Panay River Basin project to begin construction in 2026

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The construction of the Panay River Basin Integrated Development Project in Capiz is scheduled to begin in 2026 to help mitigate the province’s perennial flooding, according to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Western Visayas.

“The target to finish the detailed engineering design early next year will be achieved,” DEPDev-6 Director Arecio A. Casing Jr. said on Monday.

The project, implemented by the National Irrigation Administration, is currently in the detailed engineering design phase, which forms part of its ongoing feasibility study.

In October 2024, NIA-6 Director Engr. Jonel Borres reported that the design phase had reached 91.18% completion.

The NIA plans to implement the project under a design-and-build scheme, where the contractor is responsible for both designing and building the project based on NIA’s minimum performance standards and specifications.

This approach streamlines project delivery by combining the design and construction phases to enable faster implementation.

The PRBIDP includes a multi-purpose high dam, an afterbay dam, extensive canal systems, hydropower generation, flood mitigation, and bulk water supply components, all of which are integrated into the design-and-build contract.

The entire project is expected to be completed within six to eight years from the start of construction, with a target completion date in the early to mid-2030s.

In February 2025, Capiz Governor Fredenil Castro said the project had received approval from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Castro presented the PRBIDP to Marcos and members of the Regional Development Council as a priority infrastructure project for Western Visayas during the organizational meeting of the Regional Steering Committee.

Marcos reportedly committed an initial PHP 4.5 billion, representing 15% of the total project cost, to jumpstart construction.

Upon completion, the project is expected to protect around 26,800 hectares of agricultural land from flooding and generate about 18.42 megawatts of hydropower.

It will also ensure a steady water supply and support the livelihood of at least 25,046 farmers across the province.