By Vincent P. Grecia
The Environmental and Social Monitoring (ES) Team of the Korea Exim Bank – Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) officially commenced their due diligence mission to Iloilo’s biggest irrigation development project – Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project Stage II.
This monitoring activity is a regular/quarterly activity of the funding institution of JRMP II in compliance to the Safeguard Policy of EDCF and the Loan Agreement between the Governments of the Philippines and South Korea.
JRMP II Project Manager Engineer Jonel Borres welcomed the team and assured them of the Project Management Office’s usual and full support to the activity.
The due diligence mission concluded on July 3, 2023 which covered onsite inspections, thematic meetings, and focus group discussions with various stakeholders and partners in project implementation.
Korean firm Daewoo Engineering and Construction is building the biggest dam and irrigation project outside Luzon with a project cost of PhP 11.2 billion.
Its major components are the Jalaur High Dam, Jalaur Afterbay Dam, Alibunan Catch Dam and the 80-kilometer highline canal.
Borres reported that as of May 23, 2023 the project’s physical accomplishment is at 66.71 percent.
The JRMP II project is expected to be completed by September 2024 and could be operational by the first quarter of 2025.
Once operational, JRMP II will surely boost the development of the agriculture sector in the Province of Iloilo.
