PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has reiterated his full support for the implementation of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project Stage II (JRMP II) located in the province of Iloilo during his final State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Monday.

National Irrigation Administration Western Visayas regional manager and JRMP II concurrent project manager, Engineer Gerardo P. Corsiga, welcomed the President’s acknowledgement of the project that is expected to establish Iloilo as the premier rice producing area in the country.

Corsiga said that JRMP II is a legacy of the Aquino administration.

JRMP II is the first large-scale water reservoir to be constructed outside of Luzon. It will provide year-round irrigation to 31,840 hectares of farm land and increase annual rice production from 140,000 to 300,000 metric tons.

It will also contribute to the national rice self-sufficiency target of 7.6 percent. Its 6.6 megawatts hydroelectric power and bulk water components will augment the province and the city’s demand for power and potable water supply.

The project also aims to generate more than 17,000 employment opportunities during construction and eco-cultural tourism in the areas it covers, particularly in the hinterlands of Calinog, Iloilo. (LCP)