Shariff Aguak calls the attention of NIA

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao --- The local government of Shariff Aguak has called on the management of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) - Maguindanao to reoccupy its office site in Barangay Satan of this town.

The NIA office, accordingly, left its previous location when the local government unit of Shariff Saydona Mustapha held its office at the very same area.  At present, the municipal government is no longer holding office on the site.

“We want them to hold office beside the old capitol, their original address, to cater to the concerns of our farmers,” the mayor said.

Ampatuan reiterated that there are certain issues and concerns raised by the farmers related to irrigation that need clarification.

“Some parts of the irrigation have holes and are unmaintained and not all farmers who are supposed to be benefitting could not avail the equal share of water irrigation,” he pointed out.

In a separate statement, NIA Maguindanao Division Manager Engr. Akas A. Basilan, said they still hold office in Barangay Satan because it is their permanent office address in the area.

“We could not afford to abandon the office situated in Shariff Aguak because it is our permanent office address,” he said.

On the issue of irrigation, Basilan said Shariff Aguak is located upstream.

“If we try to look at the situation, they are considered to be the first beneficiary of the irrigation. When they truly follow our policies, it is impossible that they could not benefit from the irrigation,” said Basilan.

Although Basilan said they acknowledge the irrigators’ association in the area, the system and policies must be thoroughly discussed with them.

Basilan added that the NIA-MIMO has a total service area of 27,687.39 hectares as of December 31, 2016. One of the NIS that constitutes the large service area in Maguindanao is the Kabulnan River Irrigation System. It covers the municipalities of Ampatuan, Shariff Aguak, Mamasapano, Datu Unsay, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, and Datu Abdullah Sangki with a total service area of 12,063.84 hectares as of December 31, 2016.

“It’s irrigated area for dry season is 7,210.09 hectares and 7,215.82 hectares for wet season as of December 31, 2016. Presently, it has 16 irrigators’ associations with a total of 5,596 farmer-beneficiaries, all registered to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),” he said.

Basilan explained that in every crop, the irrigation system has an average yield of 76 percent (dry season) and 71 percent (wet season). For the past decade, the Kabulnan RIS had gone through various rehabilitation, repair, and expansion and these activities were being funded and implemented by the NIA upon the request of the irrigators’ associations and/or as the needs arise.

One of the programs of the NIA is the Irrigation Management Transfer  contract under the Institutional Development Program. The IMT is the gradual transfer of management and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the National Irrigation System to the IAs depending on the size of the NIS and capacity of the IAs.

“Currently, 15 of the IAs in Kabulnan RIS are under the IMT Model of which the management of lateral canals are under the responsibilities of the IAs,” he said.

Basilan said the NIA-Maguindanao IMO is trying its best to deliver the services to the people of Maguindanao. It continuously commit to provide efficient, effective, and sustainable irrigation services for the Maguindanao farmers. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE B. ACOSTA - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)