SENATOR Franklin M. Drilon has given assurance that the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Phase II (JRMP II) in Calinog, Iloilo, which has long been delayed, will finally break ground in June and should be operational by June 2022. “It will have a timetable of 46 months to complete. So about June of 2022 they should be fully operational,” said Mr. Drilon in a press conference in Iloilo City last Friday, March 2. Mr. Drilon, an Iloilo native who pushed for the project that was conceived in 2010, said he has recently talked with the new Korean ambassador to the Philippines, Han Dong-Man, who committed that groundbreaking and start of construction will happen by June this year. JRMP II is funded by a $208-million loan from the Korean government’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). The loan is payable in 30 years at an interest rate of 0.15% per annum. “What is of note here is that the interest rate is the lowest that we can get. This is almost an official development assistance given the terms,” Mr. Drilon said. He added that the final contract signing with the winning contractor, Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd., will happen within March. “There are no major issues left. It’s just a matter of making sure that the contract is properly executed,” he said. — Louine Hope U. Conserva

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