Angat Dam rehab delayed anew

MALOLOS CITY—The proposed rehabilitation of the Angat Dam is stalled again due to the delay in the privatization of its 246-megawatt power generating facility.

This developed as Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water) failed to secure a business permit from the municipality of Norzagaray, a ranking official of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) said on Saturday.

K-Water is the winning bidder in the privatization of the 246-megawatt Angat River Hydroelectric Power Plant (Arhepp) which remains under the management of the Napocor. Engineer Rodolfo German, Arhepp general manager, said the planned take-over of K-Water on March 25 will not push through.

He said this is due to non-issuance of a business permit by the municipal government of Norzagaray, Bulacan.

German said Norzagaray is demanding payment of at least P25 million for the business permit of K-Water.

Representatives of the Korean company, German said, are still coordinating with their principals in Seoul on how to go about what they perceived as “the lone obstruction” before they can operate the Arhepp.

The delay is the third in four months after the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (Psalm) Corporation made two separate announcements on the possible take-over of K-Water.

The first was in last December, then it was moved to the end of January; and when that failed, Psalm announced that March 25 is the new target date for a formal take over. The failure of K-Water to take over Arhepp also reflects the failure of Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado to intervene, observed German.

But the governor said that he already talked to Norzagaray Mayor Alfredo Germar last January to issue a business permit to K-Water and collect taxes from them later. Alvarado’s intervention came as the province demanded an immediate implementation of the proposed P5.7 billion rehabilitation on the Angat Dam’s main dike which experts said might be breached by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.

He even said that if the March 25 takeover pushes through, the bidding for the rehabilitation could start as early as May. But that is to be realized since K-Water’s formal takeover of Arhepp is stalled for the third time.

German said with the latest failure of K-Water to take over Arhepp, the implementation of the proposed rehabilitation on the dam will have to wait.

However, he said the implementation might still be possible before the end of the year if the take-over of K-Water will push through. Earlier, the MWSS said that they withheld the P5.7-billion funding for the rehabilitation of the dam because part of the contract of K-Water involves spending for the rehabilitation.

K-Water won the bid in the privatization of Arhepp two years ago, but was stopped by petitions filed before the Supreme Court. Last year, the Supreme Court gave K-Water a favorable decision after it found a local partner with the group of businessman Ramon Ang. Dino Balabo

PHL lags behind ASEAN neighbors in terms of water

Water source at Biak-Na-Bato National Park in San Miguel, Bulacan.  DB

MALOLOS CITY—The Philippines ranked ninth of 11 Southeast Asian countries in terms of total actual renewable water resources per capita, according to United Nations (UN) data.

This came as the UN led the World Water Day on March 22.

The UN report also showed that among 11 ASEAN countries, the Philippines also ranked ninth in dam capacity per capita; fourth in population with access to improved water sources; and fifth in percentage of population with access to improved sanitation.

The report defined the total actual renewable water resources as the maximum theoretical yearly amount of water actually available for a country at a given moment (TARWR) per capita.

It also said that “it takes into consideration the long-term average annual flow of rivers and recharge of aquifers generated from endogenous precipitation, the flow of bordering rivers and lakes, and the water inflow and outflow secured by treaties.”

In this category, the Philippines ranked ninth with only 121.32 cubic meters per inhabitant per year.

It is way behind Lao Democratic Republic with 54,565; Cambodia with 34,061;  Brunei Darrusallam with 21,684; and Malaysia with 20,752 cubic meters per inhabitant per year.

The Philippines also ranked ninth behind 10 other Asean countries in dam capacity per capita.

The UN defined the above category as the total cumulative storage capacity of all dams in a country per capita.

They stressed that the dam capacity indicates the sum of the theoretical initial capacities of all dams, which does not change with time.

However, the UN report noted that the amount of water stored within any dam is likely less than the capacity due to silting and due to the fact that few dams operate at capacity.

UN report showed that despite presence of large dams in the Philippines, its capacity per capita is only 70.76 cubic meter per inhabitant.

This record made the Philippines just above Singapore with 15.16; and Timor Leste which showed no record in UN report.

The Democratic Republic of Lao again topped this category with 1,287 cubic meter per capita followed by Thailand with 1,117; Malaysia with 848.70; and Myanmar with 329.50.

For population’s access to improved water sources, the Philippines ranked  fourth with 92 percent of population.

