The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) hopes to begin construction of the PHP20.7-billion Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project (PRBIDP) near Capiz, in 2026.
Eduardo Guillen, the administrator of NIA, stated in an interview that they will begin obtaining the required permits and right of way as soon as possible.
Addressing floods
The PRBIDP is intended to reduce flooding, supply water for irrigation, and produce hydroelectric power.
It would encompass Roxas City as well as numerous towns in Capiz and Iloilo, helping 25,046 farmers and 9,378 indigenous households.The project will include two dams in Tapaz town: an afterbay dam in Barangay Garcia and a reservoir dam in Barangay Acuña.
The PRBIDPis a component of a larger program which hopes to improve the region's agricultural productivity and water management.
Further studies
According to Guillen, the Panay River Basin has a catch basin that is approximately ten times larger than the JRMP II dam.
As a result, researchers are examining the possibility of using a transbasin tunnel to transport water from the river basin to the JRMP II.
The Western Visayas Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council passed a resolution in 2022 advocating for the project's phased implementation as a long-term fix for Capiz's flooding issue.
