Marcos: New Bulacan tunnel will improve water access in NCR, nearby areas

The establishment of the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project Tunnel No. 5 is seen to increase the transport capacity of water in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Friday. 

During the inauguration of the project in Norzagaray, Bulacan, Marcos said that the new tunnel will strengthen the Umiray-Angat-Ipo-La Mesa system, which delivers water from the Angat Dam to Metro Manila and Mega Manila.

“This is why the establishment of Tunnel No. 5 is not only important, it is essential. Its raw water conveyance to carry 1.6 billion liters of water every day will increase our system’s transport capacity from six billion to almost eight billion liters of water everyday,” the President said. 

“Ibig sabihin, mas maraming pamilya ang magkakaroon ng tuloy-tuloy at maaasahang suplay ng tubig sa kanilang mga tahanan,” he added. 

(This means that more families will have a continuous and reliable supply of water in their homes.) 

Marcos also said that the Tunnel No. 5 will pave the way for the rehabilitation of older tunnels. 

“Maisasaayos ang mga dati nang tunnels dahil may backup nang puwedeng pagdaanan ng tubig. ‘Yung mga tunnel po na sinara dahil kailangan nang mag-maintenance, maaari na ngayon natin buksan, balikan ulit, baka may pag-asa pa, baka may rehab pa para magamit pa rin natin,” he explained.

(The old tunnels can now be repaired because there is already a backup where water can pass through. We can revisit the tunnels that were closed before because they needed maintenance, and see if there is still hope, maybe we can rehabilitate them so we can still use them.) 

Currently, the President pointed out that almost 90% of the water used by nearly 20 million people in Metro Manila, Bulacan, and parts of Cavite, and Rizal pass through the Angat system. 

This is why, he stressed, the system has to be kept “strong, reliable, and future-ready.”

“Mas magiging handa ang ating mga komunidad sa panahon ng tagtuyot at iba pang epekto ng ating hinaharap na climate change. Mas nagiging matatag ang ating water system para [sa] bawat Pilipinong umaasa rito araw-araw,” Marcos committed. 

(Our communities will be better prepared during times of drought and other impacts of climate change. Our water system will become more stable for every Filipino who depends on it every day.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News