A Legacy of Serving Filipino Farmers

NIA 50 A Legacy of Servingat Filipino Farmers

National Irrigation Administration

NIA_BOOK Jacket_0512.indd 3 7/21/14 12:00 PM NIA at 50 A Legacy of Serving Filipino Farmers

National Irrigation Administration

NIA at 50 A Legacy of Serving Filipino Farmers NIA at 50 A Legacy of Serving Filipino Farmers

A special publication project of NIA Public Affairs and Information Staff.

EDITORIAL BOARD Claro V. Maranan, Administrator Felix M. Razo, Senior Deputy Administrator Modesto G. Membreve, Acting Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations Lorna Grace B. Rosario, Acting Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance

Pilipina P. Bermudez Luzviminda R. Peñaranda Clarizze C. Toribio Pops Marie S. Dadea Lioneil G. dela Cruz Remster D. Bautista Arnulfo P. Tomas Allan John O. Zita Rogelio C. Barretto

ISBN 978-971-95962-0-2

Published by PROJECT BRIO MEDIA HOUSE [email protected]

Executive Editor Jon P. Ave Editor Ces Rodriguez Writers Manny Espinola Antonio Maghirang Photography Raneil Ibay Graphic Artists Mario Sta. Maria Shannon Olaguer Research Assistant Jun Danganan CJ Brillantes

Printed in the Philippines C o n t e n t s

Preface ...... 6 CHAPTER 2: Where the Water Flows 41 From the Administrators ...... 9 NIA CAR ...... 42 Acknowledgements ...... 10 NIA Region I ...... 44 Photo Credits ...... 100 NIA Region II ...... 46 MARIIS ...... 48 CHAPTER 1: Staying the Course for 50 Years 13 NIA Region III ...... 50 True to the Vision ...... 15 UPRIIS ...... 52 About the NIA Logo ...... 17 NIA Region IV-A ...... 54 The NIA Building ...... 18 NIA Region IV-B ...... 56 IAs and NIA: A Solid Partnership ...... 19 NIA Region V ...... 58 Flood Forecasting Saves Lives ...... 20 NIA Region VI ...... 60 Water Re-use ...... 21 NIA Region VII ...... 62 NIA Literature ...... 22 NIA Region VIII ...... 64 Protecting Watersheds ...... 23 NIA Region IX ...... 66 Values Through Cultural Pursuits ...... 24 NIA Region X ...... 68 Other Potentials of Irrigation Dams ...... 25 NIA Region XI ...... 70 Increasing Yields ...... 26 NIA Region XII ...... 72 Leading the Way ...... 28 NIA Region XIII ...... 74 Landmark Dates ...... 30 Their Life’s Work, Their Personal Mission ...... 32 CHAPTER 3: The Strength of Partnerships 77 Past NIA Administrators ...... 34 Daloy Magat: Sustainable Water Use for All ... 79 Antonio S. Nangel ...... 35 First Generation Hydro Power Company ...... 88

Claro V. Maranan ...... 38 Sponsors ...... 94

2-3: Magat Dam. 4-5: Portion of Addalam Dam in San Leonardo, Aglipay, Quirino Province. 6-7: Andanan Wawa Dam, Sibagat,Agusan Sur. 8-9: Magat Dam’s Spillway. 10-11: Cong Dadong Dam, Arayat, Pampanga. Preface Irrigation plays a large role in a country like the Philippines where almost 75 percent of our land is dedicated to agriculture and other related industries. From the northernmost to the farthest islands in the south, rice fields abound. In turn, rice sustains the physical, economic, and socio-cultural wellbeing of most of the population. Given the vital importance of irrigation, it seems fitting to chronicle the 50-year existence of the National Irrigation Administration and the role it played in significantly contributing to the agricultural development of the Philippines. This book is a succinct overview of the milestones that have made the agency a central partner in nation building. It traces NIA’s humble beginnings as a division in the now defunct Bureau of Public Works to its establishment as a distinct agency in 1963 to its gradual transformation as the best irrigation agency in Asia. The book also looks into how NIA became a primary catalyst of change in rural communities leading to the general growth and improvement of the country. Aside from the agency’s colorful and meaningful history, the book also shines the spotlight on the field offices that perform the frontline duties of grounding the irrigation projects and programs. It also features the major irrigation projects and systems that have revolutionized farming in the Philippines, from being a seasonal endeavor to becoming a year-round activity. The book also gives due recognition to the agency’s partners for life, the irrigators associations that maintain and ensure that the dams and systems erected at their behest serve them optimally. Beyond its mandate, NIA has taken on advocacies that lay the groundwork for a sustainable future, such as nature conservation, watershed management, and eco-tourism. The book also presents the agency’s endeavors in employee welfare, including cultural activities that tap employee creativity and sportsmanship and reinforce NIA’s core values such as teamwork, dependability, discipline, commitment, and working together toward common goals. NIA would not be the robust agency it is today without its partners in the private sector. Their sustained cooperation has bolstered NIA’s efforts in bringing measures of prosperity to farmer beneficiaries and strengthening the agricultural sector in general. For 50 golden years, NIA has steadfastly concretized its mandate to develop irrigation in the Philippines. We hope the book you now hold succeeds in capturing the excellence, commitment, and sincere public service that NIA has always strived for in its quest to improve irrigation and agriculture in the Philippines. Even as we look back on the last 50 years, NIA’s eyes are set on what lies ahead because more needs to be done—in delivering irrigation efficiency, sustained development in agriculture, and a future always rife with promise.●

From the Administrators Agriculture is a vital factor in feeding the nation. On the other hand, irrigation is a key element in ensuring productive agricultural output. Therefore, irrigation is essential in ensuring food for the country. The establishment of the National Irrigation Administration 50 years ago is a crucial initiative in boosting not only agriculture but also the socio-economic stability of the country. For half a decade, NIA has fulfilled its mandate to develop irrigation systems for the striving agricultural sector. And yes, the agency lived up to the expectation and has been considered as the “best irrigation agency in Asia.” Putting into paper all of NIA’s achievements in terms of irrigation and institutional development is a testament on what the agency contributes in nation building. This is also a stepping stone for future NIA leaders in setting perspectives for the ensuing years. NIA at 50: A Legacy of Serving Filipino Farmers will not just be an addition to our shelves, but a tangible proof, affirmation, and undying pledge to uplift the lives of every Filipino farmer and propel agriculture to greater heights. Mabuhay ang National Irrigation Administration! Ipagpatuloy natin ang lahat ng ating nasimulan para sa kaunlaran ng ating bansa!●

ANTONIO S. NANGEL Administrator, 2010 - 2013

NIA @50, A Legacy of Serving Filipino Farmers is a comprehensive narration of the Agency’s achievements through images and illustrations collated from NIA’s inception to its grandiose irrigation projects throughout the country. It shows the capable leadership of people who have steered our Agency in to its great accomplishments. We have encapsulated here the founding of NIA and the vision of our early leaders in developing sustainable water resources for irrigation nationwide. It underscores our natural watershed, its values through cultural pursuits, and ecotourism potential. It also illustrates the fifteen regions and two integrated irrigation systems offices of NIA and their accomplishments. We highlight the valuable partnership NIA has forged for the betterment of the Agency, its farmer stakeholders, and most of all our country. This book celebrates the achievements and successes of the National Irrigation Administration as well as the setbacks, hardships and triumphs it underwent for the past half century. The challenges of the next 50 years we need to meet head on. We presented the 7-Point Program as the first level organizational initiative to get to “desirable ends with available means.” This will provide creative and speedy solutions to the vital situations that NIA is facing. We have to rally the support of employees and officers in carrying out the change strategy and present the program for our commitment to continuing improvement. Every obstacle, we conquered. Every hurdle, we passed. Every risk, we challenged. Every hardship, we triumphed. This is for the new NIA.●

CLARO V. MARANAN

Acknowledgements This publication would not have been possible without the cooperation and kindness of many companies and individuals. NIA PAIS and Project Brio Media House would particularly like to thank Mr. Claro V. Maranan and Mr. Antonio S. Nangel, the present and immediate past administrator of National Irrigation Administration, Regional Irrigation Managers , Operations Manager, Project Managers and Public Relations Officers of all NIA offices nationwide, and to all sponsors for their active support.

Special thanks also go to the following people who served as resource persons for topics covered in this book or made possible visits to regional offices:NIA HQ: Engr. Bonifacio S. Labiano, Bayani Ofrecio, Efren Roqueza. NIA Region II: Vicente E. Galvez, Angel T. Bacoling, Jr., Gualfredo C. Martinez, Wilbert L. Galamay, Engr. Francis C. Yu, Nenita P. Garcia, Ramon R. Fabros, Engr. Wilfredo U. Salvador, Estanislao R. Najera, Gilieu Michael Dimoloy, Francisco A. Domingsil, Roland V. Apaga, Dorothy Belle de Leon, Jonathan Dangan.NIA MARIIS: Mariano G. Dancel, Wilfredo C. Gloria, Jose G. Soliven, George P. Lacasandile, Florante Bautista, Nemesio S. Yadao, Saturnino T. Tenedor, Pedro M. Dalawampu, Eduardo P. Ramos, Antonio A. Cruz, Eduardo Pasion, Melissa Agbisit, Del Catherine I. Damatan. UPRIIS: Josephine B. Salazar, Carlito M. Gapasin, Gigi A. Geronimo, Maria Isobel F. Padolina, Rafael D. Verdadero. Judylin B. Felipe, Lolita E. Valeroso, Gloria sa Bagong Milenyo IA, Inc., Ubbog ti Biag IA, Inc. NIA Region III: Reynaldo D. Puno and staff, Roberto E. Pascual and staff, Virgilio J. Ilao and staff, Elliz V. Bitangcol.●

CHAPTER I Staying the Course for 50 Years

The story of creating an agency to build irrigation systems in the Philippines began with devastation and a dream. Finding itself on Ground Zero at the end of the Second World War, the Philippines rolled up its sleeves to clear the rubble and carve a path to the future. It was a road that led to milestone after milestone, from barebones national survival to the dream of freedom from want—especially for the rural countryside where 70 percent of the population lived. Support was essential for agriculture, the main source of livelihood for the majority of Filipinos. Support meant ensuring self-sufficiency in rice and, in concrete terms, support for good harvests. The National Irrigation Administration was on the forefront of this support, evolving with the times as it established irrigation systems nationwide that are environmentally sound, socially acceptable, strategically located, and locally managed.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 13 14 NIA AT 50 [ NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION ] True to the Vision

It used to be that farm communities went boom or bust with the seasons. Mang Alfredo Renante, descended from generations of farmers in Isabela, remembers how his father and the entire community rejoiced when the rains came at the start of the planting season, a harbinger, they said, of good harvest ahead. He recalls, too, the pall that descended when dry days stretched to weeks before the harvest. Now 46, Mang Alfredo himself tills his own fields. But, unlike his father, he has ceased worrying about whether the rains will come on time. Since the government installed an irrigation system almost three decades back, water has stopped being a priority. He looks instead to the promise that with new farming technology provided by the National Irrigation Administration, he will be able to increase his yield and be able to harvest five times every two years.

t the end of the Second World War, national survival was at the heart of the rebuilding process from wartime devastation. Freedom from want became a cornerstone of the rehabilitation program, especially Afor the rural countryside where 70 percent of the population lived. It meant support for agriculture, the main source of livelihood for the majority of Filipinos. It translated essentially to self-sufficiency in rice, the staple food of the Filipinos and, in concrete terms, support for good harvests. With that, the availability of water to raise the productivity of farmlands came into the picture and irrigation became a vital component of the rehabilitation program to have rice on every table across the country. Water was the third basic input in the productivity triumvirate that included the use of high-yielding varieties and the adoption of new technologies. The demand for increased rice production drove the demand for more irrigation systems. The productive capacity of tillable land was limited by its size and by making water available as needed come rain or dry season, irrigation helped raise the output per hectare. Irrigation also tamed lands once hospitable only to trees and shrubs and made acreages available to the cultivation of palay. Self-sufficiency in rice became the rallying cry of every post-war administration. The push early on, however, was not enough to meet the ABOVE: The existing Colocol Communal Irrigation demand of an increasing population. System in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya covers a total It took President Diosdado Macapagal to give due recognition to irrigation service area of 2,875 hectares. OPPOSITE: The NIA as the key factor in increasing grains productivity on limited farmlands. On headquarters in Quezon City. PAGE 12: Construction June 22, 1963, he signed Republic Act No. 3601 into law creating the National Irrigation Administration which was envisioned to boost the production of of the concrete chute-type spillway of Pantabangan food crops with the construction of more irrigation systems. Dam in the 70s. PAGE 13: Farmers in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 15 16 NIA ATat 50 50 LEFT: Angat Multipurpose Dam during the early stage of construction in the 60s.When it was completed in 1967, it was able to irrigate 30,000 hectares of farmlands in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga channeled through the Bustos Dam in Bustos, Bulacan. OPPOSITE: NIA Region II employees in the early 70s. Vicente E. Galvez (third from left, bottom photo) would eventually become the regional irrigation manager.

[ ABOUT THE NIA LOGO ]

In its first three years of operation, NIA evolved from a mere division of the Department of Public Works to a big organization with multifarious functions and broad coverage. The new agency started laying the groundwork for bigger roles and functions to play in the attainment of self- sufficiency in rice. In 1968, the elusive goal of self-sufficiency in rice was finally attained with a bumper harvest of 91.2 million cavans. The country also ceased to import rice for the first time since 1947. In 1976, a new logo was proposed to replace Aside from accelerated irrigation development, the use of a new high- yielding strain called “miracle rice” and the application of new farming the agency’s official seal, whose detailed design was technologies helped NIA reach its goal. deemed too conservative and no longer reflected NIA’s growing stature in agricultural development. At RAPID INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT the same time, the agency was moving to the new Starting in the 70s, NIA assumed the central role of the government NIA complex in Diliman, Quezon City after years of agency behind the accelerated irrigation thrust of the government. It would go on to establish many firsts in its corporate history but the construction and operating with its different departments scattered in maintenance of imposing infrastructures in support of expanded irrigation and various locations. power generation have been at the top of its achievement pyramid. The new logo depicted the name NIA in white, In August 1969, NIA held groundbreaking ceremonies for its first representing water, against a field of brilliant green flagship infrastructure, the Angat River Multipurpose Project in Bustos, symbolizing vigorous plant growth. As rendered, Bulacan. Although it was a power generation project of the National Power Corporation, the project included an irrigation component that would the agency’s acronym suggested a dam and spillway increase irrigable area from 24,000 hectares to 26,000 hectares. over which water flowed.●

A LEGACYSTAYINGSTAYING OF THE SERVING THE COURSE COURSE FILIPINO FOR FOR 50 YEARSFARMERS 50 YEARS 1717 RIGHT: Aerial view of Magat Dam as it appeared during its inauguration in 1982. Magat Dam is part of the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System.

