Marcos: Gov't must improve warnings on dam openings

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that government agencies have to be proactive in alerting local government units when releasing excess water from dams amid heavy rainfall.

Marcos made the call in light of the massive flooding in Metro Manila on Wednesday caused by Typhoon Carina and the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat).

"May weakness tayo dun, dun sa communication, kapag magbubukas ng dam, pag aapaw, kailangan yung downstream communities alam nila. And the LGUs para yung mga LGU, kasi hindi nila...you give them as much as, sasabihin, tatlong oras [bago buksan ang dam]," Marcos told government officials in Valenzuela City.

(We have a weakness there, in communication. If we are going to open dams, when it is about to spill over, the downstream communities should know. And the LGUs...they are not aware...you have to give them at least three hours before you open the dams.)

"That should be enough, or four hours before," he added.

Ipo and Binga dams in Bulacan and Benguet, respectively, opened their floodgates on Thursday while the Carina-enhanced Habagat was dumping rains in Metro Manila and in other parts of Luzon.

Metro Manila and the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Batangas, and Cavite have been placed under a state of calamity in light of the massive flooding.

Marcos visited flood-hit communities in Valenzuela and Navotas cities on Thursday. —VBL, GMA Integrated News