China to fund P4.5-billion irrigation project in Pangasinan

MANILA, Philippines - The Chinese government is set to fund a P4.5-billion irrigation project in Northern Luzon, Hermogenes Esperon Jr., head of the Presidential Management Staff and chairman of the Pro-Performance System Steering Committee, said.

In an interview, Esperon said the Export Import Bank of China has agreed to bankroll the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP).

The ARIIP is programmed to irrigate about 9,170 hectares while the lower Agno river irrigation system irrigates 3,200 hectares together with the Ambayoan-Dipalo river irrigation system on Eastern Pangasinan.

Esperon said the loan signing will be completed in one to two weeks while the groundbreaking is scheduled next month.

Initially, the project was supposed to be funded by Japan but there were local problems. Esperon said this is the reason why the project was given to China.

Aside from the ARIIP, Esperon said the government has completed 43 of the 149 projects identified by the Arroyo administration in 2007. Completed projects are worth P89.47 billion.

The completed projects under the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle are the upgrading of the Poro Point International Airport in San Fernando, La Union, Dingalan Port in Aurora, 33-megawatt Bangui Bay Wind Farm Project in Ilocos Norte and Casecnan Multi-purpose irrigation and power project phase one.

Esperon said 64 projects are ongoing while 42 are in the project preparation stage which covers feasibility study, financing and detailed engineering.

Ongoing construction projects have a total cost of P284.1, billion, Esperon said, adding that majority of these projects will be completed before the end of the year.

Projects that are expected to be completed this December are the Marikina Infanta Highway, the South Luzon Expressway and C-5, the New Clover Leaf, the Zamboanga Peninsula Road and the Agno River Control Phase two.

Esperon said most of the airport projects will be completed within the year.

One project that will not be done before the end of 2009 are the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX). This is a 7.5-kilometer extension project.

Esperon said this will be passable by December and fully operational in March.

For the project preparation stage, Esperon said some of the projects may not be started within the term of Mrs. Arroyo.

Total cost for this is P366.05 billion. In spite of this, Esperon said all these projects will be started and completed because the government has already allocated money for all of these projects.