PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be in Lanao del Norte Monday to grace the 5th anniversary celebration of the Federation of Irrigators' Association in Maranding, Lala.

Earlier, the President ordered the immediate implementation of irrigation projects in Northern Mindanao.

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She plans to inspect these projects Monday when she comes to speak at the irrigators' anniversary celebration.

Northern Mindanao has a potential irrigable area of 122,423 has. but only 45.66 percent or 55,902 has. are developed, leaving out 66,521 has., still open for development, as of October 2009.

Of the developed area, 28,600 has. have been serviced by the national irrigation system, 17,746 has. by the communal irrigation system, 4,060 has. by other government agencies and 5,496 has. by the private sector.

However, data at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Northern Mindanao, show that the actual irrigated area during the dry season is only 30,218 has. and 29,413.00 has. on wet season.

For 2009 alone, a total of 137 irrigation projects worth Php314 million involving an area of 13,426 has. have been implemented in the region by the NIA that includes the development of new physical targets involving 72 has., rehabilitation of 10,394 has. and restoration of 2,960 has.

Funding for 90 of these projects worth Php224 million are sourced from the PHP6.00 billion Quick Response Fund (QRF) while 27 projects worth Php55 million are sourced from the Php2.0 billion National Development Corporation (NDC)-5 Fund and 20 others worth Php35 million are sourced from the Php1.65 billion Restoration Fund.

Engineer Bernardo Mercado, Officer-in-Charge of NIA-10, said it is also from the Restoration Fund that the following projects are implemented under the Super Region concept of the President:

Bubunawan River Irrigation Project (RIP) II in Baungon, Bukidnon, involving 1,000 has., worth Php287.94 million, Talakag RIP, also in Bukidnon, 2,500 has., Php450 million, Balingasag RIP in Misamis Oriental, 2,500 has., Php450 million and Tangub Small RIP in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, 608 has., Php430 million. (Sun.Star/PIA-X)