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Experts will soon swarm the Malinao Dam in Pilar, Bohol to conduct a feasibility study and detailed design on its improvement.

This after the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) committed to give aid in the form of a grant for US$1 million to fund the year-long activity slated to start in two to four months.

Gov. Erico Aumentado, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) through Administrator Marcelino Tugaoen Jr. and KOICA Resident Representative Kim In Tuesday signed the records of discussion (ROD) for the conduct of the study in ceremonies held at the historic Tarsier Room of the Bohol Beach Club (BBC) in the resort town of Panglao.

"I have been working on this [KOICA grant]. The signing of the ROD is the first giant stride towards the realization of this project," Aumentado said.

Kim confirmed this, saying that the governor met with his boss Lee Hae-Kyoon at the latter's office in South Korea last October.

He said Lee instructed him to "work at once on his great mission" - the signing of the ROD and subsequent conduct of the feasibility study and detailed design.

To note, aside from the signing, Kim said his mission also involved water resources development using improved South Korean technology, and contribute to strengthen the relationship and cooperation between the two countries.

The Malinao Dam is a component of the Bohol Irrigation Project Stage 1 (BHIP 1). Its improvement, however, is part of Stage 3 of the project (BHIP 3).

"I am hopeful that this [signing] is just the beginning of a series of activities derived from the ROD. KOICA is South Korea's strong arm in helping countries needing its support," the governor said.

He expressed gratitude to Kim and to the delegation of experts led by Jung Kwansue from the College of Engineering of Chungnam National University and Cheong Yeong Shin of Hangyeol Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., as well as KOICA-Philippines Program Officer Francis Afable.

For his part, Tugaoen said the signing symbolizes not only the prospect for more agricultural development but strong relations as well between the two countries plus the technical partnership of NIA and the South Korean experts through the support of KOICA.

Aumentado finds the BBC's Tarsier Room historic in that it was the venue of the summit between two heads of state - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark on March 14, 2006 - the first ever such tete-a-tete held outside of Malacañang, or Manila, for that matter.-- www.theboholchronicle.com

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