An official of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) on Thursday said it probably won't have to open anymore dam gates amid the improving weather.

 

"It is still manageable, hopefully wala na siguro kaming plano [na] mag-open ng gates unless there is threat again," Romualdo Beltran, manager of the Napocor dams, reservoirs, and flood forecasting department, told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

 

Beltran issued the statement after the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) terminated on Thursday noon all rainfall warnings over Metro Manila.

 

"Base sa observation ng PAGASA bumubuti na ang panahon," he said, adding that they base their decision to open dam gates on the advice of PAGASA and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

 

Napocor is in charge of the operations of the Angat (Norzagaray, Bulacan), San Roque (San Manuel, Pangasinan), Binga (Bokod, Benguet), Ambuklao (Mankayan, Benguet), and Caliraya (Cavinti, Laguna) dams.

 

Earlier in the day, PAGASA said that four dams, including Napocor's Ambuklao, Binga, and San Roque, kept their gates open to let out excess water. The fourth dam was Ipo, which is under the control of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA).

 

State forecasters likewise said the La Mesa Dam in Quezon City, which is owned by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), continues to overflow.

 

Also according to the same PAGASA report, the water level of the Angat Dam was over its normal level by 1.98 cm as of Thursday 1 p.m.

 

Beltran, however, said that they won't need to open the gates of Angat because PAGASA doesn't seem to be predicting anymore heavy rains.

 

He likewise said they are only letting San Roque, Binga, and Ambuklao release water in order to normalize their water levels. He added that some of the dams have been releasing water since Typhoon Gener entered the country last week.

 

"Nirereduce [lang namin] hanggang sa bumalik na sa normal...Dahan-dahan naman namin siyang uubusin," he said. — RSJ, GMA News