</s>Rescuers are still searching for two more missing persons in Carmen, where 73 houses were washed out due to nonstop rains

MANILA, Philippines – Following heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression Crising, at least 7 people were killed in heavy floods in various towns in northern Cebu on Sunday, April 16.

According to reports, 6 of the casualties were from Carmen, Cebu. They were identified as Nicholas Punggutan, 60; Acena Laping, 55; Rowena Acencion, 38; Joyed Acencion, 12; Ivan Acencion, 10; and Bens Ayan Laping, 2.

The other casualty was from Danao City, Cebu and was identified as Benyang Manulat.

Rescuers are still searching for two more missing persons in Carmen, where at least 73 houses were reportedly washed out due to nonstop rains.

Meanwhile, heavy flooding also hit 19 barangays of Cebu City, according to Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management chief Nagiel Bañacia.

"We deployed our quick response teams especially to areas we identified as flood-prone," Bañacia told Rappler in a phone interview.

Authorities evacuated 40 families in Barangay Talamban and 20 families in Barangay Kinasang-an in Cebu City. The evacuees were also provided with food packs.

Tropical Depression Crising weakened into a low pressure area (LPA) on Saturday evening, April 15, after making landfall in Hernani, Eastern Samar at 6:30 pm that day.

There are no more areas under tropical cyclone warning signals. PAGASA warned, however, that light to moderate rain is still expected in the Visayas, and in the regions of Bicol and Caraga. – with a report from Raisa Serafica / Rappler.com</s>LEADERS of Cebu’s business community joined the Aboitiz family in mourning the death of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) President Robert Eduardo “Bobby” Aboitiz last Maundy Thursday.

They also recalled the many ways that Aboitiz had inspired them with his commitment to the growth of Cebu.

“The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) owes a lot to Bobby’s service to our organization. He will be deeply missed. But his legacy shall live on and we shall continue the great work that he has started for our beloved Cebu. Our deepest condolences to the Aboitiz family and RAFI,” said CCCI President Melanie Ng.

Aboitiz served as CCCI trustee in 1995 to 1997, and played a key role in the construction of the CCCI Center. At the time of his death, Aboitiz also served as co-chairperson of the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board. He was 67.

In a press statement, Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar expressed appreciation for how Aboitiz was “deeply involved in working to help improve the community” and helped unite “local government leaders, civil society, and the rest of the private sector to rally behind Mega Cebu 2050.”

Del Mar pointed out that the bill seeking the creation of the Mega Cebu Development Authority, which Aboitiz had appealed to Cebuanos in the House to champion, has been approved at the committee level.

“Bobby died before legislation could start helping realize the vision that he shared and vigorously promoted. May his memory inspire the rest of us to follow the example he set for every true believer in Cebu and its role and destiny in our nation’s progress,” the congressman added.

An official of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) said the organization was also “deeply saddened” by the news.

“Those of us who were privileged to know him and work with him through Mega Cebu had been inspired by his steadfast commitment to the vision of a vibrant and inclusive development for Cebu. His leadership and wisdom, given with humility and modesty, are truly edifying and inspiring. He was an exemplary Cebuano and Filipino. We shall keep his memory by carrying on the torch of his advocacies,” said MCCI president Glenn Soco.

Businessman Bunny Pages, chairman and CEO of Pages Holdings Inc., described Aboitiz as “a great man who only had the best for our beloved Cebu in his heart.”

“He was a rare breed, though, because he put his money where his mouth was. The countless millions of pesos that RAFI has so far invested on Mega Cebu is just one of the many examples of his commitment, love and passion for Cebu,” said Pages in a Facebook comment.

In March 2016, Forbes Philippines reported that among the country’s wealthiest families, the Aboitizes were the most generous, having invested some P793.9 million in philanthropic projects through RAFI and the Aboitiz Foundation.

Aboitiz was “a visionary, a philanthropist, a business icon, a humble servant,” said Mary Ann Alcordo-Solomon, president and CEO of Alcordo Advertising. “You have left a mark in the hearts of everyone whose lives you touched. Thank you for all that you have done. Our prayers and heartfelt condolences,” she added.

