NIA fulfills Free ISF, Back Accounts payment up for Senate and Congress ruling
NIA, Central Office – The National Irrigation Administration, on Monday, reiterated that the agency is fulfilling President Duterte’s marching order on Free Irrigation Service Fee.
More and more Irrigators’ Associations (IAs) are signing up with the new Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) contract which outlines core guidelines in the Free Irrigation policy. As stipulated in the contract, the agency will no longer collect ISF current accounts from the farmers.
“Totoo po na hindi na po nangongolekta ng bayad patubig ang NIA sa buong bansa bilang pagtugon sa kautusan ng ating Pangulo”, said Pilipina Bermudez, NIA spokesperson.
The ISF back accounts, on the other hand, are still subject for collection since no final ruling yet on whether the unpaid irrigation service fee will be condoned.
“Hinihintay pa po natin na mailabas ng ating kongreso at senado ang kanilang desisyon sa pagkolekta ng mga back accounts sa ating magsasaka”, she added
NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya, earlier, said that the agency is having hard time collecting the said fee since some of the farmers and IAs are not willing to pay their past debts. But the NIA chief echoed that the agency did not impose any deadlines on paying farmers’ past account.
