CASE STUDY (CONTROVERSAL PROJECT)

THE KALIWA DAM

Project Description

The Kaliwa Dam is a 63-meter-high reservoir, equivalent to a 21-story building, is said to hold
an initial discharge capacity of 600 million liters per day (MLD), and would be built alongside a
27.7-kilometer Water Conveyance Tunnel with a 2,400 MLD capacity both designed to secure
enough water supply in the country's economic hotspots located in the National Capital Region,
primarily Metro Manila.

This 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.
Environmental Impacts
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
compromisation 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.

Proposed by the Philippine government way back in 2012, the Kaliwa Dam Project is one of
numerous bulk water supply projects on the upper portion of the Kaliwa River Watershed. The
government has been eyeing this area since the 1970s. Still, most of its proposed water
supply projects have since been shelved because of environmental concerns, opposition from
the indigenous people living in the area, or both.

The proposed design of the Kaliwa Dam had a 600 million-liters-a-day (MLD) capacity, with its
water supply tunnel having a 2,400-MLD capacity. If the old project pushed through, it was
expected to supply water alongside Angat Dam, Manila’s sole water storage facility. It was the
main component of the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project in Tanay, Rizal,
which also called for constructing a water supply tunnel and various attendant infrastructure. 

Laiban Dam, one of the other dams proposed as part of the integrated system, would have
also been built if this project had pushed through. However, during Benigno Aquino III’s time,
stage one was the only part of the project that received approval. The rest did not move
forward until it was revived and reformed recently under the Duterte administration.

Now, the revisited Kaliwa Dam Project is well underway. The current administration decided
to end its public-private partnership with Japan, and instead pushed through with China’s
Official Development Assistance loan. This loan is more expensive than the previous
agreement with Japan, having a 2% interest rate against Japan’s 1.25%. 

According to the Environmental Management Bureau, the Kaliwa Dam Project: 

“…will provide for the construction of a concrete gravity dam along the Kaliwa River with a
dam height of 60+ meters referred to a riverbed elevation of 108 meters. It will cover a
reservoir surface area of 291 hectares with a gross reservoir volume of 57 million m³ at the
full supply level.”

It will also entail the construction of the following:

 A spillway at the right bank of Kaliwa River at elevation: 160+ meters

 Diversion Tunnel: Two at the left abutment area of the proposed dam
 Conveyance Tunnel: Length is 27.7 kilometers starting at invert level 120+ meters and
ends at a level of 95+ meters with a tunnel diameter of 4 meters.
The Kaliwa Dam is a 63-meter-high reservoir, equivalent to a 21-story
building, is said to hold an initial discharge capacity of 600 million liters
per day (MLD), and would be built alongside a 27.7-kilometer Water
Conveyance Tunnel with a 2,400 MLD capacity both designed to
secure enough water supply in the country's economic

The Kaliwa Dam Project is not ethical, nor is it legal. It will infringe on so many people’s
rights. It will endanger many flora and fauna, not to mention leave permanent environmental
damage on the Sierra Madre mountain range. At its core, this water supply scheme, which
should be a solution to Manila’s water supply problems, threatens the environment and the
people.

For something violating many Philippine laws, especially against our indigenous peoples, this
project should not have been given the Environmental Compliance Certificate. The ECC is a
document needed for infrastructure projects that can negatively affect the environment.

The construction site falls under a protected ancestral domain. According to Haribon, this area
is home to at least 5,000 Dumagat-Remontados indigenous people. Around 300 of them would
be directly affected once the project pushes through. This project will cause many people from
the affected barangays in Tanay, Infanta, and General Nakar to leave their ancestral domain.

Because of its precarious position, where it would directly impact so many indigenous people,
the people behind the project should have secured the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
from them. Up until now, the EMB has failed to produce an approved FPIC.

Other effects of the project are as follows:

 Permanently displaces at least 126 species of fauna, including the endangered

Philippine Eagle
 300 hectares of forested area in the Sierra Madre will be permanently flooded
 Directly impacts and threatens at least 96 endemic species
 Violates the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act and the
Expanded NIPAS Act because the location includes a protected forest reserve and
national park and wildlife sanctuary
 At least 100,000 lives will be put at risk with increased chances of heavy flooding in
downstream areas
 Increased risk of heavy flooding and decreased protection against typhoons due to its
impact on the Sierra Madre
 Costly project paid for with taxpayer’s money (despite the project being for the
exclusive benefit of those who live in Metro Manila/NCR).

The Kaliwa Dam Project is expensive. From construction to maintenance, this dam will also
upset the biodiversity in the area. This project, which would virtually just benefit those living
in Manila, will be paid for by every taxpayer in the Philippines. Indeed, there are more cost-
effective solutions to Manila’s water supply problems. It doesn’t have to be this overpriced,
environmentally-harmful project. 

The dam has numerous social and environmental concerns. Not only is it illegal, but it is also
unethical. It infringes upon the human rights of our indigenous people and disturbs the
biodiversity in the locality. If this dam’s construction pushes through, there will be lasting
effects not only on the people and animals who live there but on nature itself.

The Kaliwa Dam Project is not ethical, nor is it legal. It will infringe on
so many people’s rights. It will endanger many flora and fauna, not to
mention leave permanent environmental damage on the Sierra
Madre mountain range. At its core, this water supply scheme, which
should be a solution to Manila’s water supply problems, threatens the
environment and the people.
For something violating many Philippine laws, especially against our
indigenous peoples, this project should not have been given the
Environmental Compliance Certificate. The ECC is a document needed
for infrastructure projects that can negatively affect the environment.
The construction site falls under a protected ancestral domain.
According to Haribon, this area is home to at least 5,000 Dumagat-
Remontados indigenous people. Around 300 of them would be
directly affected once the project pushes through. This project will
cause many people from the affected barangays in Tanay, Infanta, and
General Nakar to leave their ancestral domain.
Because of its precarious position, where it would directly impact so
many indigenous people, the people behind the project should have
secured the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from them. Up
until now, the EMB has failed to produce an approved FPIC.
Other effects of the project are as follows:
• Permanently displaces at least 126 species of fauna, including
the endangered Philippine Eagle
• 300 hectares of forested area in the Sierra Madre will be
permanently flooded
• Directly impacts and threatens at least 96 endemic species
• Violates the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS)
Act and the Expanded NIPAS Act because the location includes a
protected forest reserve and national park and wildlife sanctuary
• At least 100,000 lives will be put at risk with increased chances
of heavy flooding in downstream areas
• Increased risk of heavy flooding and decreased protection
against typhoons due to its impact on the Sierra Madre
• Costly project paid for with taxpayer’s money (despite the
project being for the exclusive benefit of those who live in Metro
Manila/NCR).
The Kaliwa Dam Project is expensive. From construction to
maintenance, this dam will also upset the biodiversity in the area.
This project, which would virtually just benefit those living in Manila,
will be paid for by every taxpayer in the Philippines. Indeed, there are
more cost-effective solutions to Manila’s water supply problems. It
doesn’t have to be this overpriced, environmentally-harmful project.
The dam has numerous social and environmental concerns. Not only
is it illegal, but it is also unethical. It infringes upon the human rights
of our indigenous people and disturbs the biodiversity in the locality.
If this dam’s construction pushes through, there will be lasting effects
not only on the people and animals who live there but on nature
itself.