Manila warns of disease outbreak

Philippine health officials on Wednesday warned that water-borne diseases have started to afflict thousands of flood victims as President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino visited the areas in Central Luzon devastated by two back-to-back typhoons that hit the country in less than a week. Undersecretary Eric Tayag of the Department of Health said they are keeping under tight watch the possible outbreak of these diseases and other health problems especially in the overcrowded evacuation centres. These include, Tayag said, ailments such as diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, influenza, leptospirosis and dengue. Fortunately, no death has yet been reported despite the increasing number particularly of children and the elderly reported to be suffering from these diseases, Tayag said. Tayag was among the cabinet and other government officials who briefed Aquino during a meeting of the Central Luzon Regional Development Council in Bulacan’s capital city of Malolos. Discussed was the disastrous impact wrought on the region by typhoons “Quiel” (international codename Nalgae) and “Pedring” (Nesat) which lashed the main island of Luzon in less than a week. Aquino assured officials and residents that the government would help in the rehabilitation particularly of farms, government infrastructure such as roads and bridges which suffered from the heavy damage inflicted by the two typhoons. Aquino visited the affected areas in his home province of Tarlac as well as Bulacan and Pampanga where 3-metre deep floods forced thousands of residents to stay in overcrowded evacuations centers. Others remained in their houses even staying at the rooftops for days to escape the rampaging waters. Aquino has been sharply criticised for being “missing in action” by not visiting the affected areas at the height of the two typhoons. But Secretary Edwin Lacierda, the presidential spokesman, pointed out there was no need for Aquino to appear for “photo ops” (photo opportunities) although he was on top of the situation by talking directly with officials directly concerned especially with relief and rescue missions. Lacierda explained the government resources like helicopters and trucks that would have been available to Aquino during such visits would be put in better use in bringing relief goods to and rescuing flood victims. With the floods subsiding, Aquino now found it worthwhile to visit the affected areas and get first-hand reports from concerned national as well as provincial and local government officials, according to Lacierda. A top weather official reported on Tuesday a tropical cyclone that threatened the Philippines two days after the devastation inflicted by two powerful back-to-back typhoons in less than a week has “dissolved.” Undersecretary Graciano Yumul of the Department of Science and Technology, the head of the weather bureau, said the cyclone which would have been named “Ramon” if it developed into a storm has instead dissolved while still over the Pacific Ocean. Officials also complained that unscrupulous businessmen have been taking advantage of the tragedy by raising the prices of their products. They cited as an example the case of bottles of mineral water being sold at about $3 each from their original price of five US cents.