Loren worried about San Roque Dam's Location

Sen. Loren Legarda expressed concern about reports that the San Roque Dam in Pangasinan was sitting near a fault line in Nueva Viscaya.

"This is what I have been saying for years. Hazard assessments and mapping should be conducted and implemented before building any kind of infrastructure. What damage done in the height of Typhoon Pepeng to Pangasinan would be miniscule compared to the greater damage and casualties that might happen if an earthquake occurs along this fault line," Sen. Legarda said.

Just recently, the operators and managers of the San Roque Dam, the San Roque Power Corporation and the NAPOCOR, were caught in controversies when they released water from the dam without prior notice to the residents, causing deaths and massive destruction to livelihoods and properties.

The Oversight Committee on Climate Change, chaired by Sen. Legarda, has conducted a series of hearings on the disaster lessons from Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. In these hearings, Sen. Legarda highlighted the three drivers of vulnerability that may have caused these disasters.

"We need to address the drivers of vulnerability. First, we need to strengthen urban governance, which means not placing our people, houses, and industries in high risk areas. Second, we must protect our ecosystems, considering that mudslides in the Rizal province were partly because of the massive deforestation in the Sierra Madre. Lastly, we must enhance rural livelihoods which 75% of the Filipino poor depend on to live," Sen. Legarda added.

The fourth and last hearing will be conducted on October 21, Wednesday, in the Philippine Senate. This hearing seeks not only to investigate the health and agricultural impacts of the two disasters but also to determine if the dam is indeed along a fault line.

"Looking into the blunders is not because we want to put the blame on somebody. We do this to save lives and secure livelihoods," the Senator added.