NIA Region X – From a Camiguin farmer’s request to NIA Administrator Benny D. Antiporda in the recently concluded Regional Irrigators Association Congress on August 4, 2022 in Cagayan de Oro City regarding repair of main high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes in their irrigation system, immediate action was made by the Agency a day after the Congress, finishing the repair on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
With the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in Camiguin province on December 16, 2021, main HDPE pipes of Itum Communal Irrigation System (Itum CIS) in Mambajao town were damaged which halted supply of irrigation to a total of 60 hectares of farmlands, affecting at least 200 farmers in the area.
Such damage was already reported to the Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin Irrigation Management Office (LAMISCA IMO) after the typhoon onslaught and was raised by Mr. Domingo Cabantac, San Isidro Labrador Development Farmers’ IA President to the Administrator during the Region X IA Congress held last week.
Administrator Benny D. Antiporda immediately instructed LAMISCA IMO Manager Elpidio Lucernas, Jr. during the Congress, “Basta within next week, I am giving you seven days, kailangang magkatubig ang mga magsasaka ‘dun. Kung kailangan mo ng pondo IMO, sa akin ka humingi, bibigyan kita, ayusin n’yo ‘yun, bukas na bukas, ayusin n’yo ‘yan.”
Two days after such instruction, the damaged main HDPE pipes were repaired successfully, thus bringing back supply of irrigation water to the farmlands of Itum CIS.
Emphasizing the Agency’s commitment of taking immediate action to the needs and concerns of the farmer-irrigators, NIA Administrator Benny D. Antiporda said, “Kapag may nasisira at ‘yung tao po namin sa IMO, sa Region ay ‘di inaksyunan ‘yan, dumerekta na kayo sakin, bukas po lagi ang tanggapan ko.” # (EDEN VICTORIA C. SELVA, Department Manager A, NIA Public Affairs and Information Staff)
