Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado on Monday called on government agencies particularly the National Power Corporation (Napocor) and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to help Bulacan in addressing the perennial flooding in the province by enhancing the water management of Angat Dam.
The governor believed that proper water management will resolve flooding in the towns of Hagonoy and Calumpit.
Calumpit and Hagonoy are low-lying towns and major catch basins in Bulacan.
He said the Angat Dam is using big turbine and releases water through a secret passage at the back of it down to Bustos Dam.
It was learned from the officials of Bustos Dam they were forced to release excessive water coming from the Angat Dam. By using the auxiliary turbine instead of the big turbine, the water flowing from Angat will only passed downstream direct to Ipo Dam which supplies water to Metro Manila and not to Bustos Dam.
Alvarado said Angat Dam officials should use the four auxiliary turbine instead of using the big turbine. Operations of big turbine generate over-supply of electricity for business purposes.
“This is not all about commerce and business, this is about the people of Bulacan and consumers of Metro Manila.”
He clarified the flood water in Calumpit particularly in the villages of San Jose, Bulusan and Sta. Lucia remains because of the floodwater coming from Pampanga and Nueva Ecija and the continuous releasing of water from the Bustos Dam.
Calumpit and Hagonoy are still under 1-2ft of floodwater even it is not raining in the said areas in the past two days. “Stagnant na ang tubig dahil sa back floods from nearby provinces along with released water from Bustos Dam,” the governor said.
He called on Angat Dam officials to temporarily stop using the big turbine and use alternatively the 4 auxiliary turbine for 3 to 4 days. This will allow flood water in Calumpit and Hagonoy to subside.
The governor said the set-up should be implemented during heavy rains.
“We called on the national government to help the provincial government in informing Angat Dam officials regarding the matter to resolve flood problem,” Alvarado said.
The governor, who is also the chairman of the Regional Development Council in Central Luzon believed that cooperation and proper coordination of Angat Dam officials and concern government agencies will resolve the issue.
“We are not against them, everybody should cooperate and we will support to have s good management,” Alvarado added.
Alvarado also said the Provincial Government of Bulacan and the First and Second Bulacan District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are currently conducting rehabilitation of roadways particularly those damaged by the recent heavy rains and floods.
“The long term solutions to address the flood problems in Bulacan and other parts of Central Luzon are underway but this will take some time and the rainy season is just around the corner. There will be floods but it can be lessened if dam protocols are properly observed and the discharge of dam waters is properly coordinated with the Provincial Government thru the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office,” Alvarado said.
Two years ago, Alvarado suggested the creation of more mini dams in Nueva Ecija and Candaba swamp to prevent flash floods in coastal areas and make it a source of potable surface water and irrigation.
He also suggested then to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to place the right people who have the knowledge on the effective water management to handle the administration of the dams.
Angat Dam, located in Barangay San Lorenzo in Norzagaray, Bulacan is a concrete water reservoir embankment hydroelectric dam that supplies 60% of water in the Manila metropolitan area and a part of the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system. It supplies through the facilities of the sub-reservoir of Maynilad Water Corporation and it irrigates about 25,000 hectares of farmland in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga. –ELOISA SILVERIO