Casecnan multi-purpose project right on target

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija – Right on target.

The construction of the P5.8-million irrigation component of the giant Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMPIPP) is proceeding according to schedule with 19.2 kilometers out of the 29.2-kilometer Super Diversion Canal (SDC) under Phase 1 of the project already finished, representing an overall accomplishment of 22.98 percent.

Engineer Serafin Palteng, NIA-Casecnan project manager, said that the phase of work is slightly ahead of the target accomplishment of 22.47 percent.

Palteng said that major contracts for the project involving S1, S2 and U2 are also set to start construction at a cost of P700 million, P960 million and P590 million, respectively. S1 involves construction of the super diversion canal starting from the Rizal portion to Guimba to the Peñaranda River System in Gapan City.

Palteng said 600 workers are working overtime for the construction of the three project components.

In a project briefing with Undersecretary Renato Diaz, presidential assistant for North Luzon, Palteng said that the only hindrance to the expected completion of the irrigation component in 2006 is the government funding equity which amounts to P1.9 billion over the next three years.

Diaz said he would discuss the matter with President Arroyo on how the needed amount could be raised to make sure the project is fast-tracked.

The irrigation component, whose construction started on Jan. 1,1998 is being bankrolled by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), formerly the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF).

Of the P5.832 million, JBIC will finance P4.049 billion while the government will share P1.783 billion. JBIC will only release the amount, however, if the government produce its equity.

Government failure to come up with the amount will seriously hurt efforts to fast-track the project which would impact heavily on the agriculture sector.

The irrigation component is designed to benefit 49,130 farmers by irrigating 37,000 hectares of new rice lands, stabilize water supply to 102,000 hectares of farmlands covered by the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS) that operates the Pantabangan Dam and the potential additional production of 10.89 million cavans of palay per year.

Engineer Alexander Coloma, NIA-Casecnan assistant project manager said that based on the programmed annual fund release, government will have to release P500 million in 2004, P600 million in 2005 and another P600 million in 2006. "But it seems the government has no money," he said.

Aside from the SDC, the irrigation component of the CMIPP also features the setting up of on-farm facilities and communal irrigation systems (CIS).

When completed, the irrigation component is programmed to irrigate 26,920 hectares of new area, including communal irrigation systems (CIS) covering this city and the municipalities of Guimba, Nampicuan and Talugtog.

It would also help generate a maximum 150 megawatts of hydroelectric power to supplement the National Power Corp.’s energy supply to the Luzon grid and help rehabilitate the Casecnan and Pantabangan watersheds.

The CMIPP’s build-operate-transfer (BOT) component, worth $675-million which involves construction of a 26-kilometer underground tunnel has been completed by the CE Casecnan Water & Energy Co., Inc. (CECWECI) on December 11,2001.

The BOT component is now delivering an average of 45.91 million cubic meters of water monthly to the Pantabangan reservoir.