THE heavy downpour has helped improve the water levels at the National Power Corp.’s (Napocor) multipurpose dams to nearly reach the rule curve or ideal volume.

Dennis Gana, Napocor company corporate communication manager, told BusinessMirror on Thursday that the dam’s “rule curve” refers to each dam’s required comfort level to enable it to provide for the needs of domestic households, irrigation and power generation.

Napocor’s Dams, Reservoir and Flood Forecasting Department said the water level at the Angat Dam rose to 178.80 meters Thursday morning from 171.30 meters the previous day, which is slightly lower than its minimum comfort level of 180.79 meters and its maximum comfort level 186.87 meters.

It added that the Ambuklao Dam was only 1.31 meters short of its rule curve of 745 meters on Thursday morning, with its water level increasing to 743.69 meters from 741.20 meters the previous day.

Binga Dam’s water level, on the other hand, increased more than its rule curve of 565 meters at 570.58 meters yesterday, from 567.61 meter on Wednesday.

Magat Dam’s elevation level remains lower than its rule curve of 179.56 meters, after its elevation levels dropped by 0.15 meters to 160.19 meters on Thursday morning from 160.34 meters on Wednesday.

Napocor added that Pantabangan Dam’s level increased to 189.82 meters from 189.75 meters the previous day, which is a few meters short than its rule curve of 201.44 meters.

San Roque Dam’s water level rose to 227.87 meters Thursday morning from 226.56 meters the previous days; and is nearing its minimum comfort level of 252.26 meters and maximum comfort level of 259.26 meters.

Napocor earlier denied that the release of water from the Angat Dam was without the approval of the National Water Regulatory Board (NWRB). The company said that the release was based on an earlier agreement it had with the water regulatory body, said Gana.

Prior to the downpour, Gana said, a meeting was held between officials of the NWRB, Department of Agriculture and Napocor. Gana said it was agreed that Napocor will release water from Angat to help irrigate farmlands in order to mitigate the impact of the dry spell that was seen cutting production of staples in the Central Luzon food basket.

“Any release of water from the Angat always has a corresponding order from the NWRB,” stressed Gana.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Nine soldiers were killed while two others were wounded in an ambush staged by the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits in the hinterlands of Sulu on Thursday.

THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has invited the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and the entire broadcast industry to take part in formulating the guidelines for digital and mobile television services.

THE heavy downpour has helped improve the water levels at the National Power Corp.’s (Napocor) multipurpose dams to nearly reach the rule curve or ideal volume.

A GROUP of tribesmen opposed to mining on Thursday reiterated its call to scrap the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

THE ratification hearings on the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) will focus on at least four issues: free trade, the entry of Filipino workers in Japan, environmental impact and its effect on existing agreements under the World Trade Organization, Sen. Mar Roxas II said on Thursday.

APPARENTLY pressured by accusations that it is involved in extrajudicial killings, which it repeatedly denied, the Armed Forces has started pre-trial investigation against personnel and officers accused of human-rights violations.

CABANATUAN CITY—The Philippines does not need climate change to get under water—just one typhoon and vast areas go under, and in the case of Chedeng, the weather disturbance that just left the country, Central Luzon’s backbone Maharlika Highway became impassable, jamming thousands of vehicles not only because of the water, but also because of the roadside trees toppled by high winds that blocked the highway.