IPs 2nd consent on process NIA

August 7, 2014

ILOILO The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the primary implementing agency of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage II (JRMP II) is currently undergoing a second free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) for the construction stage of the project.

This phase includes the construction of three dams the Jalaur reservoir, afterbay dam and Alibunan catch dam all in the municipality of Calinog, and a high line canal traversing seven other municipalities in the province.

Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) provides for the issuance of the IPs consent prior to the implementation of the project through the FPIC.

JRMP II is currently on the process of facilitating and acquiring the consent of the Panay-Bukidnon IP community for the construction phase of the project under the close supervision of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Under the law, NIA cannot proceed with its activities within the IPs ancestral domain unless consent is freely and voluntarily given by the affected community and upon the issuance of the Certificate Pre-Condition by the NCIP.

Presently, NIA has not commenced any construction activities within the ancestral domain in view of the pendency of its FPIC application.

Prior to FPIC II, NIA had already secured FPIC I for the project purposely for the conduct of a feasibility study in 2012.

Like FPIC I, NIA will conduct a series of consultations for FPIC II to ensure that all concerns of JRMP II are addressed and considered before the start of the construction phase.

Simultaneous to the FPIC process in the IP Community, information, education and communication (IEC) activities are presently conducted by the agency in affected communities of the ancestral domain in Calinog and seven other municipalities that will be traversed by the 81-km High Line Canal.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued in favor of NIA an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) required before the project implementation.

All requirements for the issuance of an ECC were complied including the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

A Land Acquisition and Resettlement Action Plan (LARAP) for JRMP II was also prepared by the agency. Under the plan, resettlement and livelihood opportunities will be provided by the agency to its project affected families both IPs and Non-IPs.

Also, a Multi-Partite Monitoring Team (MMT) a multi-sectoral group, was organized by NIA to ensure the judicious implementation of sound environmental management on the projects areas of operation, and to monitor its compliance with ECC conditions.

It also encourages the vigilance of the stakeholders in the implementation of the project especially on the aspect of environmental management.

Representatives from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 6, NIA, provincial government of Iloilo, local government units of the affected municipalities, NCIP, the academe, non-government organization partners and elders of the directly affected IP community compose the MMT for JRMP II.

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was recently signed by the agency and the members of the MMT to strengthen partnership for the project.

JRMP II is the first large-scale reservoir dam to be constructed outside Luzon. It aims to contribute to the regions annual rice self-sufficiency target of 7.6 percent, to address gaps in irrigation throughout the province, and to usher over-all development to the region./PN