The tail end of a cold front, a weather system formed when the cold air mass dominates the warm air mass, will affect the eastern section of Luzon today. Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Bicol Region, and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
At 2:00 AM today, the low pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) was estimated at more than 2,000 kilometers east of Southern Mindanao. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Manny Mendoza said it is still far to affect any part of the country. However, it has a possibility to enter the boundary on Sunday, February 15. Changes may still occur so everyone is advised to monitor updates.
Meanwhile, according to Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran, the inflow of the northeast monsoon or amihan was slightly deflected due to the eastward movement of the high pressure area. It is expected to re-intensify this weekend bringing back colder nights and early mornings.
Below are the lowest temperatures recorded by the weather bureau this morning:
PAGASA to lead National Astronomy Week
By virtue of Proclamation No.130, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) spearheads the annual celebration of the National Astronomy Week every third week of February. This year, it will be held on February 16 to 20, 2015 with the theme: ” Reaching Our People: Transferring Knowledge in Astronomy”.
In line with this, different activities were prepared for the celebration, including free planetarium shows, stargazing and telescoping sessions, the Star Party Contest for high school students, seminar/workshop on astronomy for public Science teachers in Laoag City, free mobile planetarium shows, and the giving away of free posters in astronomy.
For those interested, contact 434-2715, 929-1237 or 927-5509 for reservations.
February is indeed the month of romantic expression. Proof of which is the explosion of heart symbols everywhere you look. Fittingly enough, February is also considered as the Philippine Heart Month. This is by virtue of Proclamation No.1096 as declared by the national government in 1973. So, just like how we guard our hearts when falling in love, so must we learn how to keep our hearts healthy and disease-free.
The heart is a muscular organ located under the rib cage at the center of the chest. The muscular walls beat or contract, pumping and providing blood to each part of the body. This pumping motion creates heartbeats, which can be measured by counting the pulse felt through the arteries near the skin’s surface.
A healthy heart pumps blood normally, also ensuring the healthy of the different parts of our body. However, some factors could lead to coronary diseases, making the heart function improperly.
Several heart diseases are common around the world. One of these is the heart attack which, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is the number one cause of death in men and women in the United States. Heart attacks are often related to coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, a condition in which plaque builds up within the arteries that supplies the blood to the heart. As a result, the heart muscle becomes blocked and can hardly get oxygen.
The Department of Health (DOH) says the risk factors of coronary heart disease include heredity, high levels of cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high-fat diet, lack of exercise and emotional stress.
Signs and symptoms that a person may have the disease include cardiac arrest and chest pain. Discomfort is usually felt over the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or the left side of the back. A patient may also experience shortness of breath, palpitations, irregular heartbeat and dizziness or fainting.
Medical treatments
With the help of technology, there are medical procedures that can be done to treat heart problems. According to NHLBI, two major treatments can be conducted to limit the harm of the damaged muscle: the clot-bust medicine and the coronary intervention. Thrombolytic medicines or clot busters are given to the patient to help dissolve blood clots in the arteries.
On the other hand, the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also called coronary angioplasty is a nonsurgical procedure that unblocks the arteries using a thin, flexible tube threaded through a blood vessel.
DOH also recommends the coronary bypass operation in which a healthy vein or artery is removed from your body and is connected or grafted to the blocked coronary artery.
Cardiac Rehabilitation is also suggested. It is a medically supervised program that helps people with heart problems through exercise training, counseling and education.
Prevention
Go for a proper diet. A healthy diet is very effective in lowering the risk of heart disease. This includes fruits and vegetables, whole grain, lean meats, fish and fat-free or low-fat milk products. A healthy diet is low in saturated fats, trans-fats, cholesterol, sodium and sugar. Alcohol must also be omitted from the diet because it can also lead to high blood pressure, heart failure and increased caloric intake.
Bid smoking goodbye. Smoking affects almost every organ of the body. Chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco smoke can damage blood cells that could lead to the malfunctioning of blood vessels and the heart.
