Pantabangan Dam loses 1.5 trillion liters of water since November 2025

The water level at Pantabangan Dam has dropped by an estimated 1.5 trillion liters since November 2025—equivalent to a 37-meter decline or about 630,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

In a "24 Oras" report by Jonathan Andal on Friday, the reservoir's water level was measured at 176 meters, below its normal operating level and just five meters above the critical level of 171 meters.

“Nag-start po ito nung November 13, ‘yung start po ng dry cropping period po namin. Dire-diretso na pong pababa hanggang ngayon po,” Pantabangan Dam Division Manager Ronaldo Salazar said.

(This started last November 13 when the dry cropping period started; from then on, the water level continued to recede.)

Earlier this July, old structures submerged in Pantabangan Dam have resurfaced as the water level at the Nueva Ecija reservoir continues to recede.

This phenomenon is only the fifth time that it has happened since the 1970s, which has only occurred during El Niño: 1982 to 1983, 1997 to 1998, 2015 to 2016, 2023-2024, and 2026.

If the dam’s water level reaches a critical mark, the hydroelectric power plant might also be affected. However, the Pantabangan Dam administration does not anticipate this occurring.

“Hindi po tayo aabot sa critical level dahil ang pinakamababa po natin na critical level ay 171.50 [meters], kaya ‘yung limang metro pa po makakaasa po ang mga magsasaka, kaya pa po natin magpatuloy ng patubig,” Salazar said.

(It will not hit the critical level, because our lowest water level so far was 171.50 meters. We assure our farmers that we will have enough water for irrigation.)

Around 152,000 hectares of farmland in the whole Nueva Ecija and several towns of Bulacan, Tarlac, and Pampanga depend on the water of Pantabangan Dam.

“Ang rainfall po from the forecast ng PAGASA, July [and] August, 100 percent pa rin po ‘yung rainfall na makakaasa po tayo na babagsak dito po sa Nueva Ecija, especially sa Pantabangan Dam sa area,” Salazar said.

(PAGASA forecasts a 100 percent rainfall over Nueva Ecija, especially at the Pantabangan Dam area.)

“And then ‘yung September, October po halos… 80 to 90 percent pa rin po ‘yung rainfall na maaasahan natin base sa forecast po ng PAGASA,” he added.

(And then in September, October, we expect 80 to 90 percent of rainfall, according to PAGASA.)

The PAGASA Hydrometeorology Division said it is only normal for the old structures at Pantabangan Dam to resurface at this time.

“Kahit po saang mga dams natin ganon po. Pagka sumadsad po talaga ‘yung elevation niya may mga makikita tayong istruktura diyan na lumilitaw,” PAGASA Hydro Forecaster Edgar Dela Cruz said.

(That’s how it is with any of our dams. Once the water level drops really low, you'll start seeing structures emerging.)

A decrease in water level was also observed in the Bulacan area of Angat Dam.

As of 8 a.m. on Friday, the water level at Angat Dam is at 150.8 meters, an all-time low record. This is far from the normal high water level of the dam of 210 meters.—Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News