CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) — The national government is pursuing upstream dams and impounding structures in Central Luzon to slow floodwaters before they reach downstream communities and turn excess water into a resource for agriculture, households, and industry.
This proposal includes five Sabo River dams in Nueva Ecija, seen to reduce the speed of water flowing from the Sierra Madre toward the Pampanga River, control sedimentation, and increase water storage.
National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Eduardo Guillen said the Pampanga River receives water from 15 tributaries, allowing large volumes to accumulate rapidly during intense rainfall.
Guillen said sabo dams could reduce water velocity by creating a drop in its flow while trapping sediment, helping lessen the destructive force of floodwaters and prolonging the useful life of downstream waterways and flood-control infrastructure.
He said the structures could also help replenish groundwater, which is important for Central Luzon communities that rely heavily on deep wells.
“Lalo dito sa Pampanga, puro po underground water kaya nadedeplete na po…Kaya itong mga istruktura po na ito, maliban sa pahinain niya yung velocity ng tubig, maliban sa makaipon siya ng tubig upstream, at pati sedimentation, kasi sedimentation control po siya, yan din po nagiging strategic na injection well para po sa ating mga groundwater,” Guillen added.
NIA is also pursuing projects to expand the region’s water storage capacity, including the Maringalo Dam along the Talavera River, the Bagtingon Dam along the Sumacbao River, and the Balintingon Dam, which has a storage capacity of about 550 million cubic meters.
In Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, NIA is excavating a large mega dike area to create additional storage capacity without submerging agricultural lands, as the project is expected to hold about 30 million cubic meters of water and is targeted for completion next year.
In Bulacan, the Bayabas Dam is about 30 percent complete and is designed to hold around 54 million cubic meters of water, and the Bustos Dam is being upgraded with an estimated storage capacity of 70 million cubic meters.
Guillen also cited smaller projects, including the Cong Dadong Dam and structures in the Porac-Gumain area in Pampanga, as part of the broader effort to retain water upstream.
Beyond flood control, Guillen said upstream storage could support irrigation, bulk-water supply, possible power generation, sediment management, and groundwater replenishment, citing Angat and Pantabangan as examples of reservoirs with significant storage capacity.
“Angat and Pantabangan have not released water during the current flooding and still have available storage capacity,” Guillen said, noting how upstream storage and river management can help control the volume of water reaching downstream communities.
Guillen said the government aims to transform excess water from a destructive force into a resource that can support communities and agriculture.
NIA, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources are coordinating their respective programs.
This approach seeks to manage the entire river system, from upland watersheds to downstream communities, through upstream storage, sediment control, and multipurpose water infrastructure, while reducing the risks posed by extreme rainfall. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
