March 16, 2015 San Jose, Antique - Kalipunan ng mga Irigadores ng Antique (KIA) held its 20th Annual Provincial IA Congress in San Jose, Antique to discuss project updates and strengthen the relationship between the Irrigators' Associations (IA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
Through NIA Region 6 and Antique Irrigation Management Office (AIMO), the Province of Antique has a Firmed Up Service area of 12,706 hectares both in the National Irrigation Systems (NIS) and Communal Irrigation Systems (CIS). Currently, the province has a total of 111 Irrigators' Associations (IA) with 12,586 farmer beneficiaries.
In his message, NIA Region VI Regional Irrigation Manager, Engr. Gerardo P. Corsiga emphasized the need to involve other government agencies and non-government organizations through convergence initiative in order to provide assistance to farmers other than irrigation.
"Pasudlon naton ang iban nga mga agencies sa aton mga farmers sa Region VI para ma strategize naton kag mabuligan sa kung ano man ang mga kinahanglanon sang aton mga farmers parehas sang livelihood projects. Isa ini ka pamaagi agud mapabaskug kag ma empower kamo." (Let us encourage other government agencies in Region 6 to provide assistance to our farmers in order to help our farmers on their essential needs like livelihood projects. This is one way to strengthen and empower you. )RIM Corsiga.
On the need to work hand in hand with NIA RIM Corsiga added, "Halongan ninyo ang mga proyekto naton. Kung ano man ang mga problema, ipalab-ot gid ninyo dayon sa amon para ma-adress kag mahatagan solusyon. We have to help each other."(You must take care all our projects. Should there be concerns or problems, don't hesitate to bring these to our attention in order for us to address these and come up with appropriate solutions. We have to help each other.)
KIA President Jose Mario Rico C. Magtulis also encouraged his contemporaries to support NIA in its endeavour to provide quality irrigation projects.
"We need to strengthen and give strong support and cooperation sa NIA. We, KIA is a partner of NIA. Indi mahimo ang KIA kag ang NIA kung wara it Irrigators' Association. It is inspiring to say nga ka diya nga tuig (2015) full swing ang tanan nga proyekto kag programa diya sa NIA Antique."(We need to strengthen and give strong support and cooperation to NIA. We, KIA is a partner of NIA. There will be no KIA and NIA without the Irrigator's Associations. It is inspiring to say that this year (2015), all projects of NIA here in Antique is at full swing.)
The event also served as a venue to give recognition to the strong efforts of deserving IAs in the Province such as Most Outstanding IAs, Best Performing IAs, Most Outstanding IA President, and to give recognition to the strong participation and leadership of women IA officers.
