NPC: Blame climate change
STANDARD OPERATING CLAIM
OFFICIALS of the National Power Corporation (NPC) insisted no one is to blame but climate change caused by global warming as the main culprit behind the massive flooding that hit Dagupan City and Pangasinan from last month.
Still vehement in their denial that the operation of the San Roque Dam caused the flood that submerged 34 towns and cities of Pangasinan, Rogelio Redublado and Virgilio Garcia of NPC tagged the unusual volume of rains dumped by Typhoon Pepeng in northern and central Luzon as the cause of the massive flood.
Redublado and Garcia appeared in the tension-filled session of the Dagupan City Council on Monday to respond to the queries of the councilors pertaining to the recent massive floods, where most of the 31 barangays of the city were submerged under nine feet deep of water.
Redublado said Typhoon “Pepeng” brought rain that far exceeded what the country ever experienced in the past, estimated to be more than 200 times the average rainfall for the past 16 years, adding that it was a calamity that the country was not prepared for.
He added that even the Philippine Atmospheric Geo-physical and Astronomical Science Administration (PAGASA) and other climatologists have described Typhoon “Pepeng” as a “freak weather condition”.
He said the sheer volume of rainwater that spilled over Northern and Central Luzon caused the flooding, and clarified that the water that flowed to San Roque Dam “was the only water that we can control.”
The unexpected volume of water flowing from the upper stream of Agno through the Ambuklao and Binga Dams as well as the rainfall itself contributed to the increase in the dam’s water level, thus necessitated the spilling operations, he added.
He also defended the implementation of the protocol established for the dam and that the spilling operation was implemented after due consultations with other concerned government agencies, national and local.
He said when Typhoon Pepeng first hit landfall, no water was released from the dam because the downstream condition of the Agno River was still low.
He claimed weather-men described Typhoon Pepeng was the first ever recorded typhoon in the history of the country that made three landfalls and brought rainfall in such magnitude that made it an abnormal occurrence.
With the unprecedented volume of rain, he said San Roque Dam had reached its maximum capacity, the first time in over 10 years and greater damage would have resulted if the dam operators did not implement the protocol.
Redublado insisted that when the decision was made to finally release water, they followed the warning system as provided for in the protocol by issuing warnings several hours before the release on October 7.
“National Power stands by its people who followed the protocol and procedure and that the proper warning was issued to the communities downstream,” he said. LM
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