Defence Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said troops, police and civilian volunteers had rescued more than 4,000 people - many clinging to each other on roofs.
More than 250,000 have been driven from their homes, officials say.
Military chief Gen Victor Ibrado flew by helicopter over suburbs of Manila on Sunday to see for himself drenched survivors marooned on top of half-submerged buses and on rooftops.
TV footage showed some survivors clinging to high-voltage power lines.
Correspondents say the rescue effort is intensifying as the weather cleared on Sunday.
But some reports estimate that 80% of the capital is still under water.
The government has declared a "calamity" in Manila and 25 provinces, allowing access to emergency funds.
Latest confirmed figures say that 73 people are dead and at least 23 others are missing.
One report puts the number of dead and missing at 106.
 |  |
Manila bus driver George Andrada said he had lost everything in the floods.
"It happened very fast. All of a sudden everything was under water. I was not able to save anything except the shirt I am wearing," he said.
Lovely Lansang in Marikina, near Manila, says: "I am currently seeking refuge in a shopping centre. Many people are stuck either on their roofs or in the second storey of their houses.
"The city is also without clean water and electricity. Right now, I am still in the shopping centre because the roads here are impassable,".
The equivalent of a whole month's rain fell in six hours as Ketsana, also known as Ondoy, lashed the northern island of Luzon.
On Saturday, TV images showed gushing water turning roads into rivers, with floods chest-deep and rising.
Appeal for calm
Philippines President Gloria Arroyo appealed for donations and called for calm.
"I am calling on our countrymen, especially residents of metro Manila and other provinces in the path of the typhoon, to please stay calm, follow the instructions of local officials and civil defence authorities," she said in a TV message on Saturday.
Also on Saturday, Mayor Mon Ilagan of the town of Cainta, in Rizal province east of Manila, told local media his town was "almost 100% under water".
Rizal Governor Casimiro Ynares was quoted by local media as saying other towns were completely inundated.
Roads leading into Manila were rendered impassable by stalled vehicles, and some ferry services were cancelled.
The Philippines chief weather forecaster has blamed climate change for the downpours that saw 40cm (16in) of rain fall on Manila in a single day.
Thousands of passengers were stranded as international and domestic airports were shut down.
Ketsana, with winds of up to 100km/h, is expected to head out over the South China Sea on Sunday and Monday.
Working for OdysseyLive.Net is quite a fulfilling job! Since I’ve been here, I’ve been on the front lines of some of the most exciting times in local music and have been witness to some experiences so grand its hard to talk about even though the trip remains clear in my memory. I can name a whole lot of concerts and press cons I’ve been to wherein I was amongst the most elite of the Filipino Music Scene and i've as well been to some of the exciting behind the scenes plannings of these events and I have to say that I consider myself truly lucky to have been able to have been part of these shows/launches etc.
Today, I relish the fact to have been invited to be at one of the final recordings of the much awaited 5th Urbandub album “The Apparition”. Invited by MCA Music to be the only website (media for that matter) there, I immediately confirmed my presence and made arrangements to go together with Gabby Alipe (who happens to be my housemate).
We’d woken up late from having been out the night before at a Blue Jean Junkies gig at Capones Bistro and slowly put ourselves together in order for an entire day at Tracks Studio in Pasig City. I’d already heard all the songs that will be appearing on the album, as well as most of the fillers which will likewise be included but was excited to hear the finished products of their hard work as well as to see what the band is like when working in the studio! Upon arriving we said our hello’s and got settled right away as John Dinopol was already carrying his guitar and laying in a few guitar overdubs for one of the songs. Lalay Lim was playing bass in the waiting area and looked as if she was rehearsing some parts although did not lay in any bass lines on that day. Janjan Mendoza, ever the silent guy was actually done with all his drum parts already and was there enjoying the recording process and offering his opinion on certain changes the band was deciding on. Gabby soon after picked up his guitar and laid in a number of guitar overdubs as well!
I assume that many of their recording sessions at Tracks were as I saw it. No bullshit, no dilly dallying, no small talk for the sake of conversation, and definitely no nonsense! I have my own personal passed experiences of being in recording studios and I can vouch for Urbandub, these guys are professionals who know what they’re doing in the studio and simply get it done! Hunger may strike, fatigue may set in, the room can get too cold, but whatever it is, they are there doing what needs to get done and do it in true artistic glory.
All in all we spent a good 12 hours there, laying in guitar parts, deciding which guitar riffs would suit a certain song better, laying in a whole bunch of backing vocals and melodies, and I even got to scream on one of the songs together with Gabby, John, Lalay, and Ralf (Urbandub’s Road Manager) while Janjan videotaped us and Sir Angie recorded us. I doubt that you’ll hear my voice but im just glad to have somehow been included on the album.
The Apparition is scheduled to be launched on Friday the 13th of November. Today is November 4 and yesterday Gabby came home celebrating the end of the recordings. There was talk and wonder on whether the launch would be postponed what with having to mix and master all the tracks plus lay in all the fillers and I wonder how that is coming along but I am simply excited for this album.
As I said earlier, I’ve heard all the tracks and most of the fillers and I think its going to be a great album! For one thing, it’s a more mature album. The topics in The Apparition deal with topics such as politics and family and liberty! The writing alone was done in the mountains of
The band has also shared with me that they really did enjoy the Tracks Studio recording process because unlike their previous albums, this one was not entirely rushed! They had their time to sit and make it happen as opposed to forcing it out of themselves. They also had the freedom to use a whole bunch of equipment such as 3 different drum kits, a whole slew of amplifiers both for the guitars and for the bass, and Johns house for creating all the fillers which will make this Urbandub’s first gapless playback album as all the songs are now connected to each other. I also know that the artwork that will go with The Apparition is a far cry from anything Urbandub has ever done before! I don’t want to spoil the surprise but please be sure to get yourselves a copy of the original album as I guarantee you, you will want the sleeve and not some stupid pirated copy!
