Tag: Philippines
When the spare tire is better
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In the aftermath of typhoon Ulysses that caused massive flooding in many parts of Luzon, the stellar efforts of Vice President Leni Robredo to help out calamity victims have been the talk of the town, so much so that the President dedicated a portion of his most recent TV appearance disparaging her for making it appear that she was in charge, not him.
Presidential mouthpiece Harry Roque even alluded to the term 'spare tire' in describing the Vice-President in a follow-up attack.
The actual term is 'Presidential spare tire' – a rarely used term and more commonly used by political commentators, lawyers, political scientists, and teachers of the subject Philippine Constitution in college.
It comes from the following provision of the 1987 Constitution:
SECTION 3. There shall be a Vice-President who shall have the same qualifications and term of office and be elected with and in the same manner as the President. He may be removed from office in the same manner as the President.
The Vice-President may be appointed as a Member of the Cabinet. Such appointment requires no confirmation.
Nowhere else in the Constitution can one find a more clear or distinct job description for the Vice-President. If he/she is not appointed to a Cabinet position, the Vice-President has literally nothing else to do except to wait to assume the presidency in case of the death, disability, or resignation of the incumbent President.
An excellent briefer on the Office of the Vice-President by Manuel Quezon III, tell of its colorful history, noteworthy is that the first Vice-President not appointed to any cabinet position was Diosdado Macapagal as he was from party different from the President's.
Coming back to Vice-President Leni Robredo, she was once appointed to Cabinet as head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council back in July 2016. On December 4, 2016 she was informed not to attend all Cabinet meetings anymore which led to her resignation from the Cabinet the day after.
Since then, the Vice-President has been doing what she can with what little her office has from helping healthcare workers to get much-needed PPEs and transportation when the COVID-19 pandemic caused a severe lockdown in Luzon to the more recent rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of typhoon Ulysses.
As I have said before:
The fact that @lenirobredo is doing so much with so little means there's a LEADERSHIP VACUUM: the President has failed to exercise leadership, his Cabinet is unable to move on their own, not even the glorified alalay has been of any use.
— Jay (@jhayrocas) November 14, 2020
Naturally and thankfully, the Vice-President has stepped up and shown what real leadership is.
Tags Constitution, Government, Leadership, Philippines, Politics, Vice-President
Will Philippine media do a News Night 2.0?
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The role of journalists and in particular the manner of how they report on the President's public statements have become the focus of discussion on Twitter in the morning after Duterte's most recent address wherein he launched into another diatribe against Vice President Leni Robredo for upstaging him with her efforts of helping out the victims of the two recent typhoons that ravaged Luzon causing massive flooding, damages, and loss of life. Worse, Duterte's tirade was based largely on wrong information that was given to him by his own cabinet officials.
Aside from Duterte who was once more ridiculed and called out for his lies, misogyny and uncouth behavior, veteran journalist Joseph Morong got some flak for allegedly reporting what the President said as he said them without even bothering to fact-check the statements or applying context. Such is the peril of covering the President who is known for his incoherent and at times unfiltered public statements. Rather than interpreting, Joseph Morong has just reported what the President said nearly verbatim. Which is the sensible thing to do to avoid being called out for being 'too biased' with his reporting.
Simply put, don't shoot the messenger as the veteran journalist still deserve some credit for his honest coverage of the President.
However, the larger issue remains: when would Philippine media and journalists step up its efforts in covering the President in a true journalistic fashion:
(UN)COVERING THE PRESIDENT: If an uncouth President makes false claims and sexist tirades, news media organizations should either cut away or fact-check on the spot. This is a fundamental lesson in journalism ethics. Media owners, gatekeepers and reporters should step up.
— Danilo Arao (@dannyarao) November 17, 2020
And it's something that is not hard to as just recently, the world was impressed by US media and journalists for calling out Trump for his baseless accusations of election-rigging after being denied a second term by Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Weeks before the US Presidential elections, there was a hint of this, 'journalistic reboot' from ABS-CBN News chief Ging Reyes that headlined a story that was largely ignored by the public and media itself:
"Media fed our audience too much entertainment. We're guilty of that."
