Vizcaya tribe budges, allows Casecnan Dam inspection

• Published date: 31 October 2022
• Publication title: Philippines News agency

The Bugkalot tribe in Nueva Vizcaya has relented to the request of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to check on the integrity of the Casecnan Dam.

In a statement issued on Monday, NIA Administrator Benny Antiporda said their efforts to arrive at a 'win-win' situation with the Bugkalot tribe are finally paying off.

Antiporda reported during a press briefing on Saturday that a NIA team has been able to inspect the dam.

'This is to ensure the dam's integrity for public safety and unhampered irrigation service delivery, especially with the ongoing calamity,' Antiporda said, referring to tropical cyclone Paeng over the weekend.

He said the Bugkalot tribe is asserting its rights over the operation of the Casecnan Multi-Purpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) that is situated within its ancestral domain.

On October 18, Antiporda initiated a dialogue among the Bugkalot Ancestral Domain Environmental Management Council, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM), and other concerned government agencies.

It was the first time that the tribe agreed to discuss the issue, according to Antiporda.

He assured the tribe that they will receive whatever is meant for them under the law and asked them to meet the government 'halfway'.

The Bugkalot tribe was assured of a 1.5 percent net income share from CMIPP as part of the PSALM's corporate social responsibility...