THE Philippine National Police ( PNP) is optimistic that they will still rescue survivors in the massive landslide that buried dozens of homes in Naga City, Cebu last September 20.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame, that the number of fatalities has increased to 53 while 10 were hurt and several others missing.

“ We are hopeful and hindi naman tayo naggigive-up d’yan. Sana nga mayroon pa tayong makuhang buhay d’yan. Hindi tayo puwedeng maging pessimistic d’yan. We are optimistic that talagang mayroon pa tayong makukuhang buhay,“ Albayalde said.

The fatalities were identified as Althea Siton, 4; Olivia Meneses Moral, 63; Annabel Lobiano, 40; Romeo Jabonilia, 40, Francisco Yapac, 60; Michael Versales, 16; Mark Laurence Campanilla, 3; Bianca Versales, 19; Raul Gepuiy, 47; Laura Capoy, 52; Ms. Girl Campanilla, Baby Girl Campanilla, Nima Siton, 8; Crystal Jean Siton, Joseph Tolentino, 47; Juanito Siton, 42; Emeliana Siton, 85; Jocelyn Siton, Aracelle Lobiano, 49; Lance Noah Lobiano, 7; Jemuel Campanilla, 12; Jazwel Campanilla, 8;

Lemuel Campanilla, M, ; Jenessa Campanilla, F, 32 , Marcelina Campanilla, 52 ; Franz Laurence Campanilla,10; Zeny Campanilla, 24; Lauro Campanilla; Lexter Campanilla, Lauren “Oyen” Capoy, baby girl, 4; Leo Campanilla, Susan Aguanta and Felipa Merly Baclaan, Victorino Abalos,60; Susan Aguanta,47; Jesus Aguanta; Eva Ibas,60; Robert Canada, Cherry Pansoy; James Kyle Pansoy; Juvy Requinto; Ben Silana; Jemar Bedico; and Nicanor Lapiz,

The Naga City police, the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and local town officials are supervising all search, rescue and retrieval operations in Sitio Sindulan, Barangay Tinasan which has been declared off-limits to unauthorized persons amid the danger of another landslide.

With Zaida delos Reyes</s>Search and rescue operations are still ongoing for residents believed to be trapped in their homes

MANILA, Philippines – The number of people killed in the massive landslide that hit Naga City, Cebu, rose to 42 on Sunday, September 23.

The Naga City Police Station provided the latest death toll in an update sent to media on Sunday morning.

Police also said at least 9 others were injured, while it is unclear how many remain missing.

The landslide had buried around 20 houses in Barangay Tinaan and 4 houses in Barangay Naalad last Thursday, September 20. It occurred after days of heavy rain. (READ: Naga, Cebu landslide: Did authorities ignore signs of danger?)

Search and rescue operations are still ongoing for residents believed to be trapped in their homes.

Nearly 900 families also had to evacuate, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The area where the landslide struck is near a quarrying site. Following the deadly incident, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu suspended quarrying in the regions of Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, and Caraga.

The landslide in Naga City came just 5 days after the massive landslide in the mining town of Itogon, Benguet, which was triggered by Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut). The landslide in Itogon left at least 41 people dead. – Rappler.com</s>At least 10 others are injured, while it is unclear how many remain missing

MANILA, Philippines – The death toll from the huge landslide that hit Naga City, Cebu, rose to 49 on Monday, September 24.

In an update sent to media on Monday morning, the Naga City Police Station also said at least 10 others were injured.

It is unclear how many remain missing. Search and rescue operations continue.

The landslide had buried around 20 houses in Barangay Tinaan and 4 houses in Barangay Naalad last Thursday, September 20. It occurred after days of heavy rain. (READ: Naga, Cebu landslide: Did authorities ignore signs of danger?)

Nearly 900 families also had to evacuate, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The area where the landslide struck is near a quarrying site. Following the deadly incident, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu suspended quarrying in the regions of Ilocos, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Davao, and Caraga.

The landslide in Naga City came just 5 days after the massive landslide in the mining town of Itogon, Benguet, which was triggered by Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut). The landslide in Itogon left at least 42 people dead. – Rappler.com</s>The September 20 landslide, which was triggered by days of heavy rain, also injures at least 10 people

MANILA, Philippines – The huge landslide in Naga City, Cebu, has left at least 56 dead, the police said on Tuesday, September 25, or 5 days after the disaster.

In its latest update on Tuesday, the Naga City Police Station said the figure rose from the 49 deaths reported on Monday, September 24. At least 10 injured persons have been rescued in the ongoing operation.

The police said the September 20 landslide, which was triggered by days of heavy rain, "completely covered" more or less 24 houses in barangays Tinaan and Naalad in Naga City.

According to Naga City Mayor Kristine Chiong, the houses were occupied by the employees of quarrying company Apo Land and Quarry Corporation (ALQC).

Following the landslide in Naga, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Friday, September 21, suspended quarry operations in Central Visayas and 7 other regions pending their safety assessment.

The ALQC on Saturday, September 22, said it intends to fully comply with the environment department's cease and desist order.

