By Francis C. Hidalgo Jr., Correspondent

AT least 27 persons were confirmeddead and thousands of residents were displaced because of heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Ondoy in Central and Northern Luzon. In Central Luzon, the Philippine News Agency reported quoting the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office that 10 persons were confirmed dead in Pampanga because of landslides while 17 other fatalities were reported in Bulacan, who were believed to be swept away by strong currents of the flashfloods at the height of the tropical storm on Saturday.

The OCD also reported that 13 municipalities in Bulacan, one in Bataan, one in Nueva Ecija and six in Pampanga remain flooded.

The state media said the casualties in Pampanga were identified as: Sonny Boy Protacio, 8 years old; Riza Protacio, 28; Raiza Protacio, 4; Marilyn Protacio, 5; Marc Galang, 10; Marco Galang, 16; Catalina de la Cruz, 83; Mary Ann de la Cruz; Marlon de la Cruz; Popoy de la Cruz, Shirley de la Cruz; and Marlilyn de la Cruz. The fatalities were all in Barangay San Juan Banyo, Arayat.

In Bulacan, some of the 17 fatalities were identified as: Roberto Pacao, Eric Portugal, Abet San Pedro of Bocaue; Ramon Denistosa, Fortunato Saturnino, Faustino Policarpio, of Meycauayan City; Angelica Arajo and Benjamin Juliano of Bustos; and Rodel Casino of Guiguinto.

Two persons also reportedly drowned and one got electrocuted in Bocaue while three others drowned in
Meycauayan, two in Bustos and one in Guiguinto.

At least 13,576 families, or 44,178 persons, were affected and 4,183 families, or 18,819 persons, were moved to different evacuation centers in Bulacan.

The state media said reports from the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Management Office (PDMO) showed that hardest hit by the raging floods were the towns of Marilao, where waters rose to as high as 9 feet; Bustos, 7 feet, and Bocaue, 5 feet.

Gov. Joselito Mendoza of Bulacan said the flooding, the worst to hit the province since October 1978, was compounded by the release of water from the overflowing Angat dam and Ipo dam in Norzagaray town.

The PDMO reported the Angat dam commenced spilling operations at about 1 p.m. on Saturday with the initial opening of its radial gate, releasing one cubic meter of water every 30 minutes until total outflows reached 500 cubic meters per second.

Thousands of commuters were stranded for long hours along the North Luzon Expressway as some parts of the highway became impassable before noon Saturday. Some residents in Balagtas town also recalled how the swift rise of floodwaters inundated their place.

In Quirino province, the houses of some 500 individuals, or about 100 families, were inundated by floods and are either in temporary shelters or sought refuge with their relatives in safer grounds.
Also, some 50 families in Ilagan, Isabela, were also affected after their villages were hit by floodwater caused by the tropical storm.

Fifteen-year-old high-school student identified as Florante Ramirez from Ilagan town was carried away by rampaging waters of the Abuan River while collecting firewood. His body has not as yet been recovered by the authorities.}

Floods were also reported in several towns of Cagayan and Isabela provinces.
Clearing operations are already ongoing for landslides along the national highway in Barangay Abian in Bambang town, with one lane already passable.