NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reaffirms that the recent flooding in Cagayan Valley is not wholly attributed to Magat Dam located in the Municipality of Ramon, Isabela.

During the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) in Luzon on November 11-12, 2020, Magat Dam was pinpointed as the culprit in the widespread flooding within the Cagayan Valley Region, especially, in Central Isabela and in the entire stretch of lower Cagayan River System down to Aparri, Cagayan. However, based on the Flood Bulletin No. 3 Cagayan River Basin of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Northern Luzon Regional Services Division, these areas were identified as low-lying and flood prone areas in the Region.

Cagayan River Basin is subdivided into three parts: Upper Cagayan River Basin (Ganano and Magat), Middle Cagayan River Basin (Siffu-Mallig, Pinacanauan Rivers of Ilagan, Tumaini, and San Pablo), and Lower Cagayan River Basin (Pinacanauan de Tuguegarao, Chico Pared, and Dummun).

Magat River Basin is only one of the 20 river systems within the Cagayan River Basin. Studies showed that Magat Dam contributes only 15% of the river basin’s total water storage capacity and 21% if the considered control point will be in Buntun Bridge, Tuguegarao City.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) acquires 34 units of light and transport equipment worth P57.8 million for use in the monitoring and evaluation of the status of on-going construction and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) activities. The acquisition of light/transport equipment is in line with the Four-Point Agenda of Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, particularly in instituting measures to improve the delivery of services, such as but not limited to, modernization of equipment for operations and project implementation.

In a simple turnover ceremony on December 22, 2020 at the NIA Grounds, the light and transport equipment was turned over by the winning bidder, CT Citimotors, to NIA Top Management witnessed by Central Office Department Managers and employees.

 The purchase of light/transport and heavy equipment is part of the three-year re-fleeting program of the Agency from CY 2017. For CY 2017, NIA purchased 34 units of light/transport vehicles and 17 units of heavy equipment. For CY 2018, NIA acquired 91 units of light/transport vehicles and 18 units of heavy equipment. Meanwhile, five units of heavy equipment and 91 units of light/transport vehicles were set for procurement in 2019.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), under the leadership of Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, inaugurated the newly rehabilitated Dumacaa River Irrigation System (Dumacaa RIS) and turned over one (1) unit of Irrigators Association (IA) Building and three (3) units of combined IA offices and post-harvest/support facilities, on December 10, 2020 in the Municipality of Pagbilao and the Cities of Tayabas and Lucena in Quezon Province.

Senior Deputy Administrator Abraham B. Bagasin of NIA led the inauguration and turnover ceremony. Joining him were Minister of Economic Affairs Masahiro Nakata of the Embassy of Japan and Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Cabinet Secretary and Chairman of NIA Board Karlo Alexei B. Nograles sent his video message which was played during the program. Mayor Ernida Reynoso of Tayabas City was also present during the ribbon cutting and unveiling of the Dumacaa RIS at the Alsam Dam.

The irrigation system under the National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP) is funded through JICA amounting to P115,686,140.20. The project is expected to provide timely and reliable irrigation service to 1,839 hectares of agricultural land in Pagbilao town and the cities of Tayabas and Lucena, benefitting 1,585 farmers and their families.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) immediately conducted a repair of the damaged connecting pins of the Macañao sluice gates caused by heavy Monsoon rains on November 27-28, 2020 at Namnama, Cabatuan, Isabela.

Macañao Checkgate is a water reuse irrigation structure irrigating around 4,882 hectares of agricultural land within the municipalities of Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, and part of Cauayan City in the Province of Isabela. The irrigation structure has eight rectangular sluice gates which can be opened or adjusted to meet the irrigation requirement of its covered area. However, due to inclement weather conditions, the Macañao, Gaddanan, and Florida Creeks, together with five other drainages from San Mateo and Alicia, Isabela, had overflowed which contributed to the increase in the water volume at Macañao Checkgate. It prompted NIA Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MARIIS) Division IV, which has jurisdiction over the Macañao Checkgate, to reopen the sluice gates with the assistance of the gatekeeper, barangay officials, and barangay tanods of Namnama.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has released the updated partial assessment on crop and infrastructure damages brought about by the onslaught of Typhoons “Rolly”, “Quinta”, Pepito”, and “Ulysses” covering several regions in the country. The Partial Report from the Operations Department showed that as of December 02, 2020, damages to crops and infrastructures reach P2.908 billion. A total of 69,712 farmers were affected, comprising 77,076.66 hectares of agricultural land nationwide.

