The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), headed by Administrator Ricardo R Visaya, conducted the Groundbreaking and Capsule-Laying Ceremony of the P775-million Macalelon Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (Macalelon SRIP) on July 29, 2019 at Barangay Vista Hermoza, Macalelon, Quezon. This signifies the official start of the said multi-million irrigation project.

Macalelon SRIP aims to enhance the agricultural productivity of the Municipality of Macalelon, to create more employment opportunities, and to improve the living environment of the locals. The project includes the construction of a 22.5-meter high zoned-earthfill embankment dam and its appurtenant structures with active storage capacity of 3.504 million cubic meters, as well as irrigation, drainage, and project facilities, conduct of detailed engineering/pre-construction activities, institutional development programs, Right-of-Way (ROW) acquisitions, and resettlement of project-affected families.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP) switched on the 200-kilowatt pilot floating solar project on a 2,500-square meter area over the Magat reservoir on June 27, 2019 in Ramon, Isabela.

Maximizing the utilization of its irrigation facilities is one of the projects of NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya such as developing its dams and reservoirs for renewable energy. In response to such project, SNAP constructed a pilot floating solar project at the Magat reservoir. It is the first of its kind over a NIA facility in the country and SNAP’s first floating solar project.

The project presents an opportunity to generate clean energy while conserving precious land area that could potentially serve other purposes, particularly for agriculture.

In his message, Administrator Visaya said, “I shared also to them (SNAP) my concern about some agricultural lands being converted into solar fields. I wanted to save these agricultural lands. If this (land-based solar installation) will continue, then there will be no more areas to be irrigated.”

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) acquires 18 units of heavy equipment worth P116.82 million for use in the construction and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) activities of irrigation projects nationwide. The purchase of light/transport and heavy equipment constitutes the three-year re-fleeting program of the Agency from CY 2017 to 2019.

In a simple turnover ceremony on July 08, 2019 at the NIA Grounds, the procured heavy equipment is turned over by the winning bidder, Civic Merchandising, Inc., to the NIA Top Management Officials led by Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya and witnessed by Central Office Department Managers and employees.

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 are set for procurement this 2019.

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Central Office – Recently, Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) filed a formal charge against its two incumbent provincial irrigation management officials after an investigation report found a prima facie case for violating Section 46 of the Revised Administrative Code of 1987 and Section 4 of Republic Act No. 6713 or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.” It is due to their failure to implement the appropriate preventive/corrective measures that contributed to the damages of the diversion dam of the Bugko Irrigation Project on September 12, 2017 at Barangay Mirador, Mondragon, Northern Samar.

The case has been endorsed to the Committee on Discipline for the conduct of formal investigation. Under Rule 8 of the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, a formal investigation shall be conducted where the merits of the case cannot be decided judiciously without conducting such investigation or when the respondent elects to have one.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) which implements the P4.37-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project in Pinukpuk, Kalinga, clarifies that the 66 Chinese workers hired by the Chinese contractor are highly-technical and highly-skilled necessary in the construction of the tunnel and pumping station, which completion is set before the end of this year. Once completed, the services of most of these Chinese workers will be terminated.

Currently, Chico River PIP has 347 Filipino workers, mostly hired from the area. The Chinese workers are part of the project’s manpower that specializes in tunneling and construction of the pumping station with their state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Filipino workers maybe capable enough of doing this, but the collaboration with Chinese workers makes the work faster, thus shortening the construction period.

This clarification is made after the Cordillera People’s Alliance showed a video that there are Chinese workers seen at the project site. This might have led Mike Cabangon of Kilusang Mayo Uno-Cordillera to say that this is a huge insult for the Filipino workers. Mr. Cabangon should have verified his observations before arriving at his conclusion.

NIA Administrator Ricardo R Visaya (4-R), NIA Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance Sector Romeo G Gan (Middle Left), Iloilo 5^th District Representative Raul Tupas (Middle Right), and other NIA and Local Government officials led the unveiling of the marker during the inauguration of P993.3-million Barotac Viejo Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (Barotac Viejo SRIP) on April 16, 2019 at Nueva Invencion Village, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo.

NIA Region VI – Under the leadership of Administrator Ricardo R Visaya, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) inaugurated the P993.3-million Barotac Viejo Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (Barotac Viejo SRIP) on April 16, 2019 at Nueva Invencion Village, Barotac Viejo, Iloilo.

NIA Central Office – Recently, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has filed a graft and corruption case against retired regional officials for alleged anomalies in irrigation project implementation. The move aims for the Ombudsman to conduct further investigation and filing of formal charges to the involved officials if warranted.

In the past few months, four (4) NIA officials were already dismissed and seven (7) were suspended for committing various irregularities and criminal liability in project implementation. On the other hand, nine (9) were relieved from their respective assignments in the field offices and are now under investigation at the Central Office.

The eradication of graft and corruption is foremost in the Four-Point Agenda of NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya. The Agency has been taking immediate actions in response to the alleged anomalies/irregularities among its officials and employees nationwide. For this measure, Administrator Visaya created an Inspection and Assessment Team to monitor all NIA projects, validate all queries and complaints in relation to the projects, assist concerned NIA officials and personnel, and address issues in order to fast-track all pending projects. This includes reforms in governance and immediate conduct of pertinent measures against the vicious cycle of graft and corruption in Philippine government.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) acquires 91 units of light and transport equipment worth P154.7 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 March 01, 2019 at the NIA Grounds, the light/transport equipment was turned over by the winning bidder, Nissan Philippines and Mantrade, to NIA Top Management witnessed by Central Office Department Managers and employees.

The purchase of light/transport and heavy equipment constitutes 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 are set for procurement this 2019.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) conducted the Groundbreaking and Capsule-Laying Ceremony of the P11.212-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage II (JRMP II) on February 27, 2019 at Daewoo Engineering and Construction Temporary Facilities Compound in the Municipality of Calinog, Iloilo. This signifies the official start of the said multi-billion irrigation project.

JRMP II is the NIA's 8th big ticket irrigation project under the “Build, Build, Build” Infrastructure Program of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the 2nd irrigation project funded by the Korean Government through the Korea Export-Import (KEXIM) Bank. The Government of South Korea will be funding 8.9 billion pesos through its Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). The Government of the Philippines' counterpart is 2.2 billion pesos.

JRMP II includes the construction of three dams: a 109-meter high dam, a 38-meter afterbay dam across the Jalaur River, and a catch dam in Alibunan River. An 80-kilometer high line canal will also be constructed to deliver irrigation water from the dams to the rice paddies.