[ THE NIA BUILDING ]

The NIA complex was formally completed on July 19, 1976. The building was designed by Arch. Gabriel Formoso and Partners and was built at the cost of P30 million. The major structures and facilities of the complex consist of Building A with eight stories, a penthouse, and a helipad; Building NIA moved on to bigger things with the inauguration of the B with four stories, a two-story annex at the back, Pantabangan Dam in 1974, the centerpiece of the Upper Pampanga River a garage and motor pool, basketball, tennis and Project in Nueva Ecija. The dam was built by an all-Filipino group, the pelota courts, and parking areas. The staggered Hydro-Resources Contractors Corporation, which completed the project 17 transfer from NIA’s old office at the Ablaza Buidlng months ahead of schedule. The feat moved a World Bank senior official for on E. Rodriquez Boulevard and Dona Veñancia Asia to say, “NIA is the finest irrigation agency in the whole of Asia and in Building across Araneta Avenue n Quezon City any developing world.” Today, the dam’s reservoir is considered one of the to NIA’s permanent office started in February largest in Southeast Asia and one of the cleanest in the Philippines. 1976. But even before the building was formally In the 1980s, NIA continued to flex its muscle with the inauguration of completed, the agency’s rank and file already held the Magat Multipurpose Dam in Isabela, the biggest structure of its kind in their annual Christmas party in 1975 at the new Southeast Asia. The Magat Dam serves as a source of hydroelectric power and compound.● irrigation water for over 80,000 hectares of agricultural lands. Magat Dam is now also a prominent tourist spot in Isabela. The Magat Dam Tourism complex promotes ecotourism with various water sports activities in the reservoir. The dam site of the Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project in Central Luzon, the biggest infrastructure project under President Corazon C. Aquino administration, broke ground in 1988. That year, the Malatgao River Irrigation Project in Narra, Palawan was also inaugurated to serve farmlands cultivated by 5,000 farmers in the municipalities of Narra and Aborlan. Narra was a resettlement site set up by Ramon Magsaysay in the 1950s as a solution to the insurgency problem then.

1818 NIA NIA AT at 50 50 [ IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATIONS AND NIA: A SOLID PARTNERSHIP ]

Up to the early 1970s, NIA solely owned, operated, and given greater roles to play. The full responsibility of managing the maintained the national irrigation systems (NIS). Presidential Decrees systems and operations were handed over to the association once it 552 and 1702 issued during the Martial Law era mandated NIA to demonstrated the required skills and experience. transfer the management of irrigation systems to farmers so that they Today’s IAs trace their roots to zanjeras, which were could manage their own affairs, especially when it came to conceiving cooperative societies that developed around communal irrigation and implementing projects in their communities. systems. Zanjeras began in the Ilocos Region as far back as 1620. The NIA pilot tested its own development strategy in communal main function of a typical zanjera was to procure a stable, reliable systems in Nueva Ecija and the Bicol region. After fine-tuning the water supply for its members. In the operation of an irrigation process, the agency launched its participatory approach program, system, the zanjera was also involved in water allocation, physical starting with the formation of irrigators associations (IAs) in farming maintenance of facilities, and conflict management. communities where a national irrigation system would be built. By living up to the bayanihan spirit of the zanjeras, many NIA wanted the IAs to develop at the same time the agency present-day IAs have become models of success. The Tumbaga/Bucal was building its irrigation facilities. NIA consulted with potential Irrigators Association of Sariaya, Quezon has received more than members of an IA on details like the farming schedule in the 30 awards of excellence including Most Outstanding IA for Region community and the water cycle at the source. The data allowed IV from 2001 to 2012. The Glorya sa Bagong Milenyo IA based in technical planners to design and construct an irrigation system that Guimba, Nueva Ecija won the Agriculture Department’s Agri-Pinoy was responsive to local needs. Rice Achievers Award for 2012. After surviving the Mount Pinatubo A fledgling IA began by handling the distribution of water to eruption in 1991, the revitalized federation of six IAs in Botolan, farmlands. Then, through training and extension services regularly Zambales now engages in prospering agri-business ventures such as provided by NIA’s Institutional Development Department, IAs were biochar and vermiculture production.●

STAYINGSTAYING THE THE COURSE COURSE FOR FOR 50 YEARS 50 YEARS 1919 RIGHT: Farmers in Guimba, Nueva Ecija enjoying bountiful harvest. Pantabangan Dam irrigates most of the farmlands in Nueva Ecija. OPPOSITE: The Patanad Diversion Dam in San Isidro, Isabela.

[ FLOOD FORECASTING SAVES LIVES ]

In 1986, the Flood Forecasting and Warning System for Dam Operation (FFWSDO) project was conceived to prevent a repeat of the Angat Dam flood disaster of 1978, when 2,000 lives were lost and untold amounts in property and In 2002, for the first time in the country’s history, the agricultural sector agricultural output were washed delivered a record production of 13.12 tons of palay despite the prolonged away downstream of the dam. During typhoons, the project’s telemetered drought that hit the country. Also a first in NIA’s history, the combined area warning system alerted people living of new farmlands opened for irrigation and existing farmlands rehabilitated in flood plains downstream of dam reached a record high of 297,800 hectares, almost double the yearly area sites of the impending release of generated by the agency between 1990 to 2000. The expanded reach benefited impounded water through spillways. 368,700 families and delivered an annual yield of 525,200 metric tons of palay. The system is composed of rain and water level gauge stations installed in TAPPING NIA’S POOL OF EXPERTS crucial places in dam watersheds and In 1980, NIA created the subsidiary NIAConsult to meet the growing a radio telecommunication system demand for consultants from its talent pool. These experts are lent to for transmission of data. Without the outside projects where skills related to management, specialty services in FFWSDO, casualties of Typhoon Ondoy in irrigation, and water resources development are needed. 2009 would have been several orders of Throughout its years of managing huge projects, NIA has developed magnitude worse than the actual. a pool of highly trained experts and other specialists. Their skills have The system has been effective been tapped by international institutions, which have fielded NIA experts in the use of hydrological data and information for the efficient operations in projects in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other Asian countries. and management of reservoirs. It has Among the contracting institutions were the World Bank, the Asian also ensured the optimum use of the Development Bank, USAID, and the Ford Foundation. impounded water for power generation, irrigation, flood control, domestic water IMPROVED COOPERATION AMONG PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS supply, and mitigating flood damages, While the dams attract major attention, NIA is also involved particularly in the loss of human lives.● in the construction, maintenance, and the eventual turnover

20 NIA AT 50 [ WATER RE-USE ] The use of reclaimed or recycled waste water is among the arsenal of solutions to the problem of diminishing dependable source of fresh water supply for large-scale human activities such as accelerated surplus agriculture. Wastewater reclamation is a cost-effective way to extend rice production even in dry months. The Patanad Diversion Dam in San Isidro and Mancayao Check Dam, both in Isabela, are two that employ the method. Construction of the Patanad Diversion Dam began in December 2012 and was completed in May of 2013. Engineer Pedro M. Dalawampu, acting division manager for MARIIS Division 2, said the new diversion dam services a total of 216 hectares. Among the other dams and irrigation projects that employ re-used water are Vaca and Murcon Dam in Nueva Ecija and Bangon Checkgate, Lower Binahaan, Binahaan-Tibak RIS, Tanauan, Leyte.●

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 21 [ NIA LITERATURE ]

NIA releases a wide variety of publications to its stakeholders. using various media to disseminate information on its plans, programs and accomplishments. Most of these publications are available as printed matter in NIA offices across the country and can also be accessed on the NIA website nia.gov.ph. Publications include: of communal irrigation projects. These initiatives call for closer • NIA Primer. A set of guides on membership to cooperation and interaction with farmer beneficiaries who are expected irrigators associations, as well as specific food to be an active partner in extending the useful life of the communal sufficiency programs supported by the agency. irrigation systems. • NIA Currents. A quarterly newsletter on the plans In 1976, NIA, with support from the Ford Foundation, set up two pilot and programs, activities, new advocacies, and the projects in Laur, Nueva Ecija to test the “bottom up” integrated approach in major events of NIA and its partners. developing partner organizations. The initial lessons from the Nueva Ecija • Regional Newsletters. An update on the activities experiments were further fine-tuned in Camarines Sur. and developments in the regional offices of the This integrated approach meant farmer members were expected to be agency. involved heavily in institutional and technical activities. As water users, they • NIA Digest. Focuses on the status of new and would actively engage in planning and construction activities, participate existing projects and recent accomplishments. in surveys, obtain right of ways, acquire water permits, and build or repair • Annual Report. A round-up of highlights during the physical facilities. year, NIA’s ongoing projects, and the performance of The satisfactory results of the participatory approach in communal the agency. systems encouraged NIA to roll out the scheme in national systems. • Patubigan Komiks. A farmer’s guide on adopting The agency’s methods have also been successfully deployed, with some new farming technologies presented in comic book modifications, in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. form. • A Comprehensive History of Irrigation in the MORE HELP, MORE INNOVATIONS Philippines. A comprehensive narrative of the NIA does not stop assisting farmers when systems are conducted and milestones in irrigation development in the Philippines monitors are put in place. It must still contend with the higher objective of as it relates to the agency’s mandate.● ensuring self-sufficiency in rice.

22 NIA AT 50 [ PROTECTING WATERSHEDS ]

As irrigation impacts lives, NIA has extended its mandate to treatment of local residents (so they don’t resort to “stealing” embrace advocacies that will help ensure water continues to flow watershed agro-products). through the complex systems it has erected to guarantee food NIA has also partnered with LGUs and IAs to undertake production, the well-being of communities, and the sustainable tree-planting drives on a year-round basis to boost the potential progress of a nation. of watershed areas needed for irrigation of agricultural lands.● NIA launched the Watershed Management and Erosion Control Project (WMECP) in 1980, first “laboratory-tested” and showcased in the Magat Dam complex. The program established plantations of agroforestry and timber crops in the watershed areas within the immediate vicinity of the Magat reservoir. Nine thousand six hundred and forty four hectares of Magat watershed lands were programmed for reforestation and 4,727 hectares of denuded mountains and hillslopes were planted with various species of agro-forest trees like mango, cashew, yemane, mimosa, mahogany, Benguet pine, and narra. Today, NIA’s Environment and Watershed Management Section (EWMS) implements a World Bank-supported policy formulation that will screen new irrigation projects at the proposal level. This screening oversees a project’s realization from conception to actual operation, long after it passed the tests of environmental impact assessment and compliance, and the social safeguards that ensure fair and equitable

TOP and BOTTOM: Tree planting in Region VI and XII, respectively. The activity was part of the synchronized tree planting done by NIA offices nationwide on June 8, 2012 in support of the National Greening Program of the government. OPPOSITE RIGHT: Consultative meeting with IA members in Region VIII.

STAYINGSTAYING THE THE COURSE COURSE FOR FOR 50 YEARS 50 YEARS 2323 [ VALUES THROUGH UPRIIS dance troupe CULTURAL PURSUITS ] Every year, NIA embarks on activities that showcase the talents of its people. Every year, choral and cultural dance competitions have become highly anticipated, keeping heritage songs and dance forms alive and sparking friendly rivalry among participating regions. Choirs have performed traditional songs in local languages. Themes for the dance competition have included festival street dances as well as an exploration of Mindanao’s cultural contributions via the Malong Dance. Wearing vibrant costumes, employees participating in both competitions re-live the country’s cultural roots while reinforcing the values that NIA deems crucial to its success as an agency: dependability, In 1988, the agency delivered more direct support when it responsibility, discipline, commitment, and working began to implement the irrigation component of the Comprehensive together toward common goals.● Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). The assistance contributed not only to increased productivity of farmlands but also helped improve Region III choir the livelihood of farmers who have been transformed into small landholders. Over the 10-year implementation of the program, the agency constructed mostly new communal irrigation systems that generated 213,000 hectares of new irrigated areas and rehabilitated or improved existing systems serving some 140,000 areas. To restore irrigation service in lahar-affected areas in Central Luzon caused by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, the Shallow Groundwater Irrigation Project was launched in 1993. Six years later, water recycling or drainage re-use was introduced to help increase the coverage of irrigated areas. The Balikatan Sagip-Tubig Program operates under a counterpart sharing scheme among NIA, the Department of Region V dance troupe Agriculture, the local government units, and the irrigators associations to boost financial resources for communal irrigation systems. To effectively use hydrological data and information in the efficient operation and management of reservoirs to ensure the optimum use of impounded water, the Flood Forecasting and Warning System for Dam Operations was inaugurated on October 14, 1986. The system is also used to issue warnings on the release of impended water, which function to mitigate damages caused by flood, particularly in the loss of human life. In 1989, NIA built the Diversified Crops Irrigation Center, a training facility and soil and water laboratory designed to strengthen

2424 NIA NIA AT AT 50 50 [ OTHER POTENTIALS OF IRRIGATION DAMS ] Ecotourism The International Ecotourism Society defines the term as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” On the national scale, the Magat Dam Tourism Complex in Ramon, Isabela, showcases NIA’s commitment to these principles. The largest in Asia at the time of its construction in the early 1980s, Magat Dam remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in the province of Isabela. Situated in the Magat Forest Reserve, the Magat Dam Tourism Complex is a pleasant location for picnicking, fishing, and engaging in various types of water sports. The complex centers on the 4,450-hectare lake created by the dam. The waters are clean and there are facilities for fishing, boating, and various water sports like water skiing. Close to the dam is Camp Vizcarra, a leisure resort that was constructed next to the river by the government of Isabela. There are other facilities that offer the potential for tourism development. The 1.61-kilometer long Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija affords a picturesque view of the Sierra Madre Mountains, while the clear waters of its 8,000-hectare man-made lake teem with marine life and invite leisure activities like fishing, boating, and swimming. Nearby, a hotel already offers rooms with views of the placid lake along with spa treatments and water activities for guests. Anglers have also discovered Pantabangan, mounting occasional sports fishing competitions to reel in the prized large-mouth bass.

Mini Hydro Power Plants The National Irrigation Administration irrigation systems (dams and canals) has potential for hydro powers, thus, field officials had site visits and investigation and identified over 147 sites nationwide for possible location of minihydro power plants which can generate altogether an estimated 28 megawatts of electricity. Hydropower offers many advantages: (1) run irrigation pumps; (2) run operation of poultry, piggery, hatchery, fishponds, aerations, sawmills; (3) domestic source of energy; (4) generally available when needed; (5) clean electricity; (6) recreational opportunities like fishing, swimming, and boating; (7) income generating; and (8) relies on the water cycle, which is driven by the sun, thus it is a renewable power source.●

Magat reservoir, Isabela is an ecotourism complex ideal for picnicking, fishing, and engaging in various types of water sports.

