P13 billion set for irrigation, disaster risk reduction

Monday, January 23, 2012

SOME P13.27 billion will be spent by the government and foreign development partners for projects on irrigation, flood control, and education, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said Monday.

Two irrigation projects approved by the Investment Coordination Committee’s Cabinet Committee (CabCom) are the Umayam River Irrigation Project (URIP) and the Casecnan Multi-Purpose Irrigation and Power Project-Irrigation Component, Phase II (CMIPP-IC).

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In Agusan del Sur, Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga said some P1.56 billion will be used to provide water supply to agricultural lands of Adgaoan, La Paz and Umayam, Loreto in the province of Agusan del Sur.

It involves the construction of an overflow diversion dam across the Umayam River, an irrigation canal network, protection dike, and improvement of waterways, among others.

Similar irrigation projects will also be undertaken in Central Luzon, where the government aims to fully irrigate 20,321 of the 37,200 hectares in the towns of Muñoz, Guimba, Talugtog, Cuyapo in Nueva Ecija, and Anao, Ramos and Victoria in Tarlac under the CMIPP-IC Phase II.

It intends to stabilize the irrigation supply to the 40,000 hectares of existing areas of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System.

The first phase, completed in December 2008, already benefitted 16,879 hectares of new irrigation areas.

Set to be implemented by the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), Paderanga said China might fund at least 75 percent of the total cost of CMIPP-IC Phase II and 87 percent of URIP.

Meanwhile, the government approved a project that would help reduce the extent, level and duration of flooding in the municipalities of Sto. Tomas, Minalin, San Simon, Sasmuan, Apalit, Macabebe, and Masantol in Pampanga.

Last year, back-to-back typhoons Pedring and Quiel dumped heavy rains in these low-lying municipalities as the depth of the floodwaters hover around eight to 10 feet.

Residents in Macabebe and Masantol, both coastal towns, are currently living below sea level.

If completed, the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Measures in Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay Project will directly alleviate the plight of school children in Pampanga in their water-soaked and severely deteriorated school surroundings, Paderanga said.

Spearheaded by the Departments of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Department of Education (DepEd), the project involves the elevation of 26 schools and reconstruction of 232 school rooms in 47 flood-affected elementary schools.

To be constructed as well are 11 deep well pumps in schools without potable water source and establishment of flood control measures in the area's rivers.

South Korea, through its Economic Development Cooperation Fund, will spend 83.77 percent of the P4.66 billion project.

All projects, however, will still be forwarded to the Neda Board chaired by President Benigno Aquino III for final approval.

The ICC, which is one of the seven interagency committees of the Neda Board, evaluates the fiscal, monetary and balance-of-payments implications of major national projects. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)