In just a few hours, we will be welcoming a new year! As much as we love to treat ourselves to a joyous moment with our friends and families, there is also a need to celebrate with caution. Here are a few tips to ensure that you’ll enter a new phase safely.
1. Skip the firecrackers.
As of December 28, 2017, the Department of Health (DOH) has already recorded 61 firecracker-related injuries nationwide. This figure is a lot lower than the reported cases last year which blasted to more than 600. While a significant decrease has been observed this year, we can still minimize the number of injuries by refraining from using firecrackers.
In compliance to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 28, private citizens are banned from using firecrackers or staging fireworks displays in their residential areas. Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), together with the Local Government Units (LGUs), has already identified official firecracker zones and fireworks display zones in Metro Manila. The public is reminded about the cities with a complete firecracker ban which include Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Pasig and Pateros.
2. Opt for alternative noisemakers.
The New Year’s celebration isn’t complete without making noise. Because of the firecracker ban, indulge in alternative ways of ending the year with a bang, such as blowing loud horns and whistles, banging pots and pans or turning up your radio.
3. Celebrate the budget-friendly way.
There are several groups or organizations that organize events such as New Year countdowns, concerts, fireworks displays and more. You can search the net for activities that are scheduled to pump up the crowd and create memorable New Year experiences.
4. Show extra love to your pets.
Sudden loud noises can stress your furry friends at home. As a responsible pet owner, give extra attention to your precious animals so they won’t panic. Make sure to keep them inside a room with comforting music to drown out the noise. More tips from this report:
5. Monitor the weather and other news.
Amidst the celebration, our safety must always be a priority. Along with the changing dates are also the changes in our weather. Tropical cyclones and other weather disturbances may hamper your plans so take time to monitor updates and other announcements.
For those watching their food intake, the holiday season may also be called “cheat season” because during this time, diets are thrown out the window as we eat to our hearts’ content. To help you kickstart the new year with the right frame of mind (and body), we interviewed Nutritionist and Executive Chef Ma. Lourdes Cruz-Caudal.
To jumpstart our post-holiday detox, what should we eat?
Instead of 3 servings of meat, Chef Lourdes advises to go for vegetables, nuts, fruits and legumes. Add fish, chicken (avoid the chicken skin), and all-natural fruit juices to the menu. Chef Lourdes also suggests limiting portions, even with fruits and vegetables, to 5-6 servings per day. Space these servings throughout the day–2 each for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
What should we avoid? Chicken skin, chicken liver, crabs, shrimp and squid are some of the food you need to avoid during the detox phase due to their high cholesterol levels.
How long will detox take? 1-2 weeks should be enough, but if you’re aiming for optimum health throughout your lifetime, you should make this a regular habit. Avoid fatty and cholesterol-rich foods, control your portions, and always make sure that you eat your fruits and veggies everyday.
Remember, detoxifying or dieting is not about starving yourself! It is about choosing the right food and being conscious of your calorie intake.
Here are more detox guidelines:
This 2015, we experienced fewer but enhanced Tropical Cyclones. A deciding factor is the strong El Niño, which continues to prevails throughout the world. But as we welcome the new year, here’s what we can expect, weather-wise.
According to PAGASA, the Amihan or Northeast Monsoon will prevail, bringing cold weather and light rains over Cagayan Valley and the province of Aurora. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will continue to have good weather conditions with chances of isolated light rains. Meanwhile, in Visayas and Mindanao, generally fair weather will be experienced, with possible localized thunderstorms in most parts of the eastern section due to the easterly wave.
For those who are still having their vacation out of town, you can still enjoy sightseeing as there will be NO bagyo on New Year’s Day.
In line with this, an average of 18-21 bagyo will be experienced this 2016. Here’s the lists of names of the possible bagyo.
Because of thesStrong El Niño, we might be experiencing fewer than the normal average number of bagyo. But if there will be more than 25, an auxiliary list from PAGASA will be released.
But until then, let’s welcome New Year’s Day wholeheartedly, as we enjoy the good weather conditions it brings!
As we bid goodbye to 2015, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza says no weather disturbance or Tropical Cyclone is expected to affect the country. On the last Monday of the year, the Northeast Monsoon, locally known as Amihan prevails and continues to affect the extreme Northern Luzon.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains will be experienced over the islands of Batanes, Babuyan and Calayan. Pinoys in the rest of the country can finish their errands and preparations for the upcoming New Year’s celebration as generally fair weather is expected. However, isolated thunderstorms may still occur in the latter part of the day so don’t forget to keep your rain gear with you!
Meanwhile, Mendoza added that sea travel for fishing boats and other small seacraft may be risky over the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon. Coastal waters over the rest of the archipelago will have slight to moderate seas.
Aside from isolated light rains, Amihan also triggers colder weather, mostly during the night or early mornings. Here are the lowest temperatures recorded yesterday:
Mendoza explained that temperatures this year are slightly higher that 2014 due to the El Niño phenomenon, which is still solidly in place. El Niño is expected to affect the country until the early part of 2016.
Kanlaon Volcano continues to emit ash
During the past 24 hours, twenty-nine volcanic earthquakes were recorded from Kanlaon Volcano in Negros. Still under Alert Level 1, it spewed ash from the active crater at around 1:29 PM yesterday.
According to the Philippine Institue to Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), traces of light ash fall were experienced in Sitio Guintubdan, Brgy. Ara-al, Brgy. Yubo, and Brgy. La Grania, La Carlota City, Brgy, Cabagnaan, Brgay. Sag-ang, La Castellana, Brgy. Miranda, Hinigaran in Negros Occidental, and the Municipality of Pontevedra in Negros Occidental. It even reached as far as Nueva Valencia in Guimaras.
The public and local government units are reminded to stay away from the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) due to possible sudden and dangerous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.
On the last day of this year, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astonomical Services Administration (PAGASA) continues to monitorTropical Storm Seniang with international name Jangmi. It was locatedat 245 kilometers south southeast of Cuyo, Palawan at 9:00 AM today.
It has weakened into a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour.
With its continuous movement in a west-southwest direction at 13 kilometers per hour, Seniang is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday, January 2, 2015.
Public Storm Warning Signal Number 1 is up over Palawan where winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour are expected. Residents are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides.
The combined effect of the northeast monsoon or amihan and the winds
associated with Seniang will bring rough to very rough sea conditions in the seaboards of Northern, Central and Southern Luzon and Visayas. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are still prohibited from venturing out into the mentioned seas.
Palawan will experience rains with gusty winds. Cloudy skies will dump light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms over Visayas, Bicol Region and the provinces of Quezon, Mindoro and Marinduque. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience light rains, while Mindanao will have improved weather. Still, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms are expected.
PAGASA issues special weather outlook for New Year
Based on the outlook, rains will continue on the first day of 2015. Seniang may bring rains with gusty winds over Palawan, while the Bicol Region, CALABARZON, Western Visayas and the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon will have cloudy skies with light to moderate
rain showers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and Central Luzon will be cloudy with light rains and the rest of the country will have a generally fair weather aside from the isolated cases of rain showers or thunderstorms.
Changes may still occur depending on the weather systems that will prevail within the PAR. All are advised to monitor updates.
