NIA EXTENDS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LGU

January 1, 2022 Provincial

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has vowed that it will extend technical assistance on communal irrigation development to local government units (LGU) as a result of the devolution brought by the Supreme Court’s final ruling on the Mandanas Law.
Based on the official Facebook page of NIA: “ These LGU’s include those with financial resources to implement their communal projects, and those with technical capabilities as well.
“The assistance to LGUs range from pre-construction to construction to operation and maintenance activities. This is at different levels of feasibility studies, civil works and operation, including institutional development,” the NIA statement added.
NIA also extends technical assistance to other government and private parties which have concerns on irrigation development and management.
In the Cordilleras, the NIACAR’s Benguet Satellite Office, headed by Engr. Godofredo Velaque has started conducting orientations to various LGU under its areas of responsibilities, regarding the ruling and how it will impact their operations. farmers and Irrigators
Associations,” Velaque told this writer on their operations even as he candidly hinted that their budget may “decrease” regarding the impact of the law.
“We will capacitate our farmers and Irrigators Associations,” Velaque told this writer on their operations even as he candidly hinted that their budget may “decrease” regarding the impact of the law.
The main objective of the Mandanas ruling— provides opportunities for improving service delivery through enahanced decentralization.
“Addressing inequality in financial resources among local government units (LGUs), improving the capacity of LGUs, and enhancing transparency and accountability are key to improving decentralization as the country starts implementing the Mandanas Ruling in 2022, increasing the share of national government tax revenue transferred to local governments.”
These are among the recommendations of the Philippines Economic Update released recently by the World Bank.
Primo Agatep/ABN