Legarda stresses need to revisit dam protocols following Cagayan floods

Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda on Thursday stressed the need for dam operators to update their protocols after the massive flooding in Cagayan and Isabela, which was partly blamed on the release of water from Maga Dam.

"I believe all dams including Magat Dam should update their protocols. I am not saying that they did not update. That's why an inquiry is in order," Legarda said in an ANC interview.

According to Legarda, revisiting dam protocols would allow authorities to check if the water being released would not cause further damage to surrounding communities.

"Bago [magpakawala] ng tubig ang dam operator, ito ba ay nakitugma sa Pag-asa? Sinukat ba ang pagbagsak ng ulan at inabisuhan ba sa simpleng pamamaraan na maiintindihan ng mga local na pamahalaan?" she said.

"Sapat ba ang panahon para ilikas ang mga tao sa Cagayan Valley?" she added.

Legarda recalled that when she was still a senator, an investigation also took place as to the contribution of dams and other water reservoirs in the massive flooding during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009.

"Ondoy [poured a bigger volume of water] but the destruction in 2020 with Ulysses was much, much more. So we can see that there should be a revisit of the dam protocols," she said.

The House Committee on Agriculture and Food and on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle on Tuesday began its inquiry on the massive flooding in Cagayan and Isabela.

In the said inquiry, National Irrigation Administration chief Ricardo Visaya maintained that the opening of the water gates of Magat Dam was not the major cause of the flooding in Cagayan Valley.

He also said concerned offices and individuals who may be affected by the release of water are warned at least six hours before the release of the water from Magat Dam.

He added that the release of water from Magat Dam was done gradually and not all at once. —LBG, GMA News