Weekend Update

MILENYO

There is still a lack of electricty due to Typhoon Milenyo. After 4 days, there are more areas without electricity (and some, water) until this very moment. I keep thinking about New Orleans and how it must’ve sucked ass big time for them. At least we’re not breaking out into riots and raping each other over here.

My house is still without light and power. I’ve been bunking up over at the Dad’s. They were lucky. Power was restored that very night the typhoon hit. Hence the lack of updates because I couldn’t get hold of a decent internet connection. Apologies all around.

Three week wait for power looms in remote areas

It might take as long as three weeks to restore electricity in typhoon-stricken areas in Luzon, energy authorities said Sunday.

Power in Metro Manila is expected to be fully back on by Tuesday, six days after Typhoon Milenyo roared through the region.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said efforts to restore power is were taking longer than expected because there were too many fallen posts and downed lines.

Full article here.

TV Patrol video coverage of Typhoon Milenyo.

VROOM

I did manage to catch the Car and Truck Show at Megamall over the weekend. Classics and suped up autos were all over the place. Needless to say, I was like a kid in a candy store. Except these candies go from 0-60 in 4. Ain’t no sugar rush that can beat that kind of action. I realized that I’m partial to old skool and hypercars. None of that bling-ghetto-pimped-out-like-crazy rides.

My “soccer mom” car.

CHILDBIRTH 101

The Dad and I had to attend this Childbirth Class that our hospital was giving over the weekend. It was more of a forum where first time parents could come and listen to the lectures, eat a little, and ask their questions. It was a riot just because the person/pregnant lady that asked almost all the questions was on her THIRD child. I think she’s more qualified to give the lecture than ask the questions, if you ask me. It was hysterical as the Dad and I poked fun at the doctors and all the swollen tummies in the room. Ah .. there’s nothing like the sight of a fatter pregnant woman to make you feel much better.

Milenyo

I should be pretty much used to the typhoons and floods that annually come to grace my country with it’s presence. Typhoon Milenyo is the kind of visitor that you expect to come over to your messy-but-tolerably-pretty-and-chic house for brunch only to realize that it is piss ass drunk. You try to hide all your valuable vases and memorabilias but this bastard just has a sense of finding the most expensive thing that you own and proceeds to trample your entire house. Milenyo even pukes a good amount on your nice, clean sofa, before marking his territory on your bookshelves. And then, when all bodily fluids have been reliquished, you say. “Thank you. I’ll see you again next year.” You, my friend, have totally been ass-raped.

TYPHOON KILLS 21, CUTS POWER

Still no classes in Metro Manila today – Palace Transmission lines tripped; flights cancelled By MYRNA VELASCO, ARIS ILAGAN, & BENJIE ANTIOQUIATyphoon “Milenyo,” (international code-name: Xangsane) packing winds of 170 kilometers per hour, devastated wide swathes of land in Southern Luzon and Metro Manila from Wednesday night until yesterday afternoon, leaving at least 21 people dead, scores injured and missing, and causing widespread damage to agriculture and public and private infrastructure. Of the number of fatalities as reported by Bulletin reporters and correspondents nationwide, nine were in Quezon; three each in Albay and Antique; two in Muntinlupa City and one each in Manila, Makati, Pasay City and San Juan, all in Metro Manila. The typhoon also tripped power lines that caused outages affecting the entire Luzon grid. The power outages caused inconvenience to the public, halted business in Metro Manila, and forced the cancellation of domestic and international flights. The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) identified some of the fatalities as Lea Dales, 16, of Lucena City; Elda Magdale, 77, of Albay; Jimmy Lesquibe, 42, of Legaspi and Felipe Gumaban and Rufino Caignan of NCR. Those injured were Maki Martinez and Vicente Pedroso, both of Camarines Sur. The National Power Corporation’s system operator (SO) announced the occurrence of system wide blackout a little after 12 noon yesterday because of the trippings of major transmission lines, including the 230 kilowatt volts Sucat-Araneta, Pagbilao- Tayabas lines. As of 5:30 p.m. yesterday Energy Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla reported that the entire Bicol Region power grid remained isolated. Lotilla appealed to the public to bear with the slow process of restoration of electricity because the power utilities are making sure that lines and grids would not pose any danger to the public when power is restored. He cited the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) franchise area where it was not easy to restore power because of the many power lines cut by fallen trees. In a statement, the National Power Corp. said that “there is enough power to meet the country’s needs” but problems remain with the transmission and distribution of power. Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, who presided over an emergency meeting at the NDCC headquarters while President Arroyo was in Pampanga, ordered the cancellation of classes in all levels in schools in the National Capital Region today Ermita said government offices will not have work today although those directly involved in the relief and rehabilation efforts were directed to report to office. Ermita’s order superseded an earlier announcement made by Department of Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz who said that classes in all levels in all schools, even in typhoon affected areas, will resume today in anticipation of the improvement in weather conditions. Meralco President Chito Francisco said that power has been restored to only 17 of the 65 major power substations in Metro Manila. These substations are in Balintawak, Meycauyan, Calbigan, Kamuning, Cubao, Mandaluyong, EDSA Shangri- la, Araneta, Sta. Mesa, North Forbes and Dolores. Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz said that among the worst affected areas were the provinces of Sorsogon and Albay, both in the Bicol region, and Quezon. In his capacity as NDCC chairman, Cruz said that he has recommended that the two Bicol provinces be placed under the state of calamity. Quezon suffers most number of fatalities

Source: Manila Bulletin