7/28/2019 HR 776 - Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project

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Republic of the PhilippinesHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session i-t F' {-l

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.I ( A

T5 ICe$.f$

INTRODUCED BY ANAKPAWIS PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATTVERAFAEL V. MARIANO

RESOLUTIONDIRECTING THE COMMITTEES ON AGRICULTURE AND FOOD AND NATURALRESOURCES TO CONDUCT A JOINT INQUIRY, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON

THE IMPACT OF CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF BALOG-BALOG MULTI-PURPOSE PROJECT IN TARLAC TO THE EIWIRONMENT AND RFSIDENTS OF

NEARBY TOWNS OF THE AREA WHERE THE PROJECT IS BEINGCONSTRUCTED

WHEREAS, Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project of the government envisionsto provide water supply for year round irrigation of about 39,150 has. The projectwill span over the municipalities of Concepcion, Gerona, Pura, Ramos, Paniqui, LaPaz,Yictoia and City of Tarlac all in the Province of Tarlac;

WHEREAS, major features of the project is a 113 meter high earth and rockfill dam with a storage capacity of about 625 million cubic meter. It similarlyenvisions to mitigate flooding in low-lying a-reas and to provide the uplandcommunities with the opportunity to engage n inland fish production on the 2,OO4has. reservoir. The main dam and reservoir is located at Bgr. Maamot, San Jose,Tarlac about 48 kms. west of the City of Tarlac;

WHEREAS, an initial review from 2OO2-2OO9 hows that the project hasbeen funded by the government since 2OO2-2O09 under the Agriculture andFisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) budget, and under the DA budget for this yearand next year. The breakdown of allocation of fund for the project is as follows:

. 2OO2-

. 2003 -

. 2OO4 -

. 2OO5 -

. 2O06 -

. 2OO7

. 2008 -

. 2OO9

. 2 O l Oo 2OlL - 347.847.000.00 (proposed)

Total z PL1648,873,OOO.OO

P 78,811,000.00 (AFMA;RepublicAct No. 9162)L45,215,000.00 (AFMA (l"t Preference);Republic

Act No. 9206)80,000,000.00 (AFMA;House BiIl No. 6385; )

140,000,000.00 (AFMA;Republic Act No. 9336)67,000,000.00 (AFMA;House Bil l No, 47IOl50,000,000.00 (AFMA;RepublicAct No. 9401)

250,000,000.00 (AFMA;Republic Act No. 9498)250,000,000.00 (AFMA;RepublicAct No.'9525)240,000,000.00 (GAA;RepublicAct No.9970)

7/28/2019 HR 776 - Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project

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WHEREAS, it was reported that the Department of Agriculture plans to

develop about P96.414 billion worth of infrastructure projects under the Aquinoadministration's public-private partnership (PPP)program and the same includedthe Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project in Tarlac worth P18.5 billion, the biggestErmonghe seventeen (17) projects;

WHEREAS, residents of San Jose and Capas in Tarlac are opposing theproject because according to them it will only cause the destruction of theenvironment since the project will result in tJ:e closure of the Bulsa River to createa more than 2,OOO-hectare eservoir with capacity of 625 million cubic meter. Theyfurther alleged that communities in Sta. Juliana, Capas, Pantol, Pisapungan, Pulaand Pilyen are also prone to flashfloods because the Buyboy River will be affectedby the water level since the landmarks set by National Irrigation Administration(NIA) in Pantol were placed at the middle of the mountain which is way above thehouses in ttre communities. Tarlac City, Paniqui, Moncada, Concepcion andLaPazare also vulnerable to flooding as well as the nearby towns of Nueva Ecija;

WHEREAS, the aforesaid residents further averred that tJ'e project is aserious threat not only to the livelihood of more than 50O residents but also to theirpolitical, cultural and social existence; and

WHEREAS, Algansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL), a chapter ofKilusang Magbubukid ng Hlipinas (KMP), stated that the construction of Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project will deprive the farmers in the area of the land theyhave been tilling for a long time and eventually their livelihood. It further averredthat government projects like the Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project will onlyintensiff the problem of landlessness in the country.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED,that the Committees on Agriculture and Food and Natural Resources conduct ajoint inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the impact of construction and operation of

Balog-Balog Multi-Purpose Project in Tarlac to the environment and residents of

nearby towns of the area where the project is being constructed.

Adopted,