Plans underway to rehabilitate Angat Dam, says Bulacan Gov. Alvarado

MANILA, Philippines — Plans are underway to rehabilitate and strengthen the Angat Dam, Bulacan Governor Willie Sy Alvarado revealed in an interview on Radyo Inquirer 990AM Saturday.

Alvarado said President Benigno Aquino III himself issued the directive to rehabilitate the 43-year old dam during a meeting with local government units and key agencies that gathered to assess the damages caused by the recent floods triggered by Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel”.

According to Alvarado, the decision was arrived at after the Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)reported that the Marikina fault line also ran beneath the Angat reservoir.

Aside from the fault line, Alvarado said the Angat Dam, like Ipo Dam, was also heavily silted. “Half of it is soil,” Alvarado said, adding that the siltation contributed to the overflow that resulted in the flooding of the coastal towns.

He said relief operations for the victims of the flood has reached the last stage. “We will soon start the rehabilitation stage, which is more costly,” he said.

As of Saturday, Alvarado said all affected areas have been reached by relief teams, except barangay (village)  Bulusan in Calumpit.

To remedy the situation, he said the barangay officials were ordered to claim the relief goods from a designated area. “And they distribute the relief goods to the residents,” he said.

For the full interview, listen to Radyo Inquirer. 990AM.