National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Engr. Eduardo Eddie Guillen defended the repairs on the Bulo Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIS) in San Miguel, Bulacan, amid a challenge from Senator Raffy Tulfo who dared him to resign if the facility was found substandard.
Tulfo raised the challenge during a Senate plenary debate on the proposed 2026 NIA budget on Thursday, November 20, after expressing frustration over the agency’s insistence that the P50-million repair of the irrigation system, damaged by Typhoon Karding in 2022, had been properly completed.
In an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos on Tuesday, November 25, Guillen clarified that the Bulo Dam project was initiated in 2014 and completed in 2022. He explained that damage to the irrigation section occurred during the 2022 typhoon but was subsequently repaired by a contractor at no additional cost to the government.
He also emphasized that the repairs included steel reinforcements to ensure the canal’s durability.
“Ang sinasabi ko kay Sen. Tulfo, ‘yan ay pinaayos nang maganda nilagyan pa natin ng bakal sa loob, kaya ho sigurado ako na [maayos yan],” Guillen said.
He noted that the P50-million figure cited by Tulfo was part of the canal’s maintenance budget and not extra spending, clarifying that the total project cost, including the dam and irrigation facilities, reached approximately P800 million.
“Nirepair ng contractor yan nang walang ginastos ang gobyerno, ang alam kasi ng senador ay may 50 million na ginastos dyan [na pinondohan ulit],” the administrator said.
Addressing the long eight-year construction period, Guillen explained that NIA projects are funded incrementally each year, which accounts for the extended timeline.
The administrator also confirmed plans for a joint site inspection with Senators Tulfo, Gatchalian, and Pangilinan, alongside consultations with local farmers, to personally assess the facility and its repairs.
“Sumulat kami sa senado kung kailan sila available at kami ang mag-aadjust. Hindi lang si Sen. Tulfo ang ininvite natin, [kundi] pati si Sen. Gatchalian, Sen. Pangilinan [para] makausap din nila ang mga farmers doon,” Guillen explained.
Despite the Senate scrutiny and Tulfo’s challenge, Guillen maintained that the Bulo Dam repairs meet required standards and assured the public that the irrigation project is safe and reliable.
