THREE Chinese companies have qualified to bid for the construction of the P4.5-billion re-regulating pond of the San Roque Multi-purpose Dam project in San Manuel town.

The project, which will irrigate an additional 70,000 hectares of rice farms in the provinces of Pangasinan, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, will be financed through a loan from the Export Import Bank of China.

Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. of the Presidential Management Staff, speaking last week at the Kapihan sa Lenox Hotel of the Pangasinan Press and Radio Club, said the contract was bidded out March 27 and the post qualification for the winning bidder will be completed by April 27.

Construction is scheduled to start in May and targeted for completion within a three-year period.

“I would describe the re- regulating pond (of San Roque Dam) as a big man-made lake in 100 hectares,” Esperon, a retired AFP chief who hails from Asingan, said.

At present, water coming out from the dam after generating power flows down directly to the Lingayen Gulf. The re-regulating pond will re-direct this wastewater into the farms.

With the additional hectares to be irrigated, he said the country would be self-sufficient in rice production providing “better opportunities for corn farmers and other agricultural crops”.

The government will fund the P7-billion irrigation facilities needed to complement the re-regulating pond.

The project is part of the Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project composed of the Upper Agno River Project which covers the 34,000 to be irrigated while the Lower Agno River the rest of the 70,000 hectare total.#

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