President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said there was a miscommunication between dam operators and the local government units regarding the release of water from dams, which caused massive flooding in Metro Manila.
Marcos said this during a situation briefing on the effects of Super Typhoon Carina and enhanced southwest monsoon on Thursday after several dams released thousands of cubic meters earlier this week amid heavy rainfall.
The Chief Executive has already told the government agencies on Wednesday to ensure communities near dams are warned and evacuated before releasing water, especially in Luzon.
In the situation briefing, Marcos told both the dam operators and the local government units to coordinate properly in managing protocols on releasing excess waters from dam to prevent flooding and ensure public safety.
"That's my order because many became victims of it last time," Marcos said.
"Communication has become our weak spot. When you open the dams— if they would spill— the downstream communities need to be informed," he added.
Marcos said timely communication and coordination between the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Department of Energy (DOE), and local government units (LGUs) are important.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos echoed the President's concerns and highlighted the importance of adhering to established protocols and ensuring communication with LGUs and dam operators.
"There's a standard protocol. (The dam operator) said that there is a protocol that we must really follow. I said you better make sure you talk to the LGUs (Local Government Units). Maybe that depends on dam to dam. So we really have to go through these protocols and talk to the operators of the dams," Abalos said.
Abalos emphasized the importance of thorough communication with local government officials to ensure they are well-informed and prepared.
Marcos acknowledged the issue, noting that communication gaps have led to insufficient preparation time for affected communities.
To address these concerns, President Marcos proposed extending the notification period for downstream communities to ensure adequate preparation time.
"We have a weakness there, in communication, when opening the dam, when it overflows, the downstream communities need to know," Marcos said.
"You give them as much as, say, three hours, maybe that's enough. Four hours," he added.
Valenzuela City continues to experience severe flooding, with some areas inundated up to chest depth, following the overflow of La Mesa Dam on Wednesday.
Also on Thursday, the Ipo and Binga dams in Bulacan and Benguet, respectively, opened their floodgates while the Carina-enhanced Habagat was causing heavy rainfall across Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.
In response to the widespread flooding, Metro Manila, as well as the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Batangas, and Cavite, have been declared under a state of calamity.
The local authorities in Valenzuela reported on Wednesday evening that around 4,839 families or 18,868 individuals had taken shelter in 68 evacuation centers.
Marcos, the following day, conducted an on-site inspection and visited flood-affected residents in Valenzuela after the heavy rains caused by Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon.
Accompanied by several Cabinet members, the President traveled by truck through the flooded McArthur Highway in Barangay Malanday. He then proceeded to Malanday National High School, where he met with evacuees and distributed aid to 352 families, or roughly 1,629 individuals.