Alvarado seeks repair of aging dams in Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines – Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado has called for the immediate repair of aging dams in the province, as the provincial government is preparing to open the bidding for the rehabilitation of the Angat Dam next month.

In his weekly program over dxSS radio, Alvarado said the rubber gates installed at Bustos Dam are old and need to be replaced immediately.

Alvarado said he would raise this concern during the next meeting of the Central Luzon Regional Development Council chaired by Mayor Oscar Rodriguez of San Fernando City, Pampanga.

Alvarado said they would ask officials of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) about the status of the dam located along the Angat River between the towns of Bustos and San Rafael. 

NIA operates and manages Bustos Dam, which distributes water for the irrigation needs of Bulacan and Pampanga farmers.

Earlier, engineer Felix Robles told The STAR that fishing, dipping and swimming downstream of the reservoir are no longer allowed.

Robles recalled that a similar rubber gate of a dam in Florida in the United States burst recently, resulting in a rapid outflow of water from the reservoir.

Meanwhile, engineer Rodolfo German of the Angat River hydroelectric power plant of the National Power Corp. said the bidding to rehabilitate the water reservoir is set next month.

He clarified though that there is no crack on the dam which he said can withstand a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.