Here is an article from Sunstar's Dennis Limlingan, on September 29, 2009.

THE sight of landslides engulfing residences is not new, at least in some provinces not Pampanga.

September 29, 2009 afternoon while Typhoon “Ondoy” was devastating most of Central Luzon, roars were heard in a once peaceful barangay in Arayat town. Heard like a hundreds of galloping horses, mud mixed with big chunks of rocks and fallen trees gripped houses and residents at the community located at the foot of Mt. Arayat triggered by heavy rains that loosened the soil. The big erosion was conclusively caused by the lack of roots gripping the land composed mostly of the clay type.

It was the first time for still shocked residents of Arayat and the whole province as well to see the wrath of nature claim lives and properties at the foot of Mariang Sinukuan’s dwelling.

Barangay San Juan Bano is one of the most famous villages in this town located east of Pampanga. It is the gateway for hikers and mountaineers in reaching their destination atop the only mountain in the whole province. The terrain is hilly.

It has a tourist spot that is called the Mt. Arayat National Park that used to be the resting haven of then President Manuel Quezon during his heydays. The park houses swimming pools that provide everyone dipping in it a chill of fresh cool water supplied by nature. During summer, pools are good attractions for those who want to relax. It even boasts of a waterfall with continuous supply of sweet, cold gush of water.

The National Park has a few structures thereat including a multi-function gazebo, an office, and some nipa huts with some seem to look like bunkers during the old war time days. I used to enjoy myself when I was still young trekking the “hundred steps” that is also a passageway for climbers in going to the mountain’s peak. Labuyos (wild chicken) and monkeys used to wander the nature’s park evidencing a balanced ecology.

Nature’s splendor and lush green vista was in a sudden, changed into a scene of mud swallowing human bodies and destroying properties. In a snap, lives were lost totaling to 14, mostly innocents with their age.

I had uncontrolled goose bumps while my eyes were focused on my TV set when I saw a young boy dugged-up by rescue workers. A lifeless pregnant woman wallowed in mud instantly attracted the utmost mercy of those who saw her. Grief enveloped the whole community drawing tears from many eyes. Even President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was teary-eyed when she personally visited the wake of the landslide victims at the chapel in the barangay. The families buried alive in mud reminds me of the Guinsaugon tragedy where a lot more than the Arayat landslide perished.

One resident of San Juan Bano lost his house, now buried in boulders and mud. What is more saddening is the loss of her mother, wife and two young children. I find it hard to imagine the grief he is experiencing.

Ondoy’s onslaught was intensely devastating. It flooded Metro Manila and many parts of the region. To this date, the number of dead bodies increase as authorities continuously account victims and assess damage to properties.

Farmers were not spared from typhoon. Palay plants are at this month of the year “pregnant” with palays while some are maturing for early harvests come next month. A friend who has some hectares of palay crops cried when he related to me the worth of his expected yield that all went down the drain.

Cars piled up the streets while some were swept a few meters away. A family, I heard drowned while they were inside their family inundated by rampaging floodwaters. Several structures were damaged as heavy rains and strong winds rendered many roads and bridges needing repairs.

Ondoy left a mark into all of us. I can say it’s all a part of our payback to Mother Nature.