In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision to build more dams, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said it expects to complete 20 medium-term projects and three to five long-term projects within the President’s term.
“Iyong mga malalaking projects po natin o mga medium projects po natin mga nasa 20 po siguro ano po. Iyong mga long-term projects makatapos po kami siguro malalaking dams mga siguro between three to five na malalaking dams,” NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
According to Guillen, there are a number of dams that NIA targets to build such as the Tumauini Dam in Isabela, as well as dam projects in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
In the Visayas, NIA is building the Jalaur Dam and other projects in the Panay River Basin, in addition to smaller or medium-sized dams.
“And then marami po sa Mindanao actually lalo rito sa may along Pulangi River – iyong Antung Dam; iyong Lower Malitubog – patapos na nga kami doon sa MALMAR II namin ano po, malaki rin po iyon nasa 12,000 hectares din po iyon. And then itutuloy namin ang MALMAR – iyong Lower Malitubog na tinatawag. Marami po kaming mga proposed projects,” Guillen said of NIA’s projects in southern Philippines.
With regard to constructing high dams or those with height of 100 meters, Guillen said those structures have multiple uses such as flood control, irrigation and power generation.
These are in addition to use for aquaculture, bulk water, floating solar, as well as for tourism, he said.
The country is encountering challenges because most of its dams were built 50 years ago, or during the time the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., the President’s father.
The President wants to build more high dams to solve the country’s water challenges, Guillen said.
“Kasi sabi nga niya, kapag may high dam ka, mayroon ka ng irigasyon, mayroon kang flood control, mayroon kang power generation, ngayon domestic water pa, may aquaculture – so saan ka pa? May bawi po tayo kapag high dam. So ito po ang focus ng ating Pangulo ngayon,” he added. PND
