MANILA — Thousands of people in the Philippines fled their homes as a volcano erupted on Monday, sending a spectacular column of ash high into the sky, residents said.

The eruption of Bulusan, a 1,559-metre (5,115-foot) volcano, turned mid-morning into night for about 20 minutes across largely farming areas around its slopes, regional army spokesman Major Harold Cabunoc told AFP.

“There was a major ashfall. There was zero visibility,” Cabunoc said.

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LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines —The United Nations World Food Programme (UN-WFP) on Tuesday sent 55,000 kilos of high energy biscuits worth P5 million to families in Albay who were affected by heavy rains for more than three weeks now.

Stephen Anderson, WFP country director, said this would augment ongoing relief operations in Bicol.

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After yesterday’s turnover ceremonies at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City, Francis N. Tolentino, three-term mayor of Tagaytay City (1995-2004), said he has ordered a review of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or number coding scheme and at the same time limiting exceptions, such as ambulances and the media.

Mr. Tolentino said flood control projects will be made more effective.

In a statement, Mr. Tolentino said his administration will involve the public in crafting new programs.

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MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – The death toll of Typhoon Basyang (international name Conson) has climbed to 18, the National Disaster Coordinating Council said in a statement released at 6 p.m. today.

Moreover, 57 people were reported missing and 12 others were injured, the NDCC said.

The number of victims will continue to rise as more people called for help in finding for missing relatives.

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MANILA: An offshore earthquake measuring 6. 0 on the Richer scale struck eastern Philippines early Thursday morning, the government-run quake monitoring institute reported.

There is no immediate report of casualties or damages.

The quake, tectonic in origin, occurred at 02:49 am local time (1849 GMT Wednesday) and its center was located in the sea, about 156 km east of Virac, Cataduanes province with a depth of 31 km, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.  Read the rest of the story…

Victims of tropical cyclones “Ondoy” (Ketsana) and “Pepeng” (Parma) stand to benefit from a fresh grant of €7 million (about P490 million) in humanitarian assistance from the European Commission.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council said the grant, which the EC approved this week, is separate from the €2 million (P140 million) grant approved September 29 last year.

An article posted Friday evening on the NDCC website said this brings EC funding for Ondoy and Pepeng victims to €9 million (about P630 million).

“The extent of the suffering and damage caused by Ondoy and Pepeng had called for exceptional efforts and resilience by the national and local authorities, and by so many ordinary citizens who responded directly to help those affected by the floods and landslides. The European Commission, through its Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), has been happy to add its support to these efforts,” EC Head of Delegation in Manila Ambassador Alistair MacDonald said.  Read the Rest of the Story

MANILA, Philippines—Reminding Filipinos that that it was now their turn to help, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has directed that a second collection be taken in all the Masses to be celebrated on Jan. 24 for relief efforts in quake-devastated Haiti.

The CBCP president, Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar, issued the directive Friday night after consulting with other bishops who sit in the group’s permanent council.