Congratulations to Urbandub! You guys have been great friends of mine since the release of Embrace and im happy to see all of you progressing so finely and making the talent in each of you shine brighter and brighter! You are an inspiration to me in so many ways and I thank my blessings for being part of your lives as well!
The Apparition: A supernatural appearance of a person or thing; a specter of phantom.
Standby on www.odysseylive.net as we announce the official launch of this much awaited album!!!
Photos from this recording session can be found here:
Some people have been asking why Urbandub is launching their brand new album "The Apparition" in Singapore before they launch it in The Phiippines. In case you're one of these people, this is the answer: Typhoon Ondoy.
You see, the launch was originally scheduled for November 13, Friday. Friday the 13th to go hand in hand with the theme of Urbandub's first concept album, but Ondoy came and made it impossible to complete the album by the 13th.
The Singapore trip/launch was already scheduled and their being in Singapore now is just sticking to that schedule.
Instead, Urbandub will launch their 5th Album, THE APPARITION, on Nov. 28, 2009.
Only 600 Limited Edition Copies will be released and will contain the bonus track, Home.
Their doing an hour long show and want all you Dubistas to be there.
More info on the whereabouts of their launch will be posted here very shortly, stick around!
CHECK IT OUT FRIENDS!
I'VE GOT A COPY OF THE APPARITION!!!!
SEE YOU ALL LATER AT THE ALBUM LAUNCH!!!!
I HOPE BY NOW YOU ALL HAVE FIGURED OUT WHERE IT WILL BE!
ANNOUNCEMENTS MIGHT BE MADE HERE LATER AT ABOUT 5PM :)
Hi Mercedes how are you? First things first, thank you for this interview! Since you put up your profile on odysseylive.net, you've gotten thousands of hits and your pictures receive more attention than pretty much anything we've had on the site before. I'm not actually surprised, your photos are hot hot hot!!!
Anyway, shall we begin :)
Miggy: What kind of music do you like listening to? Are you more into local or foreign music and what sort of genre's of music are you most attracted to?
Mercedes: hmm...I like electronica. Frou Frou..Immogen Heap..Zero 7.. i loooooove Silverchair, especially the Diorama album, lahat ng songs sa album na yun gusto ko. i also listen to The Verve, Coldplay, Blur, Incubus, Maroon 5...madami e pro ung unang sinabi ko favorite ko.
update jan 6, 2009:
mercedes texted me saying: Miiiiigs! Kalimutan ko pala ilagay, The Beatles!!! Lahat ng kanta nila gusto ko!!! ;p
Miggy: Wow i love your taste in music! What kind of musical events do you attend? Are you a club goer where you dance all night or more of a live band bar type of girl? Or perhaps you're the CCP type of girl where you watch plays and musicals?
Mercedes: Dati madalas ako sa Xaymaca because of Brownman Revival ska dati nage-embassy din ako pro nagsawa ako agad..walang lalim sa mga clubs e..haha! Ngayon mas madalas ako sa theater. pro gusto ko pa rin pumunta sa mga bars na my live band, lalo sa Penguin Cafe sa Malate.
Miggy: Naku sigurado na maraming maghahanap sayo sa Penguin ngaun! Hahaha! Sayang nag sara na ang Xaymaca, trip ko rin dun! Anyway, being a trained actress and model, are you also by any chance a singer? If so, what sort of songs do you sing and is there any chance us Mercedes Cabral fans would get a chance to watch you sing live?
Mercedes: haha! nako...mahilig ako kumanta kung saan saan pero mas malakas loob ko kumanta when i drink! Pag may mga parties at my videoke, nangaagaw talaga ako ng mic...haha! Hindi ako pinagpala ng magandang boses e... alam mo ba na isa sa mga fantasies ko e magconcert...Hahaha! Sabi ng auntie ko, paiyakin mo nlng ako, kahit ano na pagawin mo sakin wag lang pakantahin...Hahah!
Miggy: Hahaha! Pa sample naman minsan ng boses mo! Malay mo may bandang nagbabasa nito tas imbitahin ka sa araneta para mag guesting! Haha! Kung hindi libre nalang kita one time kung san may videoke tas pakalasing tayo! Alam ko na may Boyfriend ka, what type of music does your boyfriend listen to? Do you share the same taste or do your ipods have completely different material?
Mercedes: Sooobrang magkaiba kami ng taste ng boyfriend ko pagdating sa music..ciguro yun lang ung bagay na magkaiba kami pero open naman kaming pakinggan ang music ng isa't isa..
Miggy: Oks yun! At least you learn new music all the time through each other. Is there anything specific that you like listening to when spending "alone" time with your boyfriend?
Mercedes: Hmmm...wala pero we have this look na ginagawa namin lalo pag nasa labas kami at gusto namin may mangyari but we can't kasi nga nasa labas kami tapos pareho naman nasa isip ung song na "let's get it on" hahaha! oh! saka "afternoon delight"..hahaha!
Miggy: Wow talaga?! Ok yun ah! I think i can learn something from you hehe :) Have you ever dated a musician? If so, what instrument did he play and what was he into? Rocker, hip hop, rave etc?
Mercedes: Hmm...nada.
Miggy: Nada?! Ok, Thanks Mercedes! Part 1 pa lang 'to ha...may follow up questions pa ako sayo next time! Salamat!
Mercedes: thanks miggy! sna ok mga sagot ko. text ka lng..happy new year!xxx