STAYINGSTAYING THE THE COURSE COURSE FOR FOR 50 YEARS50 YEARS 2525 [ INCREASING YIELDS ]

NIA has helped farmers increase their yields or make it easy for them to secure rice-growing supplies. • Ratooning. A method of harvesting rice by leaving the roots and the lower parts of the plant intact to give the remaining stubble or “ratoon” a chance to regenerate and bear fruit. Main benefit: the crop matures earlier in the season and at a decreased cost. • No-tillage system. A method that supplants plowing, the benefits of which (aerating the soil, eliminating weeds, and mixing organic matter into the soil) are achieved in other ways. Benefit: reduces overhead. • Alternate wet and dry (AWD). A water-use farming practice where rice fields are allowed to dry intermittently during the rice-growing stages rather the agency’s operations, maintenance services, and water management than keeping the fields continuously submerged. capabilities to crops other than rice. Under the banner of “irrigation efficiency is rice self-sufficiency,” • Quick turn around (QTA). A disaster recovery NIA cooperated with the Department of Agriculture in 2010 to introduce response initiative where palay seeds and other rice ratooning, a planting technology that regenerates the growth of new rice-growing consumables are supplied by the rice tillers after harvest. Within 45 days, the ratooned crops is ready to government right after a destructive typhoon. be harvested. • 5-in-2 croppings. Part of NIA’s drive to increase The agency also ventured with farmers in quick turnaround, cropping intensity from the traditional two in alternate wetting and drying, and no-tillage farming strategies that one year, the new cropping calendar ensures that increase yields on limited farmlands. A more recent first for NIA is harvests don’t fall during the typhoon months of the installation of mini-hydro plants along irrigation canals for power September and October.● generation which offers potential to generate new sources of revenues. For the last 50 years, the National Irrigation Administration has stayed the course in pursuing its vision of establishing irrigation systems nationwide that are environmentally sound, socially acceptable, strategically located, and locally managed. It has sought new and more sustainable ways to enable farmers to improve the delivery and management of water so that the likes of Mang Alfredo Renante can continue to increase his yield, improve his lot and that of the community, and show the children that farming remains a noble, life-affirming pursuit that sustains self, family, and indeed, the nation, beyond the day to day.●

26 NIA AT 50 A farmer in Tumauini, Isabela proudly shows his-soon-to-ripen rice plant.

OPPOSITE TOP: Irrigation canal in Plaridel, Bulacan.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 27 Leading the Way

n the main office or out on the I field, NIA’s senior officers are strengthening linkages with partners, experts, stakeholders, and the communities they serve.

FIRST ROW (from top): Jimmy L. Apostol, Bukidnon IMO Manager; Reynaldo C. Mencias, Project Manager, Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project (ARIIP); Benitez K. Derogongan, IMO Manager, Region X; Josephine E. Abejon, Corporate Board Secretary; Mariano S. Catan, Jr., Irrigated Rice Production Enhancement Project (IRPEP) Manager. SECOND ROW: Violeta C. Esguerra, Administrative Department Manager; Joecarnine L. Gubat, Irrigation Management Office (IMO) Manager, Region X; Gregorio S. Dumandan, Internal Audit Service Manager; Rebecca C. Malazarte, Financial Management Department Manager; Virginia R. Atienza, Corporate Planning Services Manager; Genever M. Dionio, Legal Services Department Manager. THIRD ROW: Gregorio Y. Pang, Sta. Joseja/ Umayam Irrigation Project Manager; Erdolfo B. Domingo, Engineering Department Manager; Vicente R. Vicmudo, Project Manager, Balog-Balog Multipurpose Irrigation Project (BBMP); Gene P. Ragodon, Participatory Irrigation Development Project (PIDP) Manager; Noldin S. Oyod, Mal-Mar Irrigation Project Manager; John N. Celeste, National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP) Manager.

28 NIA AT 50 BOTTOM ROW (opposite): Efren S. Roqueza, Operations Department Manager; Eleuterio C. Luz, Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) Manager; Alexander G. Coloma, Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) Phase II Manager; Helsy S. Bemudez, Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program- Irrigation Component (CARP-IC) Manager; Ismael D. Tabije, Member, NIA Board of Directors, Private Sector Representative; Estelita S. Sumile, Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project-Irrigation and Drainage Component (HCAAP-IDC) Manager. TOP ROW (this page): Conrado V. Cardenas, Jr., Regional Irrigation Manager (RIM), Region IV-B; William P. Ragodon, RIM, Region V; Gerardo P. Corsiga, RIM, Region VI; Diosdado A. Rosales, RIM, Region IX; Pilipina P. Bermudez, Public Affairs and Information Staff (PAIS) Manager; Romeo G. Quiza, RIM, Region VIII. SECOND ROW: Alejando L. Alberca, RIM, Region VII; Mario H. Sande, RIM, Region XII; Julius S. Maquiling, RIM Region XI; Josephine B. Salazar, Operations Manager, Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS); Dexter G. Patrocino, former RIM, Region XIII; Manuel L. Collado, former RIM, Region I. THIRD ROW: Vicente E. Galvez, RIM, Region II; Mariano G. Dancel, Operations Manager, Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (MARIIS); Felix M. Razo, Senior Deputy Administrator; Lorna Grace B. Rosario, Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance; Claro V. Maranan, Administrator. FOURTH ROW: Antonio S. Nangel, former Administrator; Modesto G. Membreve, Acting Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations; Robert C. Suguitan, former Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations; John L. Socalo, RIM, CAR; Reynaldo D. Puno, RIM, Region III; Romeo R. Añonuevo, former RIM, Region IV. NOT IN PHOTO: Renato P. Millan, RIM, Region I; Romeo M. Lopez, RIM, Region IV-A; Hilarion C. Cedeño, RIM, Region X; Encarnacion S. Soriano, RIM, Region XIII. ●

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 29 Landmark Dates

1968 The elusive goal of self-efficiency in rice was attained and the country ceased to import rice for the first time since 1947. 1969 NIA was the first recipient of a loan from the newly organized Asian 1980 June 22, 1963 Development Bank to finance project NIA’s authorized capital was increased President Diosdado Macapagal signed formulation and water management from P2 billion to P10 billion. into law Republic Act No. 3601 entitled activities. “An Act Creating the National Irrigation NIAConsult was also established Administration.” 1974 to provide project advisory and The multi-million Pantabangan Dam, management services to international 1964 constructed by an all-Filipino group, financing institutions and their client NIA started operations with an initial was inaugurated. countries. complement of 631 personnel. 1966 1982 Magat Dam was inaugurated. The new agency held ground-breaking ceremonies for its first major project, 1986 the Angat Multipurpose Project at the The Flood Forecasting and Warning damsite in Bustos, Bulacan. System for Dam Operations was inaugurated for the mitigation of potential flood damages and the effective use of hydrological data and information. 1977 The year marked a dramatic 1988 turnaround in the state of the rice President Corazon Aquino issued economy of the Philippines when the Proclamation No. 256 declaring the third country began exporting rice for the week of June every year as Irrigation first time since the end of World War II. Week. NIA started implementing the

30 NIA AT 50 irrigation development component of 2000 the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform The Southern Philippines Irrigation Program. Project commenced covering depressed areas of Regions VI and VII 1990 in the Visayas, Caraga Region, and Started the restoration of damaged the Autonomous Region of Muslim irrigation systems in areas affected by Mindanao. lahar from the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991. 2002 2011 For the first time in NIA’s history, Rice ratooning, quick turn-around, the combined area of new and alternate wetting and drying and no- rehabilitated farmlands covered tillage strategies were introduced to by irrigation reached a record high increase farm yield. of almost 300,000 hectares. The agricultural sector also delivered a 2012 record production of 13.12 tons of The agency ventured into mini-hydro palay despite the prolonged drought plants in irrigation canals, eco- that hit the country. tourism and bulk water and potable 1991 water system. R.A. 6978 was signed into law providing for an accelerated program NIA undertakes synchronized for the construction of irrigation tree-planting activity as part of the systems to promote rural development. celebration of its 49th anniversary. 14,687 trees were planted in 35 1993 different planting sites nationwide. The Shallow Groundwater Program was launched as an alternative way to 2013 restore irrigation in lahar-affected areas NIA celebrates its 50th anniversary● in Central Luzon. 2004 The Integrity Development Action Plan 1999 (IDAP) set in place measures to avert Water recycling also known as graft and corruption in the agency from drainage water re-use was introduced the head office to the regional and field to help increase the area covered by offices. irrigation.

31 STAYINGSTAYING THE THE COURSE COURSE FOR FOR 50 YEARS50 YEARS 31 Their Life’s Work, Their Personal Mission Fresh and eager, their faces turned to the future, Renato, Zeny, Helsy, and Vicente joined NIA when the agency was as young and full of promise as they were back in the seventies. Four decades later, as they near retirement, they reflect on the culture, the milestones, the challenges, and the satisfactions that made them stay in an organization that has transformed so many lives, their own included.

ake Vicente Galvez, Irrigation Manager for Region II. He joined NIA as engineer trainee in 1972, a time of dizzying change when agricultural problems were intimately intertwined with irrigation issues and T emerging technologies. During his tour of duty as project manager for the Cagayan Integrated Agricultural Development Project in the mid-eighties, he saw engineers bail by the dozens when site offices were raided twice in one year by the New People’s Army. From 50 assigned to the project, only 20 remained before they dwindled to five. But unfazed and a little angry, he sought the support of the townspeople, who gave it to him—allowing him to plow on with the irrigation project. Looking back at the experience, Galvez states, “I have staked my life for NIA because I honored my commitments to the ideals I imbibed when I joined the organization.” Renato Gamboa, Technical Assistant for operations, Institutional Development Division, also saw massive projects come to fruition, if in a less dramatic fashion. He joined NIA fresh out of college, working as an engineer on the Upper Pampanga River Project which later became the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System. In less than half a decade, he witnessed rice growers in project areas boost their harvest from 40 to 60 cavans per hectare to a whopping 100 to 200 cavans. He was even recruited by the government to help a Filipino team develop an irrigation system for the then-newly born nation of East Timor. Those who kept the agency in efficient running condition were just as instrumental in the success of NIA. “Even as a typist, as support staff, I felt I was contributing to the growth of the agency and, by extension, the improvement of the lives of the farmer beneficiaries,” said Zeny Riño, who rose through the ranks to Senior Internal Control Officer A. Over the 40 years she devoted to NIA, Riño saw how irrigated areas become attractive to investors. She saw farmers increase their buying power, send their kids to school, and the communities they live in become cauldrons for micro entrepreneurship. She knows that “irrigation literally sets the multiplier effect to a forward motion.”

32 NIA AT 50 Engineer Helsy Delos Santos Bermudez, NIA-CARP Project Manager, BELOW (left to right) AND OPPOSITE (top knows this too well. “Irrigation is not just physical structure construction; just to bottom): Renato Gamboa, Zeny Riño, as important is the development of the people who will use it,” he says. Simply Engineer Helsy Delos Santos Bermudez going where the jobs took him after he graduated with a civil engineering degree, and Vicente Galvez. Background image: Bermudez immediately felt at home when he was hired by NIA to work on Vicente Galvez. designing irrigation projects in region 1. He was there when the participatory approach to irrigation was introduced in 1975. Reviving the bayanihan idea meant farmers took care of maintaining weather-prone irrigation canals and causeways for the good of the entire system, and not just on the section that directly affected them. His summation of this community spirit parallels that of his 40-year service to NIA. “Like everything else in society, if you own it, you take care of it.” It may well apply to the exemplary dedication of NIA’s other long- serving employees.●

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 33 NIA Administrators Each brought his expertise to the agency, allowing it to fulfill its mandate and evolve with the changing times.

TOMAS DE at the helm of NIA’s involvement in CESAR L. TECH GUZMAN (1964- research on land reform, agricultural (February 28, 1966) production, infrastructure, and power 1983 – April 30, Engineer Tomas generation. Two years into his term, 1986) De Guzman the Philippines achieved rice self- Cesar L. Tech started his sufficiency, which prompted the World rose from government Bank to declare that “NIA is the finest the ranks service in 1926 as irrigation agency in the whole of Asia.” and, as NIA an inspector in the head, cut red tape by decentralizing District Engineer’s Office in Pangasinan. He FIORELIO the agency. A number of viable offices moved up to chief of the irrigation division R. ESTUAR increased during his term, which also of the Bureau of Public Works before his (March 17, 1980 saw the country producing 164 million appointment as NIA Administrator in 1965. – February 28, cavans of rice in 1985. The Magat River During his term, NIA contributed 39.5 1983) Integrated Irrigation Systems (MARIIS) percent to total national rice production Thanks to became operational during Tech’s term, from only 30 percent of irrigated area, a structural with the granting of viability incentive noteworthy feat at the time. Also under engineer Fiorelio grants for NIA personnel and emergency his watch, NIA initiated the Angat River Estuar’s administration, corporate planning food subsidy allowance rounding Multipurpose Project, evolved from a was institutionalized and the participatory out the highlights of his three-year department into a full-fledged agency, and approach in project implementation was administration. revised the rules and regulations governing also adopted where farmer-beneficiaries the operation and maintenance of national were consulted in the selection of projects. FEDERICO N. irrigation systems. Computers were introduced to automate ALDAY (May 1, monitoring, tracing, retrieving, reporting 1986 – April 30, ALFREDO and analysis. Estuar also challenged 1989) L. JUINIO organizational units to become self- Federico N. (December sufficient. Under Estuar’s inclusive Alday introduced 1966 – March 16, leadership, church and government joined diversified 1980) hands in the Abra River Irrigation Project. It crops irrigation As the longest- was also during the administration of Estuar engineering, flood forecasting and warning serving NIA when Financial Viability was introduced and system for dam operators, computerized Administrator, institutionalized. His administration has billing of irrigation service fees, irrigation civil engineer Alfredo L. Juinio was aptly been described as the Age of Irrigation. technology transfer, and mobility and

