The San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam will start releasing water from its reservoir at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, September 2, the National Power Corporation (Napocor) announced on Tuesday.
The open gates will discharge water at 300 cubic meters per second down towards the Agno River, it said, because the dam’s water elevation reached 283.68 meters above sea level (masl) as of Tuesday noon.
The Napocor advised the municipalities of San Manuel, San Nicolas, Asingan, Tayug, Sta. Maria, Rosales, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, and Bayambang, which are along the Agno River, to remain alert and take preparatory measures.
A group of businessmen has earlier called on the National Power Corporation to slowly release water into the Agno River when the dam’s water elevation was almost 283 masl.
Rosendo So, president of the Pangasinan Chinese-Filipino Chamber of Commerce, said the dam should have started releasing water before it even reached the mandatory spilling level of 280 masl, given that the country is expecting more typhoons.
In 2009, when Typhoon Pepeng brought a tremendous amount of rain to northern Luzon, Napocor opened the gates when water elevation was about to reach the crest of 290 masl. It ended up inundating 36 towns and cities in Pangasinan, said So.
‘Affected parties pursued legal action against Napocor and San Roque Power Corporation over the massive flooding and alleged improper and sudden release of water from the dam,’ he said.
Napocor has since ordered pre-emptive gate openings before the water elevation had reached 280 masl. On July 30, 2025, the reservoir level was 277.10 meters when multiple gates were opened, while in 2024, floodgates were opened when the San Roque water level was 276.27 meters.
In earlier years after the 2009 deluge, operators regularly performed controlled pre-releases when severe weather threatened, to manage incoming water volumes from upstream dams like Binga and Ambuklao in Benguet.