The landslide in Naga City came just 5 days after the massive landslide in the mining town of Itogon, Benguet, which was triggered by Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut). The landslide in Itogon left at least 50 people dead. – Rappler.com

Read more stories from Rappler's coverage of the Naga, Cebu landslide:
• Twin tragedies: How Itogon and Naga landslides are alike</s>Now you don’t have to go to Manila to catch a flight to Japan. The Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific, makes it easier for residents in the Visayas and Mindanao to fly to Japan, via its hub in Cebu.

On top of easier connecting flights to Japan, Cebu Pacific is also boosting frequency of its Cebu-Narita route from four times a week to a daily flight, effective December 1, 2018.

Cebu Pacific has made connections to Narita, Japan simpler and easier from Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro or Davao through seamless flight schedules as well as one-time check-in for both domestic and international flights. Fares to Narita, Japan via Cebu are as low as PHP7,776 from Cagayan de Oro (Laguindingan); PHP7,676 from Davao; PHP7,376.00 from Bacolod; and PHP7,576 from Iloilo.

“Japan is a popular destination among Filipino vacationers. We are giving passengers who hail from the Visayas and Mindanao a more practical and viable option to reach Japan with daily flights from Cebu. This is on top of flights from Manila to Narita, Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya,” said Alexander Lao, President and CEO of Cebgo.

The Philippines, on the other hand, is a popular destination among Japanese tourists, with data from the Department of Tourism recording 366,649 tourist arrivals from Japan from January to July 2018. An estimated 20,000 Japanese nationals also call the Philippines home; with hundreds of students choosing to study English in the Philippines because of the language’s official status, geographical proximity to Japan compared with other English-speaking countries, and relatively low study and living expenses.

“More flight options mean greater flexibility for our customers and easier transfers from Narita to Cebu. Japanese students, expatriates and tourists can now enjoy more attractions the Philippines has to offer through easy connections either to Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro or Davao.”

Aside from Cebu, Cebu Pacific flies 14 times weekly between Manila and Narita; five times weekly to and from Nagoya; four times a week between Manila and Osaka; and thrice weekly to and from Fukuoka.

The Japan routes are one of the strongest growth drivers of Cebu Pacific, with passenger volume expanding by an average 52% from April to June 2018 alone. As of the first half of 2018, Cebu Pacific has flown 10.4 million passengers.</s>A temporary ban on quarrying has been imposed in the Philippines following two major landslide disasters in the past week.

The latest killed at least 45 villagers when dozens of homes were buried when a mountainside collapsed on the island of Cebu.

Villagers say their warnings about a nearby stone quarry were ignored and they want to know why the government failed to protect them from this calamity.

Al Jazeera's Jamela Alindogan reports from the island of Cebu.</s>LOCAL airlines have started imposing higher fares for domestic and international flights after the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) approved a fuel surcharge matrix to address the rising price of jet fuel.

Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL) and Cebu Air, Inc. (Cebu Pacific) said they had started implementing a fuel surcharge on Wednesday, Sept. 19, to respond to the effects of growing fuel expenses.

Cebu Pacific President Lance Y. Gokongwei told reporters on the sidelines of an air transport forum in Makati City on Monday that the airline had rolled out updated airfares after the CAB’s issuance of a fuel surcharge matrix last month.

Alexander G. Lao, president of Cebu Pacific subsidiary of Cebgo, Inc., said the airline had followed “Level 3” of the surcharge matrix, which means an addition of as low as P74 for short distance flights. Examples of these flights are those from Cebu to Bacolod, or Cebu to Tagbilaran.

For international flights, a Level 3 surcharge means an additional airfare of P1,425 for those connecting Manila to Dubai or Melbourne, Australia.

Maria Socorro R. Gonzaga, PAL vice-president for external affairs and partnerships, confirmed to reporters that the airline had started charging higher fares last week. This was after PAL filed an application to the CAB when the surcharge matrix became effective mid-September.

Mr. Lao said while the fuel surcharge is not meant to offset all costs, it is expected to help the company recover some of its losses.

“Fuel surcharge is only to recover a portion of the cost. I think it’s 70% or 80% of the incremental fuel cost. But it does help,” he said.

Philippines AirAsia, Inc. said it had filed an application with the CAB on Friday but had yet to get the regulatory board’s approval.

Cebu Air, which operates under the trade name Cebu Pacific, saw a 24% drop in net income during the first half at P3.309 billion. This was mainly attributed to the rising price of jet fuel and the weakening of the Philippine peso.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the cost of jet fuel as of Sept. 14 reached $90.83 per barrel, 28.49% higher than in the same period last year and 2.96% higher compared with the cost last month.

Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Manuel Antonio L. Tamayo previously said allowing airlines to impose a fuel surcharge was necessary to keep them from suspending flights just to cope with ballooning expenses.

“We have to let the airlines survive instead of cancelling flights, sacrificing quality of service,” he had said.

PAL’s listed parent firm PAL Holdings, Inc. reported higher spending in the first half due to the rise in fuel costs, recording a 21.7% increase in flying operations to P41.012 billion.

