President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. led the formal inauguration of the PHP 19.7 billion Jalaur River Multi-purpose Project (JRMP) Stage II at the foot of the project’s 109-meter high dam in Brgy. Agcalaga, Calinog, Iloilo on July 16, 2024.
Iloilo Provincial officials led by Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. along with former Senator Franklin Drilon, who was instrumental in the completion of the project, attended the important milestone.
Senator Drilon pushed for implementing JRMP II during the time of former President Benigno Aquino III in 2012 with a budget of PHP 11.2 billion under the South Korean government’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF).
President Marcos Jr. granted additional funds through a loan restructuring worth PHP 8.48 billion to ensure the project’s completion.
Incidentally, JRMP Stage I was completed during the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr. in 1982.
“This project bridges three administrations… that of President Marcos, Sr., President Aquino and President Marcos, Jr. I’m happy that we can complete this game-changing project,” Drilon quipped.
For Governor Defensor, JRMP II is not just an infrastructure project. “We have built more than just an infrastructure. We have laid the foundation for a brighter future,” he said.
He also thanked the institutions and officials instrumental in the implementation and completion of the project.
“Your presence here underscores the significance of the JRMP II and its far-reaching benefits. From this project, we look forward to working more with you our partners to realize the full potential of Iloilo and for our contribution to the food security of this country,” Defensor stressed.
To note, the Iloilo provincial government since the time of Governor Defensor’s father, former Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr., extended full support to the local government of Calinog and NIA Region 6 in the implementation of the JRMP II.
Spearheaded by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the JRMP-II is the first large-scale water reservoir considered as one of the government’s flagship projects in Western Visayas.
It modernizes the existing National Irrigation Systems (NIS) in Iloilo and is seen to contribute immensely to the country’s food production and promote the welfare of Filipino farmers.
The project is composed of three major components, namely irrigation development; environmental and watershed management; and institutional development.
Aside from the 109-meter high dam, JRMP II also includes a 38.5-meter afterbay dam and an 80.74-kilometre high line canal capable of providing several benefits like irrigation, bulk water supply, hydroelectric power, inland fishery and eco-tourism, among others.
Expected to be fully operational in mid-2025, the JRMP-II is seen to expand NIA’s irrigation service area by 9,500 hectares of rain-fed agricultural land on top of the existing 22,340 hectares being serviced by the NIA.
With this project, around 25,000 farmers from across 23 towns and two (2) cities in Iloilo will benefit while a boost in rice production is anticipated to soar at an estimated 338,874 metric tons per year.
(With photos from Arnold Almacen)
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