TARLAC CITY, Philippines — Thousands of farmers in President Benigno Simeon "P-Noy" Aquino III’s home province of Tarlac will benefit from the completion this year of the P349-million Balog-Balong Irrigation Multi-purpose Project that is expected to irrigate some 34,000 hectares of land previously covered by lahar (volcanic ashes) in this city and the towns of La Paz, Gerona, Pura, Ramos, Panique, Bamban and Concepcion.

This was revealed by Governor Victor “Vic” Yap during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Wednesday at the provincial capitol.

“The completion of the Balog-Balong Irrigation Multi-purpose Project is expected to boost the rice and vegetable productions of our farmers,” the governor explained.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has instructed the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to fast-track the project which will irrigate a total of 34,410 hectares.

These include 21,935 hectares of new farmlands and 12,475 hectares of rehabilitated areas.

Phase 1 of the said project will put to productive use farmlands that were previously covered by lahar from Mt. Pinatubo. Phase 2, meanwhile, entails the construction of a 113.5-meter dam across the Bulsa River, and installation of turbines to generate 43.5 megawatts of electricity. Total project cost is estimated at P18.5 billion.

“The BIMP will be further developed as source of hydroelectric power in Luzon, under the proposed BIMP Phase 2. It is one of the several ‘big-ticket’ agriculture infrastructure projects proposed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to be funded under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme,” Alcala said in a statement.

In addition to the BIMP, Alcala said the DA will conduct feasibility studies in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to construct small water impounding projects (SWIPs) in the towns of La Paz and Gerona.