OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION VOLUME 21, NO.3, 2015 NIA Celebrates years 52 of Irrigation Service to the Farmers I know NIA is improving. “ - President Benigno S. Aquino III. ” This is a statement from the President during the last NEDA Board meeting that Administrator Florencio F. Padernal disclosed during the opening program of NIA’s 52nd Anniversary on June 22, 2015. It was a beautiful morning to commemorate a special event such as this. Colors of different hues sprinkled the NIA Central Office (NIA CO) grounds as officials, employees and delegates from central and field offices assembled and joined the anniversary celebration with the theme, “NIA @ 52: Committed to Filipino Empowerment.” In his welcome message, Dr. Padernal shared another affirmative notes, “Very Good!”, gained from the President during the 20-minute presentation of 2014 and 2015 performances compared to DepEd’s and DPWPH’s one hour-grilled presentation. continued on page 9 WHAT’S INSIDE? Page 2 – (EDITORIAL) Page 4 - 5 – Sec. Pangilinan graces NIA-IA – NIA at 52: Committed to Filipino Empowerment Day, inaugurates dam Page 15 – 52nd NIA Anniversary Sportsfest Page 3 – (STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP) Page 6 – NIA Caraga conducts Media Tour Page 16 – (HEALTH & WELLNESS) – NIA Administrator receives highest honor Page 7 - 8 – PHOTO NEWS from PRC – Benepisyo ng Malunggay Page 9 - 14 – (BIG EVENTS) – NIA, 22 other govt agencies firm up Jalaur Dam Project commitments, interventions – NIA Celebrates 52 years of Irrigation Service to the Farmers EDITORIAL NIA at 52: Committed to Filipino Empowerment It was in 1963 when President Diosdado construction of the Magat Dam in A number of new irrigation projects were Macapagal signed Republic Act 3601 Isabela. Other events in this decade inaugurated and started such as the creating the National Irrigation Administration were the acquisition of a 2.08 hectare Tuganay Irrigation Project, Dipalo RIS, as a government agency responsible land along EDSA to be NIA’s new home Aganan RIS, Bohol Irrigation Project, for irrigation development in the country. – the Central Office – and the change of and Groundwater Development for Irrigation. Rice production in this decade started to the agency logo signifying NIA’s dynamic Partnership with farmers was further increase thanks to the efforts of the agency corporate growth. strengthened by including IA Presidents in improving irrigation services. Just after in the Pre-Qualification Conferences of 5 years after NIA’s establishment and It was in NIA’s third decade that the agency the BAC in regional offices. There were through its accelerated irrigation realized its mandate to create an Irrigation also extensive improvements in national development, rice self sufficiency was Age in the country. It was in the 80s and communal systems, farm-to-market first attained. By the end of the 60s, palay when the first largest multipurpose dam roads, diversion/distribution canals, and production topped for the first time the in Southeast Asia was completed – the drainage systems. This signified the role 100-million-cavan mark – a prodigious Magat Multipurpose Dam. It was also of NIA in averting rice shortage in the late output of 109.28 million cavans from 3.19 during this decade that the beneficial 90s. NIA became a significant element in million hectares. The irrigated area Flood Forecasting and Warning System sustaining rice self-sufficiency. contributed 57.59 million cavans or for Dam Operations was implemented. 52.7% of total production harvested from This era also pushed into the limelight the The new millennium proved the efficiency 1.38 million hectares which is 48.2% participatory role of farmers in irrigation of NIA in providing irrigation services. of the total planted area. Indeed, NIA’s development. The agency started to do Everything was on the rise: cropping metamorphosis for its first ten years is a consultations with the farmer-beneficiaries in intensity, number of farmer-beneficiaries, remarkable feat for the agriculture sector. the selection of irrigation projects. It was total area of irrigated land, rice production, It is the start of something new for the also the time when Institutional Development ISF collection, CIP amortization and equity, farmers and rain-dependence easily was strengthened thus increasing ISF organized and trained IAs, and became a thing of the past. collection and viability emerged. Because of irrigation projects – both locally-funded the improved state of the agency, and foreign-assisted. In more recent The next ten years proved to be very irrigation was showcased