Improving weather on the main island of Luzon in the wake of Typhoon Nanmadol allowed military cargo planes and helicopters to reach more areas of the Pampanga river basin, while navy craft laden with aid and heavy equipment headed for the Bicol peninsula and the northeast coast.

Pope John Paul said he was "deeply saddened" at the latest disaster to strike Asia's Roman Catholic outpost, and offered prayers for the victims, their families, and those engaged in rescue and relief.

The Red Cross estimated that up to 800,000 people may need help.

Arroyo flew by helicopter to the devastated towns of General Nakar, Infanta and Real early Saturday and "ordered the suspension of logging permits all over the country," said Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman, who accompanied her.

Officials have blamed widespread logging in the Sierra Madre mountain range for the deluge of mud, logs and boulders that buried much of the three towns.

"We are determined to make those responsible for widespread death and destruction to pay the price for their misdeeds, and we shall prosecute them the way we do terrorists, kidnappers, drug traffickers and other heinous criminals," Arroyo said in a statement.

She urged Congress to "amend existing environmental laws to promulgate stiffer penalties against illegal loggers and their cohorts."

Mayors told her floods and landslides which hit the three towns after a storm late Monday have left at least 495 people dead and 508 missing, Soliman said.

The toll excludes storm victims from other areas of Luzon as well as the casualties from Nanmadol's fury on Thursday.

The dead and missing from the two weather disturbances total at least 1,100, civil defense officials say.

The government estimates the country's forest cover at seven million hectares (17.3 million acres). A logging ban would affect 18 timber licensing agreements covering just over 800,000 hectares.

The air force said fixed-wing aircraft were ferrying tonnes of food, bottled water, clothes, tents and bedding to the Fort Magsaysay army base in the northern Philippines.

From there, helicopters are delivering the aid to flooded communities of central Luzon as well as to Real and nearby towns. The same aircraft were evacuating the sick and injured to hospitals.

Military aircraft from Mactan air base in the central Philippines were flying similar sorties to Bicol, the air force said.

"There are still injured and ailing people who require a medical evacuation," Soliman said.

"Up to now, Infanta, Real and General Nakar are accessible only by helicopter.

"Some of the relief goods have reached the town centers. Our next challenge is to take the relief goods to the survivors stranded in the outlying villages."

Soliman said military units marching through the mud and debris were taking some of the assistance to isolated hamlets.

The navy chief, Vice Admiral Ernesto de Leon, said four navy ships were expected to dock at the port of Infanta on Monday carrying earthmovers, forklifts, cargo trucks and army trucks, and construction equipment.

Navy rescue units are aboard smaller naval vessels in the flotilla, he told

"We are rushing relief and rescue operations. This is a crisis and we are assuring everyone that heavy equipment will arrive in areas still isolated," de Leon said.

Millions of dollars in relief aid was also pouring in from abroad.

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