The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has scheduled a public scoping on July 17 for the proposed Lipitan small reservoir irrigation project (SRIP) in Occidental Mindoro.
A notice from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) showed the consultation will allow the developer, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), to present the project to local stakeholders, gather public feedback, and surface relevant environmental and social concerns.
The project includes the construction of a zoned earthfill impounding dam across the Kayakyan River and a fortified gabion dam across the Busuanga River. While the project cost has yet to be disclosed, the SRIP is expected to support nine existing communal irrigation systems and serve a total area of 6,676 hectares.
NIA said the dam will also generate 2.5 megawatts of hydroelectric power and potentially spur eco-tourism and local livelihood opportunities during both construction and operational phases.
Without the project, NIA warned that farmlands in the province would remain under-irrigated, further reducing agricultural productivity — a concern heightened by the projected increase in droughts due to climate change.
Palay production in Occidental Mindoro dropped 7.2 percent in 2024 to 304,285 metric tons, from 327,746 MT in 2023, Philippine Statistics Authority data showed.
NIA is the lead government agency responsible for the development and management of the country’s irrigation systems.
Meanwhile, the EMB has also scheduled a separate public scoping on July 23 for the proposed upgrade of the Palinpinon 1 geothermal power facility in Valencia, Negros Oriental.
Green Core Geothermal Inc. (GCGI), a subsidiary of Energy Development Corp. (EDC), plans to invest P3.02 billion to replace the plant’s three 37.5-MW turbines with more efficient 42-MW units, raising its total capacity from 112.5 MW to 126 MW.
GCGI said the upgrade will not require additional land, process changes, or increased steam usage. It also assured that emissions and condensate levels will remain unchanged due to higher efficiency.
The company, however, noted that it will update its environmental compliance certificate ahead of the project.
EDC aims to contribute 9,000 MW in renewables to parent firm First Gen Corp.’s 13,000-MW low-carbon energy target by 2030. Geothermal makes up 1,169.85 MW of EDC’s portfolio — 80 percent of the country’s installed geothermal capacity — making the Philippines the world’s third largest geothermal energy producer after the United States and Indonesia.
