Rains from habagat seen to persist on Sunday — PAGASA

MANILA, Philippines — State weather forecasters on Sunday said many parts of the country continue to see rains, while the Ipo Dam would begin releasing water by noon due to heavy rainfall from the habagat. 

PAGASA raised its yellow warning which means flooding is possible in flood-prone areas of Zambales in its municipalities of San Antonio, Subic, Olongapo, Castillejos, and San Marcelino, as well as in Bataan and Pampanga. 

These areas, meanwhile, remain experiencing light to moderate with occasional heavy rains: 

• Metro Manila
• Tarlac
• Bulacan
• Cavite
• Rizal (San Mateo, Rodriguez, Binangonan, Cardona)
• Laguna (San Pedro, Binan, Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba)
• Nueva Ecija (Cabiao, San Antonio, Zaragoza, Jaen, San Leonardo, Licab, San Isidro, Gapan) 
• Batangas (Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Balayan, Tuy, Calaca, Lemery, Laurel, Talisay) 
• Quezon Province (General Nakar)
• rest of Zambales

The agency said this weather condition would persist within three hours. 

It advised the public and disaster response offices to continue monitoring the developments. 

PAGASA in a separate advisory said moderate to occasional heavy rains are also being felt over portions of: 

• Benguet (Itogon)
• Ilocos Sur (Magsingal, Narvacan, San Idelfonso, San Juan, Santo Domingo) 
• La Union (Agoo, Aringay, Bagulin, Caba, San Fernando City, San Gabriel, San Juan, Santol, Sudipen) 

Light to moderate rains, meanwhile, will affect these areas in the next hour:

• Benguet (Atok, Kapangan, Sablan, Tublay)

Early this morning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that three people had been killed from strong rains brought by the southwest monsoon or the habagat. 

Some 44,563 individuals are staying in 81 evacuation sites across the country. 

Ipo Dam to begin releasing water

Heavy rainfall still from the Habagat has pushed the water level at Ipo Dam to 100.56 meters as of 7 a.m. on Sunday.

As a result, the dam management said it would begin releasing water by noon, with an approximate initial discharge of 38 cubic meters per second. 

"Residents living along the low-lying areas and those near the river bank of Angat River from Norzagaray,  Angat, San Rafael, Bustos, Baliuag, Pulilan, Plaridel, and Hagonoy, are advised to be alert for possible increase in the water level downstream," it said.