‘No time for blame game while relief operations underway’

MALACANANG will focus on giving a helping hand and not an accusing finger until relief operations in Northern Mindanao are concluded, its spokesperson said Sunday.
In a briefing over government station Radyo ng Bayan, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said they still has to discuss the assessment of whether the weather bureau and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) failed to warn residents of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities of floods that have killed hundreds.
“At this point, we should not focus first on accountability rather than helping. Let’s help the victims first,” Valte said.
The Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD) has said it has readied P10.17 million in standby funds and P57.69 million worth of relief supplies for areas that Tropical Storm Sendong has, and is expected, to affect.
Aside from Northern Mindanao, the supplies will also be deployed to Central and Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga, Davao, and Caraga. Funds and relief supplies have also been readied for the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.
Around 30,400 people are already in 19 evacuation centers in Cagayan De Oro, the DSWD said.
Valte, meanwhile, announced that military and police are already conducting search-and-rescue operations and that the government will be bringing in bottled water and portable toilets for displaced families.
Water concessionaire Manila Water and the Local Water Utilities Administration will also help Cagayan de Oro residents with a shortage of potable water.
She said 1,500 500-milliliter bottles of drinking water and other relief goods will be flown to Northern Mindanao on a military C-130 cargo flight on Sunday afternoon.
“Allow me to reiterate (that) we would like to concentrate first on rendering assistance. The usual assessment will come after,” she said.
Senator Aquilino Pimentel III was with Vice President Jejomar Binay in Cagayan de Oro Sunday to observe and assist relief operations in his home city.
He called for donations of water, clothes, medicines, and slippers through his Twitter account and in radio interviews.
“If we don’t act as one nation, many more will perish due to sickness. This is when we need Bayanihan the most,” he said.
Pimentel said donations can be sent to his office at the Senate, as well as the office of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban in Makati City and that they will “immediately fly” the donations to Cagayan de Oro.
Meanwhile, a senator said Sunday that the high death toll in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan underscore the need for local governments to put up early-warning and information-dissemination systems and evacuation plans.
“We have to take note that the high number of casualties caused by [Tropical Storm] Sendong could be due to lack of awareness of the risk and proper action of residents in affected areas, as they have not experienced floods of such magnitude in the past,” Senator Loren Legarda, who chairs the Senate committee on climate change, said.
She said the storm “reveals the increasing severity of typhoons that we must be prepared for.”
Even as relief operations are underway, Legarda said local governments affected by the floods “immediately assess the causes and effects of the massive flooding that occurred and make recommendations to improve flood mitigation and management before another typhoon hits their area.”
Local governments in the rest of the country should also assess their flood prevention measures, she said.
Among those measures are river embankments, pumping stations, flood walls, drainage systems, canals and flood prevention areas.
“LGUs affected by [Tropical Storm] Sendong should immediately assess the causes and effects of the massive flooding that occurred and make recommendations to improve flood mitigation and management before another typhoon hits their area,” she said.
Legarda has repeatedly called on local governments to prepare disaster risk reduction and management plans even at the barangay level. She has previously suggested the use of confiscated car sirens and simple whistles as early-warning devices to warn residents to leave the area.
According to reports, residents of the two cities were sleeping when the storm hit. (Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/12/18/no-time-blame-game-while-relief-operations-underway-196487

Recent survey done by Philippines Clark Marketing shows that there is a subtle shift of preferences of Manila visitors heading out of town towards the north to enjoy some peace and quiet time with families. More and more foodies, critics, connoisseurs, frequent diners and wine lovers from Manila travel out of town north to Clark Pampanga to wine and dine in famous fine dining Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar. Most visitors enjoy the fine vintage wines from the cellars of this fine dining restaurant. Some purchase a few good bottles of to bring back home to Manila.

Even tourists and business travelers staying in hotels in Philippines Angeles Pampanga take time off from nightlife, bars and other city entertainment to enjoy a relaxing afternoon of wine shopping in this top rated wine shop in Clark Freeport Pampanga. Foreign and local tourists visiting Clark remember shopping in this wine shop as a memorable experience of their stay in the Philippines, Subic and Pampanga.

Italian food is everywhere in the Philippines but good Italian restaurants are few and far apart. Fans of Italian cuisines now look for fine dining restaurants that serve good Italian food accompanied by fine Italian vintage wine. Although Yats Restaurant is classified as a French Mediterranean restaurant, its classic European cuisine includes many of the great recipes from Italy. The fine vintage wines of Clark Wine Center play an important role in this famous restaurant in Clark to make the Italian wine dinners just that much more special.

Things to do in Subic and Clark Philippines: spend an afternoon in Clark to do a little wine shopping at the most famous wine shop outside of Manila called Clark Wine Center. One of the favorite places to visit in Pampanga Clark Freeport is the white building along M A Roxas highway of Clark which houses over 2000 selections of fine vintage wines. The Clark Wine Center is one of the places to visit, a tourist spot and a good shopping place for those staying in Angeles City, Subic or Clark Pampanga.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com