“The circa 1970s Laiban dam has been recently revived supposedly to augment Metro Manila’s water supply that other dams cannot provide especially during dry months. Also, the last remaining hydro-electric government facility. Angat dam in Bulacan has been offered to bidders after the sale of Magat, Ambuklao-Binga and Pantabangan-Masiway to big private corporations in previous years.

“Large dams are touted by government as instruments of development by providing water supply, cheap energy, irrigation, and other functions for poor but water resources-rich countries like the Philippines. But the country’s experience with large dams has been damning, so to speak, as large dams have only benefited international financial institutions (IFIs), construction and power transnational corporations (TNCs), and even government bureaucrats.”

— Mega Dams/ Profiteering in Infrastructure/ 15 & 28 February 2010/ IBON Facts & Figures Special Release