Task force created to monitor Chico River irrigation rehab

By Peter A. Balocnit

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Gov. JocelBaac  has issued an  executive  order  creating a task force to evaluate, supervise and monitor the completion of the on-going rehabilitation of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System canal (UCRIS).

This was the result of a joint meeting of provincial mandated bodies, the National Irrigation Administration-Kalinga Irrigation Management Office (NIA-KIMO) and contractor Markbilt Construction/RD Policarpio and Co. Inc. with irrigators associations affected by the delayed rehab project.

The task force is chaired by the governor. Its members  include Tabuk City Mayor Ferdinand Tubban, KBC Pres. Andres Ngao-i, DILG head Francisco Gamatero, Col. Roy Devesa, Fr. Roman Macaiba,  Basilio Baluyan of DZRK ,   Peter Balocnit of the Philippine Information Agency,  and representatives from various sectors -Michael Lumas-i( irrigators group),  Jaime Almora (farmers), Harry Tibangay (agrarian communities), Patsy Abibico(women) and  Tabuk City Association  of Barangay Chairman  president  Henry Tubban Jr.

The task force  has the duty to evaluate, supervise and monitor the completion of the on-going rehabilitation of the UCRIS.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan earlier passed Resolution No. 2015-097 supporting the moves of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System Federation of Irrigators’ Associations  and the Tabuk City Cooperative Development Council for the rescission of contract due to the poor performance of the contractor incurring more than 50 percent negative slippage as of July.

Rehabilitation of UCRIS  funded under  the  P425 million loan from  World Bank   started  two years ago  and targeted  to be completed this September.

As contained in the EO , the contractor  is allowed to continue implementing the P425 million World Bank loan project for practical reasons as it is barely three months left before the term of the contract ends. However, the agreement is without prejudice of any legal action that the NIA might take against said contractor, the EO provides.