Following the Angat Dam Break Drill in Malolos City on Friday, December 13, the local government of Bulacan is preparing to bring this drill to the different towns in the province.
Incident Commander of the said drill and also Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said in an interview that the provincial administration is set to immediately introduce the said drill, which aims to bring awareness of what may happen and how to take action just in case the dam breaks, to other municipalities in Bulacan.
Incident Commander of the said drill and also Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said in an interview that the provincial administration is set to immediately introduce the said drill, which aims to bring awareness of what may happen and how to take action just in case the dam breaks, to other municipalities in Bulacan.
“My order is ‘immediately,’” said Alvarado. “I'm going to issue an Executive Order to bring it down to the municipalities, and they are already waiting for this.”
In his speech, the governor gave an explanation why the local government had decided to conduct such drill.
“Angat Dam is sitting on West Marikina Fault Line, isang lamat na tumatahak mula Norzagaray , Rizal hanggang sa Sta. Rosa, Laguna,” the governor stated. “Kung ang lupa sa ilalim ay gagalaw, [causing] an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude, kaya ba ito ng Angat Dam?”
Alvarado elaborated that the Angat Dam, the primary source of water of Metro Manila, is an old dam, existing for about 44 years already whereas the lifespan of a dam is just 50 years.
“Ayon sa pag-aaral, ang dam natin, which is carrying 815 million metric tons of water ay magtatala ng 30 metrong lalim ng tubig sa lalawigan ng Bulacan, Pampanga at Metro Manila,” said the governor. “We are here talking in case of dam break of a 210 meters of water na tuluy-tuloy na bumaba kasama ang boulders, kasama ang mga illegally cut logs, na bubuhos sa ating mga bayan-bayan na magdadala sa atin doon sa Manila Bay.”
WHAT THE FUND IS FOR
Also in his speech on Friday, the governor said that President Benigno S. Aquino III had set aside 5.7 billion pesos for the supposed-to-be rehabilitation of Angat Dam. However, not a single dime was spent from the said fund, which was released over a year ago.
“Ang tinatanong natin, ng mag-release ang ating pangulo, that was more than a year ago,” said Alavarado. “bakit hanggang ngayon, hindi pa ginagastos kahit isang sentimo para patibayin ang istraktura ng Angat Dam?”
The governor also appealed for the immediate action towards the matter, saying that while the national government is debating against Koreans’ K-Water on who is supposed to be the in-charge of the rehabilitation, they should start using the allotted 5.7 billion to repair the dam.
“May pera naman, gastusin na, at nang sa gayon makatulog ang mga Bulakenyo.”
THE ‘SAFEST’ PLACE?
The Bulacan Sports Complex was chosen to be the ‘permanent evacuation site’ of the Malolenyos in case of catastrophes.
According to Ed Antenor of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the complex is, based on a study, the possible safest place along Malolos.
“Actually, mayroong pito (7),” said Antenor. “Ito (Bulacan Sports Complex) 'yung medyo walang tubig kung magkaroon ng Angat Dam break, sa map nila, ito pa 'yung medyo wala pang tubig sa Malolos Area.”
Antenor also enumerated the possible areas that will be the most affected, in case there was a dam break.
“Maaapektuhan syempre 'yung along Angat River na munisipyo,” he said. “simula Norzagaray, Angat, Baliuag, San Rafael, Bustos papunta ng Plaridel, Pulilan at Calumpit, Hagonoy.”
The complex can accommodate up to 25,000 people in standing, also according to Antenor, but countered, “Pero syemmpre di’ba, siksikan rin ‘yun.”
THE ‘EVACUEES’
The recently commenced dam break drill in Malolos City was attended by more than 12,000 people, including students from Bulacan State University, La Consolacion University of the Philippines, Bulacan Polytechnic College and Centro Escolar University, and also workers and employees from the provincial government.
Bridgit Quema, an instructor from College of Education in Bulacan State University (BulSU), said that this drill can be helpful, though situations from real catastrophic event might be quite different for the so-called evacuees.
“Kaya lang ito kasi ay alam nilang drill kaya ganun lang ang phasing ng paglakad, pero kung talagang real situation 'yung nangyayari ngayon, hindi ganun,” said Quema. “Syempre nagpapanic na ang mga tao, di'ba. Pero kung sa makakatulong, makakatulong 'to.”
Quema also explained the importance of knowing the evacuation site, stating, “Kasi di'ba na-orient sila, alam nila kung saan sila pupunta. Kasi 'pag 'di mo alam kung saan ang evacuation center, syempre magpapanic ang tao 'di alam kung saan pupunta. Ma-aavoid natin ang maraming cases ng accident.”
