The head of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reassured the public of the structural integrity of the nation’s major dams, citing recently installed monitoring equipment designed to track aging infrastructure.

NIA Administrator Eddie Guillen said the agency’s high dams, many of which are earth-filled structures over 50 years old, remain structurally sound and naturally compact over time.

“Do not worry about our high dams. They are strong,” Guillen said in an interview, adding that real-time monitoring equipment has made the structures even more secure.

Guillen noted that major reservoirs, including Pantabangan Dam and Magat Dam, maintained significant capacity before reaching full capacity during recent rains.

Pantabangan Dam had more than 20 meters of water level remaining before reaching capacity, while Magat Dam had over 10 meters. During the period, Pantabangan retained incoming flow without making water releases, helping limit downstream flooding.

To address persistent flooding in Central Luzon, NIA is collaborating with the Department of Public Works and Highways under a convergence framework to build multipurpose infrastructure.

Under the proposed partnership, DPWH would fund and construct diversion dams, while NIA provides technical planning to incorporate irrigation and flood management features.

Key proposed projects include the P20-billion Sumacbao Dam in General Tinio and the P6 billion Talavera Dam, bringing the combined estimated cost to P26 billion.

Guillen said the Talavera project already has a completed detailed engineering study and would help regulate water flowing into the Pampanga River system.

“The impact is significant because a large volume of water comes down to the Pampanga River,” Guillen said, explaining that retaining water upstream serves both flood control and agricultural needs aligned with priorities outlined by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.