Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8) — Several areas in Calumpit, Bulacan are still flooded due to the release of excess water from the Angat, Ipo, and Bustos dams.
“Ang pinakamalala ngayon is Barangay Gugo, San Jose, Sta. Lucia dahil nandyan kasi ang ating pangkabuhayan tulad ng ating mga magsasaka which is lahat ng kanilang pananim lubog. Ganoon din sa Barangay Sapang Bayan halos lahat doon lubog,” Calumpit Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer Albert Mailig said Sunday.
[Translation: The worst-hit now are Barangays Gugo, San Jose, Sta. Lucia because that’s where their livelihood is. All the crops are submerged in floodwater. Also in Barangay Sapang Bayan, almost everything is submerged there.]
Bulacan Vice Governor Alex Castro told CNN Philippines that around 2,500 families are still in evacuation centers.
“Ngayon, hindi na tuloy-tuloy ang ulan… Hopefully, magtuloy-tuloy ‘yong ganitong weather para hindi na umulan nang marami at tumaas uli ‘yong mga tubig sa mga dam natin,” Castro said,
[Translation: Now, the rain is not continuous anymore…Hopefully, this weather will continue so that it won’t rain as much to cause the waters in our dams to rise again.]
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said it has closed the gates of the Angat and Ipo dams which have released excess water in the past few days.
Water level at Angat rose to 214 meters, or 2 meters above its normal water level, while Ipo logged 101.21 meters, or 0.21 meters higher than its normal water level.
Bustos Dam is the only remaining reservoir discharging water, according to Castro.
