‘Pepeng’ enters RP, threatens to become super typhoon

Less than a week after tropical storm “Ondoy” (Ketsana) devastated Metro Manila and some provinces in the Central Luzon and Calabarzon regions and leaving over 200 people dead and thousands more homeless , a powerful new cyclone entered Philippine territory Wednesday afternoon.

Nathaniel Cruz, weather bureau chief of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said typhoon Pepeng (international name: Parma) may even intensify into a super typhoon.

“Pumasok na sa area of responsibility (ang) bagyong papangalanan nating ‘Pepeng.’ Pumasok siya mga 2 p.m. (The cyclone named Pepeng entered our area of responsibility at 2 p.m.),” Cruz said in an interview on dzRH radio.

Cruz said Pepeng is packing maximum winds of 120 kph and may pass Northern Luzon on its way to Taiwan. “Kung tuloy tuloy at di magbabago ang direction tatama sa dulo ng Northern Luzon hanggang Taiwan (If it does not change direction it is likely to hit the Northern Luzon-Taiwan area),” he said.

In its 5 p.m. advisory, Pagasa said that as of 4 p.m., Pepeng was 940 kms east of Surigao City. It is moving west-northwest at 22 kph and is expected to be 630 kms east-northeast of Borongan, Eastern Samar by Thursday afternoon.

Kris Aquino sold her house with husband James Yap for Noynoy’s campaign

MOVING TO A CONDO. Isa-isang sinagot ni Kris Aquino ang mga isyung umiikot sa kanya at pamilya sa presscon cum launching ng bago niyang product endorsement na Downy Antibac last Friday, September 25.

Nung Biyernes ay itinuloy ni Kris ang paghahanap ng condo unit na titirhan nila ng kanyang asawa at mga anak. Nabenta na kasi ang bahay nila ni James sa Valle Verde II. Gagamitin ang pinagbentahan ng bahay ni Kris para sa kampanya ng kanyang nakatatandang kapatid na si Senator Noynoy Aquino para sa kandidatura nito bilang presidente sa 2010 elections.

Actress Sylvia Sanchez and her family trapped in their house during typhoon Ondoy

Matinding kalamidad ang humampas sa bansang Pilipinas, partikular na sa Metro Manila, sa pananalasa ng bagyong Ondoy. Napakaraming sinalanta ng bagyo—buhay, mga ari-arian, at mga tahanan ay winasak. Mahirap man o mayaman, artista man o pangkaraniwang tao ay hindi pinalampas.

Isa sa naapektuhan nang husto ng bagyong Ondoy ay ang aktres na si Sylvia Sanchez. Nakatira si Sylvia at ang kanyang buong pamilya sa Riverside Subdivision sa Ortigas Extension sa Pasig City. Anim na buwang buntis ang aktres.

Reeling from Ondoy, RP now waiting for Storm Pepeng

Even as some flooded areas have not yet been reached by authorities, the country has been told to brace for another tropical storm. Pepeng is expected to enter Philippine territory on Wednesday afternoon, state weather forecasters said.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned fishermen and sea travelers on the western coast of Luzon about rough waves by Wednesday afternoon and not to venture out to sea.

Pag-asa said the storm, with international code name “Parma”, was moving west-northwest at 11 kph.

“Parma” is to be locally code-named “Pepeng” once it enters Philippine territory.

“This disturbance is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) tomorrow afternoon and to track west-northwest in the general direction of Northern Luzon-Taiwan area. However, it is still too far to affect any part of the country,” Pagasa said in an 11 a.m. advisory posted Tuesday afternoon on its Web site.

Jericho Rosales surfs deep floods to help people in need

Hours after Gerald Anderson’s heroic deed during the typhoon “Ondoy” had been passed around Facebook, it was Jericho Rosales turn to be given the same accolade.

Filipino Facebook users had passed around photos of the ABS-CBN actor on a surfboard, swimming through deep flood in a village in Marikina City to help people deeply affected by the calamity.

Gerald Anderson assures fans that next project with Kim Chiu will have a not-so-sad ending

Nakausap ng PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) si Gerald Anderson pagkatapos ng live guesting nila ni Kim Chiu kahapon, ika-27 ng Setyembre, sa The Buzz kung saan pinasalamatan nila ang lahat ng sumubaybay ng Tayong Dalawa na nagtapos nitong nakaraang Biyernes.

“Nakakalungkot… Nakakalungkot,” ang bungad ng young actor sa amin. “Pero siyempre, masaya rin ako dahil sa outcome at sa kung ano po ang nangyari dito sa Tayong Dalawa. Sobrang ano, e, nakakataba talaga ng puso. Mula umpisa pa lang, napakataas na ng rating namin at talagang sumusuporta sila sa amin hanggang sa ending namin po.”

Boy Abunda explains his decision to support Noynoy Aquino’s presidential bid

Right after The Buzz, September 2, nagbigay ng ilang minuto si Boy Abunda sa piling entertainment press, kabilang na ang PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), para sagutin ang ilang isyung kinakaharap niya.

Nangunguna rito ang tungkol sa desisyon niyang i-endorso ang kandidatura ni Noynoy Aquino sa pagka-Pangulo kahit na sa nakalipas na eleksiyon, identified siya sa kampo ni Manny Villar.

Gerald Anderson braves deep flood waters to check on neighbors

In the showbiz world, Gerald Anderson is a heartthrob, a hunky cover boy, and an actor with promising talent to boot. But to his neighbors he is just Gerald, the concerned boy who braved deep floodwaters caused by typhoon Ondoy to check if his neighbors were okay.

Now, if you happen to be a neighbor of Gerald Anderson looking out the window, you may think that the young man was acting out a rescue scene for a telenovela, ready to plunge down in the muddy waters and pull out the leading lady from the depths. But this is reality. There are no lights and cameras and leading ladies, only action and reaction in an unavoidable situation in which lives were at stake. Gerald had to calculate decisions and do what was right.

A feverish Yasmien Kurdi searches for missing grandmother in Cainta

Isa pang celebrity na naapektuhan ng bagyong Ondoy ay si Yasmien Kurdi.

Sa kanyang Facebook account, nananawagan si Yasmien sa kung sino man ang puwedeng tumulong sa paghahanap sa kanyang lola. Ang kanyang lola na si Nenita Ong Navarro, 65 years old, ay residente ng 196 RR St., Soldiers Village, Pasig City. Dahil magkaiba sila ng tirahan ni Yasmien, na tiga Quezon City, nung burol pa ng Iglesia Ni Cristo spiritual leader na si Ka Erdy Manalo huling nakita ni Yas ang kanyang lola.

Lani Mercado ignores Rosanna Roces’s Facebook messages against her family

Actress Lani Mercado was very busy during the 43rd birthday celebration of her husband Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla at Whitespace in Pasong Tamo, Makati City last Friday, September 25. Lani was the over-all head of the committee that managed the star-studded party—she ushered guests to their seats, oversaw the program, food and venue, and planned the theme “Amazing Bong” with the help of the staff of GMA-7’s Saturday show Kap’s Amazing Stories.

The press only had the chance to stop Lani for an interview a few minutes before the party started at 8 p.m. We immediately asked her about her wish for her actor-turned-politician husband.