Governor Erico Aumentado will work for a massive reforestation of denuded watershed areas through the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) to support the irrigation, waterworks and hydroelectric facilities of the province.
These areas include the Pamacsalan -Wahig Carood, Upper Abatan, Loboc and Inabanga watersheds.
The governor will personally confer with newly-installed DENR secretary Lito Atienza together with Norris Oculam (Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry president) and newly elected vice-chairman of the Central Visayas Regional Development Council.
Philippine Agricultural Land Development and Mill Inc. (PALM Inc.) and some Chinese investors are willing to participate in the reforestation program which Aumentado will propose to Atienza. PALM, Inc. alone needs an additional 10,000 hectares for its biofuel production while the Chinese investors are willing to reforest a minimum of 10,000 hectares under a long-tern arrangement with the government.
Meanwhile BHIP-2 Manager Modesto Membreve appealed to the project critics to allow the project to be completed and service the 5,300 hectares targeted for the purpose.
He said the giant Bayongan Dam can store 34.5 million cubic meters of water - enough to irrigate the 5,300 hectares of rice land in two cropping seasons a year.
Membreve also clarified that the Bayongan Dam is fed by the Bayongan River, La Suerte Creek, Buenavista Creek and the excess of the runoff water from the Malinao Dam.
Since there is no more legal obstacle to the BHIP-2 after the opinion of the DOJ was released, the Bohol leaders led by Gov. Aumentado will request President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the complete implementation of the project. This facility can service 3,605 families of farmers in the service areas of San Miguel, Trinidad and Ubay covering 5,300 hectares.
Aumentado appealed to NEDA to stop blocking the release of the funds for the BHIP-2 to complete the project and provide vital water for irrigation purposes. He said it can be an instrument to make Bohol the rice granary of Central Visayas thus a vision which is now in the threshold of realization under the presidency of President Arroyo.(The Bohol Chronicle, August 19, 2007)
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