P6.7-B irrigation project due for completion in Dec.

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija — Phase 1 of the P6.7-billion irrigation component of the giant Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) will be finished as scheduled in December, a top official of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said.

Alex Coloma, NIA-Casecnan project manager, said Phase 1 of the irrigation component is 97 percent complete, saying he sees no major stumbling block in its projected completion at the end of the year.

Coloma also said that at least P2.4 billion worth of irrigation projects under Phase 1 of the P6.7-billion irrigation component of the CMIPP have been completed and are ready for inauguration.

The newly completed projects are the P608-million rehabilitated Penaranda River Irrigation System (Penris) under contract package US and P1.7 billion in new irrigation areas under contract packages S2 and S3.

The rehab of the Penris Dam, worth P608.6 million, was constructed by China State Construction Engineering Corp. (CSCEC), in April 2004 and involves replacement of sluice and intake gates and installation of 21 units slide gates for five main canal structures, one siphon outlet and 6.59-kilometer concrete canal lining the main canal.

Coloma said that the newly rehabilitated dam will irrigate 19,924.20 hectares of agricultural lands in 63 barangays covering Gapan City and the Nueva Ecija municipalities of San Isidro, Cabiao and this town; San Miguel and San Ildefonso in Bulacan and Candaba, Pampanga. It will benefit 10,098 farmers.

The newly developed irrigation areas cover 16,879 hectares of farmlands in 67 barangays in this city and the Nueva Ecija towns of Guimba and Talugtog and Victoria, Tarlac. It will benefit 8,839 farmers.

The CMIPP’s build-operate-transfer (BOT) component was completed by the California Energy International in December 2001 at a cost of $675 million. It consisted of the construction of a 26.3-kilometer underground transbasin tunnel, hydro powerhouse, two diversion weirs, 80 kilometers of access roads and seven concrete bridges.