Kaliwa Dam

KALIWA DAM PROJECT
Background
The Kaliwa Dam Project or the New Centennial Water Supply Project is a new water source to be constructed to
meet the increasing demand of the people of Metro Manila, Rizal and Quezon (17.46M people o 3.49M household) by
constructing another dam and to reduce total dependence on the Angat Dam. This “climate resilient” project is envisioned to
help Angat Dam, based on the comprehensive studies conducted by Word Bank and JICA. This is also aligned with the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that is to have access to clean water supply. While it is true there are other sources
of water, the cost of treatment is so high. This is already published in books – Kaliwa, Kanan and Agos rivers can help us
achieve water security.
The Kaliwa Dam Project is said to cover portions of Tanay, Antipolo, Teresa of Rizal Province, and Gen Nakar and
Infanta of Quezon Province. It directly affects the Kaliwa Watershed in the Sierra Madre mountain range.The construction of
this multi-billion infrastructure project will desolate the home of thousands of plant and animal species. While the initiative’s
purpose is to meet the country’s basic needs and prevent discrepancies in the water volume-population ratio, the extent of
its environmental compromission is not reasonable. The project has been classified as an Environmentally Critical Project
(ECP) as it runs through the Sierra Madre Mountain range, particularly in an area within the National and Wildlife Sanctuary
(NPWS) under Presidential Proclamation No. 1636. Full operation of the dam entails large-scale, permanent, and
irreversible ecological changes. Its destruction will displace thousands of animal and plant species. This will severely disrupt
the ecosystem and biodiversity of the only remaining rainforest in the country.
Deforestation predisposes heavy landslides and flooding to surrounding areas and puts thousands of people at risk,
especially during peak rainy seasons and typhoons. This will result to the loss of precious ecological values in agricultural
areas, wild lands, and wildlife habitats. Moreover, the forests in this protected sanctuary provide paramount services crucial
for human survival — oxygen and water.
The Kaliwa Dam Project violates legal processes and the Philippine constitution, is destructive to the environment, and is
against the country's national interest.
With the increasing demand for water supply in Metro Manila, costly options appear to seemingly solve this
concern. In fact, the 2019 "water crisis" was used to expedite and justify the Kaliwa Dam Project as the solution to such.
This project:
o will affect the ancestral forests where 5,000 Dumagat-Remontados reside in the Sierra Madre,
and submerge at least 6 sacred sites;
o is being expedited by the railroading of its legal process, particularly the right of the Dumagat-
Remontados to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent process under IPRA;
o will destroy the biodiversity and habitat of 126 species in 300 hectares of the Sierra Madre,
submerge 291 hectares of forests, and endanger 100,000 residents downstream with the risk of
massive flooding;
o will entail an unnecessary 10.37-billion-peso loan from China, further worsening our debt-ridden
economy;
o will need every Filipino, including those outside Metro Manila, to shoulder the debt;
o faces a short lifespan of 5-6 years due to the high rate of sedimentation in the area;
o allows China to settle disputes on the project using their laws and on their territory;
o may cause our government to surrender Philippine territory to pay off the loan.
Current State of the Construction of the Kaliwa Dam

As of February 2023, the Kaliwa Dam is 22% complete. The MWSS hopes to complete the Kaliwa Dam,
which will serve as the new source of water for Metro Manila, by the end of 2026, with operations commencing by
2027.
Dullas, who is the president of Dumagat Women of Sierra Madre, has been leading the fight against the
building of Kaliwa Dam for years. According to her though the dam will be built more than 6 miles upriver, once
completed, the new water flow will submerge Daraitan and destroy precious sacred sites in the area. Despite her
and her community's efforts, the project is moving forward.
Last year, the MWSS said a memorandum of agreement was concluded with the indigenous peoples
around the Kaliwa river, a waterway in Rizal and Quezon provinces. The Dumagat-Remontado indigenous
peoples who have an ancestral domain claim, received a P160-million “disturbance fee” for the construction of the
dam as recognition of ownership.
Officials say that if the dam is not built, the water crisis will leave the capital area without an adequate
water supply starting next year, with a severe shortage by 2027 — the year officials say the first phase of the dam
will be completed. According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Filipinos use between 48 and 108
liters per day. So as Manila's population rises every year, the current water supply cannot keep up.
Efforts of civil engineer to provide a solution or lessen the impact of the situation:
Several indigenous groups held a nine-day march to oppose kaliwa dam project due to its negative effects
on the environment. The project manager of this project, engineer Ryan James Ayson, addressed this issue in an
interview with CNN, Philippines. Ayson mentioned that there is a yearlong negotiation with the Dumagats for a
Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) - a requirement under the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997 - which
recognizes the IPs' rights to their ancestral lands. It's also a prerequisite for the issuance of a Special Use
Agreement in Protected Areas from the environment department. Aside from talks with IP leaders for the FPIC, the
government is also directly negotiating with affected residents, who have expressed preference for a "disturbance
compensation" over relocation.
On another interview of the project head manager on Sonshine radio on February 2023, he again
reassured the people that the environmental effects of the project is minimal. He also highlights the proper
compensation for the people that will be affected by the construction of the project. He stated that they will give the
affected communities located in the ancestral domain one million pesos every year, for them to continue their
livelihood programs, forest protection, and etc.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/18/kaliwa-dam-project-construction.html
https://dzar1026.ph/kaliwa-dam-project-team-muling-tiniyak-na-minimal-ang-impact-sa-kalikasan/

Kaliwa Dam

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KALIWA DAM PROJECT

Current State of the Construction of the Kaliwa Dam

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