With Pangasinan local officials saying the water released was "too sudden", umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan called for a probe on the timing of the water release and the culpability of both San Roque Dam and government officials in the flooding.
Based on available data, water levels spiked as early as October 4 and continued to rise until October 9.
“One problem of the San Roque Dam is that it is not really a flood control mechanism but a profit- driven venture that requires high water levels to run its turbines. This may have influenced the management decision to release water from the dam at a later date. Also, there appeared to be no government oversight and intervention in this situation, even when public safety was at stake. This should also be looked into,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.
Based on data from PAG-ASA's website, the water levels jumped from 281 meters to 284 meters above sea level as early as October 4 and 5. The water levels moved up to 289.1 meters from October 6 to October 9. The dam's critical level is set at 290 meters.
“Why did they wait until October 9? Was there no way to gradually release water at an earlier date even before the water levels hit the critical mark? The release last Thursday reached as high as 5,072 cubic meters per second and resulted in massive flooding,” Reyes said.
Bayan said there were reports that in previous typhoons, water was released even before the dam water levels reached 280 meters above sea level.
“Peoples organizations have long opposed the construction and operation of the San Roque Dam because it poses a threat to the safety of the people in the surrounding communities. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has long been informed of the peoples objection to the dam which went operational in 2003. The option to de-commission the dam should now be looked into as a long term response to the flooding problem,” Reyes said.
“Given the extent of the devastation, there was obviously a failure of flood warning and evacuation by the San Roque Dam officials,” he added.
The group also said that other factors should be looked into, such as the siltation or accumulation of sediments in the San Roque Dam which may hamper its capacity to hold water. Bayan said that mining activities and siltation of the older upstream Ambuklao and Binga dams may contributing factors.
Teodoro not off the hook
Bayan also criticized National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) chairperson Gilberto Teodoro Jr. for evading accountability and passing all the blame to dam executives for the massive flooding in Pangasinan last Saturday.
Bayan reminded Teodoro that as NDCC head, he is the top coordinator of all disaster management efforts and the top adviser on disaster preparedness and operations.
The group was reacting to a statement Saturday by Teodoro saying that administrators of the San Roque Dam in Pangasinan must explain to the public their decision to spill massive amounts of water which caused unprecedented flooding throughout the province.
“Teodoro is as accountable as the dam executives. At the minimum, he should have promptly coordinated the timing and volume of the release (of water from San Roque dam) with the possible evacuation of residents and other preparations needed by the affected towns in Pangasinan,” Bayan chairperson Dr. Carol Araullo said.
The Bayan leader added that Teodoro is obviously not on top of the situation and is simply passing the burden to local disaster officials. “It is appalling that he is clueless on data as basic as the amount of water released by the San Roque dam,” Araullo said
Bayan is also conducting relief efforts for victims of the flooding, in close coordination with its regional chapter, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance..##
---------------------
www.bayan.ph
