THE Department of Energy (DOE) said on Tuesday it will set up an earthquake-response study and create an emergency action plan for the Angat, Ipo and Bustos dams.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes created a technical working group to formulate plans of actions for its implementation.

Reyes created the technical working group in response to the suggestion of Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Maria Victoria Sy-Alvarado for the conduct of a study on the structural soundness of Angat Dam.

From that study, Reyes said disaster-preparedness measures can be established for the areas near the dam to be affected in the event of an earthquake or any other natural calamity.

The technical working group will be composed of the energy secretary as chairman, and the defense, environment, agriculture and science secretaries as members.

Reyes said the technical working group will also have as members representatives from the National Power Corp., (Napocor) the provincial government of Bulacan, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), National Irrigation Administration, National Disaster Coordinating Council, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, National Water Resources Board, and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

While Alvarado proposed only a study for Angat Dam, Reyes said the DOE deemed it prudent to also include the Ipo and Bustos dams in the study and in the emergency action planning.

Copies of Reyes’s letter creating the technical working group were also sent to Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza, Napocor president Froilan Tampinco and MWSS Administrator Diosdado Jose Allado.

Alvarado suggested the conduct of a study to determine the structural soundness of Angat Dam during the pre-plenary deliberation on the budget of the province of Bulacan last month.

Angat Dam, a hydroelectric dam, is the biggest of the three dams in Bulacan. The Ipo Dam diverts water from Angat and Ipo rivers into tunnels that lead to La Mesa reservoir and Balara filtration areas.

On the other hand, Bustos Dam is an irrigation dam that further impounds and diverts the water of Angat River and is located a few kilometers downstream of Angat and Ipo dams, respectively.

Angat River runs for about 61 kilometers from the Ipo reservoir to its diversion in Labangan channel.