12 dead in Arayat landslide

ARAYAT, Pampanga --- At least 12 persons, mostly children, died while five others were seriously injured after tons of mud and rock cascaded down Mt. Arayat and buried some 78 houses in Barangay San Juan Baño here afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 26.
Those killed were identified as Riza Portacio, 28; Sonny Boy Portacio, 8; LynLyn Portacio, 5; Raiza Portacio, 4; Catalina Dela Cruz, 86; Sherly Dela Cruz, 31; Manilyn Dela Cruz, 12; Marlon Dela Cruz, 11; Maryan Dela Cruz, 10; McGyver Dela Cruz, 6; Mark Galang, 15; and Marko Galang, 10.
Mayor Luis Espino said the landslide took place around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the height of rains dumped by tropical storm Ondoy.
He said the victims were living in a barangay at the foothills of Mt. Arayat.
The bodies of those buried were recovered from Saturday evening to Sunday morning. Those injured were rushed to the Jose B. Lingad Hospital in the City of San Fernando, also in Pampanga.
The displaced families, he added, were evacuated to several public schools in their town.
On Sunday, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo condoled with the families of those killed in the tragedy at the St. John Chapel here to commiserate with the Dela Cruz, Portacio and Galang families, who lost loved ones in the landslide.
Appropriately clad in a black raincoat over a black dress, the President told Sammy Portacio she felt sorry that he had lost his wife and four children.
From the chapel, the President then went to see Manuel dela Cruz, who suffered the loss of his entire family.
Dela Cruz recounted to the President how he watched in horror as his mother Catalina wife and children were swallowed up by the rampaging mud, rocks and debris.
Last to be visited by the President were Mario and Leonora Galang, parents of Mark and Marko.
The President also visited those evacuated in public schools to distribute relief goods.
In a separate interview, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelie Fajardo said the President was devastated upon hearing the misfortune that befell her cabalen.
She said the President instructed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine National Police and the local government units to investigate the cause of the landslide and to present their findings to her immediately.
The President gave each family two checks amounting to P15,000 for each loved one lost: P10,000 from the National Disaster Coordinating Council and P5,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Pampanga Rep. Dong Gonzales also donated P5,000 for each victim.
After Arayat, the President left for the nearby barangays of Sto. Niño, San Miguel, and San Agustin, all in the municipality of San Simon, Pampanga, to distribute food bags to residents.
Each bag, contained P250-worth of canned goods, rice, noodles, coffee and sugar.
(By Albert B. Lacanlale)