Under the leadership of Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) recently broke ground for the P1.3-billion Dumoloc Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (Dumoloc SRIP) in Barangay Cayanga, Bugallon, Pangasinan.
Dumoloc SRIP includes the construction of a zoned type earth fill dam across Dumoloc River which will supplement the water supply to Cayanga, Cabatuan, and Laguit Dams, as well as the Drainage Reuse Points for Cabigaan Area. Upon completion, the project will provide timely and reliable irrigation water supply to 1,825 hectares of agricultural land during wet season and 990 hectares of agricultural land during dry season with a cropping intensity of 180 percent. The project will benefit 1,400 farmers and their families.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Kristine Y. Evangelista, NIA Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance Sector Engr. Freddie M. Toquero, Ph.D., NIA Region I Manager Angelito S. Miguel, local government officials, and Irrigators Association (IA) officers and farmer-members attended the event.
NIA Administrator Visaya also led the mass turnover ceremony of 11 completed irrigation projects to various in Barangay Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet. With an aggregate cost of P35 million, these projects irrigate 264 hectares of agricultural lands in the municipality, benefiting 373 farmers and their families.
These projects include Cabutotan Communal Irrigation System (Cabutotan CIS) in Madaymen, Kibungan which was turned over to Cabutotan IA, Inc., Cotop Pinanchay CIS in Bashoy, Kabayan which was turned over to Bashoy Indigenous Peoples Farmers Communal IA Inc., Jappa-Minak-Conet Small Irrigation Project (Jaooa-Minak-Conet SIP) in Shilan, La Trinidad which was turned over to Shilan Farmers IA Inc., and, Kapangan Central CIS in Central, Kapangan which was turned over to Salat Kabelbelan Farmers Irrigators Association Inc.
In addition, the Mambolo-Tinongdan SIP in Tinongdan, Itogon was turned over to Tinongdan Indigenous Peoples Organization, Gasal Amsilweng CIS in Masala, Kibungan was turned over to Planterms Farmers Association Inc., Sapid CIS in Sapid, Mankayan was turned over to Sapid Irrigators and Farmers Association Inc., Taba-ao CIS in Taba-ao, Kapangan was turned over to ABUDICK Irrigators Association, Inc., Shalongen Creek-Dalabi SIP in Twin Peaks, Tuba was turned over to Dalabi, Al-ogan, Soyosoy Irrigators Farmers Association Inc., Umesbeg Caucalan CIS in Taloy Sur, Tuba was turned over to Inunas Toyong Shontog IA Inc., and Taloy Sur CIP in Taloy Sur, Tuba was turned over to Taloy Sur IA.
NIA Senior Deputy Administrator Romeo M. Lopez, Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance Sector Toquero, NIA CAR Regional Manager Benito T. Espique Jr., local government officials, and IA officers and farmer-members attended the event.
In his message, Administrator Visaya highlighted the devolution plans of the government under Executive Order 138 and its implementing rules and regulations (IRR), which mandates the national government to begin transferring certain functions to local government units.
The Supreme Court Mandanas-Garcia ruling affirmed that local government units are entitled to a “just share” on all national taxes collected and not only from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). LGUs will have an increase in the overall Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) shares and are expected to assume delivery of services which have been devolved to them under Republic Act 7160, the Local Government Code of 1991.
Devolution also entails the development of communal irrigation systems, which will have to be turned over to LGUs that are under the 1st to 4th class municipalities. Meanwhile, the development, operation and maintenance of National Irrigation Systems (NISs), as well as those irrigation systems in the 5th to 6th class municipalities will remain under NIA.
While devolution starts in 2022, this will be done in a three-year transition period. The administrator explained that with the devolution program, NIA’s budget for calendar year 2022 was cut down from P42 billion to P32 billion.
NIA is committed to continuously support and guide local governments in terms of irrigation development core processes to ensure that no LGU is left behind. The agency maximizes the opportunities brought by the SC ruling to provide more efficient and improved irrigation services to the Filipino farmers, the agricultural heroes who feed the nation.