It is behind Singapore and Malaysia,both with 100 percent; followed by Thailand (96) and Vietnam with 95.

The UN report defined the category as “the percentage of the population who use any of the following types of water supply for drinking: piped water, public tap, borehole or pump, protected well, protected spring or rainwater. Improved water sources do not include vendor-provided water, bottled water, tanker trucks or unprotected wells and springs.”

For percentage of population with access to improved sanitation, the Philippines ranked fifth with 74 percent; behind Singapore (100 percent),Thailand and Malaysia (96),Brunei (94) and Myanmar with 76.

Access to improved sanitation is defined as “the proportion of the urban and rural population with access to facilities that hygienically separate human excreta from human, animal and insect contact.”  Dino Balabo

ANGAT DAM: Inconvenient truths

Angat Dam as seen fromHilltopobservation deck.  DB

Text messages and rumors has been spreading in Bulacan about a massive flood this March in relation to planned rehabilitation of the Angat Dam. 

Unfortunately, both messages are not true.

No flood will inundate Bulacan this March, unless there is a massive typhoon that will hit the province and Angat Dam in particular.

So far, typhoon entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) are tracked by the weather bureau down south.

How about the rehabilitation of Angat Dam?

Well, you got played by some creative minds out there.

Contrary to information you received, it rehabilitation of the Angat Dam will not start anytime soon.

 

A BulSU student enjoys the serenity at Angat Dam. db

For starters, where’s the fund? And who will finance the P5.7B rehabilitation of Angat Dam.

If you are following or monitoring news reports, you probably read or heard that the P5.7B allocated by the national government was withhold.

Meaning no fund is released.

Why?

Because in late last year, (early September) the Supreme Court affirmed the winning bid of Korea-Water Resources Corporation (K-Water) for the 246-megawatt Angat River Hydro Electric Power Plant (Arhepp).

According to Gerry Esquivel, administrator of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), part of the K-Water contract is spending for the rehabilitation of the dam.

Take note that aside from Esquivel, the same information was affirmed by Gladys Sta. Rita, the president of National Power Corporation (Napocor).

Napocor is a government own and controlled corporation (GOCC) which manages Arhepp.

Take not also that MWSS and Napocor are the ones speaking, not K-Water.

 

Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan. db

K-Water had not issued any statement in relation to possible allocation of fund for Angat Dam rehab.

It is maybe due to the fact that until now, K-Water has not formally take-over of the Arhepp.

Going back to the issue on whether Angat Dam rehabilitation will take place this summer.

The answer is unlikely.

First, K-Water have to assume management of Arhepp (which they failed todo in December, 2013, January 2014 and might not be able to do this March 25.)

Second, in case of K-Water take-over, will they assume the responsibility of allocating billions of pesos in the rehabilitation of 45-year old Angat Dam?

Third, in case K-Water assume responsibility after taking over, will they use the six month feasibility study on the integrity of the Angat Dam conducted by Tonkin & Taylor and Engineering Development Corporation of the Philippines from December 2011 to may 2012?

 

Engineer Roderick Dela Cruz. db

Fourth, or will K-Water conduct another study to expand earlier study by Tonkin and Edcop. Bulakenyo dam safety expert Engr. Roderick Dela Cruz who is based in the US estimated that another study will take another two to three years.

These are some of the inconvenient truths about the Angat Dam that every Bulakenyo should know and share with others for intelligent decision.

Now, the question is what we should do aside from praying.

It time that we ask our local officials what do they know about this issue and come up with doable plans while we wait for the rehabilitation of the Angat Dam.  Dino Balabo

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims:

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan—Police are now coordinating with different civic groups...

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims

PromdiTOURISM: Bulacan braces for influx of tourists, pilgrims: Biak-na-Bato National Park, San Miguel, Bulacan. DB MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan—Police are now coordinating with different civic groups...

Angry residents bewails delay on Calumpit bridge rehab

Calumpit bridge that links Bulacan and Pampanga provinces.  DB

CALUMPIT, Bulacan—Like thousands other residents of Pampanga, Jennielyn Mallari, a student of Bulacan State University (BulSU) has been complaining on the slow rehabilitation of a bridge here.

However, their daily sacrifice is not ending soon as the planned 10-month rehabilitation of the bridge that links the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga has been extended.

Officials are still unsure when the rehabilitation will be completed saying it will extend until the rainy months of June, but other said it might be completed by October.

“Ang layo ng iniikutan namin para lang makarating sa school,” said Mallari a graduating student at BulSU in Malolos City.

She was referring to route plied by buses along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) then to San Simon toll plaza in going to her hometown of Macabebe in Pampanga.

Other students and commuters, however, do have that luxury.

Temporary hanging bridge beside Calumpit bridge. DB

They have to walk and cross the shaky hanging bridge installed parallel to Calumpit bridge which is being repaired.

Some of those most affected are small vendors who have to carry their goods on their shoulders or n their head.

 

The delay did not go unnoticed as local officials led by Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado, his wife Rep. Marivic Alvarado , and Mayor Jesse De Jesus of this town has aired their concerns.

The Alvarado’s are living at Barangay Gatbuca, just across the river and a stone throw away from the northern foot of the bridge.

The three have joined hand in calling the attention of Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson who recently ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office in Central Luzon to closely monitor the progress on the construction.

Singson specifically ordered that rehabilitation be conducted 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

However, progress remain slow as project contractor Wing-An Construction and Development Corporation stumbled on obstructions for the piles they will bore underneath the old bridge.

The obstructions include concrete foundation on abutment “A” and “B”, and on pier 3; timber piles; and steel plates, angular bars and I-beams.

The contractor said that on normal soil condition, boring a pile only takes three days, and they have 24 piles to bore.

They estimated that with the presence of obstruction, boring each of the 24 piles will take at least a month.

This means that even if they bore all 24 piles simultaneously, it will take them more than a month just to bore those piles.

Records obtained by PromdiNEWS showed that the Calumpit Bridge rehabilitation started on June 18 last year and will be completed after 300 calendar days or on April 13 this year.

It was contracted by Wing-An Construction and Development Corporation for P166,721,086.98.

However, Gov. Alvarado said that Wing-An is now asking DPWH for additional fund along with extension of the project.

He said that delays of the project is due to lack of information provided by the DPWH when the project was bidded out.

Alvarado said that the original project cost was P210-M but it dropped to P166-M after the bidding because the contractor was not properly informed.

He said that the bridge was constructed before World War II and was bombed during the war, thus the obstructions underneath.  Dino Balabo

Series of fires hits Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY—Three fire incidents occurred in Bulacan including a stock room of a mall in Baliwag town late Friday and early yesterday making it the busiest 16 hours for local fire fighters.

No one was reported injured in the incidents, while local firemen are still trying to determine amount of damage in the said fires.

Beverly Cruz, public relations officer of SM City Baliwag said a fire broke in their stock room around 7:30AM  on March 15.

However, it was immediately contained and mall operations yesterday was hardly affected aside from about one delay in the entrance of mall tenants.

Cruz said that mall tenants were not immediately allowed to open their stalls due to smoke that spread near the mall’s event center.

“We have to ensure their safety and of our customers,” she said in a telephone interview.

Cruz noted that series of fire drills conducted in the mall in the past years greatly help them in containing the fire.

The most recent fire drill at the mall was held last March 12 or just three days before the incident.

She said that the fire started from a light bulb at the stock room near the mall’s events center.

On Friday afternoon, two other fire incidents occurred in Bulakan and Hagonoy towns.

Records from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) showed that the fire in Bulakan town occurred in a residential area in Barangay Bagumbayan around 3:35PM on Friday.

The fire was contained around 5:35Pm on Friday.

About an hour later, Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado called the PDRRMO to relay information that another fire occurred in Purok 2 in Barangay Abulalas in Hagonoy town.

The PDRMMO immediately dispatched dire truck to help contain a grassfire.

In his weekly broadcast over Radyo Bulacan yesterday morning, the Governor hailed readiness of local firefighters and vigilance of local residents.

He then gave the number of the PDRRMO operations center which Bulakenyos call in case of fire and other emergencies.

The number is 044-791-0566.

Earlier, two public markets in the province were gutted by fire, timely arrival of local firefighters prevented the fire from spreading.

These are the public markets of San Rafael town which was gutted two weeks ago, and the public market of Bulakan town which was gutted a week ago.

There other public markers in Bulacan were either razed to ground of gutted by fire since 2010.

This includes the Hagonoy Public Market which was razed to ground in August 2010; followed by the Malolos Public Market which was gutted in August 2012;and the Balagtas public market which was razed to ground in April last year.  Dino Balabo