Iloilo to gain from proposed P11.2-B dam

ILOILO CITY—Farmers and power consumers from 24 towns in Iloilo are expected to benefit from the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project-Stage 2 (JRMP), considered the biggest dam project outside Luzon, which was among the projects approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) last week.

An P11.2-billion project aims to supply irrigation water to 31,840 hectares of farmland, including 9,500 ha of rain-fed areas, and 6.6 megawatts of hydroelectric power and additional potable water to the city capital and six neighboring towns, according to a Neda project brief.

It will be financed through an P8.95-billion official development assistance by the South Korean government through its Export-Import Bank’s Economic Cooperation Fund with a counterpart fund from the Philippine government amounting to P2.2 billion.

The Neda board met on March 22 and approved projects worth P133 billion.

The JRMP involves the construction of a 102-meter dam with a storage capacity of 178 million cubic meters in Calinog town, a 40-m afterbay dam and a 24-m catch dam.

The improved irrigation system is expected to increase production of palay, sugarcane and other cash crops in 24 municipalities and benefit some 783,000 farm workers.