Dam collapse threatens Laguna farmers' livelihood

Some 2,000 farmers in five Laguna towns stand to lose their livelihood following the collapse of a dam in Laguna at the height of the fury of typhoon "Milenyo" last month. Laguna officials therefore petitioned Malacañang on Saturday for P100 million to repair the Sta. Cruz Diversion Dam in Liliw town in Laguna. "It provides irrigation to some 2,185 hectares of farmland in five towns in the province," dzRH radio quoted National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Southern Luzon head Efren Roqueza as saying. Roqueza said the diversion dam, located in Barangay Calumpay in Liliw town, supplies water to farms in Liliw, Sta. Cruz, Victoria, Pila, and Nagcarlan — all in Laguna. NIA officials held a dialogue Friday with local government officials, agriculture officials, and farmers to discuss the effects of the dam’s collapse. During the meeting, it was decided that the authorities would ask NIA head Arturo Lomibao to "bring the matter to Malacañang" and ask for the needed P100 million. Sta. Cruz Mayor Dennis Panganiban, on the other hand, claimed quarrying operations near the dam led to its quick collapse. - GMANews.TV