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SAN JOSE, Tarlac (PIA) — The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported that the Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project Phase II (BBMP-II) in San Jose, Tarlac has reached 45.79 percent completion, as the agency intensified its efforts to accelerate the implementation of the project following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Representing the President during a project inspection, NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen led the assessment of the BBMP-II, together with representatives from national government agencies, local government units, irrigation associations, and other agricultural stakeholders.
Guillen said the administration remains committed to fast-tracking the project to ensure that its benefits reach farmers and rural communities at the soonest possible time, including food security and expanded irrigation services.
“Ang mindset ng Presidente ay hindi ang kulay ng politika, kundi ang pinakamahalaga ay ang kapakinabangan para sa interes ng taumbayan (The President’s mindset is not about political colors, but rather about what will best serve the interests and welfare of the Filipino people),” he emphasized.
Once completed, the entire BBMP project is expected to provide a reliable year-round irrigation water supply to 34,410 hectares of agricultural land and directly benefit around 21,776 farmers in Central Luzon, helping boost agricultural productivity, generate employment, and support the government’s food security agenda.
Guillen also noted that the project’s impact extends beyond irrigation, describing it as a key nation-building initiative.
“Ang ibinibigay nito ay marami pang iba. May aquaculture, may power generation, flood control, may tourism destination na rin kaya maraming opportunities na maibibigay (This project offers much more. It will support aquaculture, power generation, flood control, and even tourism development, creating many opportunities for communities),” he said.
The P20.544 billion Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project includes the construction of the Balog-Balog Storage Dam and related structures with a storage capacity of 559 million cubic meters of water, 313.10 kilometers of irrigation canals and drainage facilities, a 150-hectare fishery component, and a 43.5-megawatt hydropower facility.
Once operational, the project is also expected to generate 43.5 megawatts of renewable energy for Central Luzon.
In addition, the agency also highlighted the government’s whole-of-government approach in implementing the project, including coordination with concerned agencies to address relocation concerns and ensure that affected communities benefit from the development initiative.
Meanwhile, Alberto Sagun, chairman of an irrigation association in Victoria, Tarlac, expressed gratitude to the national government for pursuing the project, saying it would provide long-term benefits to farming communities.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa ating mahal na Pangulo, kay Pangulong BBM. Ito po ay isang malaking proyekto na sa darating na panahon ay magagamit po namin para sa kinabukasan ng aming mga pamilya (We are grateful to our beloved President, President BBM. This is a major project that we will be able to utilize in the future for the betterment of our families),” he shared.
As construction progresses, NIA vowed that the agency will continue to work in order to ensure that the irrigation project will be completed and will serve its purpose by the year 2028.
