Iloilo targets top rice producer status with Marcos inaugurating mega reservoir

BACOLOD, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the inauguration of the second phase of the largest water reservoir outside Luzon on Tuesday, July 16, which heralds a milestone in regional development, signaling advancements in agriculture, water management, and renewable energy.

With the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Stage II (JRMP II), Iloilo aims to reclaim its status as the country’s top rice-producing province, a nearly P20-billion project overseen by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Barangay Toyungan, Calinog. 

Scheduled for full operation in 2025, JRMP II boasts of being the largest water reservoir in the Visayas, with two massive dams and an extensive 80.70-kilometer canal network.

Marcos said it would irrigate over 30,000 hectares, benefiting around 25,000 farmers and increasing the Western Visayas’ annual rice production by 160,000 metric tons, covering 20% of the region’s needs. 

“Farmers will benefit from uninterrupted irrigation water supply,” Marcos said.

The JRMP will supply Iloilo City and nearby municipalities will be a major source of water for industrial and commercial use, while generating 6.6 megawatts of hydro-electric power for Panay Island.

“Approximately 86 million liters per day will supply the commercial and industrial water needs of Iloilo City and neighboring municipalities,” Marcos said.

Beyond irrigation and drinking water, the project will help mitigate flooding, promote agriculture, and enhance tourism, he said.

The project will also benefit 678 indigenous families from the Ata or Ati tribes of Panay-Bukidnon across nine villages in Calinog, including Guinbunyogan, Cahigon, Pequeño, Toyungan, Binulosan, Alibunan, Garangan, Masaroy, and Agcalaga.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. called the project a “game changer” that would greatly boost rice yields to six tons per hectare, enhancing food security. 

Defensor reminisced about Iloilo’s former position as the country’s top rice-producing province, citing Pototan as a leader in annual yields.

He emphasized JRMP II’s significance in enhancing the country’s food, water, and energy security, saying, “Together, we have not just built infrastructure but laid the foundation for a brighter future.”

Former senator Franklin Drilon, who pushed for the project, said the JRMP II would boost the region’s economy, and help curb inflation, noting rice as a major driver of economic stability.

The project focuses on three key areas: irrigation development, environmental and watershed management, and institutional development. The project includes an 80.70-kilometer high line canal, a 109-meter high dam, and a 38-meter afterbay dam.

The first phase of the project, another dam, was completed in the 1980s during the administration of Marcos Jr.’s father. 

The second phase was made possible by a US$207-million loan from South Korea’s Export-Import Bank, repayable over 30 years at an annual interest rate of 0.15%. The World Bank provided financial assistance for the feasibility study.

“I think it is entirely too long that the Phase 1 was completed in my father’s time, and that the Phase 2 should be completed in my time. We should not have waited that long. I think we need to accelerate the process a little bit,” he said. – Rappler.com