In a text message, PAL Spokesperson Cielo C. Villaluna told BusinessWorld the surcharge would help cushion the impact of rising fuel prices on the airline’s operations.

“It partially helps a carrier recoup extraordinary expenses brought about by such price hikes. Fuel surcharge is computed per route, based on distance. The imposition of fuel surcharge is allowed to help sustain the viability of airline operations,” she said.</s>Iranian feature ‘Kupal’ directed by Kazem Mollaie won the Special Jury Prize at the 7th edition of Cebu International Film Festival in the Philippines.

'Kupal' narrates the story of a hunter and taxidermist who goes through an unfortunate incident by trapping himself in his basement with little food and no water, having to survive by using creative and desperate means. The storyline of Kupal and the tagline is, ‘you can’t be alone in this world!’

Meanwhile, short animated piece ‘The Fox’ directed by Iranian filmmaker Sadegh Javadi won the best short film award at this festival.

‘The Fox’ is about a young and lively fox that is caught by a hunter when experiencing its first love. The hunter puts a bell around the fox’s neck and returns it to the woods. The bell prevents the fox from hunting and living its normal life in the woods and it soon realizes that its only way to survive is to be tamed and go back to the hunter.

Cebu International Film Festival (CEBU.IFF), according to the event’s website, aims to gather global filmmakers to celebrate the art and craft of filmmaking, promoting valuable cross-cultural partnerships, and sharing inspirational stories across the globe.

The seventh edition of the festival was held on 18-23 September 2018 in Cebu, the Philippines.</s>Envisioned to be a premier lifestyle destination and a sustainable community that will foster a new paradigm of living, a 25-hectare resort-inspired uphill integrated township project by SterlingLand Residences and Development Inc. is strategically set to rise at the southern part of Metropolitan Cebu.

In addition to SterlingLand’s prestigious line of horizontal properties is Minglanilla Highlands Cebu Residences. This new brand of affordable yet luxurious residential development will be home to all segments of the society including start-up families, young professionals and the elderly. Single-detached units, Duplex and Townhouses are some of the housing choices.

Nestled in the scenic location of Minglanilla, Tubod, Cebu, this tastefully master-planned community is designed to offer complete world-class neighborhood amenities in harmony with the natural beauty of its locale, including a shrine, a meditation garden labyrinth, a chapel, an orchard, a day-care center, a retirement village, a bed and breakfast facility, commercial establishments and arcades, dining spots, a multi-level infinity pool and other recreational facilities intended not only for its residents but for tourists, pilgrims and other guests as well.

As SterlingLand aims to promote a nature-embracing community, the team lead by Marilou A. Padilla, President and CEO of SterlingLand want to be a catalyst for spiritual growth in the community as they harness devotion and faithfulness by setting the 26-foot shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal as the core of the development.

It’s more than just an address because everything is right at your doorstep at Minglanilla Highlands Cebu. For inquiries and more information, visit them at their corporate office located at 204 and 205 Cebu Holdings Center, Cardinal Rosales, Cebu City or you may call them through telephone numbers: +(6332) 260 6808 and +(6332) 268 6396.</s>CEBU CITY – The National Hous­ing Authority has committed to fund the housing program for families displaced by the massive landslide in Naga City, Cebu.

Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong said that for Phase 1 of the hous­ing program, the NHA will fund the construction of 320 housing units in a Gawad Kalinga community situated in Naga City.

“This is part of the commitment by President Duterte to provide reloca­tion site for the displaced families,” said Chiong.

If needed, the housing program will have Phase 2, Chiong said.

“In case there will be more families that have to be relocated, 536 units will be built in Balili property,” the mayor said.

Chiong said the city will await the results of the assessment conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“The DENR will check if the reloca­tion site is safe,” the mayor said.

Chiong said the number of families that will be relocated will also depend on the assessment of the DENR.

DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu has ordered that residents living within the one-kilometer radius of the land­slide area should evacuate.

“It may be reduced to 300 meters. At the time when Secretary Cimatu ordered the forced evacuation, there were still movement of the soil that’s why it was expanded to one kilo­meter. We will await clearance from DENR,” said Chiong.

The landslide happened in Baran­gay Tinaan and most of the fatalities are from Sitio Sindulan.

Naga City information officer Garry Cabotaje said the death toll has reached 56 as of 10 a.m. yesterday.

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III has expressed willingness to donate the province-owned Balili property, a 24.7-hectare beach front property, to Naga City.

Davide said there were previous negotiations where the province will sell the property to Naga City.

But after the landslide, Davide is now considering to just donate the property to Naga City.

Davide said the province will also give R10,000 to each family of the fatalities and another R1 million to the city government of Naga.

The Balili property was the subject of a graft case filed against former Cebu Gov. now Cebu Rep. Gwen Garcia.

Graft charges were filed against Garcia after it was found out that the Balili property, which was purchased province during for R98.9 million, was largely underwater and covered with mangroves.

The Ombudsman in February ordered the dismissal from public service of Garcia in connection with a R24.47-million project to backfill the largely underwater Balili property. (Calvin D. Cordova)
The death toll of the landslide in Cebu, Philippines rises to 53.