Lose it. Weight gain does not only raise your mass index but also raises your risk for coronary heart disease. Studies show that obesity can also lead to heart failure, a serious condition wherein the heart is unable to pump enough blood for the body’s needs.
Get moving. Regular exercise is a major component of weight loss. But beyond that, it also helps one’s fitness level and health. Being active is a vital factor in good blood flow and normal blood pressure.
Be stress-free. According to the World Heart Federation, a stressful life can generate bad habits like smoking and over-eating. Stress also affects blood flow and the heartbeat.
As the saying goes, you cannot give something you don’t have. So take care of your heart first before giving it away. Remember that your own heart deserves your love, too.
Sources:
Department of Health
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
World Heart Federation
http://www.gov.ph/1973/01/09/proclamation-no-1096-s-1973-2/
PAGASA Weather Forecaster Aldczar Aurelio confirms that the cloud cluster has already developed into a low pressure area (LPA). As of 2:00 AM today, it was estimated at 2,600 kilometers east of Mindanao. Aurelio added it is still too far to affect any part of the country. However, all are still advised to monitor updates as it may enter the boundary next week.
Today, the tail end of a cold front and northeast monsoon will be the dominant weather systems. The tail end of a cold front is formed when the cold air mass dominates the warm air mass during a convergence. Northeast monsoon, locally known as amihan, is cold and dry air coming from Mainland China or Siberia.
The tail end of a cold front will dump light to moderate rain showers and isolated thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas and the Bicol Region. Cagayan Valley and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon will experience cloudy skies with light rains.
Metro Manila and the rest of the Northern and Central Luzon can expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains while the rest of the country will have generally fair weather aside from possible isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
As amihan prevails over Luzon, dropping temperatures will continue. Here are the lowest temperatures recorded yesterday.
Meanwhile, gale warning was already terminated by PAGASA because the amihan has weakened. However, the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon will have moderate to rough sea condition with wave height ranging from 2.1 to 4 meters.
Parañaque to celebrate cityhood anniversary
By virtue of Proclamation No.955, Malacañang has declared Februrary 13 (Friday) as a special non-working holiday in Parañaque City. This is to give the people the full opportunity to participate in the activities in line with their cityhood anniversary.
Tomorrow’s event also aims to highlight the richness of city’s heritage and to mark Parañaque as an economic and business powerhouse. According to the city’s official website, the celebration will include a colorful Karakol procession and Sunduan Festival at Bulungan, Barangay Huerta.
Wealth can be yours even if you are an ordinary employee with a minimum salary wage. Colayco says that all you have to do is to “Pay Yourself First,” the first commandment in his book, Wealth within Reach.
Branded clothes, high-end gadgets and other premium items are forever tempting us to loosen our purse strings. We see them everywhere—on television, the internet, and on people we look up to. But the truth is, having these items are not the true measure of wealth.
Aside from being a well-known financial expert, Francisco J. Colayco is Chairman of the Colayco Foundation for Education and has published numerous books on investment and financial planning. He advocates that the accumulation of wealth is a daily commitment that can be taken on by Filipinos from all walks of life.
His financial recommendations can be succinctly stated into three main points:
Tip #1: Start small, save big.
To build your wealth, follow the 80/20 formula. This means living within 80% of your income while 20% will go directly to savings. That’s Income – Savings = Expenses.
To grow your savings, it pays to research on the various investment schemes so your money can grow at a higher rate than the inflation. Colayco adds that Mutual Funds are a good option to jumpstart your investments.
Tip #2: Learn to differentiate needs from wants.
So you won’t overspend your monthly budget, there are ways to minimize expenses and maximize savings.
Once you have set aside your savings, live within the amount of the money left for spending. Understand the difference between your needs and wants. Remember that your spending budget should only be for needs. The amount saved after covering your needs may be used for occasional wants or better yet, added to your savings.
Don’t fall into the trap of having to keep up with your peers with the latest gadgets and wardrobe. It is only you who has the greatest ability to grow your money.
Ponder this: If you saved P33 a day in your 20s and invested it wisely, by the time you’re 40, you would have billions!
Tip # 3: You’re never too young to be financially stable.
