Residents near Cagayan River informed ahead of Magat Dam water release —PAGASA

The residents living near the Cagayan River were notified about the release of water in Magat Dam ahead of time, according to a hydrologist of PAGASA.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV on Sunday, PAGASA hydrologist Edgar dela Cruz said authorities went to the concerned areas to give the advisory.

“‘Yung dam po kasi bago po 'yan mag-release, ahead of time, ilang oras bago po 'yan nagri-release, mga walo o 10 oras,  talaga pong umiikot 'yan na meron mga mobile car na umiikot nag-aanunsyo,” he said.

“’Yung mga local talaga pong alam nila. At ‘yung binibigyan nilang abiso, pinapasok naman namin sa website namin, sa Facebook, sa Twitter. Lahat talagang ginagawa naman po ng paraan para makarating sa tao,” he added.

On November 9, the National Irrigation Administration - Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS) posted the advisory to concerned residnets through its Facebook page.

The post included letters sent to concerned officials such as Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba, Isabela Governor Rodolfo Albano III, and Office of Civil Defense Region 2 acting director Harold Cabreros.

In the letter, NIA-MRIIS sought assistance from their offices.

The letter was also sent to Tuguegarao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, as well as to PAGASA – Tuguegarao.

The NIA-MRIIS also noted that its Flood Warning Stations were installed near the dam to warn residents.

Possible lawsuit?

On Saturday, Mamba said his constituents want to sue Magat Dam’s management for the yearly floods hitting Cagayan.

"Minsan ang tao sa Cagayan, gusto nila magkaron ng lawsuit against them [Magat Dam] for damages dahil wala naman kami nakikita [na benepisyo sa amin] sa Magat Dam o kahit ano, yet we suffer the flooding woes from the Magat Dam every year,” he said.

Mamba added that his province reaps no benefit from the Magat Dam since irrigation water  from the dam all flow through Isabela and not Cagayan.

In a separate interview on Sunday on Dobol B sa News TV, Mamba said the problem is with Magat Dam's watershed.

"'Yun nga ho ang masakit niyan, kung magbukas sila [Magat Dam], hanggang pito po [na gate]," he said.

"Ang problema ng Magat po, sa totoo lang, 'yung watershed nila. Kalbo na rin po ang watershed nila," the governor said.

Asked if illegal logging could have been a factor, Mamba replied: "Opo, totoo po 'yan. Hindi maganda ang management ng watershed nila."

"Ang masakit po sa amin, ang Magat Dam irrigates 80,000 hectares diyan sa Isabela. 'Yung sobra nilang tubig 'pag ganyan, sa amin lahat napupunta. Wala namang nai-irrigate kahit isang ektarya sa amin," he said.

"Kami ang tumatanggap ng epekto ng mismanagement ng watershed nila. Kung maganda ang watershed nila, hindi ganyan sila magre-release ng napakarami. Hindi ganyan karami, unti-unti lang. Hindi sana babagsak ng ganyan ang tubig kung maganda ang management nila," Mamba added.

"Kami ang napa-punish dito sa Cagayan," he said.

One gate open

On Sunday morning, one gate at Magat Dam remained open, dela Cruz said.

Dela Cruz: Magat Dam, may isang gate pa na nakabukas. Nasa 870 cubic meters ang inilalabas nito. https://t.co/Jl7zdrja0g

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) November 14, 2020

"Unti-unti na nilang binabawasan ang opening ng gate nila," he said.

Dela Cruz however clarified that the flooding experienced by Cagayan is not just due to the release of waters from the dam.

"Pagbaha sa Cagayan, hindi lamang dahil sa pagpapakawala ng tubig ng Magat Dam. Kahit wala ang dam, babahain talaga ang lugar dahil sa dami ng ulan na ibinuhos ng bagyong Ulysses," he said.

Dela Cruz said the dam gates had to be opened to ensure integrity of the dam.

"Obligado talagang buksan ang gate ng dam dahil mayroon pa ring pumapasok na tubig," he said, adding that it would be a greater catastrophe if the dam breaks. —KG, GMA News