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Guv: $1M for dam rehab not a loan
AUMENTADO |
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Loans
need payments, but grants are free.
Gov. Erico Aumentado made this clarification Friday
during his weekly program The Governor Reports simulcast
live over radio stations here.
The
governor referred to the reaction of Engr. Petronilo
Sarigumba, a former project manager of the National
Irrigation Administration (NIA), on the US$1 million
grant from the Korea International Cooperation Agency
(KOICA) to finance the feasibility study and detailed
design on the improvement of the Malinao Dam in Pilar
town.
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Aside
from this error, Aumentado said Sarigumba, the supposed whistle-blower
of an allegedly anomalous irrigation project in Talibon town,
also erred in naming the project "rehabilitation."
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Engr.
Modesto Membreve, project manager of the Bohol Irrigation
Project Stage 2 (BHIP 2) and Engr. Isidro Digal, project
consultant, who were guests during the program confirmed
Aumentado's observation, saying the Malinao Dam has
not been in a state of disrepair and therefore does
not require rehabilitation.
Sarigumba
said instead of engaging the Koreans in conducting a
feasibility study on the Malinao Dam rehabilitation,
which is a waste of government money for amortization,
NIA should instead dig up a previous project study made
by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
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The
governor however emphasized that there is no such JICA study.
Aumentado
who personally negotiated for the grant with KOICA Executive
Director Lee Hae-Kyoon last October at the latter's office
in South Korea said JICA conducted studies on the Bohol Integrated
Water Management Program, the Bohol Circumferential Road Improvement
Project Phases 1 and 2, the Leyte-Bohol Interconnection Project
Stages 1 and 2 and the Capayas Dam facility but not the improvement
of Malinao Dam.
The
KOICA grant, he pointed out, will include the review of previous
NIA feasibility studies of the Small Water Impounding (SWIM)
projects of Bonot-bonot in Buenavista, Hibale in Danao and
Loboc Valley.
For
his part, Digal said the study JICA financed previously was
of the Wahig-Pamacsalan Irrigation Project. The study however
found out that constructing a high dam across the Pamacsalan
River in Abachanan, Sierra Bullones town was not feasible
in that the foundation was not built for such height. Lowering
the level will defeat the purpose as irrigation water will
no longer reach the ricelands still in its service area but
already quite far from the dam.
Besides,
the karst soil will only quickly dry up whatever water is
impounded, hence the decision to construct the Malinao Dam
of BHIP 1 instead - that will also bring run-off water to
the Bayongan Dam of BHIP 2.
Digal
added that improvement of the Malinao Dam will enable NIA
to irrigate virtually all of the lands in its service area
even during the dry season.
"And
this is not rehabilitation work! Nilo [Sarigumba] should know
because he is a former colleague!" he said.
On
the other hand, Membreve said critics have labeled Bayongan
Dam as a white elephant.
"I
beg to disagree. The dam is already 90 percent full with the
water level at 49.5 meters as of yesterday (Thursday). At
52 meters, it will already overflow," he said.
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