SC asked to lift writ vs P11.2-B Iloilo dam project

MANILA, Philippines - A coalition of associations of farmers and irrigators has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to allow the resumption of the second phase of the P11.2-billion Jalaur River multi-purpose project (JRMP II) in Iloilo.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) urged the SC to lift the writ of kalikasan it had issued against the project, saying the project would be integral in achieving and sustaining the country’s rice self-sufficiency target.

“This would benefit a lot of farmers and help us attain rice self-sufficiency and also help ensure enough power supply and potable water supply in the Visayas region,” Sinag president Rosendo So said.

So said the project is expected to contribute to the annual increase in the country’s rice production by at least 7.6 percent, but its implementation was stopped by the writ of kalikasan that the SC issued late last year.

In an earlier interview, Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor alleged that former Iloilo congressman Augusto Syjuco Jr. only filed the petition for the writ out of political vendetta.

“He is not even thinking of his people but only his personal interest,” Defensor alleged.

The JRMP – the first large-scale reservoir dam outside Luzon – includes a 6.6-megawatt power plant and is expected to augment the supply of potable water by at least 316,820 cubic meters annually for domestic and industrial consumption in nearby municipalities, including Iloilo City.

It will provide year-round irrigation for increased agricultural production to 22,340 hectares that are currently serviced by five existing irrigation systems and 9,500 hectares of currently rain-fed areas.

“The additional 9,000 hectares alone that would be irrigated through this project can produce 2.9 million bags of palay,” So said.

So also called on President Aquino to help expedite the completion of the project, which he even cited in his State of the Nation Address last year.

“We hope the government can find ways to help this project push through. Otherwise, the rice self-sufficiency target of President Aquino will be in a dilemma,” So said.

“And it does not bode well for potential investors who might get turned off. The Jalaur project went through the bidding process and has been awarded, yet it was stopped,” So said.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has assured the public that the JRMP II is safe and can withstand an Intensity 9 earthquake.

In an earlier briefing, assistant project manager Jesus Datoon said drillings as deep as 100 meters below the surface showed that the dam would be built on solid rock formation.

An NIA survey also showed that majority of the residents – 88.9 percent – in the 10 affected villages favored the project, while 8.2 percent had doubts and only three percent were against it.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples also conducted a free and prior consent (FPIC) survey showing that only two of the 10 target barangays opposed the conduct of a feasibility study.

Under the Indigenous People’s Rights Act, an FPIC is required for projects that would affect indigenous communities.