Aboitiz is survived by his wife Maria Cristina and their four children.</s>Seven are confirmed dead while 2 others are missing due to nonstop rains and heavy flooding in parts of Cebu.Six of the casualties were from Carmen, Cebu where 73 houses were washed out due to nonstop rains.According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the casualties were identified as Rowena Acencion, 38; Joyed Acencion, 12; Ivan Acencion, 10; Acena Laping, 55; Bens Ayan Laping, 2; and Nicholas Punggutan, 60.The other casualty meanwhile was from Danao City, Cebu and was identified as Benyang Manulat.The PDRRMO however has yet to identify the 2 missing persons.</s>A HEAVY downpour which started Saturday evening and persisted until Sunday morning, April 16, caused flooding in some parts of Cebu.

The heavy rain was caused by the Tropical Depression "Crising" which later weakened into a low pressure area after making landfall.

Netizens took to social media to post photos and videos of the flood. Here are some photos and videos of the flood in Cebu City from Facebook:



The flood also damaged some houses in towns of Carmen and Liloan in northern Cebu.



The heavy rain, which lasted for more than five hours, also affected Barangay Cansojong in Talisay City.



On Saturday afternoon, six Visayas areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 1: Northern Cebu, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran and Leyte.

READ: 6 Visayas areas under Signal No. 1 due to "Crising"

Crising made landfall over Samar Saturday night and all Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals were lifted after it weakened into a low pressure area. (Jo Ann Sablad/SunStar Philippines)</s>CEBU CITY– A hotel staff in Cebu City sought police assistance after a group of more than 10 persons who spoke in a “different language” checked in past 8 a.m. on Monday.

Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) responded and found out that they were government officials from Basilan who were in Cebu City for an official meeting at Sugbutel along S. Osmeña Street at the North Reclamation Area.

“We just took precautionary measures to secure the area. It turned out that the group is in Cebu for a meeting,” said Senior Supt. Joel Doria, director of the Cebu City Police Office.

The local police have repeatedly appealed to the people to report suspicious-looking persons and unusual activities following the armed encounter between suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group and government forces in Bohol last week.

Four members of the armed group, including their leader Moumar Askali, were killed in the shootout. Eight others remain at large.

Doria said hotels in Cebu City had been very cooperative and regularly informed them of any unusual events and persons.

He said the local Muslim community also informed them in case other groups which they didn’t know arrive in Cebu City.

“The public has nothing to be alarmed of. The police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are on top of the situation,” he said. @adorCDN/AU/rga</s>CEBU City could become a hub for sports entertainment and a destination for elite athletes and teams.

Cebu City Councilor Gerry Guardo laid down his plans in a press conference and launching of his project on Cebu City sports tourism when he returns to office in June.

“This project will promote Cebu City as a venue for sports tourism and venue for elite athletes to compete and make Cebu City a destination on a certain month. All of this will be achieved because I have the blessings of Mayor Tom (Osmeña) who believed and gave me trust and confidence and named me deputy mayor for sports. Like by having a dragon boat race, we can promote SRP, or showing that our mountain barangays are ideal venues for trail runs, mountain bike competitions and road race king of the mountain competition,” Guardo said yesterday.

Guardo said his approach to his program is holistic.

“Since I’m on ‘vacation,’ right after this launching, I will be meeting with the different organizers to get their consensus on the following reasons—seek their inputs, their budget proposals and encourage them to work with us. And when I will come back to office, the first thing to do is to look and propose a budget for these projects. Every month, we will have a different sports event and this entails a huge budget. This project will be a partnership between the City Government and the private sectors,” Guardo continued.

In his short list, Guardo announced that the sports they are considering include marathon, trail run, archery, lawn tennis, beach volleyball, indoor men’s and women’s volleyball, bike festival for mountainbike, road bike, motocross, football, badminton, martial arts festival, dancesports, zumbathon, swimming, chess and basketball.

“We will calendar all these events. We will have one or two events per month. These events are different from what the Cebu City Sports Commission under Chairman Edward Hayco and Councilor Jun Gabuya since sports tourism is for elite athletes or teams. But I got this idea out of the World DanceSports Federation Cebu Open and the Iron Man and the Cebu City Marathon where competitors from all over the Philippines and countries come to Cebu,” said Guardo.</s>CEBU CITY — Tropical Depression “Crising” dumped an equivalent of 350,000 drums of rain per square km for four hours on Cebu on Sunday, triggering floods that killed at least seven persons in northern towns.

