National Irrigation Administration (NIA) chief Claro Maranan gave a keynote address during a general assembly meeting that was scheduled on February 10 to 13, 2014 at the Avenue Plaza Hotel in Naga City.
The three-day activity was conducted by the National Confederation of Irrigators Association (NCIA) in cooperation with the NIA with theme "IA and NIA: Partners in Irrigation Development and Management towards Food Staples Self-Sufficiency".
The said assembly is also in line with one of the administrator's Seven Point Program which is to build stronger commitment to farmers and other stakeholders whereas the agency visualizes a strong commitment to farmers for a lasting operation, understanding in irrigation development.
Apart from stronger commitment to farmers, it also aims to improve the participation of Irrigators Association (IAs) in project implementation and in the operation and maintenance of irrigation systems and to show total commitment to the IAs for an administration of good governance and transparency.
Aside from delivering his keynote address, Maranan also answered questions from guest and participants together with Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations (GCG) Commissioner Rainier Butalid.
The scheduled activities of the NCIA, were: 1. Report from the President; 2. Presentation and Ratification of Proposed Amendments to the NCIA Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws; 3. NCIA plans and Programs; 4. Election of NCIA Officers and Updates on Support Services and Assistance Programs by the Agency.
The NCIA was founded in 1997 and as of December 2013, its nationwide affiliations are composed of 17 Regional IA Federations, 8700 Irrigators Associations, 91 Provincial IA Federations and 995, 511 Farmers Irrigators.
Its main objective is to represent the interest of irrigation farmers in policy-making bodies and vigorously work with them to gain support in achieving sustainable irrigation development and management leading to agricultural production for food staples self-sufficiency. Its mission is to become the leading, self-reliant national farmers' organization committed to uplift the quality life Filipino Farmers and their families.
