House probe on irrigation projects in Mindanao sought

DAVAO CITY ,Philippines  – Lawmakers are urging Congress to conduct an investigation on alleged anomalies in the implementation of certain irrigation projects in Mindanao.

Party-list Reps. Raymund Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines and Angelo Palmones of Agham, as well as North Cotabato Reps. Jesus Sacdalan and Nancy Catamco, called on the House committee on agriculture to conduct a probe on the implementation of the Mal-Mar irrigation project that has been besieged with certain problems.

The Mal-Mar irrigation project was supposed to cover 16,957 hectares. Phase 1 aimed to cover 10,840 hectares and costs P3.1 billion while phase 2 would include 6,117 hectares worth P6.2 billion.

However, the four congressmen said that as of present, only 2,578 hectares have been irrigated out of the 10,840 hectares target areas under phase 1.

The lawmakers lamented how the NIA has proposed P6.2 billion for the stage 2 of the Mal-Mar project when stage 1 has not even been completed yet.

This year, another P405 million was allotted to NIA for the irrigation of additional 1,712 hectares.

Davao del Norte second district Rep. Anton Lagdameo also lamented how the National Irrigation Administration has been implementing P143-million worth of “ghost” irrigation projects in his area.