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Quezon City – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), headed by Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), headed by Chairman Reynaldo V. Velasco, conducted the Ceremonial Turnover of P16.25 million worth of financial support to 6,500 farmers of Angat-Maasim River Irrigation System (AMRIS) Federation of Irrigators Association, Inc. represented by IA President Guillermo N. Mangaluz on March 15, 2021 at MWSS Board Roard, 5th Floor, Administration Building.

NWRB, through Director Sevillo D. David, Jr., proposed to MWSS an equitable cash compensation plan for Bulacan farmers who were affected by the reduced water allocation for irrigation for Dry Season of 2019. In this regard, NIA assisted in the selection of qualified beneficiaries. MWSS formally instructed its concessionaires, Maynilad Water Services, Inc. and Manila Water Company, Inc., to make necessary payment as compensation to the farmer-beneficiaries.

AMRIS IA Federation President Mangaluz expressed his gratitude to all agencies who made the financial support possible.

“Labis po kaming nagpapasalamat sa tulong at financial support na ipinagkaloob ninyo sa aming mga magsasaka. Malaking bagay po ito para sa pamilya ng mga magsasakang Bulakenyo”, he said.

Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) does an investigation after knowing that there are persons who pretend to be his ‘agents’ illegally collecting a 12% commission from the contractor of a 2M-worth irrigation project funded by a detached government agency.

First in the Four-Point Agenda of Administrator Visaya is to eradicate graft and corruption. Thus, under his leadership, all acts deviating from the marching order given by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, which is to do what is right and what is legal, have to be curtailed.

Investigations are being conducted by the Agency regarding the said allegation so that once proven, due punishment may be imposed immediately to the persons concerned. Even some contractors participating in the bidding process of NIA use the name of the Administrator by telling lies that they already have clearance from him just for them to win. The Agency has observed that this becomes rampant prior to election periods just like what happened before 2019 local elections.

It would be noted that in the previous years, some NIA employees who were proven doing illegal acts in their respective offices were endorsed to the Office of the Ombudsman and were given due action and punishment. Also, in the previous months, several contractors were blacklisted to participate in all government procurement for a certain period of time due to negative slippages in their project contracts.