It quickly reminded me of the opening scene in an episode of The Newsroom on which fictional cable news anchor Will McAvoy gave an inspiring apology in the same vein:
It opened with a clip of Richard Clarke, former counterterrorism chief to President George W. Bush, testifying before the US Congress on March 24, 2004, in which he basically apologized to the American people for the failure of their government to stop terrorists from carrying out the Sept 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. The full transcript I reproduce below along with a clip of the episode:
"I welcome these hearings because of the opportunity that they provide to the American people to better understand why the tragedy of 9/1 1 happened and what we must do to prevent a reoccurrence.
I also welcome the hearings because it is finally a forum where I can apologize to the loved ones of the victims of 9/1 1.
To them who are here in the room, to those who are watching on television, your government failed you.
Those entrusted with protecting you failed you.
And I failed you."
"I welcome these hearings because of the opportunity that they provide to the American people to better understand why the tragedy of 9/1 1 happened and what we must do to prevent a reoccurrence. I also welcome the hearings because it is finally a forum where I can apologize to the loved ones of the victims of 9/1 1. To them who are here in the room, to those who are watching on television, your government failed you. Those entrusted with protecting you failed you. And I failed you."
Will McAvoy:
Americans liked that moment.
I liked that moment.
Adults should hold themselves accountable for failure.
And so tonight I'm beginning this newscast by joining Mr. Clarke in apologizing to the American people for our failure.
The failure of this program during the time I've been in charge of it to successfully inform and educate the American electorate.
Let me be clear that I don't apologize on behalf of all broadcast journalists, nor do all broadcast journalists owe an apology.
I speak for myself.
I was an accomplice to a slow and repeated and unacknowledged and un-amended train wreck of failures
that have brought us to now.
I'm a leader in an industry that miscalled election results, hyped-up terror scares, ginned up controversy, and failed to report on tectonic shifts in our country.
From the collapse of the financial system to the truths about how strong we are to the dangers we actually face.
I'm a leader in an industry that misdirected your attention with the dexterity of Harry Houdini, while sending hundreds of thousands of our bravest young men and women off to war without due diligence.
The reason we failed isn't a mystery.
We took a dive for the ratings.
In the infancy of mass communication, the Columbus and Magellan of broadcast journalism, William Paley and David Sarnoff, went down to Washington to cut a deal with Congress.
Congress would allow the fledgling networks free use of taxpayer-owned airwaves in exchange for one public service.
That public service would be one hour of air time set aside every night for informational broadcasting, or what we now call the evening news. Congress, unable to anticipate the enormous capacity television would have to deliver consumers to advertisers, failed to include in its deal the one requirement that would have changed our national discourse immeasurably for the better.
Congress forgot to add that under no circumstances could there be paid advertising during informational broadcasting.
They forgot to say that taxpayers will give you the airwaves for free, and for 23 hours a day, you should make a profit,
but for one hour a night, you work for us. And now those network newscasts, anchored through history by honest-to-God newsmen with names like Murrow and Reasoner and Huntley and Brinkley and Buckley and Cronkite and Rather
and Russert, now they have to compete with the likes of me, a cable anchor who's in the exact same business as the producers of Jersey Shore.
And that business was good to us, but News Night is quitting that business right now. It might come as a surprise to you
that some of history's greatest American journalists are working right now, exceptional minds with years of experience and an unshakeable devotion to reporting the news.
But these voices are a small minority now and they don't stand a chance against the circus, when the circus comes to town. They're overmatched.
I'm quitting the circus, switching teams.
I'm going with the guys who are getting creamed.
I'm moved they still think they can win, and I hope they can teach me a thing or two.
From this moment on, we'll be deciding what goes on our air
and how it's presented to you based on the simple truth that nothing is more important to a democracy than a well-informed electorate.
We'll endeavor to put information in a broader context because we know that very little news is born at the moment it comes across our wire.
We'll be the champion of facts and the mortal enemy of innuendo, speculation, hyperbole, and nonsense.
We're not waiters in a restaurant serving you the stories you asked for, just the way you like them prepared.
Nor are we computers dispensing only the facts because news is only useful in the context of humanity.
I'll make no effort to subdue my personal opinions.
I will make every effort to expose you to informed opinions that are different from my own.
You may ask, "Who are we to make these decisions?"
We are MacKenzie McHale and myself.
Ms. McHale is our executive producer. She marshals the resources of over 100 reporters, producers, analysts, and technicians, and her credentials are readily available.
I'm News Night's managing editor, and make the final decision on everything seen and heard on this program.
Who are we to make these decisions?
We're the media elite.
We'll be back after this with the news."
