By Christina Mendez
The Philippine Star 12/06/2004
Flashfloods and landslides flushed out deadly snakes that now pose hazards to volunteers engaged in rescue and relief operations in provinces devastated by last week’s typhoons.
Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said yesterday her office has received several requests for anti-venom treatment after several volunteers were bitten by Philippine cobras (scientific name Naja naja philippinensis) in the town of General Nakar in Quezon.
The town remains inaccessible after landslides triggered by typhoons "Winnie" and "Yoyong" blocked off roads leading to it. Military helicopters have been transporting food packs and relief goods to hundreds of survivors complaining of lack of food and cramped quarters in evacuation centers.
Soliman said medical teams are "very much needed" in the Quezon towns of Real, General Nakar and Infanta where relief operations are being hampered by Philippine cobras.
"We have sent anti-venom from San Lazaro (Hospital) and private groups are setting up centers (to address medical needs)," she said during a briefing at the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) office at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Compared to the venom of other cobras, medical experts said the venom of the Philippine cobra, which attacks the nervous system, is the most toxic. A study found that a person can die from the bite of this species in 10 to 15 minutes through respiratory paralysis.
Soliman suggested that local governments start clearing roads and bridges in the provinces of Quezon and Aurora to make devastated towns accessible by land.
NDCC chairman Col. Elma Aldea said relief operations were hampered by roads and bridges damaged by flashfloods and landslides, and the military’s lack of heavy airlift capabilities.
Aldrea said there is also a need to augment the military’s supply of petroleum for air and land transport as well as other equipment needed for rescue and relief operations.
Civil defense officials also said they need heavy airlift planes to distribute relief goods to areas where survivors have not eaten in the past five days.
Soliman said the agitation level is "very high" among survivors in Aurora province because food drops by military helicopters "are not enough" to feed all of them. She requested the military to regularly deliver more food packs to survivors in Dingalan and Baler towns.
She reported that the government has released P10 million out of P29 million worth of relief goods to areas devastated by last week’s typhoons.
Apart from food packs, relief volunteers have also distributed hard-boiled eggs and bread to survivors along with some used clothing and other items.
Soliman said relief operations in Quezon and Aurora will continue until Dec. 15, in which they will help people get food and other basic necessities. She said they will also help address the psychological needs of thousands of displaced residents during this phase.
From Dec. 16 to 31, the government will conduct the rehabilitation phase — putting up new shelters and infrastructure at typhoon-affected areas in General Nakar, Infanta and Real in Quezon as well as Dingalan and Baler in Aurora, she said.
"We really need to work here together to provide basic services, sanitation, health care, schools and shelter (for the community)," Soliman said.
Though these phases "do not go (one) after the other but may go together," Soliman said they plan to address productive and livelihood issues for the typhoon victims by January next year.
You must live in the city and don't travel to the country side much. From what I hear there's cobras almost everywhere in that country. I tried to look for a cobra or a python one time while at a small farm in Los Banos. The farmers said they had killed one the day before but unfortunatly I didn't see any. 
Oh, well I will try again next time.
/ JKidding