By Gail Momblan/PNA
ILOILO CITY — The Iloilo provincial government has reserved an alternative in the event the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) II in Calinog town will run out of aggregates.
Governor Arthur Defensor Sr., in a press briefing on Thursday, said the province will resort to quarry the mountains for sand and gravel supply.
“After the assessment and evaluation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, if the sand and gravel cannot be sustained by our rivers, we will source the aggregates from the mountains,” he said, adding the province will not allow the insufficient supply to be the result of delay of the mega-dam construction.
He assured the towns of San Enrique, Banate, Lemery, Concepcion, San Rafael and the component city of Passi can provide adequate source of basalt as construction material.
The pricing of quarry materials will be determined after the national and provincial government enters a memorandum of agreement, he said.
The governor added he will not let any politician or businessman meddle with the supplies.
“I am sure that the national government will come up with a set of guidelines in the matter of subcontracting to prevent unscrupulous businessmen and contractors from taking advantage of the project,” he said.
The Daewoo Engineering and Construction, a Korean construction firm, will carry out the project.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who championed the implementation of JRMP II, said the Daewoo will be the one to identify the subcontractor.
“All that we want is that this project be done in accordance with specifications and within the budget and without any taints of corruption or undue influence by any politician,” Drilon said on Wednesday.