Typhoon Rolly (Goni) which made its first landfall in the country on November 02, 2020 hitting the provinces of Catanduanes, Albay, Quezon, and Batangas brought the greatest damages to crops and infrastructures in Region V amounting to P275.869 million, affecting 1,217 farmers comprising 830.47 hectares of agricultural land in the region.

On the other hand, Typhoon Quinta (Molave), which made its first landfall in the vicinity of San Miguel, Albay on October 25, 2020, brought the biggest damages to crops and infrastructures in Region V amounting to P243.112 million, affecting 7,616 farmers with an aggregate landholding of 5,435.22 hectares in the region.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), represented by Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, signed the Joint Memorandum Circular and Addendum to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Implementation of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Convergence Program with all heads of departments, bureaus, government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions, state universities and colleges (SUCs), local government units (LGUs), and other EHPAP partners and development partners, on December 09, 2020 via Google Meet.

The signatories of the Joint Memorandum Circular include Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista, DAR Secretary John R. Castriciones, DA Secretary William D. Dar, DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año, DepEd Secretary Leonor M. Briones,  DOH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, DOST Secretary Fortunato T. Dela Peña, DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, TESDA Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, NAPC Secretary Noel K. Felongco, DICT Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II, Landbank President/CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo, DBP President/CEO Emmanuel G. Herbosa, Commission on Population and Development Executive Director Juan Antonio A. Perez III, World Food Programme Philippines Deputy Country Director Mats Persson, and Food and Agriculture Organization Philippines Representative Xiangjun Yao.

NIA Region 9 – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) turned over the P5-million Mercedes II Solar Pump Irrigation Project (Mercedes SPIP) to the Irrigators Associations (IAs) of Mercedes, Cabaluay, Culianan, and Talabaan on November 30, 2020. The inauguration and turnover ceremony was held at the project site located in Barangay Mercedes, Zamboanga City.

Mercedes II SPIP is the first solar-powered pump irrigation project in the locality initiated by Zamboanga City District II Representative Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe with the supervision of NIA Zamboanga-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi Regional Sub-Office (ZAMBASULTA RSO) Acting Manager Robert Bernie L. Rada II.  

The solar powered centrifugal pump gets its water source from a spring and can pump an average of 170 cubic meters in six hours. The irrigation system is powered by 28 solar panels that can discharge approximately 200 gallons of water per minute. The system is also equipped with surveillance cameras and fortified with security fence to ensure utmost safety and security measures. The project will irrigate five hectares of agricultural land in the barangay, benefitting 10 farmers and their families.

Quezon City – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), headed by Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, attended to the Congressional Inquiry and Deliberation on House Resolution No. 1345 and House Resolution No. 1348 on November 23, 2020 at the House of Representatives Nograles Hall South Wing Annex, Constitution Hills, Quezon City.

The House Resolutions seek to look into the cause of unprecedented flooding in the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses. The deliberation was convened by the House Committee on Agriculture, chaired by Representative Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga, 1st District of Quezon Province, and Special Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle, chaired by Representative Ramon “Mon-Mon” V. Guico, 5th District of Pangasinan.

NIA Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations Sector C’zar M. Sulaik, Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (MARIIS) Department Manager Wilfredo C. Gloria, Acting Public Affairs and Information Department Manager Eden Victoria C. Selva, and other staff from NIA Central Office and MARIIS attended the House deliberation and inquiry.

Press Conference of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) headed by Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya at the House of Representatives Nograles Hall South Wing Annex on November 24, 2020 regarding the Magat Dam Water Release due to Typhoon Ulysses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKll2qy5zC4&list=TLPQMjUxMTIwMjDBHqc7h3hx_w&index=1&fbclid=IwAR1HK0I9E6n_1s01WpxN4ZA3Ff-U9JDxHZkCO7cyWRtS66yVMmUwrm6k5Tg

NIA Central Office – With the proposal of transferring the authority of dam water release to the National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has started to convene with NDRRMC, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Department of Local Government (DILG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and National Water Resources Board (NWRB) to review existing protocol on water discharges from dams last Wednesday, November 18, 2020.

Present in the initial talk are NIA-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MARIIS) officials, headed by Manager Wilfredo C. Gloria to discuss further the followed Protocol on Dam Discharge and Flood Warning Operation during Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) and the current status of Magat Dam. NIA-MARIIS emphasized the communications done to different government offices, local media, and residents of Provinces of Isabela and Cagayan that may be affected of its water releases. It was also highlighted that while Magat Dam is not a flood control system, it served as one during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses as it helped mitigate and hold water to prevent a more widespread flooding in Region II.

Furthermore, NDRRMC will review its technical capability and manpower with regards to the proposal of transfer of authority of gate opening and water releases to their office.