Strengthening of the Angat Dam on the way

By Minde Nyl Dela Cruz

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado. FILE PHOTO.

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado revealed he had talked with high officials of the national government and that the Angat Dam will be rehabilitated soon.

He said this during the 115th Anniversay of the First Republic held last January 23 in Barasoain Church in the City of Malolos.

The governor also announced that the replacement of the rubber dams in Bustos is to be started around the middle of the year.

"The Bulacan Bulk Water right, ipagkakaloob na sa mga taga-lalawigan ng Bulacan," added Sy-Alvarado during his speech before he introduced Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno who attended the event as the guest of honour.

"For the first time tayo ang nag-aari ng Angat Dam, ng ating tubig, subalit tayo, sa underground nagmumula ang ating inumin," he said.

Apart from the mentioned projects, Sy-Alvarado told the crowd that the Pampanga River Control System, as well as other rivers, is going to be revived and dredged, as mandated by the law.

"Ang ating post-industrialization program kasama ang ating Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa na kung saan everybody now is looking north of Metro Manila, pinaghahandaan po natin sa ating agenda at dito po sa lalong madaling panahon ang declaration ay pipirmahan ng ating Pangulo (Benigno Aquino III), declaring Malolos," Sy-Alvarado stated (sic).

Bulacan is also going to upgrade its jewelry and pyrotechnics industries, the latter through the help of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The governor promised a strict implementation against illegal importations; more agro-industrial developments in the towns of Norzagaray and Dona Remedios Trinidad; road networks from San Jose Del Monte to the province of Aurora; North Luzon Railways; and coastal highways.

"Ito po ay magkakaroon ng katuparan," Sy-Alvarado said.

The province's patriarch also expressed wishes that the 23rd of January will be made an official holiday. ###

Calasageños unperturbed by probability of dam break

by Minde Nyl Dela Cruz

Residents of Barangay Calasag in San Ildefonso, Bulacan are not much bothered about the possibility of Angat Dam break.

Because San Ildefonso is elevated and rarely experiences flooding even in strong typhoons, some inhabitants are not troubled about deep flooding that the dam may cause if it cracks.

“Malayo naman tayo sa Angat Dam e,” said Gerardo Castro, 71, farmer. “Hindi gaanong [aabutin] siguro kasi ang ilog, ang Angat, malayo sa atin.”

Tricycle driver Alfredo Santos, 54, thinks the same.

“Tiyak namang hindi aabutin itong [San Ildefonso]. Iyang parte ng Baliuag, lahat ng mababa [ang aabutin],” Santos said. “Parang baha lang dito sa atin. Hindi kamukha sa kanila na lubog sila roon. Mababa e.”

“’Pag ito’y (San Ildefonso) lumubog, e mamamatay nang lahat ng nand’yan sa Baliuag, lahat ng mababa,” said Regina Victoria, 70, weaver. “’Pag ito’y lumubog, marami nang mamamatay sa paligid.”

However, Gladys Pineda, 29, storeowner, expressed, “Hindi rin naman tayo dapat pumanatag… Talagang hindi mo masasabi kung kalian [darating ang mga kalamidad]. Kung anong ginawa ng tao, siyang ibabalik ng kalikasan.”

“Dapat asikasuhin nila [ang Angat Dam], iyon ang dapat nilang bigyang-pansin para hindi naman tayo shock na shock sa mangyayari. Para kung may tendency na masisira ‘yun… lahat naman tayo mapeperwisyo.”

Likewise, Irene Padilla, 35, also a storeowner, said “Dapat pagtuunan nila ng pansin kasi nga ‘pag iyon (Angat Dam), nasira, maraming maapektuhang bayan.”

For housewife Cristina De Guzman, 34, the government should have teams of rescuers at the ready.

“’Yun ang pinakamahalaga kasi hindi naman natin inaasahan kung anong araw, anong oras darating lalo na ‘pag gabi. Kailangan ang gobyerno, nakahanda rin sila para rumescue sa mga nasalanta,” De Guzman stated. ###

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.” ###