Norzagaray, Bulacan
22 July 2015

In addressing the country’s water and power supply concerns, President Benigno S. Aquino III flew to Norzagaray, Bulacan for the inspection and briefing on the Angat Dam and Dike Strengthening Project.

“Talagang napakahalagang pamana ang inisyatibang ito sa marami nating kababayan, hindi lang ngayon, kundi maging sa susunod pang henerasyon,” President Aquino said in his keynote address wherein he stressed that the strengthening plan is among the widest rehabilitation project to be executed since the construction of the Angat Dam System in the 1960’s.

The dam and dike supplies 97% of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) service areas and is approximately 200 meters east of the West Valley Fault. Any movement in the fault can cause serious damage that would affect 15 million Filipinos, 27,000 hectares of farmland irrigation in Bulacan and Pampanga, and the 246-megawatt power generation in the Luzon grid of the National Power Corporation (NPC).

Also, it would post a considerable risk to the lives and properties in nearby areas due to flooding of the water reservoir.

“Kung ibubuod po: Tubig, kuryente, kabuhayan, at kaligtasan – sa saklaw na serbisyo’t benepisyo ng Angat Dam and Dike sa milyon-milyong Pilipino, talaga naman pong sulit na sulit ang bawat pisong ilalaan natin sa proyektong ito,” the President said.

With a P1.08 billion budget, the project aims to stabilize the dam and dike, including the installation of flood forecasting and warning system costing P261 million and facilitation of the flood control protection works amounting to P292 million.

It is a joint initiative of the Angat Hydropower Corporation (AHC), a local corporation co-owned by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water).

Meanwhile, other government projects for the water sector include the Angat Water Utilization and Aqueduct Improvement Project Phase 2 which was completed in 2012, the ongoing bidding of the Kaliwa Dam in Rizal, the Bulacan Water Supply Project, and the Angat Water Transmission Improvement Project.

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