
“This covers the ongoing construction of the dams, canals, and other irrigation facilities, and environmental and social components of the project,” said Engr. Jonel Borres, JRMP-II project manager.
Borres accompanied outgoing Sen. Franklin Drilon in an inspection of JRMP-II which is touted as the flagship program of NIA in the Visayas this week.
Drilon secured approval of an P8.9-billion loan for the project from the South Korean government. The remaining funding is shouldered by the national government.
The JRMP-II is primarily built to boost the agricultural sector of Iloilo while providing potable water supply.
Borres said that the High Dam, the main reservoir of JRMP-II, is already 42.1 meters high out of the target 109 meters structural height.
There are also ongoing works for the Afterbay Dam and the canals connecting to nearby towns.
The NIA expects to finish dam construction by the first quarter of 2023. Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. from South Korea is the main contractor of the project.