Climate Change Update: Philippines Project NOAH – National Operational Assessment of Hazards – intends to give Filipinos a better chance of overcoming calamities by providing real-time access to weather information and updating maps. Spearheaded by the Philippine Department of Science and Technology, the 2 billion pesos, or $48 million, project was launched in July 2012. Automated rain gauges first were installed in river basis around the country, allowing scientists and other experts to track rainfall and river water levels in real time. This month, the project will roll out LIDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, technology which allows for high-resolution 3D mapping of the country’s topography – something which scientists say will help the Philippines’ better prepare for potential disasters. The entire country is expected to be digitally mapped within two years, according to scientists running the project. “Using the best technology available is the only way to minimize casualties,” said Mahar Lagmay, executive director of Project Noah and a scientist at the University of the Philippines in Manila. “We need to develop a culture of preparedness and safety.

"Just weeks after Project Noah was launched by the country’s president Benigno Aquino III, the system was quickly tested when monsoon winds and rain dumped unusually heavy rainfall on critical cities in the Philippines, including Manila. The torrential rains caused the most severe floods seen since Tropical Storm Ketsana in 2009 which left the capital submerged for days. Initial assessments of the August floods showed that better tracking and disaster response times helped to limit the death toll to just over 100 people, compared to over 700 during 2009’s floods. A report from the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, said local governments were “managing the situations well”, and that that follow-up relief operation was put into action quickly. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the population displaced by the floods reduced by 10% in a week – a far better record than during Typhoon Ketsana, whose impact lasted months though similar levels of rainfall were recorded, according to Project Noah’s tracking maps."

'via Blog this' Philippines Goes Hi-Tech For Disaster Response Plan - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ:

Rotary Update: The Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Pangasinan chapter and the Rotary Club of Dagupan East launched the "Blood Samaritan Project" on Monday to address the humanitarian need for safe, adequate and equitable distribution of blood supply. The Blood Samaritan Project is a resource generation activity initiated by the Philippine Red Cross to help indigent clients gain access to blood and blood products. The strong and stable collaboration with Rotary Club led to the "RC-RC partnership in Service for Peace and Humanity."

: "Dr. Vivencio Villaflor, chairman and board of director of PRC-Pangasinan, said every individual deserves quality health care. In cases when a patient needs blood for transfusion and be restored to health, the Red Cross is mandated to provide blood for patients, he said. Safe and quality blood carries cost that most indigent patients could not afford. PRC said though blood itself is free, collecting and processing of one unit of safe and quality blood costs P1,500. PRC recovers the cost of blood operations by charging clients a nominal blood processing fee. Unfortunately, the total cost is hardly met by an average Filipino. Thus, the partnership emerged, which has been strengthened by several humanitarian endeavors, the PRC said. On the same day, the PRC-Pangasinan chapter also conducted its assembly at the Stadia this city led by Chapter Administrator Florame Magalong. An oath-taking of the new officers was held in the evening. (ANL/VHS-PIA 1 Pangasinan) "'via Blog this' PIA | Philippine Information Agency | Philippine Red Cross, Rotary Club launch ‘Blood Samaritan Project’

Peace Update: The largest Muslim rebel group in the Philippines said Monday that a peace accord with the government could be forged soon despite recent attempts by a breakaway guerrilla faction to derail the talks. Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator of the 11,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said more than 50 percent of the issues being tackled by the rebels and government negotiators in Malaysian-brokered talks have been settled in principle. President Benigno Aquino III has expressed hope that a peace pact can be signed as early as December.

 "The Moro group has been battling for decades for self-rule for minority Muslims in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic country. The rebellion has left more than 120,000 people dead, held back progress in the resource-rich south and sparked worries by Western governments that rebel strongholds could serve as breeding grounds for al-Qaida-linked extremists. The planned signing of a preliminary peace pact in 2008 was scuttled when the Supreme Court declared the agreement unconstitutional, prompting three rebel commanders to launch attacks on Christian communities in the south. The attacks and an ensuing military offensive killed dozens of people and displaced about 750,000 villagers until the two sides agreed on a cease-fire."Muslim Rebels: Philippine Peace Pact Possible Soon - ABC News:

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