NIA Plans Ambitious PHP20.7 Billion Dam Project in Capiz to Conclude Before Marcos’ Term Ends

ILOILO CITY — The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is gearing up to commence the PHP20.7 billion Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project (PRBIDP) in Capiz by 2026, with aspirations to kickstart it sooner if financial savings are realized in 2025.

According to Philippines News Agency, preparations including the acquisition of right of way and necessary permits will begin next year, with a confident outlook on starting the project shortly. Guillen, who spoke during the inauguration of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project II in Calinog, Iloilo, emphasized that the project’s comprehensive data is ready, and they plan to expedite the bidding process by opting for a design-and-build approach, which could shorten the implementation by approximately three years.

The PRBIDP aims to address persistent flooding issues over 26,800 hectares in Capiz, while generating 18.42 megawatts of hydroelectric power and supplying water to nearby municipalities. The project involves constructing a reservoir dam in Barangay Acuña and an afterbay dam in Barangay Garcia, Tapaz town, which will also create 13,950 hectares of new irrigable land.

Upon completion, the initiative is set to benefit 25,046 farmers and 9,378 indigenous households across multiple municipalities in Capiz and neighboring areas in Iloilo. Furthermore, Guillen mentioned a potential enhancement of the project’s impact by exploring the integration of water resources from the Panay River Basin with the JRMP II via a transbasin tunnel, a proposal supported by the 2022 resolution of the Western Visayas Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council advocating for a phased implementation to mitigate flooding effectively.