Faults found at dam site in Iloilo

ILOILO CITY – Three young scientists from the University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman found faults at the Jalaur River in Calinog, Iloilo.

John Warner Carag, Neil Laurent Caidic and Adrian Raymund Fernandez, who are members of Agham, advocates of science and technology for the people, said the faults along the river is at the site of the Jalaur main dam and reservoir and at the after bay dam.

The Agham scientists said these faults must be addressed first before starting the P11.2 billion project in Iloilo.

The three cautioned the government and implementers of the multi-billion peso Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project (JRMP) II in Iloilo to conduct a more comprehensive study before starting the biggest project outside of Luzon.

The UP-Diliman advocates said the project may displace hundreds of indigenous people in the area and put at risk the lives and properties of thousands of families living downstream along the river.

They conducted an environmental investigation mission of the project site on August 31 to September 3, 2012 to determine the ecological stability of the project.

A pet project of Senator Franklin Drilon, JRMP II is expected to catapult rice production in Iloilo and the rest of Western Visayas by providing year-round irrigation for additional 33,000 hectares of irrigable lands.

A 6.6-megawatt hydroelectric power plant will be built to supplement the current power supply and another 35,000 cubic metrics daily of potable water supply will be realized for domestic and industrial uses.

A total of 24 Iloilo municipalities, namely: Calinog, Passi City, Lambunao, Badiangan, Janiuay, Cabatuan, Sta Barbara, Pavia, Alimodian, Leon, San Miguel, Oton, Tigbauan, Dueñas, San Enrique, Anilao, Dingle, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Mina, New Lucena, Pototan, Zarraga, Leganes and Iloilo City is the service area coverage.

Seven areas namely Cabatuan, Sta. Barbara, Pavia, San Miguel, Oton, Leganes and Iloilo City will benefit from the potable water supply.

A loan agreement was recently signed between the Philippine government and Eximbank of Korea to fund the project expected to be completed before the term of President Benigno Aquino III expires by 2016.

On the other hand, a total of 377 indigenous households will be affected in three upper barangays of Calinog once JRMP construction starts construction. This figure covers 119 IP households in Barangay Garangan, 196 in Agcalaga and 62 in Masaroy.

The project itself will affect seven barangays in Calinog and 3 in the municipality of Lambunao.