URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan — The National Irrigation Administration in Region 1 (NIA-1) assured farmers on Monday of the completion of the unfinished irrigation system projects from 2016 to 2017 by June this year.
Regional Manager Vicente Vicmundo of NIA-1 told the newly-elected officers of the Timpuyog Daguiti Irrigators Associations Ti Region 1, Inc. (TIARI) that all pending projects of 2016 and 2017 will be accomplished not later than June this year, with the fast procurement system now being implemented.
Frida Nidoy, Division Manager of the Engineering and Operations Division of NIA-1, disclosed that 14 projects in 2016 and 133 projects in 2017 are yet to be finished, while all projects in 2012 to 2015 were all done.
Meanwhile, newly-elected president of TIARI Dominador Aquino said during their oath-taking ceremony held at NIA-1 office, the irrigation systems in most of the provinces in the region are working properly as the schedules of release of water supply are strictly followed.
He added, “we are working hand in hand with NIA in fixing problematic irrigation systems and in cleaning the irrigation canals”.
NIA-1 gives PHP150 per hectare incentive to irrigators, although the farmers made a request to the National Confederation of Irrigators Association to raise the amount to PHP500 per hectare.
Aquino also expressed gratitude to NIA for the removal of irrigation service fees and amortization.
The other newly-elected officers of TIARI who took their oath before Vicmundo were Rogelio Ceredon (vice president internal); Nestor Dizon (vice president external); Ernesto Pamoceno (secretary); Karl Hernandez (treasurer); Victoriano Petina Jr. (auditor); Public Relation Officers Victorino Gaoiran (Ilocos Norte); Constantino Apolonio (Ilocos Sur); Danito Tuvera (La Union); Voltaire Cave (Pangasinan) and Romeo Lilagan Sr., Juanito Espanol, Elpidio Mendoza, Joe Lapitan, Emelio Acosta, Julio Tomas and Elpidio Lamug, all of the Board of Trustees.
Vicmundo said the same services and support from NIA will be given to the farmers even without the fees and amortization since these are already subsidized by the government.
“Besides, we have adopted as one of our best practices in NIA-Region 1 the Farmer’s First Policy, wherein we deliver fast action and result to the farmers”, said Vicmundo. (Hilda Austria/PNA)
