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The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) announced Thursday that it would form a committee that will oversee the management of dams throughout the country, especially in times of natural disasters.
This was in response to calls from mayors to transfer authority from designated government agencies to the NDRRMC after the devastation in Cagayan and Isabela following the release of water from the Magat dam during the attack by Typhoon “Ulysses” (name international: “Vamco”).
NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said the committee would oversee agencies in charge of managing the dam, such as the Philippines Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the Corporation. National Energy.
He recalled that former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed the NIA to manage the Magat and Pantabangan dams, while the San Roque dam came under the APN.
“If the decision [is to put dam management under NDRRMC]We are well aware that consensus must be reached within the council and that can take time and may delay the immediate need to release water from the dams, ”Jalad said during a televised public briefing.
He added that Pagasa and the other agencies would continue to have jurisdiction over the dams, but would now do so with the guidance of the NDRRMC.
Jalad, a former soldier, compared this configuration to the troops on the ground, noting that the military commander is not the only one who makes the tactical decisions, but always leaves them up to the commanders on the ground.
“It is important that a tactical decision is made from the field but with supervision at the national level,” he said.
“So, the decision here is that Pagasa and the administrators of the dam [will be leading if water from dams should be released] because they are the ones who see the current situation ”, he continued.
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