34 NIA AT 50 communication equipment upgrade. His his term and enhanced institutional development irrigation acceleration projects still generate implemented programs such as the establishment of the useful lessons to this day. the creation of NIA Employees Welfare Program. On his the CARAGA watch, management and NIA Employees JOSE B. DEL Region – Region Association of the Philippines signed a ROSARIO JR. XIII plus collective negotiation agreement, a NIA (May 1, 1989 Agusan, Surigao, Committee on Discipline was created, a – October 22, and Butuan. one-hour weekly radio program launched 1992) He granted for NIA’s information campaigns, and Total Under Jose B. hazard pay to employees in areas such as Quality and Productivity Management del Rosario’s volcanic peripheries and played a significant System adopted and implemented. leadership, role in averting a rice shortage crisis in 1996. national and communal irrigation Undan’s term laid the guidelines for the CESAR E. projects were intensified, the agency’s formation of provincial federations and GONZALES financial position strengthened, a nationwide confederation of irrigators (January 5, management role of farmer-beneficiaries associations (PRFIAS and NCIA) in response 2001 – March expanded, and earthquake reconstruction to the magna carta of small farmers. 29, 2001) of irrigation damage launched. Cesar E. ORLANDO Gonzales was a APOLONIO V. SORIANO NIA pioneer— V. BAUTISTA (February 1, 1997 he was a (October – July 16, 1998) Project Engineer at the then Bureau of 23, 1992 – Orlando Public Works. During his stint as Project December 31, V. Soriano Manager of Upper Pampanga River 1995) concentrated Project, construction of Pantabangan Apolonio V. on the extensive Dam was completed 17 months ahead Bautista’s improvement of schedule, a feat unequalled then and administration and rehabilitation of both national and unreplicated since. He produced the prioritized areas destroyed by the eruption communal irrigation system, and repaired preliminary studies for the Magat River of Mount Pinatubo in 1991. To address networks of farm-to-market roads and Multipurpose Project and the Casecnan the degradation of watersheds, he turned diversion/distribution canals and drainage Transbasin Project. Project engineers irrigators associations into efficient systems. Discipline and order vastly call him NIA’s Unsung Hero. partners through institutional development improved within NIA under his term. programs. Project managers were directed ORLANDO C. to report to the regional heads to enhance MANUEL S. (HONDRADE coordination between central and field AREVALO April 1, 2001 – offices. (July 17, 1998 May 28, 2001) – January 4, Under Orlando RODOLFO C. UNDAN (January 1, 1996 2001) C. Hondrade’s – January 31, 1997) Rodolfo Undan saw Manuel S. two-month role the inauguration of five projects under Arevalo as Officer-

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 35 In-Charge and Administrator, NIA’s Japan International Cooperation Agency MARCELINO revenues rose by a staggering 15 (JICA) to conduct a preparatory study on V. TUGAOEN percent. Awarded most outstanding The Project For Agricultural Productivity JR. (February irrigation superintendent of Pulangui Improvement and Environmental 23, 2007 – April RIS Bukidnon, Hondrade was appointed Conservation on Lubang Island. 30, 2008) Administrator of the Metropolitan Marcelino Waterworks and Sewerage Systems BALTHAZAR H. Tugaoen’s (MWSS) right after leaving NIA. USIS (October administration 19, 2005 – created 17,110 jobs nationwide in JESUS September 13, construction activities. On his watch, the EMMANUEL M. 2006) Integrity Development Action Plan (IDAP) PARAS (May 29, NIA adopted was formulated from central office to 2001 – January the New regional and field offices; the Nagbabaclan 16, 2005) Government CIA diversion Works in Gonzaga, Cagayan Irrigation Accounting was completed within eight months; and cropping System (NGAS) under the administration the Comprehensive Agreement Program intensity rose to of Balthazar H. Usis. He ordered the (CAP) on collection of Irrigation Service an impressive 142 creation of Integrity Development Action Fee (ISF) back accounts was vigorously percent under Jesus Emmanuel Paras’s Plan Committee (IDAPCC) and sectoral pursued. five-year watch. Collections on irrigation technical working groups. Internally, service fees improved by almost 200 Balthazar resolved the problems of unpaid CARLOS S. percent, while those from pump and wages and granted payment of collection SALAZAR (May CIP amortizations and equity went up agreement incentives. 1, 2008 – August 465 percent. Paras also implemented 11, 2010) the Integrated Farm Support Program ARTURO C. Dubbed The (IFSP). LUMIBAO Working (September 13, Adminstrator, PROCESO T. 2006 – February Carlos S. DOMINGO 22, 2007) Salazar is the father and pioneer of (January 17, 2005 Arturo the Sustainable System of Irrigated – October 18, Lumibao’s Agriculture (SSIA), previously known as 2005) administration Salazar’s System of Rice Development. Proceso Domingo oversaw the Under his command, NIA ranked third was a proponent creation of 11,590 jobs in irrigation- among eight government-owned and of the super- related construction through the controlled corporations (GOCC) and diversion canal of the Casecnan Multi- continued implementation of foreign- government financial institutions (GFI) Purpose Irrigation and Power Project assisted projects nationwide. The for complying and implementing its (NIA-CMIPP). He pursued the Participatory National Irrigation Administration saw Integrity Development Action Plan Irrigation Development Project and ISRP its income increase by P2.23 million to (IDAP) for the first semester of 2009. and signed a MOA between NIA and P1.631 billion in 2006. NIA earned a 95 percent rating in energy

36 NIA AT 50 conservation from the government. Salazar also adopted the Quick Turn [ ANTONIO S. NANGEL ] Around (QTA) Strategy in order to replenish or restore damaged crop areas. The Pragmatic Visionary

ALEXANDER A. REUYAN (February 8, 2010 – August 1, 2010) As officer-in- charge and administrator, Alexander A. Reyuan chaired the change management team in its last phase for NIA’s rationalization plan and initiated the cross-visitation of regional and operations managers. He institutionalized the regular conference of the Association of Regional Directors and Operations Managers (ARDOMA). Dubbed The Proactive Administrator, Antonio S. Nangel oversaw NIA from 2010 ANTONIO to 2013. He was the first NIA administrator to have been given the biggest budget A. GALVEZ allocation for the generation, restoration, and rehabilitation of irrigation systems in (August 2, 2010 the country. He was the first to place great emphasis on visiting and interacting with – September 6, the farmers and LGUs on their irrigation needs, practically laying down the road map 2010) to rice self-sufficiency. On his watch NIA became viable again, the first after 49 years. Antonio A. The Southern Philippines Irrigation Sector Project was completed during his term. Galvez is the A memorandum of understanding was signed with SN Aboitiz Power–Magat for the longest-serving Magat expansion project 1 and 2. employee in NIA’s history. He started as He was a far-reaching visionary with a strong pragmatic mind and his an engineer-trainee in 1970 in the Upper innovations yielded dramatic results on the ground that resonated with the public Pampanga River Project and assisted at large. He implemented the five-croppings-in-two-years scheme; introduced rice in hydraulic and structural design of ratooning; streamlined the Quick Turn Around Strategy for field damage control simple irrigation structures. He was and response; and implemented alternative wetting and drying, no-tillage, and appointed Assistant Administrator for 12 other strategies that resulted in increased but sustainable crop yields. years and, before his retirement, he was NIA attained the highest irrigation cropping intensity during Nangel’s term and he appointed Senior Deputy Administrator. was the first to venture into projects like mini-hydro power plants in irrigation canals, He chaired the Change Management eco-tourism, and bulkwater or potable water system. The Casecnan Multipurpose Team for NIA Rationalization Plan.● Project Phase II and the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Phase II started in his term.●

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 37 [ CLARO V. MARANAN ] Committing to Innovation and Strengthening Ties with Stakeholders

IA Administrator Engineer Claro V. Maranan has been called an experienced public servant, an achiever, a warrior of knowledge and improvement, and a true leader. The plaudits are well earned. N The former OIC of NIA’s Office of the Senior Deputy Administrator was appointed to his current position just as the agency celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, bringing with him vision, compassion, and a straightforward approach to issues borne of years as a leader-servant in the private and public sectors. Administrator Maranan began his career in his hometown in Sariaya, Quezon in 1976 as a member of the Municipal Council. After serving as a board member of the Quezon Provincial Council, he became president of the East Orient Development Corporation, worked as a materials engineer in the Office of the Quezon Provincial Engineer, and was a project manager at Montalbo & Sons, Inc. He joined the public sector in 1989, starting as project engineer of the 4th IBRD Ports Project – Port of Sta. Cruz under the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA). Rising through the ranks, he became the assistant general manager of PPA’s Engineering Office from in 2005 to 2010. Later, he was hired as a consultant for the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority in 2011 and then became the agency’s assistant general manager. Three months prior to his appointment as new NIA chief, Engineer Maranan was appointed as the OIC for NIA’s Office of the Senior Deputy Administrator due to his pristine track record. In his positions, he championed transparency, accountability, equity, efficiency, and economy in procurement process of both PPA and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority; promoted environmental concerns in all PPA ports; pushed for a first-ever comprehensive audit of the Navotas Fish Port Complex that resulted in collections totaling P63.6 million; paved the way for the standardization of engineering processes in PPA; and implemented health, safety, and security measures in port lease contracts. He also pursued learning opportunities at every turn, augmenting his experience and degree in BS Civil Engineering with training and seminars on areas as diverse as gender audits and analysis, maritime safety, engineering design, performance appraisals, ports reform, and internal and information audits. For NIA, Administrator Maranan has unveiled a seven-point program, namely: the rapid and efficient delivery of irrigation projects, an accurate reporting and

38 NIA AT 50 monitoring system, organizational reforms and process innovations, corporate financial stability, empowerment and continuous learning for employees, a comprehensive plan on climate change adaptation, and strengthening the agency’s commitment to farmers and other stakeholders for lasting cooperation. “The old, ineffective structures will be transformed into innovative systems and processes responsive to the demands of the NIA and stakeholders. Taking full responsibility for results, the next ten years of NIA will be its greatest decade ever,” Administrator Maranan vowed.●

OPPOSITE (TOP): Administrator Maranan leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the blessing and inauguration of the new three-storey building of NIA Region IV Employees Multipurpose Cooperative. 2ND AND THIRD FROM TOP: Adm. Maranan visits NIA Region VIII after typhoon Yolanda. BOTTOM: The administrator emphasizes his 7-point Agenda.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 39 Catubig Left Main Canal, HCAAP, Las Navas, Northern Samar.

40 NIA AT 50 CHAPTER 2 Where The Water Flows

In NIA’s fifteen regional and two integrated irrigation systems offices, irrigation systems and dams have brought a measure of peace and the promise of prosperity to local communities. While some of them took years to complete and others were more modest community systems, they all answered a crucial, fundamental need. Here are the major irrigation projects and systems of each region and the men and women who help administer them.

WHERE THE WATER FLOWS 41 NIA CAR Cordillera Administrative Region

or almost 30 years since the creation of NIA in 1963, [ UCRIS ] irrigation development in the Cordilleras fell under NIA- Region I and NIA-Region II as there was no established The Upper Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS) is the F regional irrigation office in the Cordillera Administrative largest irrigation system in the Cordilleras. With a cost of P827 Region or CAR. million, UCRIS, previously known as Chico River Irrigation It was only in May 1993 that NIA-CAR was created, pursuant to Project (CRIP), began construction in 1977 and was officially the presidential directives of then President Fidel Ramos in 1992. opened in December 1986 with service areas in 28 barangays of NIA-CAR covered the provincial irrigation offices of Abra, Benguet, Tabuk and Pinukpuk, Kalinga, and Quezon and Mallig, Isabela. Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao, Mountain Province, and Upper Chico River At present, it has a firmed-up service area of 15,258 hectares. Irrigation System with the head office established at the building Juanito Bolislis, a former long-term irrigators of NIA-Benguet provincial irrigation office (PIO) in Wangal, La association leader, recalled that prior to irrigation, farmers Trinidad, Benguet. used to harvest 30 cavans per hectare. Thanks to UCRIS, In 2009, six PIOs of NIA-CAR were merged into three irrigation yields tripled to 90 to more than 100 cavans per hectare. management offices (IMOs), namely Apayao IMO, Kalinga-Ifugao- “And so they [people] realized that it was the irrigation that Mt. Province IMO, and Abra-Benguet IMO which was merged with brought progress in Tabuk, Kalinga,” Bolislis said. UCRIS is the regional office. scheduled for rehabilitation under the World Bank-funded In almost two decades, irrigation development rose from 24.48 Participatory Irrigation Development Project (PIDP), with percent in 1993 to 47.87 percent in 2012, with a service area totaling civil works commencing in the last quarter of 2013.● 88,756 hectares of rice, vegetables, and other high-value crops out of the regional potential irrigable area of 185,406 hectares. To date, NIA-CAR covers three national irrigation systems (NIS), the Upper [ GUNGLO TI MANNALON IA ] Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS) in Kalinga, West Apayao- Gunglo ti Mannalon Irrigators Association was formerly Abulug Irrigation System in Apayao and Hapid Irrigation System in called Lawig IA which was formed in 1978 to maintain the then Ifugao, and 1,376 NIA-assisted communal irrigation systems (CIS) Lawig Communal Irrigation System, now integrated to the Hapid all over the region. There are 921 irrigators associations in NIA-CAR Irrigation System. The diversion dam was originally constructed with about 67,000 farmer-members. by Ramon Dulinayan until NIA improved the dam and built Among the big projects expected to help boost irrigation canals which irrigated other nearby farms. development in the Cordilleras are the multi-year Alfonso Lista Since 1977, IA members have been deeply involved in Pump Irrigation Project in Ifugao, Marimay Small Reservoir every aspect of the system since it was turned over to them in Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Apayao, and Upper Butigue SRIP 1978. During its stint as a communal system under Region 2 and in Mountain Province, together with the World Bank-funded now as a national system under NIA-CAR, the IA has received Participatory Irrigation Development Projects in West Apayao- awards for being an outstanding farmer association. Abulog Irrigation System and Upper Chico River Irrigation With its integration with the NIS, Gunglo ti Mannalon System. IA has regularly received incentives from the collection of NIA-CAR is currently headed by Regional Manager John irrigation service fees because of its high collection rates and Socalo.● satisfactory maintenance of canals.●

42 NIA AT 50 BELOW: The Upper Chico River Irrigation System Diversion Dam in Tabuk City, Kalinga. BELOW LEFT: NIA-CAR Manager John Socalo plants pine tree seedlings during the NIA Synchronized Tree Planting in June 2013. BELOW MIDDLE: The officers of CAR Federation of Irrigators Association headed by Mr. Remy Albano. BELOW RIGHT: Potato and other high value crops are the common produce in the NIA-assisted Salin-Balicanao Communal Irrigation System (CIS) in Sadsadan, Bauko, Mt. Province. Service areas in vegetable-producing CISs in the Cordilleras are typically rolling or terraced agricultural land usually irrigated through sprinklers that draw water from impounding tanks. Farmers of Benguet and Mountain Province can cultivate their vegetable gardens thrice a year depending on the type of crops planted and the availability of water.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 43 Region I Ilocos Region ith a total service area of 113,000 hectares, NIA serves more than 84,000 farmers in Region I. Of these, 51,754 belong to 262 registered irrigators associations (IAs) that look after W 63,124 hectares under the national irrigation system (NIS). The remaining 32,685 are members of 35 registered IAs responsible for another 48,476 hectares supplied by the communal irrigation system (CIS). There are four major irrigation projects in Region I, namely: Barbar Small River Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Ilocos Sur with a service area of 1,000 hectares and 306 farmer beneficiaries; Masidem SRIP in Bani, Pangasinan with 440 farmer members in a 600-hectare service area; San Angel SRIP in Rosales, Pangasinan [ THE TRADITIONALIST ] with 115 farmers in 161 hectares; and Agno River Integrated Irrigation Project Success is not based on material wealth nor on (ARIIP), one of the largest projects of NIA under project manager Reynaldo C. land ownership, but on how a person achieved his Mencias, with 34,450 hectares serviced to benefit 29,207 farmers. goals to improve himself and help others. Jaime Z. In 2012, Region I achieved 68 percent in irrigation development and Gapatan is a seed grower and a farmer of Ilocos Sur. increased its viability index by .18 percent, making it one of the most improved A Commerce graduate of the Polytechnic University regions of NIA for the year. of the Philippines in Manila, Gapatan was obliged NIA Regiona I is headed by acting RIM Renato P. Millan.● to run the family farm when his beloved brother died unexpectedly. Wanting to do his sibling proud, Gapatan sought assistance in improving production, first from the municipal agricultural technician and later from NIA, and to repair irrigation canals. Later, he organized the Timpuyog ti Sta. Maria-Burgos Farmers Irrigators Association. In 2012, he was elected to head the provincial confederation of Ilocos Sur Irrigators Association and at present he is the treasurer of the Timpuyog ti Irrigators Association ti Region I (TIARI). Gapatan, who eschews high-tech methods, believes that sticking to traditional farming makes Filipino farmers proud because they can live even without the use of agri-machinery.●

