PCOO_insidepage_NEWS
21 June 2015

Government continues to monitor Mount Bulusan’s new explosion
Government continues to monitor the new explosion of Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., on Sunday.

“Patuloy ang pagsubaybay ng pamahalaan sa mga kaganapan sa Mount Bulusan sa Sorsogon upang pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mahigit sa 34,000 apektadong residente mula sa 22 barangay at limang munisipalidad sa lalawigan ng Sorsogon,” said Coloma in a radio interview with dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) estimated that the explosion has affected some 34,000 residents from 22 barangays and five municipalities of Barcelona, Bulusan, Irosin, Casiguran, and Juban.

Based on the report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Department of Social Welfare and Development ((DSWD) has distributed over 200 food packs to residents of Irosin and Juban, who were directly affected by the latest explosion.

Coloma noted that the government has approximately P171 million worth of food packs and funds from the DSWD field office on standby. The Phivolcs had put Mount Bulusan on Alert 1 or abnormal state after steam-driven explosion sent an ash plume 1.5 kilometers into the air at 2:55 p.m. last Friday.

The public has since been banned from entering the four-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone around the volcano. PND (ag)


Palace invites public to watch second part of documentary on the West Philippine Sea
The Palace on Sunday invites the public to watch the second part of the documentary regarding the maritime dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., said it will be shown by 4:00 p.m. on June 22 (Monday) on the Facebook page of President Benigno Aquino and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Episode 02 will also be aired on People’s Television Network (PTV-4) at 5:30 p.m. There will be replays on June 23 and 26, at 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

“Ang focus sa ikalawang yugto ay ang kasaysayan ng usapin sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at ng Tsina. Isa sa mga tampok na resource person ay si Justice Antonio Carpio ng Korte Suprema,” said Coloma in a radio interview with dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.

During this year’s Independence Day celebration, the first of the three-part documentary was shown, entitled “Kalayaan: Karapatan sa Karagatan,” and featured the livelihood of fishermen from Masinloc, Zambales that were affected by the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard and Navy.

The first documentary also discussed the environmental impact of China’s reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea.

“Bahagi ang dokumentaryong ito sa programa ng DFA na itaas ang antas ng kaalaman at kamalayan ng mga mamamayan hinggil sa mga usapin sa West Philippine Sea. Ang ikatlo at huling yugto hinggil sa aspetong legal ay ipapalabas sa darating na Hulyo,” said Coloma. PND (ag)