The dam break drill began at around 8:30 in the morning, with the participants from different schools and from the provincial hospital and government of Bulacan evacuating from their posts, and headed to the evacuation site in Bulacan Sports Complex located in Sta. Isabel, Malolos City. The drill was terminated by the incident commander at around 10:30 A.M.
The drill was rated nine out of 10 (9/10) by Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region III Director Josefina T. Timoteo.
In his speech, the governor gave an explanation why the local government had decided to conduct such drill.
“Angat Dam is sitting on West Marikina Fault Line, isang lamat na tumatahak mula Norzagaray , Rizal hanggang sa Sta. Rosa, Laguna,” the governor stated. “Kung ang lupa sa ilalim ay gagalaw, [causing] an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude, kaya ba ito ng Angat Dam?”
Alvarado elaborated that the Angat Dam, the primary source of water of Metro Manila, is an old dam, existing for about 44 years already whereas the lifespan of a dam is just 50 years.
“Ayon sa pag-aaral, ang dam natin, which is carrying 815 million metric tons of water ay magtatala ng 30 metrong lalim ng tubig sa lalawigan ng Bulacan, Pampanga at Metro Manila,” said the governor. “We are here talking in case of dam break of a 210 meters of water na tuluy-tuloy na bumaba kasama ang boulders, kasama ang mga illegally cut logs, na bubuhos sa ating mga bayan-bayan na magdadala sa atin doon sa Manila Bay.”
WHAT THE FUND IS FOR
Also in his speech on Friday, the governor said that President Benigno S. Aquino III had set aside 5.7 billion pesos for the supposed-to-be rehabilitation of Angat Dam. However, not a single dime was spent from the said fund, which was released over a year ago.
“Ang tinatanong natin, ng mag-release ang ating pangulo, that was more than a year ago,” said Alavarado. “bakit hanggang ngayon, hindi pa ginagastos kahit isang sentimo para patibayin ang istraktura ng Angat Dam?”
The governor also appealed for the immediate action towards the matter, saying that while the national government is debating against Koreans’ K-Water on who is supposed to be the in-charge of the rehabilitation, they should start using the allotted 5.7 billion to repair the dam.
“May pera naman, gastusin na, at nang sa gayon makatulog ang mga Bulakenyo.”
THE ‘SAFEST’ PLACE?
The Bulacan Sports Complex was chosen to be the ‘permanent evacuation site’ of the Malolenyos in case of catastrophes.
According to Ed Antenor of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the complex is, based on a study, the possible safest place along Malolos.
“Actually, mayroong pito (7),” said Antenor. “Ito (Bulacan Sports Complex) 'yung medyo walang tubig kung magkaroon ng Angat Dam break, sa map nila, ito pa 'yung medyo wala pang tubig sa Malolos Area.”
Antenor also enumerated the possible areas that will be the most affected, in case there was a dam break.
“Maaapektuhan syempre 'yung along Angat River na munisipyo,” he said. “simula Norzagaray, Angat, Baliuag, San Rafael, Bustos papunta ng Plaridel, Pulilan at Calumpit, Hagonoy.”
The complex can accommodate up to 25,000 people in standing, also according to Antenor, but countered, “Pero syemmpre di’ba, siksikan rin ‘yun.”
THE ‘EVACUEES’
The recently commenced dam break drill in Malolos City was attended by more than 12,000 people, including students from Bulacan State University, La Consolacion University of the Philippines, Bulacan Polytechnic College and Centro Escolar University, and also workers and employees from the provincial government.
Bridgit Quema, an instructor from College of Education in Bulacan State University (BulSU), said that this drill can be helpful, though situations from real catastrophic event might be quite different for the so-called evacuees.
“Kaya lang ito kasi ay alam nilang drill kaya ganun lang ang phasing ng paglakad, pero kung talagang real situation 'yung nangyayari ngayon, hindi ganun,” said Quema. “Syempre nagpapanic na ang mga tao, di'ba. Pero kung sa makakatulong, makakatulong 'to.”
Quema also explained the importance of knowing the evacuation site, stating, “Kasi di'ba na-orient sila, alam nila kung saan sila pupunta. Kasi 'pag 'di mo alam kung saan ang evacuation center, syempre magpapanic ang tao 'di alam kung saan pupunta. Ma-aavoid natin ang maraming cases ng accident.”
The dam break drill began at around 8:30 in the morning, with the participants from different schools and from the provincial hospital and government of Bulacan evacuating from their posts, and headed to the evacuation site in Bulacan Sports Complex located in Sta. Isabel, Malolos City. The drill was terminated by the incident commander at around 10:30 A.M.
The drill was rated nine out of 10 (9/10) by Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region III Director Josefina T. Timoteo.