The Hanopol Small Water Impounding Project (SWIP) which has already far exceeded its original cost estimate will still need about P5 million or more before all irrigation canals could be completed and utilized.
This was disclosed by the DPWH Regional Office to the CRANE MONITOR following apprehension by Caramoan residents that after ten years the infrastructure project would still remain useless.
Original project cost estimate was only P87,896,000 to irrigate about 250 hectares of ricelands around the Caramoan town proper. But the government has already spent close to P130 million for the project without any benefit yet to the people.
On Septemeber 15, 2005 P10 million was again released for the project now being implemented by the 3rd Engineering District of Camarines Sur.
Funded originally under the 14th Year Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) of Japan, the project was started on December 29, 1994 following bidding conducted by DPWH Manila. It was supposed to be completed on December 28, 1998 by Green Asia Construction and Development Corporation.
Green Asia Construction and Development Corporation completed the dam near barangay Hanopol but failed to finish the irrigation canals and just left without even coordinating with local officials at the time of the previous municipal administration.
Present contractor now is GCI construction owned by Ms. Gigi Ibasco.
The OECF loan used to finance the project expired on December 30, 1998 and Philippine government is now bound to start paying the loan obligation.
