Sagada folks press redesign of controversial water proj

By Gina Dizon

SAGADA, Mountain Province – Town folks here, particularly of Barangay Tanulong here, said they were hesitant in accepting the controversial P36 million Boasaw waterworks project unless  work programs are  modified.

This, as Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management coordinator for Mountain Province  BeverlyPekas invited the public to join inspection of  the project this week.

The CHARM, which allotted P18 million for the P36 million project was supposed to turn over December last year the project to Tanulong  Tribe Irrigators Association.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona 111 who was recently named Gatan by the Sagada local government in  a thanksgiving ritual  “apoy di danum” allotted  P18 million from his priority development assistance funds(PDAF)  to the water project.  

Tanulong  barangay captain Ben Ayyawan in an interview said recommended  redesigns by CHARMP were awaited  from the Local Government Unit of  Sagada and   contractor FFJJ construction.

Ayyawan said he was not satisfied with the status of the  project meant to service the irrigation waters  of  Tanulong  and domestic water supply for 15 barangays of Sagada.

Pekas said the inspection wants to know if the recommended redesigns of the project have been implemented.

While the irrigation component of the P36 million waterworks project sees waters leading to the  ricefields of Tanulong, Ayyawan said an earlier  agreement should be  complied to referring to a 5 inch orifice leading to the irrigation canal.

As it is, a 4-inch diameter was laid out along the way to the irrigation canal.

Also, Ayyawan said wanted to see CHARMP’s  recommendation that two 4- inch pipes be installed towards the distribution tank at Palidan, Bangaan. 

Only 1 four- inch pipe however was installed leading to the distribution tank  loaded with questions if this means saving on pipes.

Ayyawan SAID irrigation waters and  domestic waters to Sagada should be enough. 

There was a big reason for the assured implementation not only on the irrigation waters but also on the domestic waters to Sagada.

The  Tanulong Irrigators Association has exclusive authority to manage the domestic water system and install water meters once the waters are established leading to the town households.  

Another technical concern was the layout of the pipe from the source.

Engineer Winde lBaaten of CHARMP earlier said volumes of water from the 6- inch pipe connected from the Boasaw dam was getting wasted along the water canal and not fully going to the distribution tank to Palidan.

CHARMP recommended that an 8-inch pipe be connected from the open canal connected from the 6 inch diameter pipe from the Boasaw dam.

Pekas said he wanted to ensure waters have reached the distribution tank in Palidan, Bangaan.  

In June of 2015, the CHARMP coordinator assured that domestic waters shall be in town third quarter of 2015.  Waters remained in the canals of Boasaw till now.

As noted there was no water yet that reached barangays of  Sagada with obvious  broken  pipelines along the road leading to domestic pipelines.

This stands since the 320 day project had been bid December of 2011 and awarded January of 2012. 

Project started February and stalled to start again August of 2012 to be stalled again due to questions on free prior and informed consent (FPIC) by adjacent TuboAbra on the construction of a water tunnel within a common boundary. And that was in later months of 2013.