of its economy.
Reports said that reconstruction in Japan may take at least 10 years and a lot of spending.
(PCOO)
by magnolia_eic | Mar 16, 2011 | Headlines, National News
THE Philippines will begin to inspect food imports from Japan to check their radiation levels.
This developed as Singapore said on Monday that it was testing food products from Japan for
radiation.
Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky
Carandang said President Aquino met with the heads of the Philippine Nuclear Research
Institute, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Health, Department of
Budget and Management, National Security Council, Presidential Management Staff and the
Office of the Executive Secretary to make sure that the Philippines would be safe from any
possible effects of the nuclear crisis in Japan.
“Just as a precaution, imports from Japan, mostly foodstuffs, will be checked for levels of
radiation,” Carandang told reporters after the meeting in Malacañang.
The PNRI will be in charge of the tests because the Department of Agriculture checks
agricultural products while the DOH is in charge of processed food.
“I’m not sure how quickly they can get it done but at the soonest possible time,” Carandang
said.
But Carandang said there was no plan to screen any travelers from Japan at this time. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Mar 15, 2011 | Headlines, National News
STATE weather forecasters on Monday denied rumors circulating via text messages that
there will be “acid rain” in the Philippines supposedly because of radioactive clouds from
quake- and tsunami-stricken Japan.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
(PAGASA) said there was no basis for such claims.
“The winds from Japan are moving away from us. It’s not true that these winds contain acid
rain,” PAGASA forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said in a radio interview.
Several text messages had been circulating that acid rain may fall on the Philippines because
of the looming nuclear emergency in Japan.
Japanese authorities are now scrambling to prevent a meltdown of its nuclear plant in
Fukushima, after its cooling systems failed. (PIA)