Being financially stable may not be an immediate goal for a twenty-something employee. But wealth can be enjoyed earlier if accumulated earlier.
First off, make your Personal Financial Plan by drafting your Statement of Assets and Liabilities and your Projected Income-Savings-Expenses.
Know your financial goals at the different stages of life. Set a specific amount to be accumulated for a specific time frame for a particular purpose. Are you saving for a car? When do you plan to buy it? How much will you need?
Earn both active and passive incomes. Active incomes are those that you earn from your work while passive incomes come from your investments. Colayco suggests using passive incomes for your wants.
Following all these tips may be a challenge, but so is everything worth doing. Wealth may not come easy, but with discipline, you will find that Colayco’s nuggets of financial wisdom are literally worth more than a million.
A new cloud cluster was spotted outside PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility). According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Jori Loiz, this could intensify into a Low Pressure Area (LPA) and could possibly enter within the PAR. Continuous monitoring of the weather condition is advisable.
Meanwhile, two weather systems are still prominent with the PAR. The northeast monsoon continues to affect Luzon while the tail end of a cold front prevails in Eastern Visayas. Loiz said aside from the expected rain showers, an LPA could also be formed from the tail end of a cold front.
Today, Eastern Visayas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers. Cagayan Valley and the provinces of Quezon, Aurora and Camarines Norte will have cloudy skies with possible light rains due to the northeast monsoon.
The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, may experience drizzle but generally fair weather condition is expected within 24 hours. The rest of Visayas and Mindanao can enjoy sunny weather. Residents are advised against possible localized thunderstorms in the afternoon.
Another quake hits PH
A magnitude 5.7 quake hit Mercedes, Eastern Samar yesterday at 9:29 in the evening.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said aftershocks are expected to happen. Levels of intensities were recorded due to the said quake.
The tropical cyclone with international name “Higos: is now in typhoon category. Packing winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph, it slowly moves in a northwest direction.
State Meteorologist Manny Mendoza assures the public that Higos has a very slim chance of entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
Today, the northeast monsoon continues to prevail over Luzon, bringing cloudy skies and light rains over the regions of Cagayan Valley, Ilocos and Bicol as well as the provinces of Aurora and Quezon.
The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will have isolated light rains. Visayas and Mindanao, on the other hand, will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in the following hours.
Meanwhile, strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of the northeast monsoon brings rough to very rough sea conditions over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon. Fishermen are advised against sea travel in these coasts today.
WEATHER 101
Temperature and relative humidity are always included in PAGASA’s weather forecast. How does it affect our daily living?
Let’s start by defining these terms. Temperature is the degree of how hot or cold the atmosphere. Meanwhile, relative humidity is the amount of atmospheric moisture or water vapor the air can hold at a particular temperature.
Mendoza explains if we have higher temperature and lower relative humidity, it means we are having warm and humid weather. This is usually associated with the easterlies or the winds coming from the Pacific Ocean. On the other hand, if we have lower temperatures and higher relative humidity, it results to cold and dry air –also experienced same as during the northeast monsoon season.
Roses are red; violets are blue. Do you know that flowers have different meanings, too?
Love is in the air, urging love-struck Pinoys to visit the famous stretch of flower markets in Dangwa, Sampaloc to pre-order breathtaking bouquets for the special someones.
Going days before Valentine’s Day is actually encouraged as flower prices are likely to soar on February 14. But when faced with the plethora of floral selections, one question comes to mind: What kind of flowers should you buy?
For thousands of years, red roses have been the classic symbol of romantic love. But beyond this ubiquitous Valentine bloom, only a few know the meaning behind the other colors of roses, as well as the other types of flowers. Although it is easy to appreciate a pretty bouquet, it doesn’t hurt to know the messages different flowers carry.
Brush up on your floral dictionary with the list below:
Red Rose
The flower with the biggest demand on V-day, it conveys romantic love, passion and respect. 25 red roses means “Congratulations!” while 52 of these blooms convey unconditional love.
