MANILA, Philippines – Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando said on Thursday, August 3, that one of the causes of intense flooding in the province is the release of water from Bustos Dam.

In an ABS-CBN News interview, Fernando said he understood that the dam’s managers had to release water since one of the gates of Bustos Dam has been in disrepair for as long as three years already.

“[U]ntil now [ang] katotohanan po ay hindi pa nagagawa ‘yung gates ng Bustos Dam,” Fernando said. “Aanihin po itong gates na ‘to kung ‘yung isang gate ay nasira, ‘yung gate number 5.”

(Until now, the truth is, Bustos Dam’s gates is not yet fixed. What use is the gates if one of the gates is broken, gate number 5.)

Bustos Dam is a diversion dam located less than 30 kilometers from Malolos, the province’s capital city.

Diversion dams divert water from rivers or streams. Reservoir dams, on the other hand, like Angat and Ipo dams are usually multi-purpose involving “power generation, flood control, fishery and recreation,” according to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). Angat Dam supplies water for Metro Manila.

NIA acting Administrator Eduardo Eddie Guillen said during a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on Wednesday, August 2, that Bustos Dam will naturally overflow because it doesn’t have a reservoir.

Guillen said Angat Dam has not yet released water while Ipo Dam has released 100 cubic meters per second (cms).

Concerned local government units and the provincial disaster risk reduction management office must be informed in advance before a dam releases water.

However, Fernando said they were taken by surprise when a large amount of water was released.

“I was shocked because noong bandang kalakasan na, nagpakawala na ng 700 cms,” Fernando said. (I was shocked because when the [rainfall] got stronger, they released 700 cubic meters per second.)

Many parts in Bulacan continue to suffer from floods, also due to Typhoon Egay and the enhanced southwest monsoon. More than 200,000 families are affected in the province, prompting Bulacan to declare a state of calamity last July 31.

Fernando said they have been in talks with Bustos Dam management regarding the repair of the broken gate.

“Huling balita ko is dinemanda na raw nila ‘yung contractor,” said Fernando. “Ngayon, ang usapan namin palitan agad, tatlong taon na po nakakalipas. Ngayon, kami ang sisisihin nila na dapat bigyan impormasyon yung mga tao.”

(The last thing I heard is they are already suing the contractor. We’ve been having talks about the repair. Now, they’re blaming us that we should’ve informed people.)

Fernando said that another dam in a low-lying area is necessary to control water. Aside from an additional dam, Fernando said a mega dike traversing Bataan to Cavite can help ward off water during high tide.

Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan said on Thursday in a radio interview that they are now in the process of procuring dredging equipment to desilt even the smaller rivers. — Rappler.com