N. Luzon cut off from Manila, thousands need rescue

DAGUPAN, Pangasinan - Widespread flooding and landslides have isolated major population centers in northern Luzon, including Baguio, delaying outside help and forcing officials to rely on local resources to rescue and evacuate tens of thousands, many of whom were caught by surprise by the rapidly rising water. "Sarado na po (They are closed)," Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino Jr. said in an interview on dzBB radio, referring to roads linking Pangasinan to Metro Manila. A provincial government spokesman said this morning that military choppers were leaving Manila for Pangasinan to help in the rescue effort. "Pati mga rubber boats namin nagkabutas na," said Butch Velasco, the provincial spokesman. He said with daylight this morning, help from neighboring provinces was on the way. However, all of the provinces around Pangasinan were also badly affected, hampering their ability to assist each other.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV With the roads to Pangasinan closed, all of the other Ilocos Region provinces of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte are isolated from Manila. The Cagayan Valley Region, which comprises the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela and Cagayan, has also been isolated from the rest of Luzon due to massive landslides along Maharlika Highway in the Caraballo Mountains. According to Chief Supt. Roberto Damian, regional police director for Cagayan Valley, a big portion of the two-lane highway near Putlan Bridge leading to Dalton Pass on the side of Carranglan, Nueva Ecija has been washed out and may take days or weeks to repair. The entire Cagayan Valley is isolated from other regions, said Damian, who added that the link between the Cagayan and Ilocos Norte via Pagudpud has also been closed by landslides. Roads to Baguio closed Cordillera police regional director Senior Superintendent Fidel Posadas said Baguio City was also cut off from other parts of Luzon as three main roads leading to it were closed. Posadas said these included Kennon Road, Naguilian Road and Marcos Highway. He said the Department of Public Works and Highways had been working overtime to clear the roads. "Sarado ang three major thoroughfares pababa sa Baguio (The three major thoroughfares from Baguio are closed)," he said on dzBB radio. The rest of the Cordilleras - Mountain Provinces, Ifugao, Abra, Apayao and Kalinga - were also isolated from other provinces, Posadas said. Presidential Management Staff head Hermogenes Esperon Jr., who was on his way to his home province of Pangasinan, said buses and cargo trucks had trouble navigating through the floods. "Ang problema paglusot from south to north papuntang Rosales. May bus din dito, cargo truck (The problem is heading for Rosales town in Pangasinan. There are some buses and cargo trucks stuck here)," he said. But Esperon said at least four 6x6 military trucks carrying relief goods so far managed to get through the flooded roads. Bus firms have suspended trips north, while passenger buses and cargo trucks have either turned back south or gotten stranded in the relentless rain and rising water. Caught by surprise Ironically, despite the worst disaster in recent memory here, only Storm Signal No. 1 was hoisted over the region, making some residents believe the storm would be relatively mild. But the warning system only predicts wind velocity and not rainfall. With flood waters entering homes with the suddenness familiar to many Ondoy victims in Metro Manila, local authorities had little time to prepare for rescue and evacuation. The safest and driest place in Dagupan, Pangasinan's largest city, seems to be the indoor sports stadium here, the Fernandez Sports Complex (formerly known as Dagupan Astrodome), where nearly 400 evacuees were taken by local authorities. But electricity is out in much of the city, including this venue. While the evacuees were given rice, there are no cooking facilities. "Kelangan din dito tubig kasi walang mainom (ang) mga bata. meron kagabi pero isang galon lang," said Sally Berot, 22, who is here with her husband and three small children. She said they were able to bring most of their kids' clothes but these were soaked in the rain. Knee-high waters had entered their home in Barangay Malued when they decided to leave. The sports stadium is teeming with children, including several infants, from 84 families that evacuated four barangays Malued, Pantal, Lasip-Brande and Poblacion Oeste in Dagupan. Transfer to higher ground An estimated 25,000 people now in evacuation centers in Pangasinan will be transferred to the elevated western part of this province, the provincial government said Friday morning. Butch Velasco, provincial information officer, said the evacuation will be conducted later in the day after rescue operations in several low-lying areas. Meanwhile, the 1,000 people widely reported to be stranded in SM Rosales are now being rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard, according to Lt. Col. Anyano Orap-Orap of the Philippine Army. Flood waters had risen rapidly in Rosales, sealing off their escape from the mall. As of posting time, rescue teams from the SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) maritime group and Sual town are conducting rescue operations in Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Calasiao, Sta. Barbara and Mapandan municipalities. A total of 30 towns and cities have been submerged with three to 10 feet of floodwaters since Pepeng made its third landfall on Thursday. The affected areas are Aguilar, Basista, Urbiztondo, Bayambang, Calasiao, Mapandana, Sta. Barbara, Dagupan City, Manaoag, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Alcala, Bautista, Binaloan, Laoac, Pozorrubio, Sison, Urdaneta City, Villasis, Asingan, Bulangao, Natividad, Rosales, San Manuel, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Sta. Maria, Tayug and Umingan. Among the most affected areas are Natividad, Tayug, Asingan and Mangaldan with all the villages there heavily flooded. Stubborn refusal to evacuate Yet even as the massive evacuation was being undertaken, two municipal mayors have complained of the "hard-headedness" of some of their constituents. In separate radio interviews, Mayors Nonato Abrenica Jr. (Villasis) and Ricardo Revita (Rosales) said they asked residents to leave their homes but many stubbornly refused. "Ang problema may matigas ang ulo, may naiwan. Medyo matigas ang ulo, di nakinig sa atin (The problem is that many people were hardheaded and refused to heed my calls to evacuate their homes)," Abrenica said in an interview on dzBB radio. The mayor said he ordered the police to conduct a forced evacuation but by then it was too late as water from nearby dams already flooded the town. As of early Friday, about 70 percent of the town was flooded. "Sabi ko forced evacuation pero biglang dumating ang tubig (I ordered a forced evacuation but by then it was too late because the water came in too fast)," he said. Abrenica said he was stranded on the town hall’s second floor, as the ground floor was already flooded. Returning evacuees In Rosales town, Mayor Revita said many residents evacuated at first, but returned to their homes after getting relief goods. Revita said he heard many cries for help Thursday night but could not do anything about it as the town had only one working rubber boat. "Nang nakuha ang relief (goods) nila nagbalikan sila sa bahay-bahay nila. Nang tumaas ang tubig wala na kaming magawa di sila maka-cross (When they got their relief goods, they went back to their homes. When the water rose, we could not do anything anymore)," he said. "Nasabihan namin, di kami nagkulang sa tao. Ang advisory sa barangay captains ilikas ang tao along riverbanks of Agno. Umikot pa ako tatlong beses, lahat na nakasalubong ko sinabihan ko (We did our part. I told the village chiefs to tell those living near the riverbanks of Agno River to leave. I went around the area thrice, I told them personally to evacuate)," he added. As of posting time, provincial administrator Rafael Baraan said the San Roque Dam is releasing 3,900 cubic meters per second, down from the 6,000 per cubic meter Thursday night. Pangasinan Governor Espino said he has been pushing for preventive evacuation in areas near the Agno River since Sunday when it was announced that Pepeng might return to the country. - With Floro Taguinod, GMANews.TV