MANILA -- Reynaldo Laurzano, chairman of Barangay Maamot-Tribong Abilling in Tarlac, was only 18 years old when the construction of Balog Balog Dam began in their area.

• New irrigation methods readied for onset of El Niño

He is now 57 years old - and the said project of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) remains unfinished.

"Actually wala pa pong nangyayari sa Balog Balog Dam... Ang ginawa po ng NIA, pinagbabakbak lang ang kalikasan namin. Tinabunan ang aming mga sagradong lugar," he told the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee during its probe Wednesday on alleged anomalous projects of NIA.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo said the Balog Balog Dam project goes back to the time of late President Corazon Aquino. It was intended to provide a year-long irrigation for more than 34,000 hectares in 10 municipalities, to benefit 23,000 farmers.

"Ito po ang letrato ng ocular inspection namin sa Balog-Balog. Ito po ang itsura ng P12 billion, na hanggang ngayon nakatiwangwang. Ang nakakatawa pa po diyan ay ginagastusan pa umano ito ng P50 million a year sa repair and maintenance. Hindi pa nga po tapos, and yet may P50 million para sa maintenance... Anong ime-maintain, ang mga bulsa?" he said.

NIA explained the project has been terminated with its former contractor.

"Bumalik po kasi kami sa NEDA dahil may change of scope po ng trabaho. And then, malapit na naman po ipa-rebid po ito, within siguro around mga October," said NIA Acting Administrator Engr. Eduardo Eddie Guillen.

• Around P500 million needed to retrofit Magat Dam this 2023: NIA

"Noong tiningnan ko po, mahigit P5 billion ang natitirang pondo. Enough naman po ito para tapusin ang high dam," he added.

But NIA officials provided different answers when lawmakers asked why unfinished projects need a maintenance budget.

Guillen explained: "Sa pagkakaalam ko po kasi iyong mga maintenance na iyon, to upkeep iyong mga irrigation facilities na mga na-complete. May mga partially nagagamit na po kasi... Iyong Phase 1, ginagamit."

But according to Engr. C'zar Sulaik, deputy administrator of NIA-Office of the Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations: "Iyon pong kabuuan ng allocation ng project, hindi po iyan binibigay nang one time... Hindi po iyan pang-maintain... Iyan pong mga requirement na every year allocation ng mga multi-year project."

The indigenous peoples disagree.

"Ang pagkaalam ko, wala pang gumagana. So siguro iyong dam nila na maliit na galing sa tibag lang gumagana. Pero iyong mismong Balog Balog Dam, wala pang gumagana," Laurzano said.

Aside from Balog Balog dam, Tulfo said there are other unaccomplished projects, like the P990 million Bulo Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Bulacan, P650 million Marimay Project in Apayao, and P800 million Dumuloc Project in Pangasinan.

Flooding in Bulacan

Bustos Dam, another NIA project, is being pointed out by the Bulacan provincial government as one of the reasons for flooding, as they were not advised that the dam will release water.

Guillen explained Bustos Dam is a diversion dam, and not a reservoir, adding they "supposedly" told LGUs that the dam will release water.

"Diversion lang po siya. Rubber type dam po siya. So kailangan po talagang ibaba iyon kapag umaapaw na kasi masisira po iyong dam natin... Kung hindi po siya rubber, magbubukas ho sila ng mga gates so ilalabas pa rin iyong tubig. Hindi po siya reservoir type dam... Nag-release po ang Ipo ng 100 cubic meters/second," he said.

Sen. Francis Tolentino ordered NIA to write a letter to the Bulacan provincial government to explain the incident, and ensure that they will give a warning if the dam needs to release water.

When asked if the said irregularities will affect the budget to be given to NIA, the lawmaker said: "Depende sa sense ng ibang senators. Mahalaga ang NIA kasi sa irigasyon, patubig, sakahan. Pero iyong claim naman ni Gov. Fernando, iyon naman ang source ng baha sa Bulacan... Ito siguro iyong nagbunsod din kung bakit kinakailangan na rin ng Department of Water resources. Eventually, baka doon malipat itong NIA."

• NIA eyes raising P800 billion through PPP for nationwide irrigation: exec

Tulfo is also eyeing charges for those behind alleged anomalous projects.

"Pagkatapos nitong hearing, ipaglalaban ko na may makukulong. May makasuhan o makukulong," he said.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will hold more hearings on the issue.

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC