By PRINCE GOLEZ
Manila Reporter
MANILA — Senate President Franklin Drilon was tightlipped on the issue that indigenous peoples (IPs) were not consulted about the P11.2-billion mega dam project in Calinog, Iloilo.
He wanted the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Region 6, the implementing agency, to defend the project.
“Let NIA–6 respond,” the Ilonggo senator told Panay News.
Asked if he believes the IPs were consulted regarding the project, the veteran lawmaker did not answer.
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan–Panay has threatened to seek a Temporary Environment Protection Order from the Supreme Court to stop the construction of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II (JRMP II).
Ecumenical Advocacy Network on the Philippines, a United States-based group, earlier wrote President Benigno Aquino III and NIA, opposing the local project.
It said the dam project can cause adverse effects on the environment and the IP community.
The IPs will be “disadvantaged” and “devastated,” for they will lose their ancestral lands and livelihood, it said.
The Tumandok allegedly signed waivers without an understanding of the documents.
COMPENSATION, RELOCATION
For its part, the NIA central office said the affected IPs will be provided with compensation and relocation assistance through the JRMP Resettlement Action Plan.
They will be relocated in a residential land of “not less than 200 square meters,” Lisa Frias, NIA information officer, told Panay News.
Other means of resettlement, Frias said, include:
- compensation at full replacement cost for house and other structures
- agricultural land of equal productive capacity
- full compensation for crops, trees, and other similar agricultural products at fair market value, and other assets, and
- appropriate rehabilitation measures to compensate for loss of livelihood.
Beneficiaries of the resettlement plan are IPs “within the project area as of the date of the final census survey,” the NIA said.
Drilon was instrumental in the approval of the P8.95-billion loan agreement between the government and the Export Import Bank of Korea for the mega dam project.
The government provided P2.2 billion as counterpart fund.
Part of the project’s funding was sourced through the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
A Department of Budget and Management report said the JRMP II received P450 million of DAP funds./PN
