i TV Pinoy

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

-- After days of heavy rain and strong winds, the sun finally broke through the clouds in northern Luzon as tropical storm Ramil continues to move away from the country.

Many residents in Aparri, Cagayan have started to move on with their lives.

However, fishermen in Cagayan will have to wait a bit longer before they can set out to sea as strong waves continued to pound coastlines on Saturday.

Some residents also fear "Ramil" might return given its unusual movement.

In Ilocos Norte, business is up and running.

Employees of resorts in Pagudpud are thankful and are preparing to welcome tourists again.

They said typhoon Ramil's sudden change in course is timely as the semestral break begins and tourists are expected to arrive for the All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day break.

"Marami talaga mga pumupunta at dumadagsa ditong mga foreigner, pero sa ngayon, wala talaga dahil sa bagyo," said Armand Rico, a resort employee. "Lalong pumapangit ang Pagupud tuwing may bagyo kasi nagiging makalat kahit maglinis kami."

But weather bureau PAGASA said residents must still take extra caution and be prepared as Ramil's pattern remains very erratic, although it was moving towards Japan already.

Business as usual in Baguio

In Baguio City, residents have also begun to return to their normal activities.

Residents of Baguio who evacuated in anticipation of the onslaught of Ramil have returned to their homes as the weather forecast said Ramil is already moving away from the Philippines.

Still, some left their belongings in evacuation centers for fear the storm would again make a U-turn.

It's now business as usual at Session Road, the city's commercial center

The tourism industry, heavily battered by the recent storms, is slowly picking up.

However, residents expressed fears over a report by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) that says 90 percent of the summer capital's total land area are prone to landslides.

The city council's committee on environmental protection and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) have confirmed the report.

Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia, chairman of the city council's committee on environmental protection, said this is an old report that is now being noticed due to the disasters caused by the typhoons. He said part of the problem is Baguio's overpopulation.

Landslides caused by typhoon Pepeng left 61 dead in Baguio City, and hundreds of houses suffered severe damage. All these occurred in barangays that the MGB has identified as hazardous areas.

In purok Crystal Cave, barangay Bakakeng alone, 60 houses are feared to collapse due to sinkholes.

However, the OCD was quick to point out that the MGB report does not mean Baguio is unsafe.

Olive Luces, regional director, OCD-Cordillera, said the natural hazards can be mitigated if investments are made in engineering interventions.

Balajadia said local officials should now craft policies to prevent or mitigate the damage caused by possible landslides, including massive reforestation.

Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. has also formed a risk assessment management team that will determine how best to avoid further loss of lives and massive damage to properties.

Two commissions on reconstruction

Meanwhile, the government is partnering with the private sector to begin recovery and reconstruction efforts in areas affected by Ondoy and Pepeng.

The agreement was forged in compliance with Executive Order 838 and led by 2 commissions: the government's "Special National Public Reconstruction Commission" and the private sector's "Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation."

The cooperation agreement was signed by representatives from both sectors, including PLDT's Manny Pangilinan, Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, and Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.

Six areas will be identified for immediate relocation, livelihood restoration, water waste cleaning, and civil works.

Teves said relief efforts are targeted to be completed in the next 3 months, while reconstruction is expected to take more than 6 months.

Food security, unstable prices

The Department of Agriculture (DA), meanwhile, said the government is taking steps to ensure the country's food security amid the threats of climate change.

Government figures show "Ondoy" and "Pepeng" destroyed as much as 23 billion pesos in agriculture and infrastructure.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said they are looking into diversifying food sources and improving existing farming practices, such as providing farmers with a rice variety that can survive floods.

Yap admitted he is not sure when prices of basic commodities will stabilize.

Yap said it is uncertain when the next storm will come and how much damage it would cause, but the secretary is confident there's enough supply of food for the next 6 months.

He added that aside from rice, the agriculture department is also looking at importing pork and chicken.