Will ABS-CBN make good on the apology of its News chief shape up and step up to what the fictional Will McAvoy and his news program did in the Newsroom and be more objective, critical and be 'damned good newsmen'?
Or am I just being too naive into thinking that the network will do such a thing? After what it has been through – suffering a major blow from Duterte, losing billions of revenue, its stable of talents decimated, losing hundreds of employees and making do with online streaming and piggy-backing on other network's broadcasts, maybe it finally saw this as a wake up call. Had it done a much better job of informing the electorate about the monster that is Duterte, maybe it would not have gone through this dark chapter.
Here's a clip of that opening scene:
Tags Aaron Sorkin, Duterte, Elections, Journalism, Media, News, Philippines, Politics, The Newsroom
Ulat Panahon – Bagyong Rolly (GONI)
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Ulat Panahon Blg 13 ukol sa Napakalakas na bagyong "Rolly" (GONI)
Ang sentro ng bagyong "Rolly" (GONI) ay tumama sa lupa sa paligid ng Bato, Catanduanes (13.60°N, 124.33°E) kaninang 4:50 ng umaga. Pagkatapos bagtasin ang kanlurang bahagi ng Catanduanes, ito ay tatawid ng Lagonoy Gulf at muling tatama sa lupa sa bandang kanluran ng Camarines Sur o hilagang bahagi ng Albay ngayong umaga. Mula rito, dadaan ito sa mga probinsya ng Camarines patungo sa CALABARZON ngayong hapon. Tinatayang lalabas ng Luzon ang bagyong "Rolly" patungo sa West Philippine Sea matapos humina mula sa pagiging napakalakas na bagyo.
Ang pagdaan ng bagyong "Rolly" ay magdudulot ng mabigat hanggang sa matindi na minsan ay may pabugso-bugsong pagulan sa mga naturang Bicol Region, CALABARZON, Metro Manila, Marinduque, Romblon, Mindoro Provinces, Bataan, Bulacan, Aurora, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, at silangang bahagi ng Cagayan at Isabela.
Katamtaman hanggang sa mabigat na minsan ay pabugso-bugsong pag ulan naman ang mararanasan sa Cordillera Administrative Region, Leyte, at natitirang bahagi ng Cagayan Valley at Gitnang Luzon. Mahina hanggang sa mabigat na minsan ay mabigat na pag ulan naman ang mararanasan sa Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, at natitirang bahagi ng Luzon at Visayas. Pinag-iingat ang lahat sa mga pagbaha at biglaang pagbaha, pagguho ng lupa at pagdaloy ng lahar na dulot ng patuloy na pag ulan.
Higit na nakapamiminsalang lakas ng hangin ang mararanasan sa mga lugar kung saan nakataas ang Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals #4 at #5; napakalakas at nakapipinsalang hangin naman sa mga lugar na nasa ilalim ng TCWS #3; malakas na ihip ng hangin naman sa mga lugar na nasa ilalim ng TCWS #2 gayundin sa TCWS #1.
Ang hangin na dala ng bagyong "Rolly" ay may bilis na 225 km/h malapit sa gitna na may pabugso-bugso na bilis hanggang 280 km/h.
Huling namataan ang sentro ng bagyong "Rolly" kaninang 4:50 ng umaga malapit sa Bato, Catanduanes (13.6°N, 124.3°E).
