DAGUPAN CITY , Philippines – Former President Ramos said faulty flood control dikes and the abolition of the Agno River Basin Development Commission (ARBDC) regulating the dams in Pangasinan apparently contributed to the massive flooding that submerged much of the province during the onslaught of typhoon “Pepeng.”
In a statement, Ramos also admonished local officials in the province for finger pointing in the wake of the devastation caused by the flooding, which, according to the former President, could be attributed to neglect.
Ramos blamed President Arroyo for abolishing the ARBDC that could have regulated and controlled the operation of the dams and prevented the untimely release of excess water that inundated much of the province.
Ramos said Pangasinan local officials should not blame the San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam Project (SRMDP) and National Power Corp. for the release of excess water but focus on other causes of the flooding.
“Unfortunately, since seven years ago, SRMDP has not been supported by the installation downstream of reinforced dikes for flood control of huge volumes of impounded rainwater, for irrigation of arable lands in four Pangasinan districts and one Tarlac district, hundreds of barangay fishfarms, and freshwater for two million residents,” Ramos pointed out.
Ramos created the ARBDC through an executive order on Sept. 23, 1997 for the purpose of harnessing the precious conserved fresh water in Northern Luzon through long-term planning and implementation.
Ramos said it was “indeed unpardonable” that ARBDC was abolished because this meant goodbye to better flood control dikes, one million additional tons of rice per year, additional inland fish farms, and potable water for 35 municipalities and cities downstream where deep well aquifers were threatened by pollution or saltwater intrusion.
“Was it politically convenient for decision-makers whose perspectives were not only myopic but also limited in field experience and oblivious to people empowerment imperatives?” Ramos asked.
Ramos stressed that the benefit of ARBDC that could have controlled the supply of potable water for 2.5-million metric tons of rice crops produced by the province annually as well as the livelihood generated along hundreds of kilometers of the Agno’s mainstream tributaries.
Sen. Francis Escudero, on the other hand, said dam operators had prioritized profits over the safety of thousands of residents in Pangasinan when they released 128 billion liters of water at the height of Pepeng.
“In the name of making money, they sacrificed the lives of everyone along the floodways so that they could generate enough electricity,” Escudero said.
What transpired during that weekend, Escudero said, would prove that the dam managers maximized the capacity of the dam before they began releasing excess water.
According to Escudero, the San Roque Dam got a maximum level of only 290 meters above sea level.
He said dam operators started releasing water at 288 meters.
When the water level was increasing, there should have been a protocol, he said. At 260 meters, they could have opened some floodgates already.
He said the rate of water released was at 5.1 million liters per second, which translated to 300 million liters per second or 16 billion liters per hour.
“Imagine how quickly the waters rose. If they started at 240, 250, or 260, then the flood problems wouldn’t cause too much devastation and tragedy. I asked the National Power Corp. and San Roque dam operators if they knew how much the Agno River can absorb,” he said.
Escudero noted the dam operators are pointing to the Department of Public Works and Highways, which they said, was responsible for the data.
He said he was extremely disappointed with the whole “blame game” and finger pointing among dam operators, local government officials and the state weather bureau.
Even Napocor chairman Froilan Tampinco admitted that they had to modify the protocol in releasing water from the dams because of outdated guidelines, Escudero said.
During the Senate inquiry last Friday, Tampinco admitted they were caught off guard by the heavy volume of rainwater brought by Pepeng.
Escudero said Tampinco’s admission only highlighted the lack of proper procedure in the release of dam water.
“This is unacceptable,” Escudero said. “They did not show concern for the people and they chose to protect the dam instead. It would have been better if they had coordination with local government units.” – With Aurea Calica