REHABILITATION of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System (Ucris) is sought by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) after terminating the services of its contractors of the World Bank subsidized project in November 2016 with the remaining balance of P135 million.
NIA-Cordillera acting regional manager Engineer Benito Espique Jr. said with the ongoing procurement currently conducted by Kalinga Irrigation Management Office, the project rehabilitation will start on March until the end of May next year.
"Hopefully ma- award before summer season. It will be implemented starting March 20 until the end of May next year," said Espique.
NIA earlier terminated the services of Markbilt Construction/RD Policarpio and Co. Inc., contractors of the Ucris rehab project due to its snail paced accomplishment of the project funded by the World Bank under its Participatory Irrigation Development Project.
The rehabilitation of the Ucris in 2013 under PIDP has a total project cost of P425 million allocated for civil works. Under its work schedule, the former contractor was supposed to have finished the project of the irrigation system however, a delay of more than one year was incurred.
Currently, NIA have allotted 13 packages from its previous contractor as the project paved way for local contractors of Kalinga.
"There are 13 packages to give way for local contractors to finish during that period kasi kapag one contractor it cannot be done," added Espique.
UCRIS beneficiaries include more than 10,000 individual farmers as the river irrigates Tabuk City, and the municipalities of Quezon and Mallig in Isabela.
The Ucris in Kalinga and Isabela covering 15,602 hectares is among the three national irrigation systems under the responsibility of NIA-Cordillera including the West Apayao Abulug Irrigation System with 4,882 hectares in Apayao and Cagayan and the Hapid Irrigation system with 2,423 hectares in Lamut, Ifugao.
Ucris is one of the selected PIDP covered irrigation systems across the Philippines wherein PIDP, is a co-based Project Management Office under NIA which aims to improve irrigation service delivery through rehabilitation, improved operation and maintenance and modernization of 58 national irrigation systems.