White Rose
Commonly used in weddings, white roses mean innocence, purity, reverence and truth. However, it is also sometimes associated with sympathy and death.
Yellow Rose
If you want to give flowers to a friend, yellow roses are recommended since they denote friendship and joy. They’re also appropriate to give to newlyweds, new mothers and graduates.
Pink Roses
Pink roses stand for gratitude, admiration and happiness. In recent years, roses in deep pink have been associated with the advocacy against breast cancer.
Orange Rose
Symbolically, it shows desire or fascination for the recipient. So give this to someone you want to get to know better.
Lavender Rose
Do you find someone enchanting? Give him or her a lavender rose. It also symbolizes love at first sight.
Black Rose
The black rose does not exist, but the darkest red variety can look black. This flower depicts an ending. However, some suggest that it could also mean the beginning of something new.
Carnation
Its name roughly translating to “flower of the gods,” carnations have long been used in the ceremonial crowns of the ancient Greeks. These flowers also symbolize a mother’s love, fascination and distinction.
Tulips
Classic and affordable, tulips are one of the most popular flowers in the world. Generally, tulips convey warmth and comfort.
Gerberas
The Gerbera variety of the Daisy Family expresses cheerfulness as shown in its variety of vibrant colors. So send some if you want to brighten someone’s day.
Snapdragons
These flowers are said to have a dragon-like appearance because when you squeeze them together, their ‘jaws’ looks like a dragon opening and closing its mouth. It has two seemingly conflicting meanings – graciousness or a sign of deception.
So before you give flowers this love season, look up their meanings first, and decide which ones will truly convey what you feel. After all, a well-thought gift is always appreciated, especially on Valentine’s Day.
The northeast monsoon or amihan, characterized by cold and dry air from Siberia or Mainland China, brings lower temperatures and light rains mostly over the northern sections of the Philippines. Today, it prevails over Northern Luzon, bringing cloudy skies with light rains over the regions of Cagayan Valley and Cordillera. The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will have at times cloudy skies with isolated light rains.
On the other hand, Eastern Visayas and CARAGA will experience light to moderate rains today so better bring your umbrellas before leaving for work or school. The remaining part of the country can expect fair weather conditions with partly cloudy to cloudy skies in the following hours.
Meanwhile, strong to gale force winds is expected over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, prompting PAGASA to issue a new gale warning this morning. Sea travel will be risky over the mentioned seaboards. Fishermen are advised against venturing out into the sea in the following hours.
In other news, Tropical Storm Higos is now located at 2,300 kms. east of the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Packing winds of 100 kph and gustiness of up to 180 kph, it continues to move in a west northwest direction. State Meteorologist Meno Mendoza says it is still too far to affect the country. However, continuous monitoring will be implemented.
WORLD WEATHER NEWS IN NEW ENGLAND
After the record-breaking late January blizzard, New England prepares for another big storm in the following days.
Classes have been cancelled in Boston until Tuesday. Drivers and commuters are also warned against travel as they brace for another winter storm over a big part of Southern New England as well as Central New York and the Western Catskills – areas identified in the winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service.
The northeast monsoon continues to affect Luzon and Eastern Visayas. This cold and dry air will bring mostly partly cloudy skies with light rains in Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Ilocos, Bicol and Eastern Visayas and in the provinces of Aurora and Quezon, while Metro Manila will have fair weather conditions aside from drizzling.
Good weather will prevail in the rest of Visayas and Mindanao.
Due to the surge of the northeast monsoon, gale warning is up over the seaboards of Northern Luzon. This includes Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan, Cagayan, Ilocos provinces, La Union, Pangsinan and Isabela. Seaboards mentioned will have rough to very rough sea conditions caused by wind speeds of 52 to 63 kilometers per hour.
Wave height may reach 4.5 meters. Fisherfolk and other small sea vessels are advised against big waves.
February: Good morning to colder weather!
According to PAGASA, the northeast monsoon, locally known as amihan, is at its peak during this month. Aside from light rains, colder mornings will be more common.
Yesterday, most parts of Luzonexperienced lower temperatures, which are expected to drop in the coming days.
