THE 15 completed irrigation projects turned over by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to the irrigators' association in Northern Mindanao on Friday, September 20, have benefited nearly 2,000 farmers.
Constancio Bana-ay Jr., NIA-Northern Mindanao director, said the P152-million projects with the service area of 2,618 hectares in the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, and Bukidnon will benefit some 1,906 farmers.
Five of the 15 projects are newly constructed communal irrigation projects, while 10 are repair/rehabilitation of existing communal irrigation systems.
Of the projects, seven are located in Misamis Oriental, five from Misamis Occidental, and three is in Bukidnon. Among the three provinces, Misamis Occidental has the most farmer-beneficiaries of 1,288.
Misamis Oriental, on the other hand, has the highest fund allocation of P83 million, benefiting 444 farmers with a service area of 892 hectares.
Rebecca Caro, external vice president of Northern Mindanao Regional Federation of Farmers Irrigators Association, expressed gratitude to the NIA's assistance to the region's farmers and irrigators associations.
"Ito ay hudyat ng isang magandang pagkakataon upang maisakatuparan and minimithing rice self-sufficiency program para sa mga Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng maayos na patubig na kailangan sa mga sakahan," Caro said.
"Maliban sa pagbibigay ng maayos na patubig, ang National Irrigation Administration ay nagbibigay ng walang sawang suporta upang mapalakas at mapatatag ang aming samahan na maipatutupad ang modified irrigation transfer program," she added.
Caro also asked for the NIA's continued support in repairing the damaged or non-functional irrigation facilities through additional funds.
"Asahan niyo na kaming mga magsasaka ay makikipagtulungan upang maayos na maipatupad ang mga program ng ahensiya, gayundin ang pagpangalaga ng mga irrigation facilities," she said.
NIA Administrator Ricardo Visaya, for his part, said the agency is committed to helping the farmers improve their productivity.
"The present administration of NIA is doing something to improve our services so that we can serve you better without anomalies," said Visaya, who led the turnover ceremony.
Visaya also reminded the NIA-Northern Mindanao employees to be serious in implementing projects and to "do what is right and what is legal."