NIA Central Office – Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) attended the 198th IATF Task Group on Food Security Virtual Presser with Assistant Secretary Noel Ocampo Reyes of the Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
During the Virtual Presser, Administrator Visaya highlighted that as of December 2021, the NIA recorded 65.28% irrigation development, irrigating 2,042,392.66 hectares of agricultural land nationwide. This President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, for the period of 2016-2021, there has been an increase of 311,264.66 hectares or 7.95% increase in irrigation development. Administrator Visaya stressed a record in history, that the status of irrigation development for CY 2021 is 11.68% higher than the irrigation development status 10 years ago (2011).
With 10,401 irrigation systems nationwide, Administrator Visaya cited major irrigation projects completed during President Duterte’s term such as the P631-million Barbar Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Ilocos Sur, benefiting 1,156 farmers, the P645-million Benliw SRIP in Bohol, covering 400 hectares of agricultural land, and the P1.391-billion Upper Malitubog Service Area in North Cotabato, benefiting 2,004 farmers and their families.
Free irrigation was pointed out by ASec. Reyes as one of the Duterte Legacy. As of December 2021, about 1,033,778 farmers covering about 1,189,503.87 hectares of agricultural land are benefitting under the Free Irrigation Service Act or Republic Act No. 10969 signed into law on February 2, 2018.
IA Model Farm, featuring a small drip irrigation system that serves the agricultural needs of a farm family, emerged as one of the accomplishments of the NIA. From CY 2017-2021, there are 34 existing IA Model Farms nationwide, amounting to P51-million.
Under Administrator Visaya’s term, NIA pursues to optimize dams not just for irrigation purposes but also for agro-tourism, aquaculture, and hydroelectric power generation. On Solar-Powered Irrigation Project, NIA has 333 solar-powered irrigation projects nationwide with an aggregate cost of P1.517 billion. These projects can generate up to 4,214.33 horsepower and irrigate 6,482.62 hectares of agricultural land, benefitting 8,467 farmers and their families.
With the transition to the next administration, NIA has ongoing Infrastructure Flagship Projects under the “Build Build Build” program of the government that are targeted for completion such as the P4.372-billion Chico River Pump Irrigation Project in Kalinga to be inaugurated this June 25, 2022, the P11.21-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project - Stage II in Iloilo, and the P5.444-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project - Stage II in North Cotabato.
As NIA is now attached to the Department of Agriculture, Administrator Visaya assures that NIA will continue to develop, construct, operate and maintain irrigation systems nationwide for our Filipino farmers especially with the devolution of Communal Irrigation Systems to the local government units and with the existing COVID-19 pandemic.
NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya during the 198th IATF Task Group on Food Security Virtual Presser on May 31, 2022
NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya during the 198th IATF Task Group on Food Security Virtual Presser on May 31, 2022
NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya (left) with Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Ocampo Reyes (right) during the 198th IATF Task Group on Food Security Virtual Presser
NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya (left) with Department of Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar (middle) and Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Noel Ocampo Reyes (right)
**For questions and/or clarifications, you may contact:
EDEN VICTORIA C. SELVA
Department Manager A
NIA Public Affairs and Information Staff
E-mail: evcselva2000@yahoo.com
Landline: (02) 8921-3741 loc. 113
