BULACAN — Rising water levels at Ipo and Bustos Dams in Bulacan, prompted by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Enteng, have led to controlled water discharges to prevent overflow, officials reported on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, as of 8 a.m. Monday, the water elevation of Ipo Dam was at 101.30 meters and that of Bustos Dam was at 17.33 meters. However, by 11 a.m., the water level at Ipo Dam had increased to 101.88 meters, surpassing its spilling level of 101 meters. Ret. Col. Manuel Lukban Jr., head of the PDRRMO, stated that Ipo Dam had released a total of 177.18 cubic meters per second (cms) of water by that time. Meanwhile, the water level at Bustos Dam rose to 17.52 meters by the same hour, exceeding its spilling level of 17.35 meters. Josephine Salazar, regional director of the National Irrigation Administration in Central Luzon, noted that Bustos Dam’s Sluice Gates 1 and 2 were raised by three meters each, releasing a total of 156 cms of water. Salazar also mentioned that no water was released for irrigation purposes from Bustos Dam during this period.
Furthermore, Governor Daniel Fernando has suspended classes at all levels in both public and private schools across the province, as well as government work, in response to the ongoing weather conditions. The suspension, based on the recommendations of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), does not affect agencies involved in the delivery of basic and health services, disaster response, and other vital public services. Currently, the eastern part of Bulacan, including several cities and towns, remains under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 1 due to the impact of Tropical Storm Enteng.