ILOILO – More police and military personnel have been deployed to the hinterlands of Calinog town where the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) Stage II would be built.
However, Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, regional police director, declined to say for security reasons how many cops and Philippine Army soldiers were exactly securing the project contractors, personnel and equipment.
The policemen were from the Provincial Mobile Force of Company, was all he said.
The deployment was made after Mayor Alex Centena of Calinog expressed concern early this month over the security of people working on the mega dam, citing the information he received about the presence of New People’s Army rebels in the project area.
“Indi sila bal-an gusto sang dam,” said the mayor, referring to the rebels.
The rebels were sighted in the mountainous villages of Agcalaga, Cahigon and Alibunan.
JRMP II, said to be the biggest dam outside Luzon, will provide uninterrupted irrigation water to 32,000 hectares of Iloilo farmland, benefit more than 783,000 farmers and increase annual production of rice to 300,000 metric tons from 140,000.
Over 10 contractors of Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. have started building their barracks and motor pool in Calinog.
“We are securing the areas and monitoring the contractors,” said Bulalacao.
JRMP II includes the construction of 109-meter Jalaur high dam; a 38.5-meter afterbay dam; a 10-meter Alibunan catch dam; a 80.74-kilometer high line canal; generation of new areas for irrigation; and rehabilitation of existing irrigation system.
“I want to ensure the safety of the contractors. I could not be complacent,” said Mayor Centena.
Heavy equipment such as dump trucks, bulldozers and backhoes must also be secured, he added.
The dam’s construction is expected to generate jobs to around 17,000 workers composed of engineers, carpenters, welders, masons, and drivers of heavy equipment.
Once completed, this large-scale reservoir dam will ensure farmers with a consistent third cropping each year./PN
