Gov’t to build dam near Marikina watershed

MANILA, Philippines - The government is planning to build a water catchment dam upstream of the Marikina watershed, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said yesterday.

The project, which will be supervised by the Department of Public Works and Highways, doubles as a flood-mitigating measure and a source of irrigation water in summer, he said.

“The idea is to catch the water when it is available and to release it when it is needed like, for example, during the dry season for agriculture use,” he said.

Paje said the establishment of additional catchments or small water impounding dams or SWIDs is part of the physical development plan which the Cabinet cluster on climate change is proposing.

“Rainwater can be managed as a resource if it is captured upstream and used during summer for agriculture,” he said.

However, the official clarified that the construction of SWIDs and other water catchment facilities is only supplementary to the overall objective of increasing the carrying capacity of the country’s watershed areas through sustained reforestation under the government’s National Greening Program.