PGMA to inaugurate two infra projects in Negros Occidental

BAGO CITY, Oct. 16 (PNA) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will visit Negros Occidental tomorrow to inaugurate two priority infrastructure projects and preside over her regular climate change and sustainable development briefing.

The President will inaugurate Binalbagan (Bagacay) bridge located along Hinigaran-Isabela Road in Hinigaran town. She will board an open-type (pick-up) vehicle for the ceremonial drive-through, to be followed by the unveiling of the project marker.

Joining her are Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo, Hinigaran Mayor Hermilo Aguilar, Isabela Mayor Renato Malabor, Public Works and Highways regional director Rolando Asis, and Public Works engineer Leah Delfinado.

Completed last July 25, the P54.13-million Binalbagan (Bagacay) bridge is 90 linear meters long and 7.32 meters wide.

The President will then inaugurate the Bago River Irrigation System at Barangay Bagroy here which is expected to help ease the living condition of the farmer beneficiaries.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco, 4th District Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer, Bago City Mayor Ramon Torres, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Carlos Salazar, Bago City Vice Mayor Nicolas Yulo, and Federation of Irrigators’ Association of Central Negros-Bago River Irrigation System president Domingo Mayang will assist the President in the ceremonial seedbed rites called “Dapog.”

The President will lead the unveiling of the project marker of the Post Harvest Facilities and Irrigators’ Office as part of the institutional development component of Bago River Irrigation System Rehabilitation Improvement Project (BRISRIP).

The BRISRIP has a total service area of 13,277 hectares covering three cities and four municipalities with 9,627 farmer beneficiaries from 44 irrigators associations.

Funded at a cost of P1.8 billion from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the source of water of the irrigation system is the Bago River. The total length of the rehabilitated main canal is 29.747 kilometers; lateral canal is 95.374 kilometers; and lateral earth canal is 36.284 kilometers.