44 NIA AT 50 [ RIVERSIDE IA ]

Riverside IA of Barangay San Juan, Umingan, Pangasinan was organized on February 1, 1981. It had 99 members when it officially registered with the Securi- ties and Exchange Commission on March 26, 1982. Back in 1979, when a mini dam canal was constructed with 50 hectares of irrigable service area, Riverside ABOVE: Riverside IA members at their irrigation IA expanded its coverage to 150 hectares as San Juan CIS completed its Phase I in water source in Barangay San Juan, Umingan, 1982 and Phase II in 1984. Problems occurred particularly in the water distribu- Pangasinan. OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: Current acting tion schedule because members were hesitant to follow the cropping calendar. RIM Renato P. Millan. OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT: However, this operational problem gradually decreased with the assistance and monitoring of NIA personnel. In 2000, the association was tapped to participate in Former RIM Manuel L. Collado. OPPOSITE the Balikatan Sagip Patubig Program (BSPP) with the help of the provincial govern- BOTTOM: As one of the major projects of NIA in ment of Pangasinan. From thereon, Riverside IA became one of the catchment Region I, Masidem SRIP irrigates 600 hectares of areas of Pangasinan and received various awards from NIA for their outstanding farmland with 400 farmer members. OPPOSITE performance in the CIS category. Riverside IA bagged its latest award on June 25, RIGHT: Jaime Z Gapatan. 2013 during the fiftieth anniversary of NIA.●

STAYING WHERETHE COURSE THE WATER FOR 50 FLOWS YEARS 4545 Region II Cagayan Valley

IA’S Region II main office is located along Maharlika Highway, Minante I, Cauayan City in the province of Isabela. It is justifiably credited as the central lifeline that made the region consistently rank N as the top producer of rice and corn among all regions in the country. Better known as Cagayan Valley covering the entire area occupied by Cagayan province, the Batanes group, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino, Region II produced a total of 2.177 million metric tons of palay and 1.875 million of corn in 2012. On average, the region provides 13 percent of the country’s palay and 22 percent of the national corn supply. Cagayan Valley contributed 1.77 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), an increase of 5.37 percent from 2010. Region II has 16,426 irrigation systems that cover 268,216 hectares of agricultural lands. National irrigation systems (NIS, which cover 1,000 hectares and above) make up 56.75 percent of the command area while communal [ ADDALAM DAM ] irrigation systems (CIS, covering less than 1,000 hectares) serve 44 percent of The Addalam Diversion Dam located in San the irrigation area. Beginning in 2008, these systems were rehabilitated at a cost Leonardo, Aglipay, Quirino Province is a 9.2-meter of P3.23 billion with a projected increase in palay production by some 270 metric ogee-type dam that irrigates an aggregate area of tons after improvements. 5,830 hectares of agricultural land in Aglipay and The soon-to-be-completed Colocol Integrated Communal Irrigation System Saguday in Quirino, and Echague and Jones in the Rehabilitation/Restoration and Extension Project (CICIS-REP) in Bayombong, province of Isabela. Inaugurated on September Nueva Viscaya is also expected to increase the volume of rice production in the 10, 2008, the P1.3 billion irrigation project benefits province. Previously, Colocol CICIS serviced 2,875 hectares; now, it is expected to 4,500 farmers—boosting agricultural development in extend its reach to another 3,315 hectares. Quirino and two towns in Isabela and augmenting rice In Region II, NIA is headed by RIM Engineer Vicente E. Galvez, who oversees production in the Cagayan Valley.● project implementation in the five juridical areas of the Valley.●

46 NIA AT 50 [ RAPIDO IA ] RAPIDO was organized in 1982 with 75 founding members and a service area of 238.24 hectares in the rainy season and a little less in the dry. Self-named for their members’ desire to work hard and improve their lot, RAPIDO now has 497 members and a service area of 226.3 hectares recovered from the 500 hectares of formerly cultivated rice lands demolished by Typhoon Ilyang in 1998 (minus the hectarage converted to residential and commercial use since then). For an irrigators association with individual tillage areas of not more than 1.5 hectares, RAPIDO was named best irrigators association in 2012, with nearly 100 percent collection rate on irrigation service fees (ISF). Association president Gilbert Alejandro credits the group’s success to lessons learned from past calamities. RAPIDO is based in Lower Chico RIS, Tuao, Cagayan. Francis L. Yu is the principal engineer of the system.●

[ FROM TWO TO TWENTY ]

Rogelio and Zenaida Layno started with just two squares of rice paddies back in the day when the harvest cycle was still restricted to once a year. As with other rice farmers, the Laynos prospered after partnering with NIA. Employing modern farming techniques, the Laynos expanded their field to 22 and 23 hectares of corn and rice fields, respectively. They sent their children to college. Eventually, they owned their own rice and corn mill, a fleet of delivery vehicles, and a bigger home. To this day, they still choose to TOP: The officers of Rapido IA led by President Gilbert Alejandro remain in the paddies with their farmhands during planting continue to push the association forward towards improving their lot. and harvesting season. They can still rely on their intuitive BOTTOM: This modern and spacious two-storey house was newly- fingers to tell whether a random sample of palay satisfies the built by farmer Rogelio Layno. The house is a testament of his hard humidity standards of the prevailing market but leave that work. OPPOSITE TOP: RIM Galvez heads the greening program held task to the latest farming technology they employ. “This is at the Watershed of Siggayu Small Water Impounding System in what we have come to know well,” the couple said of why Solana, Cagayan. With him are Division Manager Antonio C. Lara they remain committed to farming. Seeing how far they’ve of Cagayan Batanes IMO and CENR Officer Miriam Frances Malana. come, thanks to irrigation and modern farming methods, the OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Addalam Diversion Dam in San Leonardo, Laynos know whereof they speak.● Aglipay, Quirino Province.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 47 MARIIS Magat River Integrated Irrigation System

he Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (MARIIS) is one of the MARIIS Operations Manager Engineer Mariano G. largest irrigation projects undertaken by the National Irrigation Dancel (second from right). Administration at a cost of P3.4 billion. It consists of the Magat T Reservoir; two diversion dams namely the MARIS Dam and the Baligatan Diversion Dam; a large number of irrigation canals; and three pumping stations to supply irrigation water for an area of 97,402 hectares. Officially opened in 1986, MARIIS serves 17 towns and two cities in the [ THE RISK TAKER ] province of Isabela, three municipalities in Quirino and the municipality of Delcatherine “Kathy” Isidro Damatan, 48, got into farming the Alfonso Lista in Ifugao. It also includes the 360 MW Magat Hydro Electric moment she found a matching investment for the savings she Power Plant and the 6 MW Baligatan Hydro Electric Power Plant, as well raised from her husband’s salary allotment from Saudi Arabia—a as the 2.5 MW mini-hydro-electric power plants operated by the Isabela title for a one hectare rice farm lot in 1986. She learned about Electric Cooperative (ISELCO) and located along the MARIS Main Canal. the rice-growing business hands on, joining her hired hands In 2012, the irrigated areas covered by MARIIS yielded 831,404 metric tons in the mud paddy to plant her first hectare. Over the next 10 of palay, an 8.7 percent increase over its 2011 production of 731,409 metric tons. years, she would acquire another 13 hectares. She and her That same year, MARIIS began construction of the Patanad Diversion husband have also invested in a rice mill, a small restaurant, the Dam in Barangay Patanad in San Isidro, Isabela. It will divert water from the production of commercial quantities of homegrown organic Patanad Creek, which will be reused to irrigate 200 hectares of farmland fertilizer, high-value crops, micro-scale piggery, and turned post- planted to corn. The project will make it possible for 154 farmers to turn harvest byproducts into hog feed. Today, she is the president of to rice production. The Patanad project demonstrates how smaller water the Sillawit IA in Sillawit, Cauayan City, Isabela.● sources can be tapped to irrigate new areas to increase rice production. MARIIS is headed by Operations Manager Engineer Mariano G. Dancel, who had previously worked as Acting Manager of the Engineering and Operations Division of NIA-MARIIS. Allied projects MARIIS has undertaken include the Siffu River Climate Change Project, which aims to mitigate the erosion of portions of the embankment of the river due to typhoons and heavy rains. Addressing farmers’ concerns that the erosion ate into their rice lands and posed a risk to their livelihood, MARIIS, along with the local governments of Roxas and Quirino, Isabela agreed to construct gabion retaining wall along the embankment which will run along sections covered by two municipalities in both provinces. More climate change projects are on the table, including erecting a flood control dike in two towns in Isabela.●

48 NIA AT 50 Magat River Integrated Irrigation System [ MAGAT DAM ] The Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela is one of the biggest and most significant infrastructure projects of the National Irrigation Administration and stands as one of Asia’s biggest dams. It was built from 1976 to 1982 at a cost of P6 billion. Rising 114 meters, Magat Dam has a storage capacity at full supply level of 1.25 billion cubic meters, with a water surface area at full supply level of 35 square kilometers. The irrigation facilities, including the reservoir, the intake gates to the hydroelectric plant, and the dam itself, is owned and managed by the National Irrigation Administration. When the hydroelectric plant was privatized, the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) turned over the plant’s ownership and operation to SN Aboitiz Power Inc. (SNAP) in April 2007. The Magat Dam is part of the Magat River Multipurpose Project (MRMP) which aimed to improve the existing Magat River Irrigation System (MARIS) and the Siffu River Irrigation System (SIFFRIS) and increase the production of rice in the Cagayan River basin.●

[ LIGAYA IA ] LIGAYA IA was organized in November 1982 with 37 farmer members and a service area of 50 hectares. It was named after Ligaya Domingo Silva, a technician assigned by the Department of Agriculture to assist in the undertakings of the irrigators association in its early years of operation. LIGAYA IA took root and flourished because officers were always on hand to address problems and bridge gaps. IA president Antonio Cruz, which has led the association since 1990, believes their work has helped farmers rise from subsistence level. Today, homes are lit with electricity and children are able to go to school. Present officers attribute the IA’s success to the officers and members’ full understanding of their respective duties and responsibilities, and the confidence the members have on their officers.●

WHERE THE WATER FLOWS 49 Region III Central Luzon

egion III comprises seven provinces in the central plains of Luzon, namely, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Zambales. It has a total land area of 2,147,035 hectares. About 30 percent of the total land R area estimated at 644,475 hectares is devoted to agricultural production. NIA Region III is tasked with providing irrigation services to 58.2 per cent of the agricultural lands of Central Luzon. So far, 275,928 hectares have been developed as of July 25, 2013, with 99,259 hectares remaining to be developed. Out of the potential irrigable area, 80,613 hectares are served by the national irrigation system (NIS); 63,643 hectares by the communal irrigation system (CIS); 7,712 by the private irrigation system; and 24,701 by other government agencies. The total developed area covers 176,669 hectares. Nine offices were clustered into three irrigation management offices (IMO). The provincial offices of Bulacan, Aurora, and Nueva Ecija were merged to create the BANE IMO; the Pampanga, Bataan, Pampanga Delta RIS, and Colo Caulaman RIS comprise the PAMBAT IMO; and the Tarlac, Camiling RIS, Zambales, and Nayum Bayto RIS make up the TARZAM IMO. The regional office is based in Barangay Tambubong, San Rafael, Bulacan. The BANE IMO has an aggregate developed area of 69,251 hectares, with 23,393 hectares remaining to be developed. PAMBAT IMO has 49,527 hectares developed and another 33,122 hectares for development. The TARZAM IMO has developed 57,891 hectares, with 42,745 hectares remaining to be developed. In 2013, BANE IMO completed 34 irrigation projects and has 14 ongoing projects

TOP: RIM Reynaldo D. Puno. ABOVE: Region III Confederation of IA. RIGHT: Tarlac Diversion Dam. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Ricefield in Plaridel Bulacan.

