Senate Blue Ribbon probe on irrigation project in Bulacan sought

A proposal for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to conduct an investigation into National Irrigation Administration's rehabilitation of the Bulo Small River Irrigation Project in Barangay Kalawakan, Doña Remedios Trinidad in San Miguel, Bulacan was raised over its dilapidated state despite receiving P50 million for its repair.

The motion was raised during the continuation of the Senate plenary deliberations on the proposed 2025 budget after Senator Raffy Tulfo presented recent photos of the irrigation project and demanded accountability from NIA officials.

It was Senator Cynthia Villar who moved for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to conduct the investigation and was later on seconded by Tulfo.

Tulfo argued that someone from NIA should resign or be charged over the project, which was reported to be already repaired using the P50 million funds, but was found out by his team that the irrigation system is still worn out.

NIA, through their budget sponsor Senator Imee Marcos, insisted that the current state of the irrigation project was far different from the photos shown during the budget deliberations that were taken on November 7 by Tulfo's team.

Amid NIA's insistence that the irrigation project is in a good state, Marcos tried to suggest a joint ocular inspection to be conducted by the senators, Tulfo's team, and NIA officials.

"Ang pinaka mabuti siguro kung pwede, yung Senado, ang grupo natin kasama ang staff ni Sen. Tulfo at yung NIA, mag joint occular inspection kaya tayo para malaman kung ano talaga ang sitwasyon at para tulungan ang mga tao sa DRT," Marcos suggested.

This triggered Tulfo as he vouched for the veracity of his team's inspection.

"So diskumpyado ang NIA sa tao ko? Kailangan buong Senado para mag-inspect? Don't you trust my people? I would rather trust my people than trust all of you there in NIA. I'm telling you, it is what it is," Tulfo said.

"Ang dami pang cheche bureche na kailangan mag-imbestiga ang mga taga- Senado pupunta doon at kasama ang NIA, etcetera, etcetera, ayan na mismo oh. Right here, right now, let's solve this problem. Aminin niyo na lang na inutil kayo, tapos. I'll move on to another topic. Just accept na inutil kayo. Ngayon, kung ayaw niyo, paulit-ulit kayo eh hanggang hatinggabi tayo dito," he went on.

Tulfo stressed that the NIA is fooling the Filipino farmers with their statements.

"Siguro meron dapat masampahan ng kaso. Siguro merong dapat masibak. I think 'yun ang pinaka maganda. For the longest time niloloko ang taumbayan. At saka ang masaklap dito kasi irrigation ang pinag uusapan natin dito, sino ang tinatamaan? Mga farmers. Sino nagpapakain sa mga Pilipino? Mga farmers. Farmers ang naloloko rito, farmers ang kinakawawa rito. Farmers ang biktima rito," he pointed out.

Marcos agreed that someone would be held accountable.

"Dapat po talaga may managot kung regional director ba 'yan o kung sino ang in charge sa bagong construction at big infrastructure," she said.

In the end, the senators agreed to have the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigate the project as Marcos noted that it might be "self-serving" if NIA would conduct the probe. — BAP, GMA Integrated News