Boac, Marinduque – Two hundred forty-one (241) farmers will now benefit from the newly-completed irrigation project of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) – the Mansabang Communal Irrigation Project (CIP). The said project, amounting to P12.17 million, will irrigate 127 hectares of agricultural lands in Barangay Buliasnin and Maligaya.

Mansabang CIP includes the construction of core wall and concrete drainage canal lining which was completed last November 30, 2018. Water will be sourced from Boac River to supply irrigation to its beneficiaries. This will help increase rice production and water delivery on the service area.

NIA MIMAROPA Regional Manager William P. Ragodon, together with MOMARO IMO Acting Division Manager Gerardo Perez, conducted a site visit to check the completed project. Positive impressions from the project complainant and beneficiaries were gathered.

Boac Municipal Planning and Development Officer (MPDC) and National Security Practitioner ENP Luna Euologio R. Manrique expressed his positive impression on the prompt solution on his complaint. He previously complained the delayed implementation of Mansabang through the investigative documentaries of GMA News TV. Specifically, he said that NIA is not using suitable and up-to-date equipment for driving concrete piles and that the depth requirement was not met.

NIA Central Office - The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), headed by Administrator Ricardo R Visaya, opened its doors for the conduct of 10-day Work Immersion Program for 19 Grade 12 students of the Philippine School for the Deaf (Pasay City). The training started on January 21, 2019 and will end on February 01, 2019.

The students are assigned in various offices based on their individual competencies, such as in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Animation, Hotel and Restaurant Services, Accounting, and Business Management.

NIA pushes for inclusivity of people with special needs in the work sector, especially in the government. While this is the first-ever Work Immersion Program of the Agency for people with special needs, the NIA Top Management Officials hope that through the campaign, the social stigma for deaf and mute community would be soon eradicated.

“The Agency is aiming to create an awareness that everybody should be accepted and accommodated in employment to government sector. As part of my Four-Point Agenda, particularly in developing human resources and improving their capabilities, we are very inclusive when it comes to workplace. It’s about time to give our special men and women the honor and opportunity to become the best assets of our nation in the field of public service”, said Administrator Visaya.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), under the leadership of Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, inaugurated the P133.85-million Sta. Barbara River Irrigation system (Sta. Barbara RIS), one unit of 84-square meter Irrigators Association (IA) Building, and four units of 200-square meter combined IA offices and warehouses, on December 03, 2018 at Benigno Aquino Avenue Diversion Road, Madurriao, Iloilo City.

The irrigation system under the National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP) is funded through a grant from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) amounting to P113,850,153.90. The project is expected to provide timely and reliable irrigation service to 2,289 hectares of agricultural land in the Municipalities of Leganes, Pavia, Sta. Barbara, and Iloilo City, benefitting 1,266 farmers and their families. The project is set to improve the cropping intensity of farmers from 162 to 200 percent, thus increasing the farmers’ yield from 99 to 110 cavans per hectare for wet season and 80 to 100 cavans per hectare for dry season.

In his message, JICA Philippines Senior Representative Yo Ebisawa said that the project will pave way for higher rice productivity and income of the Filipino farmers.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) headed by Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya and representatives from the Korean Export-Import Bank – Economic Development Cooperation Fund (KEXIM-EDCF) discussed the issues related to the Environmental and Social Monitoring of the Activities of Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II (JRMP II).

The meeting aims to conduct a Stakeholders Forum among lowland and upland project affected families (PAFs) and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), as well as signing of the Minutes of Discussion for environmental and social activities for the project construction phase.

The P11.212-billion JRMP Stage II contract was signed by the NIA Top Management Officials and the executives of Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. on September 03, 2018 to pursue the construction of 109-meter Jalaur High Dam, 38.5-meter Afterbay Dam, 10-meter Alibutan Catch Dam, 80.74-kilometer Highline Canal, and its appurtenant structures. The groundbreaking is expected to be scheduled before the end of this year.

NIA Region V – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), headed by Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, conducted the Blessing and Inauguration Ceremony of the new P74-million Pumping Station of the Libmanan-Cabusao Pump Irrigation System (LCPIS) in Awayan, Sipocot, Camarines Sur on October 11, 2018.

The newly inaugurated pumping station has four units of brand new 250 HP diesel engines and pumps which will irrigate 2,195 hectares of farmlands, benefitting 1,728 farmers and their families in 10 barangays in Libmanan and two barangays in Cabusao, Camarines Sur.

