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a fun-loving cheerful group of L9s
from the Church of Holy Spirit
a Catholic parish in Singapore
This blog journals our mission trip
to Bicol in the Philippines

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12:48 AM



BICOL READY for H1N1
Inquirer Southern Luzon

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council in Bicol came up with an information campaign on Influenza A (H1N1) flu to prevent the entry of the virus. The Department of Health-Bicol reported to an emergency meeting Friday at the Office of Civil Defense here that Bicol is still free from the virus.

Although two previous cases were reported in Albay and Camarines Sur these tested negative for the virus, said DOH-Bicol. “Those tested negative in Bicol were good news for the region but the one positive case from Canada is not good for the country,” said Raffy Alejandro, head of OCD-Bicol.

The meeting was called to make proactive plans and emergency response measures in case Bicol reports its first case. The DOH-Bicol was designated as regional crisis manager while the National Disaster Coordinating Council has similarly appointed the DOH central office as the national crisis manager.

Albay

Albay health authorities are on guard against the swine flu virus as tourists continue to pour in the province because of summer festivities and the whale shark watch in Donsol, Sorsogon. Albay Governor Joey Salceda activated the Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Units (Pesu) end of March and identified three hospitals in the province where patients who would be affected by the virus could be brought.

The Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH) based in Daraga, Albay, the Ziga Memorial District Hospital in Tabaco City and the Josefina Duran Memorial District Hospital in Ligao City were all on alert. They designated isolation rooms for those who would show symptoms of the swine flu that has now affected some 25 countries worldwide.

Salceda also convened the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and the Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office and asked them to coordinate with DOH-Bicol and the BRTTH to devise proactive response to the swine flu crisis. “We have done this before during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome incident. The standard operating procedures that we have taken in the past would be applied again with the swine flu crisis,” Salceda explained.

Operational funds are now ready for use in the event a swine flu case happens here, he said, adding that he had earmarked 24 percent of the province’s internal revenue allotment for health services. Salceda added that when DOH Secretary Francisco Duque learned of Albay province's anti-swine flu measures, the health official immediately called him up and told him that the department will be using the Albay Swineflu Response Strategy as a model for the whole country.

The DOH said the swine flu epidemic had entered a dangerous new phase as the death toll in Mexico had climbed to 149, while 2,000 people were believed to be infected. Salceda said the province’s readiness against swine flu is the same as its preparation for a coming typhoon with corresponding signals.

“As of now it is as if we are under signal number 1,” he said.

Reports from Rey Nasol, Jonas Cabiles Soltes, Maricar P. Cinco and Madonna T. Virola, Inquirer Southern Luzon
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12:29 AM



The Church of the Holy Spirit L9 2009 mission trip has been cancelled. Surely the cancellation will not stop us from praying for the people of Bicol, even as they face an imminent eruption (Please see news item below). If anyone (non-L9s, at least L10) or any other ministry (not necessarily from the Church of the Holy Spirit) is interested in organising a mission trip to Bicol in December or late November, please contact missionariesinbicol@gmail.com .

To the L9-09 youths who journeyed with Uncle Al for eight weeks as part of the mission formation programme, many thanks, and your efforts are truly appreciated. AMO hopes that even though the mission has been cancelled, you now have the heart and mind of a missionary, ready to tellt he good news not just in Judea and Samarai, but to teh ends of the earth!

7,000 around Mayon ready for evacuation

July 11, 2009 18:05:00
Rey M. Nasol
Inquirer Southern Luzon


LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Close to 7,000 residents—or 1,675 families—living around the slopes of Mayon Volcano are being readied for evacuation once the volcano's alert status is upgraded to level 3.


Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the 7,000 residents was only the initial target of evacuation in the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao and the towns of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Sto. Domingo and Malilipot once the alert level is raised.


The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level status of the volcano from one (low-level unrest) to two (moderate unrest) on Friday after showing signs of increased unrest.


Alert level 3 means that there is an increased tendency towards eruption and there is relatively high unrest.


Vehicles were on standby for possible mass evacuation of residents should the abnormalities of Mayon further intensify. Authorities have started informing the population at risk and updating critical resources data of cities and towns around the volcano to determining the number of people to be placed in safer grounds.


City and town disaster councils around the volcano to are on a 24-hour watch, review their respective contingency plans and evaluate their communications and warning capacities.


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