NIA to reduce water supply for 39,000-hectare farms

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS) yesterday said it would not be supplying irrigation water for about 39,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Central Luzon starting next month due to the on-going El Niño phenomenon.

Reynaldo Puno, UPRIIS operations manager, said their office used to supply water from the Pantabangan Dam to about 114,000 hectares of farmlands. However, for this dry season, which runs from November to April, they have only allocated for about 75,000 hectares or 15 percent less than their total service area.

The reduction in the supply could directly affect about 20,000 farmers, he added.

 Puno explained that water level at the dam remained low at only 191.91 meters as of Thursday. Although this is above the critical level of 172 meters, it is also below the spilling level of 221 meters.

“At this level, we will not be able to cover our entire service area,” he said.

The 39,000 hectares of affected farmlands are more than triple the projected 12,000 hectares the UPRIIS earlier projected to be hit hardest by the El Niño.

The UPRIIS said the phenomenon would affect four cities and 23 municipalities in Nueva Ecija alone, including Cabanatuan, Gapan, Muñoz and San Jose. The towns of Aliaga, Cabiao, Gen. Natividad, Guimba, Jaen, Llanera, Licab, Lupao, Quezon, San Leonardo, San Antonio, San Isidro, Sto. Domingo, Talavera, Talugtog and Zaragoza are also listed as among the most vulnerable during a dry spell.