P6.1-B dam project to boost Tarlac farming

By Mar T. Supnad

TARLAC CITY, Tarlac — A P6.1-billion irrigation project of the Duterte administration is bound to benefit this home province of former President Benigno S. Aquino III, and promises to boost its agricultural production like never before.

Last Jan. 12, the project was bid out and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) expects to begin construction soon with the availability of fund from the national government.

But it may not all be that simple as the losing bidders in this mega-irrigation project in Tarlac are crying foul, accusing the NIA of allegedly pulling strings to ensure that ITP construction/Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau (GHCB) emerged as the only qualified bidder for the project.

Dr. Renato P. Legaspi Sr., managing officer of Green Asia Construction and Development Corporation/Guangdong Hydropower Engineering Co. Consortium – one of the bidders, in his appeal to NIA Administrator Peter Laviña said that the January 12 bidding should be declared null and void since there was only one bidder that qualified.

A licensed Triple A contractor for 36 years, Legaspi’s action came after six other bidders were not able to participate due to delays in the issuances of their licenses because of the requirements imposed by both the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB), and that only ITP Construction, Inc./GHCB was favorably issued a special license as early as Nov. 24, 2016.