The rains also caused the collapse of a portion of a stage built for the reenactment of the resurrection of Christ, injuring at least 10 people in a southern town. Rains also flooded many parts of Cebu City.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said the fatalities were swept by floodwaters in Carmen town south of Cebu City and Danao City in northern Cebu on Sunday.

In Carmen, the fatalities were identified as Rowena Sencio, 38, and her children Jade, 13, and Ivan, 11; Arcenia Mag-asin Laping, 57; Vience Ian Durano, 1 year and 10 months and Zobella Gica, 46.

In Danao, the dead was identified as Benyang Manulat, 52, who drowned in the flood.

The bodies of Sencio and her children were carried by floodwaters to the village of Dawis Norte, at least 2 km from where they lived in the village of Duwalog, also in Carmen, according to Julius Regner, PDRRMC spokesperson.

Two other persons were reported missing, but Regner had no details.

Romina Marasigan, spokesperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said houses of victims were washed away by floods.

Although “Crising” had been downgraded to a low pressure area, the weather disturbance dumped 68.3 mm of rain, equivalent to 350,000 drums of water per square kilometer per hour from 1:54 a.m. to 5:06 a.m. on Sunday.

The volume of rain was more than the normal for the month of April which was only 50 mm, said weather forecaster Nids Soletrero of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) station on Mactan Island, Cebu.

Meo Aguirre, Pagasa weather specialist also in Mactan, said this was the first time in many years that it rained in Cebu on Easter Sunday mainly due to “Crising.”

A portion of a stage built for the annual “Sugat Kabanhawan,” a reenactment of the Resurrection in the southern town of Minglanilla, collapsed and injured 10 persons. Nine of the injured had been brought to the Minglanilla District Hospital and another to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

Supt. Dexter Calacar, Minglanilla police chief, said the injured were spectators who rushed to the stage to take shelter from the rains. The stage, made of steel frames, was built on the quadrangle of the Minglanilla Central School. —WITH JOEY GABIETA AND PHILIP TUBEZA</s>CEBU CITY (PNA) – Six persons were killed by floods caused by tropical depression “Crising” Sunday morning in Danao City and Carmen town in northern Cebu, an official said.

Julius Regner, spokesman of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), said five persons were washed away by floodwaters in Carmen town, while one drowned in the flood in Danao City.



He said the floodwaters were caused by heavy rains spawned by the tropical depression.

Regner identified those killed in Carmen town as Rowena Asenicion, 38, and her children Joyed, 12, and Ivan, 10; Acena Laping, 51; and, Bens Ayan, 2.

The bodies of Asenicion and her children were found floating in Barangay Dawis Norte, about two kilometers from their house in Barangay Duwalog, Carmen.

Regner said rescuers were also searching for two more persons from Barangay Poblacion in Carmen.

Regner said floodwaters in Danao City also claimed the life of Benyang Manulat, 52.

The rains spawned by Crising started Saturday evening and ended Sunday morning.

Floods were also reported in other parts of Cebu, including the cities of Mandaue and Cebu, but there were no reports of any casualties.</s>AFTER dominating the National Age Group Triathlon (NAGT)-Camotes Leg, the junior triathletes of Cebu are gearing up for their next task—the Capiz International Triathlon this Saturday.

The junior triathletes will be led by national team members Karen Manayon and Andrew Kim Remolino of Talisay City, who will suit up in the sprint race, which features an 800-m. swim, 20K bike and 5K run course.

Manayon and Remolino, both students of Talisay City Science High School, reigned in their respective divisions in the NAGT-Camotes Leg last March 26.

“We have prepared for the Capiz race. The athletes continued to train even on Holy Week. They only rested on Good Friday,” said coach Roland Remolino of Talisay Luigi Triathlon Group.

Cebuanas Moira Erediano of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) and Nicole del Rosario of SHS-Hijas de Jesus will also suit up in the mini-sprint with 400m swim, 10K bike and 2.5K run route.

The other junior triathletes of Cebu listed for the race are Alfred Lathrel Pacabis, Renz Wynn Corbin, Denver Dayonot, Jeana Mariel Canete, Dave Zachary Fernandez, Jesson Christopher Canete and Charles Jeremiah Lipura.
The death toll from flooding in the Philippine province of Cebu rises to nine with ten missing.