By Francis Allan L. Angelo
PART of the P17.5-billion “private public partnership” (PPP) fund can be used in the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMPP) of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
Senator Franklin Drilon, Senate finance committee chairman, said the PPP fund can be used for several purposes in the implementation of the project.
The P17.5-billion funding is included in the P1-trillion national budget which is still pending in Congress.
Drilon said the fund can be used for project/feasibility studies, right-of-way allocations and local counterpart funding.
The Ilonggo senator pledged to help the national and local governments to fund PPP projects, a thrust of the Aquino administration.
Drilon said they will work double time to pass the national budget in the Senate so that President Benigno Aquino III can sign a new budget before the year ends.
The P15.22-billion Jalaur River project is programmed to be completed in nine years. It aims to address the irrigation needs of farmers in the province and solve the water problem of the city and province of Iloilo.
It is also expected to produce 11.5 megawatts of hydro power which could also augment local power needs.
Currently, NIA irrigation systems serve 22,000 hectares of farmlands in Iloilo Province and if the project is realized an additional of 12,000 hectares would be served.
It could also address the water supply problem of Iloilo City as it could provide the Metro Iloilo Water District with 86,400 cubic meters of water daily.
Jalaur River is the second largest river in Panay and 17th largest river system in the country in terms of size in drainage basin. Its estimated drainage area is 1,503 square kilometers and travels 123 kilometers from its source to its mouth in the Guimaras strait.
The river drains the eastern portion of Panay and traverses through Passi City, Leganes, Zarraga, Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo, Pototan, Dingle, Duenas and Calinog.
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