Typhoon Odette destroys homes in Palawan
Houses with damaged roofs stand in a village on Thursday in Roxas, Palawan a week after Typhoon Odette barreled through the province. The typhoon made several landfalls in nine provinces from Mindanao to the Visayas, leaving widespread damage that could run into billions of pesos. OVP handout
Simbang Gabi amid the ruins of Odette
Roman Catholic parishioners use flash lights and candles as they attend dawn mass on a chapel at a village in General Luna town, Siargao island, on Thursday, days after super Typhoon Odette devastated the island. Even in the face of Covid-19 and the disaster, the nine-day dawn mass or Simbang Gabi is still observed by many people in this predominantly Catholic nation. Roel Catoto, AFP
Duterte distributes relief goods to typhoon Odette victims
President Duterte distributes relief packs to families affected by Typhoon Odette in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on Thursday. Duterte apologized for delays in assistance for survivors of the typhoon, which left a trail of destruction in the central and southern Philippines. Rey Baniquet, Presidential Photo
Traveling on Christmas Eve
Last minute travelers queue at the NAIA Terminal 2 in Parañaque on Tuesday, Christmas eve, to return home to their provinces. The volume of travelers have increased the past few days as Christmas nears with NAIA and airlines reminding passengers to bring all necessary requirements such as vaccination cards or negative RT-PCR tests for the unvaccinated and to follow health protocols as a precaution against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
Visiting Senso-ji amid COVID-19 pandemic
Visitors wearing protective face masks walk at Senso-ji temple at Asakusa district, a popular sightseeing spot, amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo, Japan on Friday. The Tokyo government on Friday reported its first case of community transmission of the omicron variant making the capital the latest area to confirm the spread of the highly contagious strain. Issei Kato, Reuters
Fire hits residential area in Mandaluyong barangay on Christmas eve
A fireman takes a breather as fire razes homes made mostly of light materials in Pitong Gatang Street in Brgy. Old Zañiga, Mandaluyong on Chrismas eve, Friday. According to fire volunteers, they had difficulty putting out the fire that reached the 2nd alarm due to low water supply in the area. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
Last-minute shopping in Divisoria as Christmas nears
People crowd the shopping district of Divisoria for last-minute gift-shopping a few hours before Christmas on Friday, the same day health authorities recorded a small rise in the COVID-19 positivity rate. The Department of Health logged the positivity rate at 1.4 percent, up from Tuesday’s 1.1 percent while 310 new COVID-19 cases were added to the country’s tally. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News