P11.2 billion irrigation project on track

MANILA, Philippines — Construction of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) in Iloilo remains on track despite the pandemic, the government said.

The National Irrigation Administration said the largest irrigation project outside of Luzon was in line with efforts to continue delivering irrigation water to farmlands and support the agriculture sector.

NIA and construction firm Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. have put in place health and safety mechanisms in the project site.

NIA constantly monitors COVID-19 cases in the country, specifically in Iloilo, to ensure that immediate preventive measures are carried out.

As of the end of May, actual physical accomplishment was at 27.98 percent.

JRMP II is NIA’s eighth big ticket project under the Build Build Build program and the second irrigation project funded by the Korean government through the Korea Export-Import Bank.

Korea will be funding P8.9 billion through its Economic Development Cooperation Fund while the remaining P2.2 billion will be shouldered by the Philippine government.

The project is expected to provide year-round irrigation water to 9,500 hectares of new irrigable areas and rehabilitation of 22,340 hectares covered by five existing irrigation systems in 23 municipalities and two cities in Iloilo.

It will benefit 22,000 farmers and provide 17,000 employment opportunities during the project implementation.

Upon completion, rice production is seen increasing from 3.6 to five metric tons per hectare.