Friday, April 22, 2011

List of fault lines in the Philippines

I found this from my email sent by a friend and thought I will share. With all the earthquakes and tidal waves happening especially in Japan, it is important to know what places here in the Philippines are in danger too. Here it is:

The United Nations is advising the Philippines to be ready for an upcoming big earthquake. A quake with a magnitude of 7.2 or higher on the Richter scale is sure to hit Metro Manila, they say, but the bigger question is when exactly this will happen.


The Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative (EMI) report published in 2004 predicts that an earthquake with a high magnitude will surely occur because of the Philippine Fault Zone (also called the Marikina Valley Fault System), but experts cannot predict when this disaster may happen.
According to the report, the death toll may reach about 35,000, some 145,000 people may be injured while around 175,000 buildings will be damaged. Where exactly is the West Marikina Valley Fault Line?


It lies northeast of Manila and traverses Marikina , Pasig going to Muntinlupa down to the south.


Instead of being afraid and all panicky, we should make sure we are ready should an earthquake happen.


And for those who are located at fault line or near the said fault line make sure to leave the place as soon as possible, it is much better to avoid as early as possible than to wait for the disaster to happen.
Here are some earthquake safety tips to remember.


What to do – Before the Earthquake :


Arrange your home for safety: Store heavy objects on lower shelves and store breakable objects in cabinets with latched doors. Don't hang heavy mirrors or pictures above where people frequently sit or sleep.


  • Store flammable liquids away from potential ignition sources.
  •  Stock up on emergency supplies. These include: battery operated radio (and extra batteries), flashlights (and extra batteries), first aid kit, bottled water, two weeks food and medical supplies, blankets, cooking fuel, tools needed to turn off your gas, water and electric utilities.


What to do – During the Earthquake :


  • If outdoors, move to an open area where falling objects are unlikely to strike you.
  •  If driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. Avoid stopping on or under bridges and overpasses, or under power lines, trees and large signs.
  •  If indoors, quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall. The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural strong points of the room.


What to do – After the Earthquake:


  • Check for injuries and attend to people who may need help.
  •  If the power is out, unplug appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on. 
  • If you smell or hear a gas leak, get everyone outside and open windows and doors. If you can do it safely, turn off the gas at the meter.
  •  If the building is badly damaged, evacuate immediately.
The only powerful thing we can do is to pray it won't happen.


Below is the List Of Major Fault Lines Of the Philippines:


1. Marikina Valley Fault (Montalban-San Mateo- Marikina - Pasig -Taguig-Muntinlupa-S… Pedro-Binan-Carmona-Santa Rosa-Calamba-Tagaytay-Oriental Mindoro)


2. Western Philippine Fault ( Luzon Sea-Mindoro Strait-Panay Gulf-Sulu Sea )


3. Eastern Philippine Fault ( Philippine Sea )


4. Southern of Mindanao Fault ( Moro Gulf-Celebes Sea )


5. Central Philippine Fault (Entire Ilocos Norte-Aurora-Quezon-Masbate-Eastern Leyte-Southern Leyte-Agusan Del Norte-Agusan Del Sur-Davao del Norte)


*The earthquake that destroyed Guinsaugon is the Central Philippine Fault


*The 1990 earthquake that destroyed Central Luzon and Baguio is also the Central Philippine Fault.


Of these, the MARIKINA VALLEY FAULT poses the greatest danger because it custs through all the modern and progressive portions of Manila such as Eastwood, Rockwell, Ortigas Center, Bonifacio Global City, Ayala Center, and Alabang. Also, the PhiVolcs people have warned that this fault line can move anytime because it is already 11 years late for its movement.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Water for Fatigue

Have an over-fatigue? Try drinking a glass or two of water. Experts say water cures depression and fatigue. This is just one of the many benefits of drinking water.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Eat Apple to Lower Cholesterol

I remember apple used to be expensive when I was young so my mom would buy some only during special occasions like Christmas and New Year. Thus, even if the saying says "an apple a day keeps the doctor away", we couldn't afford to eat everyday. But now, apple is as cheap as P5 in the market. It doesn't matter whether it's delicious, gala or washington type of apple. It's still an apple and tastes good anyway.

At my age, being healthy is important because I am now prone to diseases including having a high cholesterol level. I am health conscious so I always read news and articles about being healthy and I've read that eating apple a day reduces LDL cholesterol level. Here's more about the article from a health blog:

According to Dr. Bahram H. Arjmandi and colleagues, apples are truly a "miracle fruit" that convey benefits beyond fiber content. Animal studies have shown that apple pectin and polyphenols in apple improve lipid metabolism and lower the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. Arjmandi's most recent research is the first to evaluate the long-term cardioprotective effects of daily consumption of apple in postmenopausal women.

This study randomly assigned 160 women ages 45-65 to one of two dietary intervention groups: one received dried apples daily (75g/day for 1 year) and the other group ate dried prunes every day for a year. Blood samples were taken at 3, 6 and 12-months. The results surprised Dr. Arjmandi, who stated that "incredible changes in the apple-eating women happened by 6 months- they experienced a 23% decrease in LDL cholesterol," which is known as the "bad cholesterol." The daily apple consumption also led to a lowering of lipid hydroperoxide levels and C-reactive protein in those women.

"I never expected apple consumption to reduce bad cholesterol to this extent while increasing HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol by about 4%," Arjmandi said. Yet another advantage is that the extra 240 calories per day consumed from the dried apple did not lead to weight gain in the women; in fact, they lost on average 3.3 lbs. "Reducing body weight is an added benefit to daily apple intake" he said. Part of the reason for the weight loss could be the fruit's pectin, which is known to have a satiety effect. The next step in confirming the results of this study is a multi-investigator nationwide study.

Apple indeed is a miracle fruit, isn't it?