Student Bulakenyos call for immediate restoration of Angat Dam

by Minde Nyl Dela Cruz

Quick action, this is what young Bulakenyos ask of the government towards the Angat Dam dilemma.

Students from Bulacan State University (BulSU) Main Campus, Baliuag University (BU) and STI-Baliuag wonder why there has not been any action yet to rehabilitate the dam after the discovery of a part of the Marikina West Valley Fault (MWVF) near the water barrier back in 2009.

A movement from MWVF may cause an earthquake, which, in turn, may destroy the dam.

Katherine Delos Santos, 3^rd year Secondary Education from BulSU, said, “Okay, may teorya kayong ganyan na guguho, masisira [ang dam]. Alam n’yo na pala, bakit hindi n’yo pa gawan ng paraan?”

“Imbis na nagpo-focus kayo kung paano mag-evacuate, why not [mag-focus sa mga paraan] para ma-avoid? Kung may sira do’n sa part ng dam, ngayon pa lang ayusin na,” Delos Santos stated.

Mher Heidi Dela Cruz, 3^rd year Information Technology student from STI-Baliuag spoke, “Hanggat wala pang nangyayari—kasi earthquake, ‘di mo naman masasabi kung kailan ‘yun—so hanggat maaga, hanggat wala pang nararamdamang ganun, kailangan, kung maisasaayos, iayos na [ang dam] kaysa hintayin pa na [lumindol].”

Rasha Aaron, 2^nd year General Engineering student, also from BulSU, imparted, “Dapat patibayin na lang ung dam, ‘yung makaka-resist s’ya do’n sa magnitude ng earthquake.”

Likewise, Ronald Mendoza, 3^rd year Computer Engineering from BU, suggested, “Mag-isip ng pwede pang gawing developments do’n sa pipigil sa tubig if ever na gumalaw nang kaunti ‘yung fault. Kahit magka-leak man do’n sa dam, di ganoon kalakas [ang magiging pagbugso ng tubig].”

Also from BU, Bryan Perono, 3^rd year Business Administration student, said, “Sabi nga, prevention is better than cure. So hanggat maaga, i-prevent na nila, kaysa naman ‘pag and’yan na, saka lang sila aaksyon.”

“Ipagawa na ‘yung dam, tapalan kung anong dapat tapalan, maglaan ng pondo tapos magtalaga ng mga tao na for maintenance ng dam. [Gawin] na nila hanggat maaga pa. Kawawa ‘yung Bulacan,” Perono uttered.

For Accountancy student, Mark Eugene Samson, “Dapat taun-taon mayroong maintenance na ginagawa. yung major talagang maintenance para magawa.”

“’Di ba 2009 pa lang nalaman, e ‘di sana 2010, gumagawa na. Ngayon, 2014 na, tapos hanggang ngayon wala pa ring nasisimulan. Mabagal ‘yung gobyerno. Aanhin ‘yung pondo? Naglabas na nga ng pondo, kung hindi naman magagawa, pondo lang ‘yun, hindi makakatulong [kung hindi gagamitin],” Samson added, referring to the P5.7-billion fund approved by the national government for the rehabilitation of Angat Dam.

Meanwhile, other students interviewed suggested proper dissemination of information as a way of saving Bulakenyos from the possible surge of water from the dam once it breaks.

Darline Alcantara, 3^rd year BSBA from BU, who had no idea about the possibility of a dam break, said, “Dapat well-informed ‘yung mga tao... Paano ‘pag dumating na ‘yung ragasa ng tubig? Wala na, lulubog na lang [kasi] hindi nila alam.”

Majo Perlado, Nursing student, also of BU, uttered, “Kung hindi nila mape-prevent, dapat bigyan na lang nila ng warning ‘yung mga tao.”

Using the storm surge brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda as an example, Perlado mentioned, “Dapat ipaliwanag nila nang mabuti kung hanggang saan ‘yung tubig ‘tsaka kung ano ‘yung mga possibility [kapag nasira ang dam]. ”

For Akiko John Domingo, senior Journalism student of BulSu, the Angat Dam Break drill conducted in Malolos City should be replicated in other municipalities and cities.

“Dapat siguro magkaroon sila ng drill gaya nga ng ginawa [sa Malolos] tapos magkaroon na sila ng iba't ibang safety measures seminar para maiayos na ‘yung mga tao, para ‘di na masyadong maapektuhan. O kung maaapektuhan man, handa na tapos hindi na magte-take ng risk ‘yung mga tao,” Domingo thought.

Lastly, for Shella Salonga, another BSA student of BU, believed, “Kung matagal na pala, siguro naman may ginagawa na silang plan kung papano mare-repair o [paano ang] reconstruction ng dam. Hindi naman siguro nila hahayaang dumating do’n sa point na tuluyan nang masira.” ###