City of San Fernando, Pampanga—The second phase of the multi-billion peso Balog-Balog Multi Purpose project in Tarlac will be finished on time this year or by early 2019 at the latest, the National Economic and Development Authority said.
The project is already 7.16 percent completed, said NEDA Central Luzon regional director Severino Santos.
“We hope now that no new problems related to construction like calamities, disasters both human, natural and others, will crop up to ensure its immediate completion in December 2018,” Santos said.
The Phase 1 of the project started in 1990 by an Italian company. However, calamities such as the big earthquake of July 16, 1990 and the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo on July 12, 1991 forced the government to shelve the project.
The project aims to improve rice yield from 3.1 metric ton per hectare under rainfed condition to 5.2 per hectare under irrigated condition and cropping season for at least two seasons a year.
Infrastructure component of the project include the construction of a 105.5 meter hight dam and reservoirs across the upper Bulsa River located in the slope of Zambales mountain. The 28, 070-hectare watershed covers the mountain area of San Jose and Capas both in Tarlac.