NIA-CAR completes 63 initial irrigation projects in CY 2019

December 30, 2019 Provincial

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – An initial 63 irrigation projects for CY 2019 were completed, according to National Irrigation Administration- Cordillera (NIA-CAR). This was based on the Status of Project Implementation as of Nov.30,2019 submitted recently to Benito Espique, Jr., regional manager of NIA-CAR by Engineer Samuel Bahiwag, chief of the agency’s engineering section.

Apparently, the delay in the approval of the 2019 national budget and subsequently the release of funds to the various government agencies like in the case of NIA, were the main reason in the “slow” implementation of projects.

Kalinga posted the highest number of completed projects with 21 followed by Ifugao 17, Moutain Province 15, Apayao and Benguet with 4 apiece while Abra had 2 which is equivalent to 32 percent physical accomplishment.

These completed projects valued at P485.552 million has generated 435 hectares of new areas and restored 59 hectares for a total of 494 which benefited 2,245 farmers.

Repairs works which include canal lining and pipeline has generated a total of 2,880 jobs. Projects that were undertaken as per fund source are—Establishment of Groundwater Pump Irrigation (EGPIP), Repair of Groundwater Pump Irrigation System (RGPIS), Extension/Expansion of Existing Communal Irrigation System (EEECIS), Extension/Expansion of Existing National Irrigation System (EEENIS),Small Irrigation Project (SIP).

The other projects include-Coconet Protection in Communal and National Irrigation Systems,Climate Change Adaption Works (CCAW), Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Irrigation Component (CARPIC), Improvement of Service Roads in National Irrigation System and Balikatan Sagip Patubig Program (BSPP).

For 2019, NIA-CAR has a total allocation of P1.498 billion compared to P1.534 billion (2018). And for 2020, the agency’s funding dipped to P1 billion. The ongoing Alfonso Lista Pump Irrigation Project (ALPIP) in the Province of Ifugao, a multi-year project of the agency as a total allocation of P 411 million (2019).

The ALPIP is programmed to irrigate 2,300 hectares of agricultural land in four barangays, namely- Sto. Domingo, Calupaan, Namillangan, Namnama, in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao.It is expected to benefit 1,300 farmers.

Primo Agatep/ABN