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National Irrigation Administration, Quezon City – The Senate Committee on Finance approved the proposed National Expenditure Program for the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the amount of P36.36 billion in 2017. Senators Cynthia Villar, Miguel Zubiri, Francis Pangilinan, and Loren Legarda unanimously approved the NIA 2017 proposed budget.

The amount of P2.3 billion was also approved to implement the “FREE IRRIGATION” starting next year. NIA Administrator Florencio Padernal informed that the P2.3 B will be on top of the P36.36B budget of NIA under the General Appropriations Act of 2017.

The amount is intended to subsidize the Personal Services of the agency, MOOE of NIA and the Irrigator Associations (IAs), and the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of existing irrigation facilities. He further noted that it will reduce the production cost of the farmers by 6 percent.

National Irrigation Administration, Quezon City – The Investment Coordination Committee – Cabinet Committee (ICC-CabCom) on September 28, 2016 approved several regional projects targeting rural and agricultural development in the country.

Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Stage 2 (MMIP II) and Chico River Pump Irrigation Project are among the projects endorsed by the committee for approval of National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). Socioeconomic planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia believes that these projects are aligning with President Duterte’s commitment to reduce poverty and inequality especially on regional and rural areas.

The NEDA board endorsed the proposed change in scope, cost, and financing of the ongoing Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Stage 2. The 5.4-billion MMIP II project is set to increase the design area to cover the construction of three major service areas including upper and lower Malitubog and the Pagalungan extension area. Upon completion, it will irrigate more than 10,000 hectares of agricultural fields and will benefit more than 50 barangays in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.