The ICC Cabinet Committee (Cabcom) approved the P7.05 billion Casecnan Multi-Purpose Irrigation and Power Project-Irrigation Component Phase II (CMIPP-IC), the P4.66 billion Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) Measures in Low-Lying Areas of Pampanga Bay Project, and the P1.56- billion Umayam River Irrigation Project (Urip).
The second phase of the Casecnan irrigation and power project is implemented by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and at least 75 percent of the cost is being proposed to be funded by the Government of China, which is one of the country’s biggest Official Development Assistance (ODA) sources.
“This project is consistent with the objective of the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 to improve food security and increasing household income in the countryside through agricultural modernization. It also addresses Central Luzon’s objective of making food affordable and sufficient in and out of the region,” Neda Director General Cayetano W. Paderanga Jr. said in a statement.
The project aims to continue providing full irrigation to 20,321 of the 37,200 hectares of new areas in the towns of Munoz, Guimba, Talugtog, Cuyapo in Nueva Ecija, and Anao, Ramos and Victoria in Tarlac. It also intends to stabilize the irrigation supply of the 40,000 hectares of existing areas of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System.
The climate change-related project in Pampanga, which is being jointly implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Education (DepEd), is being proposed for funding through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund of the government of Korea.
The Neda said that around 83.77 percent of the cost will be secured through a loan from the Korean government while the remaining 16.23 percent will be funded by the national government. The project will help reduce the extent, level and duration of flooding in the municipalities of Sto. Tomas, Minalin, San Simon, Sasmuan, Apalit, Macabebe and Masantol in Pampanga.
“This project will directly alleviate the plight of school children in Pampanga in their water-soaked and severely deteriorated school surroundings. They can look forward to a better future as they can complete their education in an environment conducive for learning,” Paderanga said.
The project involves site heightening of 26 schools to eliminate school-site flooding and stagnant-water ponding; reconstruction of 232 school rooms in 47 flood-affected and naturally deteriorated elementary schools; construction of 11 deep well pumps in 11 schools without secured sources of potable water; and establishment of flood control measures in the area’s rivers.
The Neda said the Urip project is a medium-scale irrigation project that aims to provide water supply to agricultural lands of Adgaoan, La Paz and Umayam, Loreto in the province of Agusan del Sur. It involves the construction of an overflow diversion dam across the Umayam River, an irrigation canal network, protection dike, and improvement of waterways, among others.
Paderanga said that given the long-term productivity-enhancing nature of the project, it can address sectoral, regional and local development plans such as the Food Staples Self-Sufficiency Roadmap of the Department of Agriculture and the Mindanao Strategic Development Framework for 2010-2020, among other projects.
“The URIP enhances the standard of living of the people in the project area by increasing rice production through irrigation development and agricultural support services,” the Neda chief said.
The ICC-CabCom’s approval of the three projects will require the confirmation of the Neda board, which is chaired by President Aquino and vice-chaired by Paderanga. The Neda board is the country’s highest development planning and policy coordinating body. It comprises various Cabinet Secretaries, the president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, the Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Deputy Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The ICC, which is one of the seven interagency committees of the Neda board, evaluates the fiscal, monetary and balance-of-payments implications of major national projects. The ICC’s powers and functions reside in its CabCom, which is headed by the Secretary of Finance. The ICC is supported by an interagency Technical Board, with Neda as ICC Secretariat.
