Governor blames Napocor dam in Bukidnon for Cotabato floods

GENERAL SANTOS, Philippines – Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza blamed the National Power Corporation (Napocor) for the floods that inundated many communities and farms, and displaced over 13,500 families in her province alone over the weekend.

Mendoza called on Napocor on Monday, July 15, to closely coordinate with local governments, especially in the lowlands, before releasing water from its hydro-electric dams.

She noted that releasing water from the Bukidnon dam causes the Rio Grande de Mindanao to overflow, triggering floods even when there is no rain in Cotabato province.

“When it rains up there and the Pulangi water level rises, they release water from the dams, and this happens,” she told reporters.

Rio Grande, one of Mindanao’s largest rivers, serves as a natural catch basin for water from the Pulangi River in Bukidnon, where Napocor maintains a dam to run hydro-electric plants linked to the Mindanao power grid.

Napocor operates the Pulangi IV Hydroelectric Power Plant, or Pulangi Dam, on the Pulangi River in Maramag in Bukidnon. The plant, which has been operational since 1985, generates power through three generating units which supply 255 megawatts to the Mindanao grid.

Napocor also operates the Agus hydroelectric power plant system, located on the Agus River in the Lanao provinces. The system, consisting of several plants, has been supplying over 700 megawatts to the grid.

Mendoza urged the national government to make use of the Mindanao River Basin Development Plan (MRBDP) as a reference for implementing infrastructure programs for flood control.

The MRBDP, a product of years of study, can be a useful guide in avoiding potential problems, she said.

She also said local governments should work on desilting river systems in their localities to help restore the usual flow of water in rivers, streams, and creeks.

The sudden surge in water levels came over the weekend, as continuous heavy rain brought by the southwest monsoon pounded many parts of Mindanao since Friday, July 12.

Mendoza said the flooding in Cotabato province alone displaced more than 13,500 families. Most of the affected families are in Pikit and Kabacan towns, which are directly in the path of the Rio Grande flow from nearby Bukidnon.

Also affected by floods were the towns of Mlang, Matalam, Pigcawayan, and Libungan, all considered low-lying areas in the province.

In Pikit town, where most areas were submerged in floodwaters, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Office reported that thousands of families from 14 barangays have been evacuated. Pikit is located along the vast Ligawasan Marsh.

The affected families come from the following barangays: Balabak with 1,235 families, Tinutulan with 1,055, Balatican with 407, Inug-ug with 1,723, Talitay with 995, Bulod with 107, Kolabog with 825, Silik with 457, Ginatilan with 567, Ladtingan with 428, Punol with 1,603, Paidu Pulangi with 1,723, Kalawag with 450, and Katalikanan with 1,094 families.

On Saturday evening, July 13, the remains of a female Bukidnon resident were found in a flooded cornfield by the banks of the Rio Grande in barangay Kayaga, Kabacan town. 

The victim was identified as Evelyn Candido, who, along with her 16-year-old daughter Rochel, was swept away by raging flood waters while crossing a river in Maramag town, Bukidnon, on Friday evening. The younger Candido remains missing as of posting time.

Mendoza said they were still assessing the damages, mainly in agriculture. No damage to infrastructure facilities has been reported so far.

Despite the potentially heavy losses, the governor said they are not keen on declaring a state of calamity in the province yet.

“Declaring a state of calamity will force us to spend and sap our resources. We are still in the middle of the year and the forecast given to us indicates that rains will continue until December,” Mendoza said. – Rappler.com