Death toll of typhoon Basyang reaches 68

(Update) There were three (3) additional number of deaths from the devastation brought by the typhoon in the Philippines.

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Benito Ramos, officially confirmed this morning that the fatalities have reached to sixty-eight (68) while missing persons remained at eighty-four (84).

According to the official, the recovered dead bodies were believed to be loaded from a submerged motorized boat MB Joan 1 and 2 in the portions of Polilio Island, Quezon.

“Latest information as of 5 a.m., this morning (Sunday), there are already sixty-eight (68) dead. From the sixty-five (65) count yesterday, three (3) were added from Polilio Island,” according to the report of the official.

Meanwhile, wounded persons have almost reached to thirty (30), wherein two (2) of it came from Region 3; twenty-three (23) from Region 4-A and four (4) from Region 5.

Moreover, while the number of dead and missing persons increases, the total value of damage to properties and infrastructure also increases.

As of now, it had already reached over Php 188 million worth of damage which were being recorded based from the reports of different provinces to the head office of OCD and NDCC.

Mandela’s 92nd birthday celebration

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – As expected, all other sides of the world celebrates today the ninety-second birthday of a well-known world icon Nelson Mandela.

Together with this, Nelson Mandela International Day was also celebrated today which was decided by the UN to celebrate together with the birthday of the Nobel Peace laureate.

It was known that the ordinary citizens of South Africa including abroad will devote sixty-seven (67) minutes of their time for community service, equivalent to sixty-seven (67) years of struggle for equality of the former South African President.

“President Mandela has given 67 years of his life, now what we all could do is try to use 67 minutes of our lives, and change the world for the better,” according to Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton portrayed Mandela as the “hero to people of all backgrounds.”

“His story is filled with an amazing strength and integrity of spirit. There is no one more deserving of this unprecedented international recognition. I am delighted to offer him my warmest wishes on this special day,” Clinton said.

At this moment, Mandela was accompanied by his family.

The local politicians wished Mandela to have good health.

South African President Jacob Zuma will also give his speech in Mvezo, which was Mandela’s birthplace.

Although Mvezo was one of the poorest area in their country, the residents of the said area will involve themselves to devote their sixty-seven (67) minutes for their volunteer work.

It was said that the former South African president was inclined to give a celebration in his nation during his birthday wherein few cows were slaughtered.