ANGELES CITY- The P15-billion upgrading of the Balog-Balog Dam has been deferred pending a study on whether smaller cascading dams or a high dam should be built, Pres. Aquino said.
During his recent visit to Moncada, Tarlac, the President said the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) board deferred approval of the project expected to irrigate an additional 21,935 hectares of farmlands in Tarlac, on top of the 34,430 hectares irrigated by existing dam structures.
A reservoir of around 150 hectares will be utilized for tilapia production under the proposed upgrading project.
“The design of the dam is being finalized. Do we build one high dam or do we build several smaller dams so that a single water flow could have more benefits,” the President said, as he pointed out the importance of irrigation as well as the flood control component of the project.
Aquino assured his province mates in Tarlac that the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), would select the design most beneficial to local folk.
NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel said “local funds are available to start Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project (BBMP) II and was re-endorsed to NEDA for local financing.”
Nangel said that once finished, the upgraded BBMP dam can lead to the production of 116.7 thousand metric tons of rice per year with an estimated value of $34.72 million and 93.55 thousand metric tons of tilapia per year with a net value of P506 million.
Apart from irrigation and fishery, the upgraded Balog-Balog Dam will also have a hydroelectric power plant with a capacity of 43.5 megawatts that can supply the present power requirements of Tarlac city or four medium-sized towns with a population of about 250,000.
The Investment Coordination Committee Technical Board approved the project way back last February and endorsed it to the NEDA Cabinet Committee (NEDA CABCOM).
Last June, the DA requested the NEDA-Investment Coordination Committee (NEDA-ICC) Secretariat on June 14, 2012 to postpone the upgrading project to give way to the study on which dams would be most beneficial.