The LCPIS was originally constructed in the early 1980s under the Integrated Area Development Program of the Philippine government with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The original pumping station had four units of electrically-driven engines and pumps. In 1998, the electric engines were replaced with diesel engines and only two remain operational today.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is now International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2015 Certified after being assessed by the AJA Registrars on September 12, 2018.

AJA is the third-party ISO-accredited certifying body that audited NIA’s Quality Management System (QMS) for public administration of irrigation services on June 27-28, 2018 and bestowed the registration certificate under the management of Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya.

The audit was conducted to determine the NIA’s compliance with the standards of ISO. The scope of registration focused on the major activities of the four sites of the Agency namely: a) Central Office, b) Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS), c) Regional Office IV-A, and d) Quezon Irrigation Management Office (Quezon IMO) in Lucena City, Quezon Province.

NIA transitioned from ISO 9001:2008 to the newer version of 9001 series (ISO 9001:2015) since the certification of the former had expired on September 15, 2018. The transition is also part of the Agency’s continual improvement in the delivery of services. It also aims to expand its coverage to include all regional offices across the country.

NIA Region XI – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) inaugurated the newly rehabilitated Mal River Irrigation System (Mal RIS) and turned over Irrigators Association (IA) Buildings and Support Facilities in the municipalities of Matanao and Kiblawan, Davao del Sur, respectively, on September 21, 2018. Assistant Secretary Jann Roby R. Otero, Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OCS), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Chief Representative Yoshio Wada, and NIA Deputy Administrator (DA) for Administrative and Finance Sector Romeo G Gan led the said events.

The rehabilitation of Mal RIS amounting to P104.294 million is a JICA-funded project under the National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP) which has 11 projects located nationwide.

The project includes the construction of six (6) units of Irrigators’ Association (IA) Offices (84 square meters each), three (3) units of combined IA offices and warehouse (200 square meters each), 16.1 kilometers of concrete canal lining, construction and repair of 20 structures, five (5) new steel gates, and 15.7 kilometers of grading and gravelling, among others.

Senior Deputy Administrator Abraham B. Bagasin (middle left) and Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance Sector Romeo G. Gan (outermost left) receive the 17 heavy equipment keys from Volvo Vice President for Machine Sales Chito Litam (middle right) and Machine Sales Representative Ramir Ferrer (outermost right) during the Ceremonial Turnover of P110.5-million heavy equipment as part of the Agency’s Three-Year Re-fleeting Program.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) acquired 17 units of heavy equipment worth P110.5M for use in irrigation project implementation, as well as for the operation and maintenance of existing National and Communal Irrigation Systems nationwide. The acquisition of heavy equipment is one of the Four-Point Agenda of NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya.

In a simple turnover ceremony held on September 10, 2018 at the NIA Grounds, the heavy equipment was turned over by the winning bidder, Volvo Merchandising, Inc., to NIA Top Management witnessed by CO Department Managers and employees. 

NIA Central Office – The Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) will be started earlier than expected with the signing of the contract between the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. on September 03, 2018 at the Administrator’s Conference Room, 2^nd Floor. NIA Central Office, Diliman, Quezon City.

NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya signs the Contract for NIA while Manila Branch Manager Se Won Park signs for Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd.

The P11.212-billion JRMP Stage 11 is the 8^th big irrigation project to be ground break under the Duterte Administration, and the 2^nd project to be funded by Korean Export-Import (KEXIM) Bank.  The recently inaugurated Pasa Small Reservoir Irrigation Project was the first project funded under a grant by the Korean Government through the KEXIM Bank.

The contract signing aims to pursue the construction of 109-meter Jalaur High Dam, 38.5-meter Afterbay Dam, 10-meter Alibutan Catch Dam, 80.74-kilometer Highline Canal, and its appurtenant structures. Groundbreaking is scheduled on the first week of October this year.

NIA Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has conducted a review regarding the non-completion of 436 irrigation projects in 2017 with an aggregate amount of P11.938 billion. Among these, it has been found out that the P551.915-million Sta. Josefa Pump Irrigation Project (SJPIP) in Agusan del Sur suffered the longest delay reaching more than seven years.

The Agency’s assessment shows that the delays in project implementation are caused by various contributing factors, such as the Right-of-Way (ROW) problems, peace and order situation in project areas, delay in the release of funds and budget allocation process, delays incurred in the bidding process of civil works that attribute to the late start of contract works, unworkable site condition within the project area due to consequences of climate change affecting the construction operations, on-going farming activities, and poor contractors’ performance resulting to extension in project implementation.

These issues are being addressed by the NIA Administrator, giving stern warning to NIA field management offices to closely monitor project implementation so that any problem that may arise can be resolved immediately.