Bohol gov orders probe into newly inaugurated irrigation facility

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol— Days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the P833.37-million Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP), Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado has called for an investigation into allegations of substandard construction following the circulation of a viral social media video showing damage to portions of the project’s concrete irrigation canal.

Aumentado said he will ask the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) project that spans across the towns of Mabini and Alicia.

“We will have the Sangguniang Panlalawigan investigate the NIA project in (Mabini)- Cayacay in aid of legislation to clarify the issues and ensure that farmers will not be disadvantaged,” Aumentado said.

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READ: Marcos pushes climate-smart farming as Bohol irrigation project opens

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The governor did not specify the exact concerns that prompted the proposed inquiry. But he underscored the need to determine the facts and safeguard the interests of farmers expected to benefit from the irrigation facility.

The move came after a local vlogger, identified as Ka Farmers Mix Vlog, and some residents from Mabini town posted a video on social media showing portions of a concrete canal allegedly crumbling under minimal force, raising questions about the quality of construction.

According to the video, several damaged sections of the canal were found in Purok 1, Barangay San Roque, Mabini.

Aumentado said the provincial government wants a thorough examination of the project to determine whether the reported defects indicate substandard workmanship.

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Board Member Nathaniel Binlod, chairman of the Committee on Public Works, Highways, and Related Infrastructure, is also scheduled to inspect the site to verify the canal’s condition and determine what actions may be necessary.

However, the vlogger who uploaded the video later reported that repair works had already begun on the damaged portions of the concrete canal.

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President Marcos inaugurated the irrigation project on June 22 as part of the administration’s efforts to modernize agriculture and strengthen food security.

Implemented by the NIA under the leadership of Administrator Eddie G. Guillen, the project is expected to provide year-round irrigation water to 530 hectares of agricultural land in the municipalities of Mabini and Alicia, benefiting 717 farmers.

The service area covers Barangays Abaca, San Roque, Aguipo, and Cabidian in Mabini, as well as Barangay Cayacay in Alicia.

The facility includes a 32.20-meter-high to 210-meter-long dam, an ungated ogee weir spillway, and an 11.31-kilometer main canal designed to efficiently deliver irrigation water to farmlands.

Drawing water from the Baujanan and Cawasan creeks, the project is expected to increase cropping intensity, improve farm yields, and strengthen agricultural production in eastern Bohol.

During the inauguration, Marcos said the project would help increase farm productivity, improve farmers’ incomes, and make the agricultural sector more resilient to climate variability and prolonged dry spells.

For his part, Aumentado described the completion of the irrigation project as the realization of a vision first conceptualized in 2009.

READ: Gov’t boosting climate-resilient farming amid El Niño threat – Marcos

“For many years to come, our people will look upon this project not just as infrastructure, but as a powerful symbol of a government that listens, that cares, and that acts,” he said during the inauguration.

“Beyond nourishing our fields and sustaining our harvests, the Mabini-Cayacay SRIP will open doors of opportunity, restore dignity in labor, and inspire hope for generations yet to come,” the governor added.

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The results of the planned provincial inquiry are expected to determine whether the reported canal damage was caused by construction deficiencies or other factors, and whether further corrective measures are needed to protect the project’s intended beneficiaries./coa