5050 NIANIA AT AT 50 50 [ ANGAT AFTERBAY REGULATORY DAM ] The Angat Afterbay Regulatory Dam is the largest dam of the region. It is also the longest rubber dam ever constructed in the Philippines. It supplies irrigation waters to 16 municipalities in Bulacan and four municipalities in Pampanga. It has a firmed-up area of 26,791 hectares with 22,513 farmer beneficiaries. The dam sources its water from the Angat River and was officially opened in 1926.●

allocated at P522.432 million. PAMBAT IMO finished 11 projects and is working on 12 others at a cost of P351.110 million. TARZAM IMO ended 2013 with five completed irrigation projects and 25 ongoing projects, all allocated at P233.585 million. In all, Region III completed 50 irrigation projects with 51 ongoing budgeted at a little over P1.117 billion. NIA Region III has 706 organized irrigators associations (NIS and CIS) serving 87,418 farmer beneficiaries in an area of 123,117.93 hectares. Of the total IAs, only 482 are operational. To implement NIA’s irrigation management transfer (IMT) scheme, Region III targeted 264 IAs from 2009 to 2013. It accomplished 85 percent of its goal, bringing in 224 IAs as of end September 2013. The IAs oversee 39,542.68 hectares and serve 37,033 farmer beneficiaries. NIA Region III is managed by Engineer Reynaldo D. Puno.●

STAYINGWHERE THE COURSE THE WATER FOR 50 FLOWS YEARS 5151 UPRIIS Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System

PRIIS is one of NIA’s most viable irrigation systems, servicing more than 122,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Central Luzon from its main source, the Pantabangan Dam. UWorking in tandem with the irrigators associations (IAs), UPRIIS carries out its functions and maintains capable irrigation canals and structures including the collection of irrigation service fees (ISF). In 1960, the Philippine government embarked on a multi-purpose undertaking to harness the productive potential of the Pampanga River. The mammoth Pantabangan Dam and its appurtenant structures at the confluence of Carranglan, Pantabangan and Pampanga Rivers were built at a cost of TOP: Aerial view of about P800 million and a USD 34 million loan from Irrigation and Rural Development Division of the Pantabangan Dam. World Bank. Initially called the Upper Pampanga River Project (UPRP) and implemented by NIA, it OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: The was the first single largest infrastructure ever to be accomplished by the government. An all-Filipino consortium of engineers started the dam construction in 1971 and completed it 17 months ahead of officers of MTG PLIVIRISCAF schedule. It was inaugurated on September 7, 1974. The feat led Amnon Golan, chief of IBRD for Far IA Inc. OPPOSITE TOP East & Pacific Project of the World Bank to dub NIA as “the finest irrigation agency in the whole of Asia RIGHT: RIM Josephine and in any developing country in the world.” When the project started its operation, it became officially Salazar plants a tree known as the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS). during the simultaneous UPRIIS has a total service area of 122,320.05 hectares divided into five irrigation divisions tree planting activity encompassing the provinces of Nueva Ecija (105,674.76 hectares), Bulacan (6,250 hectares), Tarlac organized by NIA in June (1,719.5 hectares), and Pampanga (4,324.52 hectares). The system benefits 84,830 farmers who are 2012. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: members of 401 irrigators associations (IAs). UPRIIS coddles a watershed area of 90,900 hectares. Masiway Dam. The head office has Engineer Josephine Salazar as its operations manager.●

5252 NIA NIA AT AT 50 50 [ MTG PLIVIRISCAF IA ]

MTG PLIVIRISCAF IA Inc. is an acronym of the towns it covers, namely, Muñoz, Talugtog, Guimba, and the barangays of Pandalla, Linglingay, Labney, Villa Isla, Rang-ayan, Villa Santos, Severona, Santa Ana, Cavite, and Faigal. The association looks over 1,336 hectares of rice land. It was organized in December 7, 2006 from the 56 turnout service groups (TSAG) created before the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) was built. The irrigators association has 1,313 members. The will and determination they showed from the time the irrigation canals were being constructed convinced the UPRIIS management to grant them an [ IRRIGATION SYSTEMS irrigation management transfer (IMT) contract in 2008. The following AND DAMS ] year, MTG PLIVIRISCAF was named the country’s second most outstanding Aside from Pantabangan Dam, UPRIIS also irrigators association. The group’s sudden rise to prominence also earned oversees Tayabo Dam in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija. them recognition from the people of Bangladesh and India, and the Asian It is a run-of-the-river type of dam which serves Development Bank. as additional source of water supply for 3,550 Since then, MTG PLIVIRISCAF continues to prove its worth. In 2010, it hectares. Vaca Dam is a re-use dam in Talavera, was named NIA’s most outstanding IA and again in 2011 when it received Nueva Ecija with a total service area of 1,280 the same top honor from the Department of Agriculture’s Agri Pinoy Rice hectares. Murcon Dam, another re-use dam, Achievers Award, besting four other IAs similarly honored. irrigates 4,280 hectares. Atate Dam in Palayan City, The achievements of MTG PLIVIRISCAF have improved the quality of Nueva Ecija serves 29,900 hectares. In Peñaranda, life of its members. The IA has become the gold standard to which other IAs Nueva Ecija, Penris Dam benefits 24,500 hectares. aspire. It is headed by its president Marcelo De Vera, with an office located at And Rizal Dam, distributes water coming from the Barangay Pandalla, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. It operates under the Pantabangan Dam to various irrigation systems that management of the division led by Engineer Carlito M. Gapasin.● cover 1,335 hectares.●

WHERE THE WATER FLOWS 53 Region IV-A CALABARZON n 2002, Executive Order 103 divided Region IV into CALABARZON Region IV-A and MIMAROPA Region IV-B. The formal separation of NIA-Region I IV was adopted by the NIA board in March 2011. The following month, the stewardship of the Region IV-B Regional Office was turned over by Regional Manager Efren S. Roqueza to Engineer Conrado V. Cardenas Jr., who was named interim officer-in-charge. In line with NIA’s ongoing Rationalization Plan at that time (2008-2012), Region IV was rationalized into six Irrigation Management Offices (IMO), namely, Laguna-Rizal IMO,Cavite-Batangas IMO, Mindoro Oriental-Romblon IMO, Quezon-Marinduque IMO, Mindoro Occidental IMO, and Palawan IMO. After the splitting of the region, the six IMOs were distributed to the two regions. Region IV-A has retained jurisdiction on Laguna-Rizal IMO, Cavite-Batangas IMO, and Quezon IMO. Also known as Calabarzon, Region IV-A is formally called the Southern Tagalog Mainland. It consists of five provinces from which the acronym Calabarzon was taken: Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. The region is located just south and east of Metro Manila, and is the second most densely populated region in the country. Region IV-A has a total land area of 1,641,303 hectares, of which 912,411 hectares are arable. The potential irrigable area is 97,710 hectares, while the current percentage of development is 59.77 percent or a total of 58,401 hectares. Irrigation systems in the region are divided into 39 national irrigation systems (NIS) and 339 NIA-assisted Communal Irrigation Systems (CIS). There are 83 organized NIS Irrigators Associations (IA) and 357 CIS IAs, all committed to being consistent partners in irrigation development. Region IV-A is presently headed by Engr. Romeo M. Lopez (in an acting capacity) who took over from (retired) Engr. Romeo R. Anonuevo.●

5454 NIANIA AT AT 50 50 Molino Dam of Bugaan CIS Poblacion II and V in Laurel, Batangas. OPPOSITE TOP, FROM LEFT: Romeo M. Lopez, Acting Regional Manager; retired former Acting Regional Manager Romeo R. Añonuevo. SECOND FROM TOP: Officers of Tumbaga I Bucal IA headed by IA President Crisologo Egamino receiving their Hall of Fame Award from Administrator Claro V. Maranan and retired Administrator Antonio S. Nangel during the NIA-IA Day on April 25, 2013 together with Romeo R. Añonuevo and Romeo M. Lopez, C.O. Operations Department Manager Efren S. Roqueza and Engineering and Operations Division Manager Gloriosa L. Hernandez. BOTTOM: Duckbill Weir structure at Agos RIS, Infanta, Quezon.

STAYINGWHERE THE COURSE THE WATER FOR FLOWS 50 YEARS 5555 Apurawan CIP, Aborlan, Palawan. OPPOSITE TOP: Mangyan tribe leader Yagay Sebastian and Occidental Mindoro NIS CIS Federation (OMNICIF) President Rustica “Baby” Panga- niban warmly welcome NIA IV-B acting RIM Conrado V. Cardenas, Jr. as he arrived to negotiate for the construction of Lipitan SRIP in Occidental Mindoro. OPPOSITE MIDDLE: Completed Diversion Dam of Iwahig Balsahan Irrigation Project in Aborlan, Palawan. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Fulfilling its part as NIA’s partner, SABAPECODEL Irrigators Association continues to provide quality service to its members.

Region IV-B MIMAROPA

o accelerate the social development of the provinces and cities comprising Region IV, Executive Order 103 dated May 17, 2002 divided the region into Region IV-A (CALABARZON) and Region IV-B (MIMAROPA). Adopting the provision of the executive order, NIA created a separate regional office called Region IV-B in 2011. The regional office was established at Calapan City, T Oriental Mindoro. NIA’s youngest regional office is headed by acting regional manager Engineer Conrado V. Cardenas Jr. Some of NIA Region IV-B’s major irrigation projects were the Iwahig Balsahan Prison and Penal Farm Irrigation Project in Palawan, Bongabong River Irrigation Project in Oriental Mindoro, and Ibato-Iraan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Palawan. The office has a total firmed-up service area of 49,169 hectares, with an operational area of 36,907 hectares capably managed by 118 irrigators association under the national irrigation system and 237 under the communal irrigation system.●

5656 NIA NIA AT AT 50 50 [ IWAHIG BALSAHAN IRRIGATION PROJECT ] This P40 million irrigation project is located within the property of the penal colony in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. It was constructed and completed in about five months by inmates of the colony. With the source of water being the Balsahan River, the project has the capacity to irrigate 414 hectares. Benefiting mostly the colony’s “prisoners without bars” (so- called because inmates are allowed to roam around the compound to tend to their agricultural activities), the project is expected to be a boon to the progressive farming methods practiced by its beneficiaries. This involves portions of the irrigated area devoted to land preparation and/or transplanting, normal irrigation, and harvesting. The colony is self-sustaining, with irrigation boosting inland fishponds where tilapia is grown, vegetable gardens, livestock, fruit trees, and other sources of food. Iwahig Balsahan is composed of relatively flat terrain traversed by the national highway and a seven-kilometer service road. Twenty-six inmates are assigned to land preparation, 22 to palay management, 11 to agroforestry, and five to canal maintenance. However, during transplanting, 150 medium-security inmates supported by out-of-prison personnel are deployed to help.●

[ SABAPECODEL IA ] SABAPECODEL IA covers five barangays in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, namely Sta. Rita, Balingayan, Personas, Comunal, and Del Pilar. The association began with 15 members in February 28, 1991 and entered into an irrigation management transfer (IMT) contract in 2003. The association adopted Barangay Del Pilar, Naujan in 2010. At present, SABAPECODEL IA has 540 members, with eight on its board of trustees. Members look after 550.88 hectares. Under the leadership of its president, Venerando Sanchez Sr., SABAPECODEL IA provides its members rice production loans, insurance coverage for the officers of the Turnout Service Area Group (TSAG), a Use Now Pay Later Program, and Sagip Patubig Deal. The association was recognized during the awarding ceremonies held on the occasion of NIA’s golden anniversary.●

STAYINGWHERE THE COURSETHE WATER FOR FLOWS 50 YEARS 5757 Region V Bicol Region n Bicolandia, NIA covers the six provinces of Camarines Norte, Cama- rines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and the islands of Catanduanes and Masbate. The Bicol region has a potential irrigable area of 239,660 hectares, some I124,350 hectares of which have already been provided with irrigation service by eight national irrigation systems (NIS), 319 small-scale communal irrigation systems (CIS), pump irrigation systems (PIS), and those privately owned and constructed by other government agencies. As of December 2012, Bicol’s level of irrigation development stands at 51.89 percent, which benefit a total of 59,822 farmers. NIA-Bicol is headed by Regional Manager William P. Ragodon. Currently, NIA Region 5 is undertaking three major projects, namely: Sibagat Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Camarines Sur; Ibingan SRIP in Sorsogon; and the Participatory Irrigation Development Project in the third district of Camarines Sur.●

[ HI-FARM IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION ] BOTTOM LEFT: William P. Ragodon, NIA Region During NIA’s golden anniversary year in 2013, the achievements of Region V RIM, during project inspection of an irrigation V’s HI-Farm Irrigators Association (HI-Farm IA), were highlighted. This is a group system in the island province of Masbate. Director of marginalized farmers that started with nothing and ended up as outstand- Ragodon, a true-blooded Bicolano who rose ing. The association now owns a lot for an office, a six-wheeler truck, water pump and tools, three flatbed dryers, three recirculating dryers with furnace, a from the ranks, is the only NIA regional director warehouse, a palay thresher, an electric transformer, a hand tractor with trailer, who has a Master of Science degree in Irrigation a collapsible tent, a harvester, and other farming equipment. Engineering from the prestigious Southampton From taking water from the NIA canal in 1990, the association has soared, University in the United Kingdom. BOTTOM RIGHT: reaping 15 local and national honors, the latest being the Most Outstanding IA The officials of the Bicol Region Confederation of of the Year award (regional level, NIA category) during the NIA golden anniversary celebrations on June 25, 2013. In 2012, it was named outstanding IA for Irrigators Associations (BIRCIA) headed by Silvestre 2012 (Agri-Pinoy) by the Department of Agriculture.● “Ka Silver” Bonto.

5858 NIA NIA AT AT 50 50 The South Quinale Rubber Dam, the first rubber dam in Bicolandia, was constructed on May 2, 2006 and completed on July 20, 2007 at the cost of P80.2 million. The dam benefits some 1,027 farmers.

WHERE THE WATER FLOWS 59 Region VI [ JALAUR AND BAGO ] Western Visayas The Jalaur Suague River Irrigation System is the biggest irrigation system in Western Visayas. It is made egion VI or Western Visayas is composed of the four provinces up of Jalaur Proper, constructed in 1955 at the cost of P8 of Panay (Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo), Guimaras Island, million; the Suague, built in 1960 for P6 million; and Jalaur and the western portion of the island of Negros and its outlying R islands. Its boundaries are the Visayan Sea on the east, the Cuyo Extension, which was operational in 1982 at P29 million. Jalaur Extension and the rehabilitation of Suague Jalaur East Pass on the west, the Sibuyan Sea and Romblon on the north and the Proper were undertaken during the implementation of Cagayan Island on the southwest. the Jalaur River Multipurpose Project (JRMP) Stage I from NIA Region VI is based in Tacas, Jaro, Iloilo City. The total area the late seventies to the early eighties. covered by national irrigation systems is 46,752.64 hectares serviced by 164 The main canal networks of both Suage RIS irrigators associations (IA) with 25,806 members. Communal irrigation and Jalaur Proper RIS consist of one main canal and systems (CIS) cover 22,613.94 hectares serviced by 275 IAs with 23,738 a lateral canal. The total length of the canals was members. estimated at 121.13 kilometers in the Jalaur Proper RIS The regional office is headed by Gerardo P. Cosiga.● and 39.4 kilometers in the Suague RIS. The Jalaur RIS extension adds 28.86 kilometers of main canal. The Bago River Irrigation System was officially opened on May 1969 to serve rice lands in the cities of Bacolod and Bago and the towns of Pulupandan, Val- ladolid, San Enrique, La Carlota, and Murcia. The original construction cost was P17 million in the late sixties. Bago RIS is a run-of-the-river type of irrigation system with Bago River as the main source of water. It covers a service area of 12,700 hectares or 24 percent of the total 52,241 hectares of the national irrigation system (NIS) coverage of the region. Irrigation facilities and structures consist mainly of diversion intake, a gate- keeper’s quarter, diversion tunnel, 187.02 kilometers of open channel canals and appurtenant structures, and 178 kilometers of farm-to-market roads.●

6060 NIA NIA AT AT 50 50 Moroboro Dam of the Jalaur-Suage River Irrigation System in Brgy. Moroboro, Dingle, Iloilo.OPPOSITE, BOTTOM: RIM Gerardo P. Corsiga (center) showing Senator Franklin Drilon (left) and former undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture, Cezar Drilon (right) the miniature scale model of the proposed Jalaur River Multipurpose Project Stage II (JRMP II).

