NIA earmarks P12.8-B counterpart funds for projects

MANILA, Philippines - The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is allocating P12.79 billion as counterpart funding for its various foreign-assisted projects.

Six foreign-assisted irrigation projects that are currently ongoing or are set for implementation this year will receive P5.03 billion in counterpart funds. The total cost of the six foreign-assisted irrigation projects is estimated at P41.4 billion.

Among the six, the biggest is the National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project with a total cost of P12.92 billion and which will be undertaken in 10 regions.

The project will involve the rehabilitation of 39 existing national irrigation systems all over the country. It will also involve the construction of diversion dams, canals, road systems and drainage facilities.

NIA will have to shell out P20-million for detailed engineering and other pre-engineering activities related to the project.

The agency will also have to shell out P3.21 billion as counterpart funding for the P11.24-billion Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project which will be financed by the Eximbank of China.

NIA will also spend P1.06-billion for the P5.11-billion Participatory Irrigation Development Project, Phase I which will involve the restoration, rehabilitation and construction of irrigation facilities in 58 existing national irrigation systems.

Other projects that were allocated funds for 2011 are the P2.44-billion Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); the P7.5-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project-Stage II, and the P2.18-billion Irrigation Systems Operation Efficiency Improvement Project funded by the Asian Development Bank.

The Philippine government is negotiating with the Japanese government for the funding of the second phase of the Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project in Mindanao.

The NIA is allocating P7.75 billion for 43 locally-funded irrigation projects. Expansion of irrigated areas will ensure that the Philippines achieves rice self-sufficiency by 2013.