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Gibo, AFP: Sacrifices of heroes backbone of nat’l sovereignty DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro urged the public to remember the sacrifice and courage of the country's forefathers as the Philippines celebrates its 125th Independence Day today. In a statement, Teodoro said that the country's heroes are the backbone of the Philippines' sovereignty.
"This is not only a day to celebrate the victory of our independence, but also a reminder of the sacrifice and courage of our ancestors in the name of establishing and defending our country," Teodoro said in Filipino. “For more than a century, their heroism served as a guide in upholding the sovereignty of our Motherland.” Next page
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 117 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, JUNE 12, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Tourists flocking to Mayon
Sightseers still welcome in Albay, but DOH warns of toxic volcano gases By Joyce Pangco Pañares
A
S the crater of the majestic Mayon Volcano, world-famous for its near-perfect cone, glows fiery red at night with streaks of lava flowing, tourists flock across nearby viewing sites to capture its dangerous but dramatic beauty.
“It is my first time to see this,” said French tourist Philip Balsselle in a television interview as he set up camp in Quituinan Hills in Camalig, Albay along with other foreign and local tourists eager to watch Mayon’s restive splendor. According to the Department of Next page
900-m plume at Taal, Kanlaon rumbling too
VIEWS OF MAYON. In this photo from 2019 from the Instagram account 'Proud to be Albayano' (upper right), families play on the grounds of the Mayon Skyline Hotel and Convention Center in Tabaco, Albay. The premier view deck for tourists wanting a glimpse of the near-perfect conical volcano is currently closed, being within the 6-kilometer danger zone. Mayon was red with fresh lava on Sunday night (inset top) in this video grab from CNN Philippines, while firemen ration water to evacuees who fled the volcano's danger zone in Camalig, Albay (inset above). BFP Photos
A NEARLY kilometer-high plume drifting northeast was recorded at Taal Volcano on Sunday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), as Kanlaon Volcano recorded three volcanic earthquakes yesterday. As of 5 a.m., Phivolcs said the 900-meter plume emission came after “pronounced upwelling of hot volcanic fluids in the Main Crater Lake” of Taal Volcano in Batangas. Four volcanic earthquakes were also logged.
Both Taal and Kanlaon on Negros Island are under Alert Level 1, meaning they have “low-level unrest,” in contrast to Mayon Volcano's current Alert Level 3, or a step below a hazardous eruption warning (see related story on A1— Editors). On Saturday, Taal Volcano generated 6,304 tonnes of sulfur dioxide. The western Taal Volcano Island was also observed to have "a short-term inflation," while its caldera "has long-term dede flation on the ground."
The acidity level at Taal’s main crater lake also remained at 0.48, while its temperature was at 74.1 degrees Celsius, the state volcanologists said. Entry to Taal Volcano Island, which is under the Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and flying any aircraft close to the volcano are still restricted. Phivolcs also warned that hazards such as steam-driven or phreatic or gas-driven explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor Next page
EJ Obiena
‘Chedeng’ exits PH but dumps rain, causes flooding in Luzon TYPHOON Chedeng continued to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat” and brought heavy rains to Metro Manila and parts of Luzon hours before its expected exit from the Philippine area of responsibility late Sunday night. In Valenzuela City, at least 29 families had to be evacuated because of flash floods over the weekend. Meanwhile, an Orange Rainfall Warning was raised over both Zambales and Bataan provinces, slowing vehicles to a crawl on the expressway connecting the former American bases in Clark and Subic and its arterial roads. Streets in Bulacan, particularly in
Meycauayan City, were also inundated, but there were no reports of injuries or evacuations throughout Central Luzon. The state weather bureau said Chedeng (international name Guchol) has weakened into a severe tropical storm as of Sunday afternoon as it bent northward toward Japan. Despite this, Chedeng would continue to enhance the habagat and bring occa-sional monsoon rains over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas. PAGASA said the Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan could expect mon-soon rains (heavy to at times intense Next page
Obiena joins elite 6-meter vaulting club By Peter Atencio
FREEDOM DAY AT SM. Store staff wave flags at SM CDO Downtown Premier mall as this June, SM Supermalls aims to keep freedom, future, and history alive with several Independence Day activities that celebrate being a 'Super Pinoy' in all ways possible.
FOR many years, clearing the six-meter mark in pole vault has been the exclusive domain of 23 athletes in Europe, the United States, and Australia. On Saturday in Norway (Sunday in Manila), a Filipino joined that elite group. Ernest John “EJ” Obiena’s sevenyear quest finally bore fruit as he jumped 6.0 meters to earn the gold medal in the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway and become the 24th pole vaulter to join the exclusive club. The 27-year-old Obiena, who has been toiling in Formia, Italy ahead of this moment, went on to set new Asian and national records with his feat. Next page
AID FOR ALBAY. Volunteers of Tingog Party-List prepare the baskets of groceries bought by the House of Representatives and facilitated by Speaker Martin Romualdez and Tingog Rep. Yedda K. Romualdez (inset) for over 20,000 evacuees affected by Mayon Volcano's activity across Albay Province on Sunday. Ver Noveno
Speaker, Tingog facilitate release of P33-m aid for Albay evacuees SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Tingog party-list representatives have facilitated the release of P33 million worth of assistance to the province of Albay in cash and in kind as increased activity
at Mayon Volcano has forced the evacuation of residents living in the permanent danger zone. Along with party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre, Next page
More ideas to train, hire nurses bared By Rio N. Araja AMID the looming worldwide shortage of nurse practitioners, Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo is encouraging high school graduates to pursue the Bachelor of Science in Nursing
program in college. “The nursing job outlook is very promising. High school graduates should include nursing in their list of college options if they want a stable and lucrative occupation in the years ahead,” he said. Next page