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 61 Region VII Central Visayas t took more than 45 years for the Central Visayas to get its own irrigation office independent of Region VIII. A NIA board resolution in 2009 established the new NIA regional Iirrigation office, with offices in Bohol. Ten years earlier, the wheels were set in motion to campaign for the establishment of the regional office. Central Visayas already had a total of 25,910 hectares of irrigated rice land. The completion of the Bayongan Dam of the Bohol Irrigation Project Stage II in October 12, 2007 increased irrigated lands to 40,410 hectares. With the potential to develop another 28,181 hectares in Central Visayas and with the provincial government of Bohol offering an office compound in Tagbilaran, Bohol, the NIA board adopted Resolution No. 7567-09 in February 23, 2009 establishing a regional irrigation office based in Bohol. NIA Region VII comprises the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. As of 2010, 60.94 percent of the region’s potential irrigable area of 68,591 hectares has been developed. Engr. Alejandro L. Alberca leads NIA Region VII as the regional irrigation manager where he took the reins from Engr. Diosdado A. Rosales.●

Located in Bayongan, San Miguel, Bohol, the Bayongan Dam is one of the major irrigation facilities of Region VII providing irrigation services to over 4,000 hectares of farmlands.

62 NIA AT 50 [ MAJOR DAMS ] Malinao Dam, located in Malinao, Poblacion, Pilar, Bohol was Stage I of the Bohol Irrigation Project completed on Decem- ber 31, 1997. With the Wahig and Pamacsalan Rivers as water sources, the reservoir irrigates 4,960 hectares benefiting 4,963 farm households in five municipalities. Stage II of the Bohol Irrigation Project consisted of the construction of the Bayongan Dam in Bayongan, San Miguel, Bohol. It covers the municipalities of Ubay, San Miguel, and Trinidad and services 4,140 hectares of the Bayongan irrigation system and 1,160 hectares of the Capayas irrigation system. It benefits 3,605 farm households. The Capayas Dam is located in Capayas, Calanggaman, Ubay, Bohol. Completed in December 1991, it irrigates 750 hectares and services 688 farm households. In 2011, the Department of Agriculture (DA) seeded the dam with 30,000 tilapia fingerlings. Regional Manager Modesto G. Membreve said the activity complemented the DA’s sustainable food security program.●

TOP FROM LEFT: RIM Alejandro L. Alberca; former RIM Diosdado A. Rosales and EOD Manager Olimpio J. Galagala, Jr. during former Administrator Antonio S. Nangel’s visit to Talibon SRIS. MIDDLE: Officials and BOTs of region VII’s pride San D Mil IA headed by President Tereso Cruda. BOTTOM: The first of its kind in Asia, Malinao Dam with its bathtub type spillway with a design discharge of 2,300 cubic meter per second.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 63 Region VIII Eastern Visayas

IA Region VIII or the Eastern Visayas region covers the provinces Leyte, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar N There are eight national irrigations systems (NIS) in the region with a total service area of 19,849 hectares that directly benefit 18,191 farmers, 10,369 of which are members of irrigators association (IA). The region’s NIS’s are all located in Leyte. The communal irrigation system (CIS), on the other hand, cover 33,200 hectares on which 23,562 farmers depend, 17,106 of these are IA members. To increase the irrigated areas of Eastern Visayas, especially Samar Island, four irrigation projects are ongoing namely: Basey Irrigation Project, Calbiga Irrigation Project in Western Samar, Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project (HCAAP), and Catarman Bobon Irrigation Project of Northern Samar. Once completed, these projects are expected to cover 9,020 hectares in the two provinces of Samar alone—resulting in irrigation development of 48 percent. The area excludes those under various communal irrigation projects now being constructed in Samar NIA Region VIII envisions to continuously accelerate irrigation development. As of December 31, 2012, irrigation development is high at 79 percent for Leyte but still low at 29 percent for Samar provinces. Overseeing the operations of the region is Regional Manager Romeo G. Quiza. Region VIII was separated from its conjoined twin, Region VII on February 23, 2009 per NIA Board Resolution 7567-09 which took effect on March 17, 1964. Undaunted by the challenge, Region VIII, an agricultural region, soared beyond expectations in terms of viability index from 1.09 in 2010 to 1.37 in 2012. All these, because of team effort and zealousness to do it right.●

64 NIA AT 50 [ HCAAP ] Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project (HCAAP) is an ongoing infrastructure project that will provide irrigation facilities under NIA, flood protection and extension of road network and bridges courtesy of the Department [ MEGA IA ] of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), parasite control (schistosomiasis) under Everyone has some version of an outstanding the Department of Health Region VIII, agricultural support services from the irrigators association, whether it’s a Hall of Famer or a Department of Agriculture, and institutional development and procurement of newbie. But Mega Irrigators Association, Inc., of Maac, equipment through the local government of Northern Samar. Sogod, Southern Leyte is unique. As its acronym Mega The Catubig Dam is one of the major components of the HCAAP. The dam has IA suggests, it has raised the bar in making a difference the capacity to irrigate 3,226.7 hectares of farmlands and will benefit more than in the lives of its farmer-members. It has consistently 580 farm families in the municipality of Catubig. The other dams to be constructed proven what it takes to be an outstanding IA, receiving in the HCAAP include the Hagbay Dam and Bulao Dam. Once completed, the numerous awards since 2007 and culminating in being project will irrigate 5,550 hectares of farmlands. cited for its performance in the CIS category in 2013. The project aims to promote sustainable agricultural and economic Mega IA was organized in January 23, 1999 and development in Northern Samar by raising the income level of farmers, generating subsequently registered at the SEC on July 2, 1999. new employment opportunities, as well as improving the social infrastructure and It has a service area of 85 hectares with 184 farmer- services of various communities in Catubig and Las Navas municipalities.● beneficiaries and was funded by Agrarian Reform Communities Development Project (ARCDP) of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in CY 2000. Its collection rate is at 85 percent. Mega IA credits its success on its transparent financial dealings, leadership by example, regular meetings, and developing and implementing its collection plans on the sectoral level. With the technical and institutional support extended to Mega IA under the leadership of Engineer Pedro C. Rubio, Jr., division manager A of Biliran-Leyte del Norte-Leyte del Sur IMO, Marasbaras, Tacloban City, farmer-members have given back to NIA through their commitment and cooperation. Indeed, the accomplishments of Mega IA deserve emulation, borne of practices that ensure more awards in the years to come.●

TOP: Mega IA officers with former Administrator Antonio S. Nangel (second from right) and RIM Romeo G. Quiza. ABOVE: The Catubig Dam in Northern Samar is an important part of the Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project. RIGHT: RIM Romeo G. Quiza. OPPOSITE PAGE: PICAS SAN VICENTE CIS located at Tanauan, Leyte.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 65 Region IX Zamboanga Peninsula

ocated in the western part of Mindanao, NIA Region IX, also called the Zamboanga Peninsula, is composed of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Zamboanga City, L with the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi under ARMM. Most of the major irrigation systems and dams of the region are located [ FROM RAGS TO RICHES ] in Zamboanga del Sur: the Dipolo RIS in Dumingag (1,600 hectares), In the municipality of Titay in Zamboanga the Salug RIS in Molave (7,224 hectares), the Labangan RIS in Labangan Sibugay, the name Leonardo “Bong” Talania is (3,195 hectares), and the Sibuguey valley irrigation system in Bayog (3,143 inextricably linked to vast lands and abundant hectares). They service a total of 15,162 hectares across the province. produce. Indeed, the president of Paglaum On the other hand, irrigation projects are spread throughout the region Irrigators Association in Barangay Namnaman, with Salug RIS Extension Project in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur having the owns more than 200 hectares of land in Titay largest project cost at P162.848 million. Other projects are the Lower Sibuguey alone and is the most successful farmer I RIS Extension Project in Diplahan, Zamboanga (P157.150 million), the Lower entrepreneur of NIA Region IX. The eldest of 10 Sibuguey II RIS Extension Project located in the same municipality (P131.405 children, Bong comes from a family of farmers million), Sindangan Irrigation System Extension Project in Sindangan, who struggled to put food on the table. Inheriting Zamboanga del Norte (129.010 million), and the Upper Sibuguey RIS Extension 1.5 hectares from his parents when he married in Project in Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay (P107.750 million). 1989, Bong was forced to moonlight as a tricycle As of December 31, 2013, the region has developed 64 percent of its potential driver to make ends meet. Dreaming of a better irrigable area serving 20,495 farmer beneficiaries. Of these, 8,389 are served by life, Bong eventually began to invest the little national irrigation systems (NIS) and 12,106 by communal irrigation systems he had in farm equipment. Others, meanwhile, offered to mortgage their non-irrigated land to (CIS). There are 250 irrigators associations (IA) in the region: 60 for NIS (covering Bong—eventually forfeiting ownership when they 14,730.04 hectares) and 190 for CIS (21,168 hectares). couldn’t pay. When NIA introduced irrigation in The current regional irrigation manager (RIM) of Region IX is Diosdado 1982, Bong saw the hardscrabble land turn fertile, A. Rosales, who was formerly RIM of Region VII. The region has two irrigation which boosted his stock. Later, he would also management offices (IMO). The Zamboanga del Sur IMO and Zamboanga Sibugay process palm oil and intersperse rubber trees IMO. on his coconut plantation—new things he was The regional irrigation office also handles two sub-offices: the Zamboanga unafraid to try. Bong attributes his success to hard del Norte regional sub-office and the ZAMBAZULTA sub-office consisting of the work, good planning, and constant prayers.● provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi.●

TOP FROM LEFT: RIM Diosdado A. Rosales; former RIM Alejandro L. Alberca speaks before the farmers of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur on irrigation-related laws. LEFT: Bong Talania in his 100-hectare palm oil plantation.

66 NIA AT 50 [ TIMPOBIA ]

Timbaboy-Poblacion B Irrigators Association and the community as a whole, gaining assets through (TIMPOBIA), Inc. was organized in 1979 and comprises the years. TIMPOBIA, Inc. generated revenue by investing of farmers from two adjacent barangays: Timbaboy in agri-business or income-generating programs such as and Poblacion B of Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur. The building a consumers’ store, renting tractors and thresher vast and fertile plains of these two barangays were equipment, going into buying and selling activities, and once planted with corn, coconut, and root crops while plowing their collectively owned, 1,250-square-meter only small areas were devoted to rice and vegetables. IA farm. Farmers are now able to send their children to Farmers were solely dependent on rainwater and small better schools and even support them through college. creeks for their crops. And with no potable water system They now have access to commodities that seemed in the barangays, the residents constructed their own elusive decades ago. shallow tube wells for drinking and domestic purposes. Presently, TIMPOBIA, Inc. has 210 farmer beneficia- Due to the unity and cooperation of the officers and ries coming from a serviceable area of 269 hectares. Its members of the IA, supported by strong policies and office and IA Hall are currently being improved using funds systems, TIMPOBIA, Inc. has a high collection rate of the IA itself generated, together with the prize money it irrigation fees. The association is also committed to received from the main NIA office when it bagged the Most uplifting the socio-economic life of its farmer members Outstanding IA award for two consecutive years.●

One of the best dams in Region IX, the Sibuguey Valley Dam located in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur.

WHERE THE WATER FLOWS 67 Region X Northern Mindanao

IA Region X became a regional office on April 1, 1978, when Region VIII-A was renamed Region X. With the regional seat in Cagayan de Oro City, the region covers seven provinces and seven cities in Northern Mindanao, namely, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, and Surigao del Norte. N With the creation of CARAGA Region or Region XIII in May 1996, the four big provinces of Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Surigao del Norte with all their national irrigation systems (NIS) and communal irrigation systems (CIS) were taken out of NIA Region X. Therefore, the region is now composed of the six provinces of Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon. Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte from Region XII joined through the mandate of NIA in 2002. NIA Region X is headed by Engineer Hilarion C. Cedeño (in an acting capacity) after former RIM Felix M. Razo has been appointed as the Senior Deputy Administrator.●

68 NIA AT 50 TEMP. SHOULD BE PIC OF NEW REGIONAL HEAD

TOP LEFT: Acting Regional Manager Hilarion C. Cedeño. TOP MIDDLE: Former RIM Felix M. Razo. TOP RIGHT: Awarding of CY 2012 Outstanding Irrigators Association of Region X graced by Administrator Claro V. Maranan with former Regional Manager Felix M. Razo and Administration and Finance Manager Editha B. Abdon (in maroon gown) on July 11, 2013 at Pryce Plaza Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City. BOTTOM: Proportional Weir, Rugnan RIS, Taraka, Lanao Sur OPPOSITE PAGE: Pulangui Diversion Dam, Valencia City, Bukidnon.

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 69 70 NIA AT 50 FAR LEFT: RIM Julius S. Maquiling. LEFT: Former RIM Modesto G. Membreve. BELOW: Board of Trustees, Badagoy IA, Badagoy CIS, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur IMO. MIDDLE: Lasang RIS, Carmen, Davao Norte. BOTTOM: Padada RIS, Hagonoy, Davao Sur. OPPOSITE: Batutu River Irrigation System, Compostela Valley Irrigation Management Office. Region XI Davao Region

hen NIA was first created 30 years ago, there were only two regional centers in Mindanao; one was headquartered in Davao City, the other in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur. In 1973, W three regional offices were established, namely, Region VII with headquarters in Molave, Region VIII in Davao City, and Region VIII-A in Koronadal, South Cotabato. With the adoption of the new regionalization scheme for Mindanao, Region VIII was renamed Region XI covering the provinces of Surigao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and South Cotabato. Later, Surigao del Sur was transferred to the jurisdiction of Caraga and replaced by Sultan Kudarat of Region XII, which was recalled after two years. Executive Order No. 36 dated September 19, 2001 returned South Cotabato and Saranggani to Region XII and all national irrigation systems (NIS) and communal irrigation systems (CIS). This limited Region XI to the province of Davao only. NIA Region XI is strategically located within the heart of Mindanao. It is the most visited region and named the fruit basket of the Philippines. It has a total land area of 1,967,382.00 hectares, of which 110,362.00 are considered potential areas for irrigation development. There are 64,421 hectares already being served by existing irrigation systems. At present, NIA Region XI operates and maintains eight NIS and 84 CIS under four responsibility centers which cover Davao and Compostela Valley. NIA XI is currently headed by Regional Irrigation Manager Julius S. Maquiling. He took the helm from Engr. Modesto G. Membreve who is now the Acting Deputy Administrator for Engineering and Operations through DA Special Order No. 627, series of 2013 effective September 16, 2013.●

WHERE THE WATER FLOWS 71 Region XII SOCCSKSARGEN

efore 1978, only three regions existed in Mindanao: Region VII in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur comprising Zamboanga del Norte and Sur, Camiguin, Sulu, Basilan, Tawitawi, Lanao del Norte and Sur, and Misamis Oriental B and Occidental; Region VIII in Davao City composed of Agusan del Norte and Sur, Bukidnon, Surigao del Norte and Sur, Davao del Norte and Sur, and Davao Oriental; and Region VIII-A in Marbel (now Koronadal City, South Cotabato) composed of North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat provinces. With the 1978 Regionalization Scheme, four regions were created, namely, Region IX in Zamboanga City, Region X in Cagayan de Oro City, Region XI in Davao City, and Region XII at Villarica, Midsayap, North Cotabato. NIA Region XII formally started its operation on April 10, 1978 with the late Engineer Depandian R. Ibrahim as its first regional irrigation director. The region was composed of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Maguindanao (from the defunct Region VIII-A) and Lanao del Norte and Sur (from the defunct Region VII). In 1995, another Mindanao Region (CARAGA) was created by virtue of Republic Act 7901. This law also provided for the transfer of Sultan Kudarat province to Region XI. Thus, Sultan Kudarat PIO together with Lambayong and Tacurong Rivers irrigation system were transferred to NIA Region XI. However, the same offices were returned to NIA Region XII on July 1, 2000. In July 2002, by virtue of NIA Memorandum Circular, South Cotabato and Sarangani were transferred to Region XII from Region XI and Lanao del Sur and Norte were transferred to Region X from Region XII.

