NIA Central Office, Quezon City – Regional, IMO, Department, and Division managers from all NIA regional offices convene again for the 2016 3rd Quarter NIA Managers’ Conference. The event was held at Convention Hall, 5th Floor IEC Bldg, NIA Quezon City from August 9-10, 2016.
NIA Administrator Florencio F. Padernal warmly welcomes all the participants as he is hopeful that the meeting will again address problems that will be presented. “Ito naman yung dahilan kung bakit tayo regularly nagkikita to discuss and solve problems na nakaka apekto sa ating trabaho at sa ahensiya” he added
Dr. Padernal also told that the result of the meeting will be the basis to establish baseline information and to know where the agency is currently standing.
The 2-day conference focuses on different agenda including current issues and concerns that the agency specifically the regional offices are going through. These include status of project, fund utilization, irrigation service fee collection, force account works, feasibility and detailed engineering funds, and proposals for new projects.
Region 2, Region 8, Negros Island Region, NIA IMO Compostella Valley, URIIP, and MARIIS had the opportunity to present their progress report on different projects within their area. NIA MARIIS Operations Manager Engr. Wilfredo Gloria discussed that their immediate concern is the water elevation in Magat Dam which he said is currently on critical level. “We are now coordinating with BSWM and DA for cloud seeding operations within the area to address the problem” he added.
The group headed by NIA Deputy Administrator for Admin and Finance Ms. Estrella E. Icasiano and Engineering Department Manager and OIC, Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations Engr. Lydia Esguerra gladly responded to the questions raised by the participants. Most of the concerns center on SARO and NCA releases, and Fund 101 and 105. The GCG Commitments were thoroughly discuss by PAIS Department Manager and concurrent head of NIA-TWG for GCG Ms. Pilipina P. Bermudez.
The agenda also include CY 2017 project preparation, climate change resilient irrigation facilities, periodic dam monitoring, preparations for La Niña, purchasing of maintenance equipment in dams, right of way acquisition, training programs, land conversion, and international network. The participants were also divided into small groups to discuss further the presented concerns.
At the end of the conference, Dr. Padernal encourages all by telling “we can do a lot of things when we put our hearts in what we are doing” he simply told everyone that we must give our best to serve our Filipino farmers and the country.
