THE GOVERNMENT’S boasting about the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase 2 (JRMP II), inaugurated on July 16, 2024 by President Bongbong Marcos Jr. in Calinog, Iloilo, is nothing but deception and lies.
In his inaugural speech, President Marcos highlighted several supposed benefits of the over P20-billion JRMP II:
(1) increasing annual rice production in Region 6 by 160,000 metric tons, or 20% of the region’s rice needs,
(2) providing 86 million liters of water for commercial and industrial use in Iloilo City and surrounding municipalities, and
(3) generating 6.6 megawatts of hydroelectric power to augment the power supply on Panay Island
However, these benefits are far from reality. The areas intended for irrigation are primarily sugarcane fields, with the remaining areas occupied by unauthorized land conversion projects for residential and commercial uses.
The irrigation lines remain broken and unrepaired, which could have significantly helped farmers if the government had prioritized their repair.
Furthermore, the much-touted 86 million liters of water is not free, and the 6.6 megawatts of hydroelectric power is negligible compared to the over 650 megawatts generated by the 13 power plants on the island.
Compared to other power-generating projects, JRMP II is exorbitantly expensive. For instance, the 50 megawatts from nine hydroelectric projects in Antique and Aklan cost P11 billion, and the San Lorenzo Wind Farm in Guimaras, generating 54 megawatts, cost only P7 billion.
On the other hand, we foresee a major disaster due to the flooding that will be caused by the mega dam. This is a clear and present danger, as evidenced by the experiences of residents in Central Luzon with the six major dams in the region: Ambuklao, Angat, Binga, Bustos, Ipo, and San Roque.
In Iloilo province, despite being smaller, the Moroboro Dam in Dingle also causes downstream flooding. When its floodgates are closed, Calinog, Passi, San Enrique, Dueñas, and parts of Dingle get flooded.
When opened, the downstream areas of Dingle, Pototan, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Zarraga, Leganes, and parts of Iloilo City are immediately flooded. This presents a significant disaster risk for hundreds of thousands of residents in the province of Iloilo.
We must also remember the massacre of nine Tumandok leaders and the imprisonment of 16 others, mostly women. To this day, the victims and their families have not received justice. Instead, the bombings of Tumandok communities, forced surrenders, harassment, and disruptions of peace and order in their communities continue.
It is important to note that for over a decade, the Tumandok people have opposed the mega dam project because of:
(1) the destruction of their livelihoods
(2) the gradual encroachment on their lands, eventually leading to their displacement and resulting in ethnocide or the eradication of their group, and
(3) the violation of their rights, particularly due to the intense militarization and the forced acquisition of their consent for the project through a flawed and fabricated FPIC process
The inauguration of JRMP II signals catastrophe and danger for the Ilonggo people, especially the poor and impoverished farmers. The community can expect nothing from this project except the destruction of their livelihoods and lives.
The public must prepare for the danger posed by the mega dam, which sits 10 kilometers from the active West Panay Fault line.
We call for the immediate cessation of its construction, currently at 75%, and demand accountability from those violating the human rights of the people — the government, Armed Forces, and its funders, including South Korea. – JOHN IAN ALENCIAGA, coordinator, Jalaur River for the People’s Movement
