P1.5-B worth irrigation project in Cotabato town to start soon

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Officials of the Cotabato provincial government and the National Irrigation Administration are now preparing to implement a P1.5 billion worth irrigation project covering 900 hectares of rice farms in Tulunan town in the province.

Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño Mendoza and engineers from the NIA-Cotabato Irrigation Management Office, Antonio Egoc, Godfrey Respicio and Jalanie Mipantao, and representatives from the China Waters Sinopeak Construction agreed to cooperate in overseeing the project during a conference at the provincial capitol in Kidapawan City on Friday.

Mendoza told reporters on Saturday that her administration, the engineers of NIA in the province and two senior officials of the firm contracted to implement the Tulunan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project, the Chinese nationals Hu Fengting and Na Ding Ding, shall together ensure its completion based on a final work plan.

“The provincial government wants full transparency and accountability in the implementation of that project that farmers in Tulunan municipality so need to boost the production of their rice farms,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza, who is chairperson of the multi-sector Regional Development Council 12, said having a new irrigation facility in Tulunan is a longtime wish of rice farmers in the municipality.

Officials of the Tulunan local government unit and their constituent-barangay leaders have assured to help monitor the construction of the P1.5 billion worth irrigation system that shall benefit thousands of rice farmers in the municipality.