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MANILA, Philippines — A day after a powerful earthquake left more than a dozen people dead and several buildings damaged or destroyed in many parts of Luzon, a magnitude 6.5 quake rocked parts of Eastern Visayas yesterday, causing further damage and raising fears of more casualties. Science Undersecretary and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr. clarified that the two strong earthquakes were “not related.” The agency also allayed fears of a tsunami. The source of Monday’s quake in Castillejos, Zambales was a local “blind fault” or a previously unknown fault, while the tremor in Eastern Samar was triggered by a movement along the Philippine Trench, Solidum explained. The magnitude 6.5 quake occurred at 1:37 p.m., with its epicenter traced at nine kilometers northwest of San Julian, Eastern Samar. The tremor, which some residents of Eastern Samar described as a “sudden jolt,” left cracks … [Read more...] about Magnitude 6.5 quake rocks Eastern Samar

Duterte: 'Take back garbage or I will sail to Canada and dump trash' Alexis Romero (Philstar.com) - April 23, 2019 - 9:04pm President Duterte ordered the customs bureau to return to Canada the trash it sent to the Philippines a few years ago as he chided the North American country for supposedly turning Manila into a "dump site." Duterte said Tuesday that Canada should prepare a "grand reception" for its waste, which arrived in the Philippines in 2013.   "I want a boat prepared. I'll give a warning to Canada maybe next week that they better pull that thing out or I will set sail, there in Canada, I will dump their trash there," the president said during a meeting on the effects of an earthquake in Pampanga.  "I will really return (the garbage)...Load the containers to a ship, and I will advise Canada that your garbage is on the way. Prepare a grand reception. Eat it if you want to," he added. … [Read more...] about Duterte: ‘Take back garbage or I will sail to Canada and dump trash’

Sisig, halo-halo, adobo among world’s top food experiences Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) - April 24, 2019 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — Three favorite Filipino dishes – adobo, sisig and halo-halo – were named among the world’s top 500 food experiences, according to an international travel publication. The three Filipino favorites made it into the latest edition of the Lonely Planet Ultimate Eatlist, a compendium of “the world’s most memorable eating experiences.” The list was drawn by the Lonely Planet community of travelers and foodies, as well as an international panel of chefs and food correspondents.   “Filipino food doesn’t get a lot of international play compared with other Asian cuisines. And that’s unfortunate as anyone who has tasted sisig knows,” stated an entry on the iconic pork dish that originated from Pampanga.  … [Read more...] about Sisig, halo-halo, adobo among world’s top food experiences

Supermarket owner surfaces, faces raps MANILA, Philippines — After turning himself in to authorities, the owner of the supermarket in Porac, Pampanga that collapsed during Monday’s earthquake is now facing investigation and possibly criminal charges on President Duterte’s orders. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the owner of the Chuzon Supermarket he identified only as Mr. Chu turned up at the Porac police station yesterday after being “invited.” “He was invited and he voluntarily accepted the invitation,” Albayalde told reporters in a chance interview in Pampanga. The collapse of the Chuzon Supermarket killed several people and left scores of others trapped in the rubble.  At a meeting in Pampanga with Gov. Lilia Pineda and disaster officials, Duterte ordered the investigation and possible filing of charges against the Chuzon owner. Authorities reported that the death toll … [Read more...] about Supermarket owner surfaces, faces raps

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga  , Philippines  —  A total of 108 international and domestic flights remained suspended at the Clark International Airport here since Monday’s earthquake, stranding at least 1,500 passengers as of yesterday. But Clark International  Airport Corp. (CIAC) president Jaime Melo announced during a press conference at the airport’s departure area Tuesday morning that partial operations could resume today. He said structural engineers from CIAC, Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines have finished inspection and declared no damage to the airport’s two runways and taxiway. The tower also did not have any significant damage. “I hope that partial operations could resume (today) despite the damage to the passenger terminal, particularly at the check-in area where the ceiling had collapsed. We can look for another site for temporary check-in counters,” Melo said. He clarified … [Read more...] about Clark airport partially opens today