Tinatayang pagkilos:
Makalipas ang 24 oras (Lunes ng umaga): 100 km Kanluran hilagang-kanluran ng Subic, Zambales (14.6°N, 119.4°E)
Makalipas ang 48 oras (Marts ng umaga): 545 km Kanluran ng Iba, Zambales sa labas ng Philippine Area of Resonsibility o PAR (15.0°N, 114.9°E)
Makalipas ang 72 oras (Miyerkoles ng umaga: 830 km Kanluran ng Central Luzon (labas ng PAR) (14.7°N, 112.3°E)
TROPICAL CYCLONE WIND SIGNALS
TCWS #5
(More than 220 km/h winds prevailing or expected in 12 hours)
LUZON:
Catanduanes, Albay, and the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Tinambac, Calabanga, Siruma, Tigaon, Bombon, Magarao, Camaligan, Gainza, Canaman, Milaor, Naga City, Minalabac, Balatan, Bula, Pili, Ocampo, Goa, San Jose, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Baao, Nabua, Bato)
(171-220 km/h winds prevailing or expected in 12 hours)
Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, the northern portion of Sorsogon (Donsol, Pilar, Castilla, Sorsogon City, Prieto Diaz, Gubat, Barcelona, Juban, Casiguran, Magallanes), Burias Island, the central and southern portions of Quezon (Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Plaridel, Unisan, Gumaca, Pitogo, Macalelon, Catanauan, General Luna, Mulanay, San Francisco, San Andres, San Narciso, Buenavista, Lopez, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Calauag, Quezon, Alabat, Perez), Marinduque, and the northern portion of Romblon (Concepcion, Corcuera, Banton)
The rest of Sorsogon, the northern portion of Masbate (Mobo, Masbate City, Milagros, Uson, Baleno, Aroroy, Mandaon) including Ticao Island, the rest of Quezon including Polillo Island, Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, the southern portion of Zambales (San Marcelino, San Felipe, Olongapo City, Subic, Castillejos, San Antonio, San Narciso, Botolan, Cabangan), the central portion of Romblon (Calatrava, San Andres, San Agustin, Romblon, Magdiwang, San Fernando, Cajidiocan), the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Mamburao, Santa Cruz, Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Island, and the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bongabong, Gloria, Bansud, Pinamalayan, Socorro, Pola, Victoria, Naujan, Calapan City, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera)
VISAYAS:
(61-120 km/h winds prevailing or expected in 24 hours)
Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, the rest of Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, the rest of Romblon, and the rest of Masbate
The northern portion of Samar (Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Tarangnan, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Calbayog City, Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An), the northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Julian, Sulat, Taft, Can-Avid, Dolores, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad), the extreme northern portion of Antique (Pandan, Libertad, Caluya), and the northwestern portion of Aklan (Buruanga, Malay, Nabas, Ibajay)
(30-60 km/h winds prevailing or expected in 36 hours)
Mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Calamian Islands
Text and images translated from PAGASA-DOST
Tags Forecasts, Philippines, Super Typhoon Rolly, Typhoon, Typhoon GONI, Weather
Goni vs Haiyan
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As of 7AM, typhoon Rolly (Goni) is barreling its way towards the Bicol region. It packs maximum sustained winds at 215 km/h; 130 mph (115 knots) making it a Category 5 Super typhoon according to local weather bureau PAGASA: "the center of the eye of the typhoon is forecast to pass very close or over the Calaguas Islands tomorrow afternoon and make landfall over Polillo Islands and mainland Quezon tomorrow evening."
By far, Goni is the strongest typhoon in the Western Pacific this 2020. According to Dr Jeff Masters, a hurricane scientist with the NOAA, Goni is the 'strongest landfalling tropical cyclone in world recorded history'. Here's a comparison to one of the more recent super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) which devastated the country in 2013:
Haiyan (Yolanda) c 2013 Goni (Rolly)
10-minute sustained: 230 km/h (145 mph)
1-minute sustained: 315 km/h (195 mph) 115 knots (215 km/h; 130 mph) (10-min mean)
155 knots (285 km/h; 180 mph) (1-min mean)
gusting to 165 knots (305 km/h; 190 mph)
Wind speed at landfall: 305 km/h (190 mph) Wind speed at landfall: 313 km/h (195 mph)
Wind speed comparison between Haiyan and Goni
How did Goni got so powerful? The same way favorable conditions gave rise to Yolanda seven years ago:
First, it formed in the open ocean, and thus no land mass prevented it from forming a symmetrical circular pattern, which helps a cyclone form and gather steam, he said.
Second, ocean temperatures are incredibly warm, topping out at 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). Just as important, the warm water also extends deep into the ocean, meaning that upwelling caused by the winds will not churn up cold water, which dampens cyclone power, McNoldy said. Tropical cyclones are basically giant heat engines, powered by the transfer of heat from the ocean to the upper atmosphere.
Third, there is very little wind shear in the area at this time, McNoldy said. Wind shear, a difference in wind speed or direction with increasing altitude, tears developing hurricanes apart, and prevents them from strengthening.
In its wake, Yolanda left some 6,000 dead and Php95.5 billion ($2.2 billion USD) in damages.
Preparations have already started yesterday with preemptive evacuations in areas that lie in the storm's path. Hopefully, it would be enough to minimize if not prevent the the loss of life. The next three days will be a tough one for all.
Below are links to official/reliable sources of information:
PAGASA Facebook
PAGASA Twitter
PAGASA-DOST official website
Tags Goni, Haiyan, PAGASA, Philippines, Typhoon, Weather