Iloilo: South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa has praised the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project Stage II (JRMP II) as a significant development during a meeting with Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr.
According to Philippines News Agency, the ambassador's visit aimed at exploring avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation between Iloilo province and South Korea, focusing on infrastructure, education, tourism, information technology, and manpower development. Lee also expressed optimism about the forthcoming Panay-Guimaras-Negros Bridge, which receives support from the Korean government.
Governor Defensor revisited discussions on establishing a direct flight route between Iloilo and Seoul, a project initially delayed by the pandemic but still prioritized for improving regional connectivity. With a Korean community of 500 residents in Iloilo, the direct flight is expected to boost tourism and trade.
Ambassador Lee was accompanied by representatives from the Philippines-Korea Economic Council and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Iloilo Chapter Inc., led by President Fulbert Woo. Over the weekend, the envoy conducted a high-level inspection of the dam project.
The JRMP II, funded through official development assistance from South Korea's government via the Korea EximBank, was last visited by the ambassador during its inauguration on July 16, 2024, as noted by National Irrigation Administration Institutional Development Division officer-in-charge Steve Cordero. Cordero mentioned that Lee was impressed by the project's realization, a longstanding aspiration since its legislative inception in 1960.
The ambassador acknowledged the JRMP II as a pivotal project, emphasizing its effective flood mitigation role while noting its proper construction and completion compared to other government flood control initiatives. As of December 2025, the PHP25.6-billion project is 82.36 percent complete, with only the irrigation component pending completion.
The irrigation component, which includes the high-line canal, main canal, and lateral canal, shows varied progress, with the high-line canal at 37 percent completion and the main canal at 32 percent as of December 2025. The project targets completion by June 2027, with full operation anticipated by December of the same year.
In its initial phase last year, the project began irrigating 500 out of 3,750 hectares of rice land in Calinog. Upon completion, JRMP II is expected to serve 9,500 hectares of new areas and over 32,000 hectares of existing rice areas, totaling 31,840 hectares.
