Angat Dam breaches lowest water elevation

MALOLOS CITY , Philippines  – Bulacan farmers were advised to go on diversified farming as water elevation at the Angat Dam yesterday breached the average lowest elevation recorded at the dam.

As this developed, farmers in the province were already talking of asking the provincial government to declare a state of calamity but local officials said they are still studying the situation.

Records obtained by The STAR showed that water elevation at the dam dropped to 157.92 meters above sea level (masl) yesterday, which is lower than the 158.15 masl, the lowest average water elevation recorded at the dam in September 1998, or a year after the onslaught of El Niño.

According to Gloria Carillo, Bulacan provincial agriculture officer, a total of 27,000 hectares of farmlands in the province has been initially programmed for certified seeds while another 2,100 hectares for hybrid rice.

However, erratic weather conditions continue to persist in the province despite the official onset of the rainy season.

“It rains in the afternoon, but it usually stops minutes later and that is not enough for our rice farmers’ irrigation needs,” she said.

Carillo noted that they have advised local farmers to shift into diversified farming in order to keep their livelihood.

She said that farmers were advised to plant vegetables as cash crops, and have livestock on the side.

She also said they have advised local farmers to stall land preparations for the meantime as the weather bureau announced that at least three months of erratic weather systems would occur after the end of El Niño.

“They told us that rainfall may normalize by October, kaya yung mga farmers ay pinayuhan to stand by muna,” she said.

However, Carillo said there is a possibility that certified seeds given by the Department of Agriculture to local farmers may end up rotting or being cooked.

This is due to the fact that there is not enough water to sustain rice crops when planted.

As this developed, some local farmers told The STAR that they are hoping the provincial government would soon declare a state of calamity in the province due to the extended effect of El Niño.

They said that their families will soon be hungry as they can’t plant their crops.

However, officials close to Gov. Willy Alvarado said they are carefully analyzing the situation.

They said that declaration of a state of calamity is one of the options, but not a priority at the moment.