Tarlac mega dam project starts

More than five decades since its conception, the second phase of the country’s most expensive irrigation project is now in motion and is expected to be finished before the end of President Duterte’s term.

“Finally after seven presidents, we have already started the construction of the dam in Balog Balog,” said National Irrigation Administration head Ricardo Visaya.

Once completed, the Tarlac Balog Balog Multipurpose Project (TBBMP) will provide year-round irrigation to 34,410 hectares of farmlands in 10 municipalities in the province.

Its mega dam is projected to reduce flooding in low-lying areas and provide inland fish production while also producing 43.5 megawatts of electricity from its hydropower component.

The project is also seen to increase cropping intensity within the area from 124 percent to 200 percent. This will directly improve crop production and farmers’ income.

The TBBMP Dam was first proposed by the late Sen. Benigno Aquino in 1963 and was pushed during the incumbency of his wife, the late President Corazon Aquino in 1986. This was shelved after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 due to massive mudflows that affected many parts of Tarlac.

After more than two decades, it was relaunched during the administration of their son former President Aquino but was again delayed in 2015 due to insufficient funds.

According to Visaya, the second and last phase of the project—the construction of the mega dam—is expected to be finished by 2021.

Bidding for its construction was marred by controversy that led to the resignation of former NIA Administrator Peter Laviña. It was eventually awarded to Quezon City-based ITP Construction and Chinese firm Guangxi Hydro-Electric Construction Bureau Ltd. for P5.86 billion.

“We wouldn’t have any problem with that. It will push through,” Visaya added.