TOP: Turnover ceremony of Salaman CIS in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat with acting RIM Mario H. Sande together with Engr. Ali Satol (Acting RIM vice Engr. Sande) (2nd from right). ABOVE: Oathtaking of Regional Confederation of Irrigators Association. LEFT: IA members clearing a canal in Panicupan, Pikit, North Cotabato. OPPOSITE: Allah RIS in Dajay, Surallah, South Cotabato.

7272 NIANIA AT AT 50 50 With this, NIA Region XII became known as SOCCSKSARGEN Region comprising North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and Maguindanao, a province under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which has no NIA-ARMM office. NIA Region XII is headed by Acting Regional Manager Mario H. Sande. The region operates and maintains 16 national irrigation systems (NIS) under 11 responsibility centers. There are 276 irrigators associations (IA) under NIS, with 44,844 farmer beneficiaries. On the other hand, there are 174 IAs under the communal irrigation systems (CIS) with 20,137 farmer beneficiaries. NIA Region XII boasts of two Hall of Fame awardees: Buluan-Pigcawayan IA, Inc. and Del Carmen IA, Inc., both from North Cotabato. Moreover, other consistently outstanding performers are Bulacanon IA, Inc. in North Cotabato Province for the CIS category and Napal-Conel Road (NACORIA) IA, Inc. in General Santos City for NIS. Most of the IAs in Region XII are also consistently cited and awarded during the founding anniversary of the office which is celebrated every year in April.●

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 73 FAR LEFT: RIM Encarnacion S. Soriano distributes farm implement certificates of ownership to farmer beneficiaries with DA-RED Edna Mabeza. LEFT: Former RIM Dexter G. Patrocinio. OPPOSITE: Main canal and lateral at Sta. Josefa Pump Irrigation Project, Brgy. Angas, Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur.

[ CARAGA’S PRIDE ] Hilario G. Amas, the president of Boan Bida IA, was a hall of fame awardee under the Outstanding Irrigators Association of the Philippines (CIS Category). Aside from being a successful IA officer for 21 years, he has also managed to liberate his family from the bondage of poverty. Even as an ordinary farmer, he was able to handle his duty as IA president and at the same time perform his fatherly duties by sending his children to college. He is also a successful entrepreneur, while fulfilling his other Region XIII duty as barangay kagawad of their community. Successful in many areas of his life, Amas is one CARAGA of the most respected and honored farmers not only in his community but also in the region. He is he NIA-Caraga Region is composed of five provinces, namely, Agusan del considered Caraga’s Pride.● Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands. It has five component cities and one chartered city of Butuan, T known as the economic hub of the region. The total potential irrigable area is 173,391 hectares while the irrigated area is 60,000 hectares. It has eight national irrigation systems (NIS) with a combined area of 29,544 hectares. It has also 133 communal irrigation systems (CIS) covering 20,897 hectares. Farmer beneficiaries are 16,180 for NIS and 24,365 for CIS. NIA Caraga has four ongoing national irrigation projects: Sta. Josefa Pump Irrigation Project, Umayam River Irrigation Project, Kitcharao Small Reservoir Irrigation Project, and Mainit Integrated Agricultural Irrigation Project, with a combined total area of 13,500 hectares. The regional manager of NIA-CARAGA is Engineer Encarnacion S. Soriano.●

74 NIA AT 50 [ UMAYAM AND STA. JOSEFA RIVER IRRIGATION PROJECTS ] The Umayam River Irrigation Project will involve the construction of an overflow diversion dam across Umayam River in Agusan del Sur, irrigation and drainage canals, and on-farm facilities. It is expected to irrigate 6.729 hectares, which will benefit about 2,125 farming households, or 62.8 percent of the total 3,385 farm households. The project will also increase cropping intensity by 200 percent. The project began in March 2012 and is targeted for completion in December 2015. The Sta. Josefa Pump Irrigation Project in Sta. Josefa in Agusan del Sur looks to provide year-round irrigation water to 2,787 hectares of agricultural lands. To be constructed are a pumping station/building, a regulating pond, main canal, lateral/sub-lateral canals, and on-farm facilities. About 758 farming households, or 83 percent of the total 913 households, are direct beneficiaries. The project began in July 2008 and was scheduled to launch in August 2013.●

STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 75 76 NIA AT 50 CHAPTER 3 The Strength of Partnerships

Like the farmer beneficiaries entrusted with maintaining irrigation systems, NIA relies on public and private partners to bring to fruition some of its biggest initiatives. From the re-use of water to the refurbishment of dam facilities to the deployment of rain gauges to sustain fertile valleys in Southern Philippines, partnerships ensure the viability of facilities over the long haul and, by extension, the communities that depend on them.

THE STRENGTH OF PARTNERSHIPS 77 78 NIA AT 50 The DALOY Magat initiative ensures optimized use of water for shared use among rice farmers and fish pond operators.

[ DALOY MAGAT ] Sustainable Water Use For All

The top of a small, grassy mountain that borders one side of Magat Dam is the best deck to view Isabela’s majestic rolling terrain: farmlands with vast patchworks of green and golden grain in season. Beyond it, the billion cubic meters of the water that nurture that vast sea of green sits calmly impounded to the right of the viewer on the reservoir side.

his wonderful view was not always available for Magat denizens and visitors to enjoy. The same sea of green and gold was a desiccated expanse when a particularly intense El Niño ravaged the region T in 2010. News reports said drought-related losses amounted to at least PHP 1.61 billion; moreover, the crisis highlighted something that was otherwise a low priority when water was plentiful: the efficient use of water in Magat Dam. Besides extensive grain cultivation, Isabela has been been gaining in the last two decades the reputation as a reliable source of tilapia in the Cagayan Valley, with the municipality of Ramon as the hub of tilapia farming in the province. Indeed, the practice of converting arable farmlands into fishponds has become an entrepreneurial routine in the last few years. Although

THE STRENGTH OF PARTNERSHIPS 79 this “cross-venture” of rice farms and tilapia fishponds was profitable and beneficial to the local community, the proximity of farms to ponds and the very different needs of rice farming from tilapia growing have contributed to a more extensive use of irrigation supply in water resources like the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (MARIIS). Unlike rice cultivation, which has behind it hundreds of years of history from which to learn, tilapia farming is an infant occupation not indigenous to the Valley. Instead of following pond water replacement schedules, earnest fishpond farmers tapped into the irrigation supply 24/7 in the belief that the practice hastened the growth of the fingerlings. Continuous water inflow also meant fishponds were discarding “used” pond water non-stop into drainage canals. The strain from current practices would manifest significantly during the spell of El Niño in 2010. Factor in the changing climate’s extreme mood swings and frequencies and you have all the stakeholders’ attention finally in fervent focus. TOP LEFT: Baligatan Dam. ABOVE: Magat Dam. THE SOLUTION BOTTOM: Magat River with the farmlands of Over the next few months after that drought, the National Irrigation Ramon, Isabela in the background. OPPOSITE: Administration (NIA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) The reservoir of Magat Dam can accommodate and SN Aboitiz Power-Magat, Inc. (SNAP Magat) came together and agreed around a billion cubic meters of impounded on a solution: the DALOY Magat initiative, or “Dependable Agriculture and water for irrigation and power generation.

80 NIA AT 50 The DALOY Magat initiative (Dependable Agriculture and Livelihood through Optimized “ water use Yearlong in Magat) is a water use efficiency campaign that aims to help fishpond operators and farmers sustain their livelihoods in times of drought through proper irrigation techniques and fish culture methodologies.”

THE STRENGTH OF PARTNERSHIPS 81 THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: Many parts of the vast sea of reservoir water and farmlands turned dry when El Niño ravaged the Cagayan region in 2010.

Livelihood through Optimized water use Yearlong in Magat.” Basically a water use efficiency campaign, DALOY Magat aims to help fishpond operators and farmers sustain their livelihoods in times of drought through proper irrigation techniques and fish culture methodologies. This was formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed on December 15, 2010. A technical working group composed of 13 representatives from the three project proponents and participating irrigators associations was created to ensure key stakeholder perspectives were represented and resolution of possible issues related to water efficiency, fish farming, and agriculture was facilitated.

THE POWER OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS One of the biggest misconceptions that came to light during field visits was the belief by fishpond operators that continuous watering resulted in bigger and healthier catch. To address this and further improve fish farming capabilities, BFAR held lectures on proper tilapia fishpond management and culture. NIA conducted talks on water efficiency, installed gate valves, repaired damaged canals, and recalibrated irrigation flow, while SNAP-Magat funded the project, including valve procurement and installation to manage water flow. Before DALOY Magat, fishpond operators also used makeshift tubes and canal “stoppers” to divert irrigation water into their fishponds. In lieu of these unregulated devices that were also vulnerable to weather, DALOY Magat issued free four-inch and three-inch diameter commercial-grade gate valves supplied by SNAP-Magat. Besides certified durability, these valves guaranteed each farmer and fishpond operator an accurate schedule of water supply. Magat Dam was built by the government in 1982 as a multi-purpose dam primarily for irrigation, and also for power generation. It connects to

82 NIA AT 50 THE STRENGTH OF PARTNERSHIPS 83 THIS PAGE AND OPPOSITE: Ramon is a second class municipality in Isabela. Around 800 fishpond operators in this town have benefited from the DALOY Magat project.

a 360-megawatt hydroelectric power plant facility also constructed and operated by the government, which was eventually privatized in 2007 and turned over to the winning bidder: SNAP-Magat. As a corporate citizen in the Magat community, SNAP helped bring together the multiple users of the dam and took for itself the role of providing communication materials to farmers, fishpond operators, and the community. These materials included comic books, electronic presentations, print and radio ads, and audio-visual presentations to mythology and children’s literature. To ensure that the principles of sustainability and technical knowhow of fishpond operations are passed on to the younger generation, school children from Ramon, Isabela were taught water conservation techniques at the Lakampati Kalikasan Children’s Summer Camp. Participants learned the importance of irrigation water and water conservation through talks, theater, games and art, and a story telling session.

WEALTH IN WATER Data showed that after only eight months of implementation, water use of farmers and fishpond operators in the areas served by the South Canal and Oscariz Main Canal decreased by 17.94 million cubic meters (MCM). From January to August 2011, water consumed by the target communities averaged 37.63 MCM compared to top average consumption of 55.57 MCM for the same period in 2009, the year before the inception of DALOY Magat. David Lumayna, 56, operates a tilapia fishpond of half a hectare and averages 350 kilos per cropping. At P17 pesos per kilo wholesale, 350 kilos is no small income for a family man with college-age kids. Like most farmers

84 NIA AT 50 THE STRENGTH OF PARTNERSHIPS 85 in the region, David’s revenue stream has several tributaries: a tricycle to drive between croppings and a sari-sari store his wife tends to. His approach to tilapia farming is a lively mix of seminars and hands-on, trial-and- error learning. “Last two croppings I had a fish kill because of calendar miscalculation—my fault. Another fish killer is sudden change of weather. The sudden inflow of colder water makes warm water rise to the surface. But warm water has less oxygen, and the fish, which prefer to congregate near the surface, suffocate.” As for water usage, David remembers the scientific advice of water change every two weeks, but as there are other, unpredictable variables that affect the quality of water, he follows an even simpler rule: “It’s called the one-foot-palm-dip test. If you can see your palm at 12 inches deep, okay pa. Otherwise, time to change water.” Pedro Angihan, 67, is a rice farmer who converted half a hectare of his three-hectare rice field into a fish pond to raise tilapia. “In the past, I had to sisid to open or close a gate valve, even when I have a fever or cough. Now, DALOY Magat’s valves spare me the unnecessary health risk. Better yet, it’s free. They used to cost P5,000 before and not many of us small farmers could afford them.” An additional 260 fishpond operators (to the original batch of 553) have also volunteered to have gate valves installed in their fish farms. Surveys reveal that farmers and fishpond operators apply what they learned from DALOY Magat and actively participate in training updates and keep up with new technologies. A poll of farmer participants gave the campaign an overall rating of nine out of ten and the multisectoral DALOY Magat team an eight for project implementation. DALOY Magat may yet become a water efficiency model for other irrigation systems to emulate. In the 47th Anvil Awards in 2012, just a year after implementation, DALOY Magat won a merit award for its efficient water use campaign for the SNAP-Magat.●

ABOVE: A resident of a barangay in Ramon, Isabela checks the gate valve installed in his property. RIGHT: Children laze on the banks of an irrigation canal in Ramon.

86 NIA AT 50 TOP: Atty. Mike Hosillos of SNAP together with more than 50 children of farmers and fisherfolk from SNAP-Magat’s host communities gathered at Camp Vizcarra for a summer camp to learn about proper water usage and environmental awareness. LEFT: SNAP-Magat President and CEO Manny Rubio (center) engaged kids aged five to 12 years in a story-telling session on the importance of preservation and caring for natural resources.

THE STRENGTH OF PARTNERSHIPS 87 88 NIA AT 50 STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 89 First Gen Advert

90 NIA AT 50 STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 91 92 NIA AT 50 STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 93 First Gen Spread Civic Spread

94 NIA AT 50 STAYING THE COURSE FOR 50 YEARS 95 LANDBANK

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Engineers ● Architects ● Real Estate Developers ● Contractors ● Equipment Rental

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Photo Credits Except for those listed below, the photographs in this book were provided by NIA offices nationwide.

Raneil Ibay. 6-7, 8-9, 15, 20, 24 (all except top left), 27, 28-29, 33, 47 (top), 48 (bottom), 49, 51 (bottom), 53 (bottom), 63 (top left), 66 (top left), 69 (top middle), 71 (top), 74 (top right), 76, 78, 79, 84, 86

Jon P. Ave. 2-3, 4-5, 21, 46 (bottom), 80 (right and bottom), 81, 85

Errell Niñ0: 25

Aileen Camille Dimatatac: 82-83

SN Aboitiz. 87

100 NIA AT 50 NIA 50 A Legacy of Servingat Filipino Farmers

National Irrigation Administration

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