Sec. Yap outlines ‘Super Region’ potentials

By August 22, 2006Headlines, News

The northern part of the country is targeted to be developed into the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle “Super Region” to become the food basket not only in the Philippines but also North Asia.

This was disclosed by Secretary and Presidential Management Staff director general Arthur Yap  when he presided over a meeting  with governors, mayors  and heads of line agencies in Regions I and II, the Cordilleras and  part of Region III, particularly  Nueva Ecija, Aurora  and Zambales  Thursday at Leisure Coast Resort in Dagupan City.

Yap is optimistic that NLAQ, home to 10.3 million people, comprising13.5 per cent of the country’s total population, can  fulfill its role as top food producer as its combined rice production of 5.41 million metric tons comprise 37 per cent of the country’s production.

Its corn production of 1.33 million metric tons is 26 per cent of the nation’s total and its vegetable production of 0.37 million metric tons is 65 per cent of the nation’s total.

A survey on existing irrigation system in North Luzon showed Ilocos Norte has the most number at 13; followed by Cagayan, 12; Pangasinan, 7; Nueva Ecija, 5; Zambales and Isabela, 4 each; Ilocos Sur and Tarlac, 3 each; Cordillera and Tarlac, 2 each  and Aurora and Nueva Vizcaya, one each.

Under the plan, the national government will spend P5 billion for the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project in Pangasinan, using the discharge water of the San Roque Multi-Purpose Project during its power generation.

Yap, who flew in to San Roque today to inspect the project site, said the project is capable of irrigating 35,000 hectares of riceland in Pangasinan, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.

Yap was hoping this could result in incremental production of palay by 2.2 million bags per year. At the same time, this project will control flooding in both Pangasinan and Tarlac.

The Banaoang Pump Irrigation costing P1 billion is also set to be constructed in Ilocos Sur  with a service area of 6,000 hectares. The same is expected to result in incremental production of 1.20 million bags of palay per year.

At the same time, the Casecnan Multi-Purpose Power Irrigation Project is set in Nueva Vizcaya costing P5 billion. This project is capable of irrigating 82,020 hectares with an incremental production of 16.7 million bags of palay per year.

Under the plan, a cold chain with refrigerated trucks and refrigerated storage facility will be set up in La Trinidad, Benguet.

The other cold chain will be set up in Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Isabela, Pangasinan, Quirino and Aurora.

There will be also cold chain for the regional bagsakan market in Villasis, Sta. Barbara to serve as cold storage for mango; and Bolinao to serve as cold storage for fish. 

Seaports will be set up at  Salomague, Ilocos Sur at P5.05 billion; Port Irene in Cagayan at P3.39 billion; while the airports in Poro, La Union, Casiguran, Aurora; Bagabag Nueva Ecija, Lallom Cagayan; Basco, Batanes; and Itbayan, Batanes will either be constructed or upgraded.

The power infrastructure for NLAQ is the Batanes Wind Power, the North Luzon Wind Power in Ilocos Norte; Bio-Diesel Project in Nueva Ecija; and the existing Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant and San Roque Multi-Purpose Project in Pangasinan.

Yap said President Arroyo committed P23 billion for these projects in her State of the National Address for the next five years but several billions pesos more will be needed to have all these through.

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