Gov’t allots P3.13B for rehab of irrigation facilities
A total of P3.13 billion has been allocated so far this year for the rehabilitation or restoration of irrigation facilities covering over 84,500 hectares.
In a report to Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said P2.94 billion was released as of midyear to rehabilitate irrigation facilities servicing 32,000 hectares, and restore other systems covering 52,500 hectares.
For the first half of 2008, NIA Administrator Carlos Salazar reported that President Arroyo allocated P1.27 billion for the restoration and rehabilitation of irrigation systems in the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ), one of the five super regions.
Under the “super regions” development strategy, the country’s regions have been clustered into five growth centers, with each cluster specializing in a particular field of business based on the collective strength and comparative advantages of the provinces under it.
Salazar said that for the other super regions, the government allocated P361.74 million for Metro Luzon; P719.44 million for
Salazar reported that the NIA has built irrigation projects covering 146,000 hectares and repaired old systems servicing another 980,000 hectares, raising total irrigated lands to a record 1.5 million hectares.
The DA, for its part, has constructed 4,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads; installed 2,347 post-harvest equipment such as dryers; put up 33 mariculture parks and 134 fish sanctuaries; and gave 415 sets of post-harvest equipment to fisherfolk.
The repair, rehabilitation and construction of irrigation systems nationwide form part of President Arroyo’s FIELDS program for agriculture.
FIELDS stands for fertilizer, irrigation and other rural infrastructure, research and extension work, loans, dryers and other post-harvest facilities, and seeds. — Marianne Go
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