Local exec seeks "justice" for Pantabangan people

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija: The people who had their share of “supreme sacrifice” to ensure the abundant flow of irrigation to over 102,000 hectares of farmfields and Nueva Ecija and adjoining areas and production of additional electricity for Luzon grid through the construction of the giant dam must enjoy a return.

Thus Mayor Romeo Borja called on the national government to provide assistance to local residents “who remain in poverty” after the construction of the Asia’s largest earthen Pantabangan dam displaced them33 years ago.

The dam, funded by the World Bank as provided for in Republic Act 5499 passed by the Congress in May 1969 that created the Upper Pampanga River Project, was completed in 1974. The law provided for its construction through a $34-million grant given by the United States in Aug. 1969.

The project submerged some 8,100 hectares, including the Old Poblacion, forcing townsfolk to resettle to other places.

Borja said its high time the residents be provided stable means of livelihood since the families in the old Pantabangan town proper still live an hand-to-mouth existence. It was launched on June 11, 1971 by the former strongmenFerdinand Marcos which ground breaking was held at the town peoper.

Among the villages submerged were barangays Liberty, San Juan, Cadaclan, Napon-Napon, Marikit, Villarica and Conversion, representing 10 percent of the old town’s area. Affected villagers were resettled .

Engr. Antonio Nangel, operations manager of NIA-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System, has said the dam ensured enough sufficient irrigation supply during the feared prolonged dry spell in the past few weeks.

Borja recalled that when the residents were resettled, the national government only gave them two heads of pigs and goats. “anong mangyayari do’n? Hindi ‘yon ang kailangan naming,” he said.

He said it was ironic that while Pantabangan Dam provides irrigation to other areas, local residents do not benefit from the irrigation since they were brought in the uplands where there were no viable irrigation service.

“The government should now give justice to the sacrifices rendered by the townsfolk in giving up their lands and properties to play host to an irrigation facility where they have never been beneficiary,” Borja added.