A low pressure area (LPA) spotted near the east of Luzon has a 50 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Saturday.

Pagasa weather forecaster Rene Paciente said that the LPA located 200 kilometers east of Central Luzon remains stationary or moves slowly when it was first spotted early Saturday.

“There is a 50-50 chance that the LPA will intensify into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours. The LPA is now very near the east of Central Luzon,” Paciente pointed out.

“A low level circulation of clouds prevails, preventing the formation of a storm. But once the convective clouds, which form heavy vapor, will organize then there will be a chance that a tropical depression will be formed,” Paciente explained.

Once the LPA intensifies into a tropical storm, it will be named “Caloy.”

He said Luzon, including Metro Manila, is expected to experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. (Ellalyn B. De Vera)

Ethics body needed for organ donors
Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona said on Saturday that an ethics committee is needed to study the effect of the ban on organ  transplantation for foreigners stay.

“There is no change but you know my stand, there should be an ethics committee. We will study that and get an observation on how to ban," Ona said.

Earlier, the DoH denied reports that it is mulling the formulation of a gratuity package for donors.

“If you go by the policy, we haven't talked about the gratuity package for organ donors. There are guidelines and we will be pursuing these guidelines,” Dr. Ernie Vera, program manager of the Philippine Organ Donation and Transplantation program, said.

Health authorities emphasize that the thrust of the agency is the establishment of a national program for organ donation from deceased donors as the country's response to the 2008 Declaration of Istanbulon Organ trafficking and transplant tourism and the 63rd World 73rd World Health Assembly Resolution on Organ Donation.

The government is aiming to increase organ transplants taken from dead donors. (Jenny Manongdo)

Coloma to join Communications Group
Newspaper columnist Herminio Coloma confirmed on Saturday that he would be part of the presidential communications group but he declined to divulge details of the agency which is expected to replace the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS).

Speaking for the first time as “a member of the presidential communications group,” Coloma in an interview over state-owned DZRB radio spoke for the President on various issues — detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, the truth commission, as well as government's assistance for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Coloma said that he has not been designated as additional spokesperson but is only doing his task as member of the government's communications team to answer queries from media, especially in the dissemination of vital pieces of information.

“I'm not encroaching on the role of the official or designated spokesperson who is Atty. Edwin Lacierda,” said Coloma, who earned positive feedback from members of the Malacanang Press Corps. (MPC).

“He's intelligent and he knows his job better,” one MPC member commented, reacting to Coloma's willingness to answer questions from newsmen. (JC Bello Ruiz)