in lieu of years, reforms were introduced to improve significant for the agency. It was during agricultural and economic development. the performance of the agency. Such ini- this decade that Amnon Golan of the This pushed former President Corazon tiatives were put in place to bolster the World Bank’s Irrigation and Rural Development Aquino to declare the 3rd week of June agency’s operation towards the attainment Division for Far East and Pacific Projects as Irrigation Week in recognition of the of its corporate goals and targets. It is said that “NIA is the finest irrigation agency agency’s grand role in uplifting the lives also highlighted that these reforms are in the whole of Asia and in any developing of Filipino farmers. all anchored on the collective mission of country in the world.” It was due to the the agriculture sector to contribute to the completion of the Pantabangan Dam’s In the succeeding decade, NIA’s responsiveness increase in farmers’ income and ultimately construction 17 months ahead of schedule. to the needs of farmers in terms of in the agricultural productivity and food PD 552 was also issued during this time irrigation became more evident. This is security of the country. NIA also became amending the NIA charter to grant broader epitomized when Mt. Pinatubo erupted more responsive not just in agriculture powers and authority for the agency to thus affecting a large portion of Central but also in other fields such as environmental undertake program-oriented and Luzon which is one of the regions that management, eco-tourism, and hydro- comprehensive water resource projects produce rice for the country. NIA prioritized power development. for irrigation purposes as well as other the lahar-affected areas by introducing related activities such as flood control, Shallow Groundwater irrigation that gave NIA continues to strive to perform its drainage, hydro-power development, hope to the seemingly hopeless farmers mandate in providing and managing domestic water supply, construction of of the region. More and more farmers quality irrigation services for the farmers. roads, and reforestation. The decade also became direct beneficiaries of irrigation Like water, the agency will continuously also witnessed the first time since the end because of increased irrigation service flow towards sufficiency, sustainability, of World War II that the country exported provision in the country. empowerment, and improved socio-economic rice. In 1975, PD 693 authorized the state of the Filipinos. 2 NIA CURRENTS | VOLUME 21, NO.3, 2015 STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP NIA ADMINISTRATOR RECEIVES HIGHEST HONOR FROM PRC Lioneil G. dela Cruz, PAIS in communities and to sector agencies to NIA, 22 other improve systems operations. govt agencies Earlier in his career (1987 to 1989), he became a temporary Advisor to the firm up Jalaur World Health Organization on sustainable operation of water supply systems. Also, dam project for about Nine (9) years (1982 to 1990), he was Project Director for Water Supply of the Department of Public Works and commitments, Highways (DPWH), responsible for exercising over-all planning execution interventions Steve Cordero, PRO-C, JRMP and control of rural water supply projects implemented throughout the Philippines. The National Irrigation Administration 6 After months of careful and objective He was also assigned as Sector Coordinator. (NIA 6) firmed up commitments and deliberation, the Professional Regulation interventions for Indigenous Peoples Commission (PRC) has bestowed upon In his 16 years in DPWH, Dr. Padernal (IPs) covered by the Jalaur River NIA Administrator Florencio F. Padernal has been instrumental in the formulation of Multi-Purpose Project II (JRMP II). This, the Commission’s highest award given to the Water Supply, Sewerage and as provisions for a Memorandum of professionals from different fields. This Sanitation Master Plan (1987), the Rural Agreement (MOA) was finalized with 22 year, Dr. Padernal will receive from the Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan government agencies involved with the PRC the 2015 Outstanding Professional (1982) and Integrated Water Supply and JRMP II implementation. Also agreed of the Year Award in the field of Civil Sanitation Program (1980), which served was the creation of an Inter-Agency Engineering in recognition of his efforts as references in the implementation of Coordinating Council (IACC) in order to and initiatives contributing not just to his water supply and sanitation projects in ensure that needs as identified are field but also to the country. the Philippines and other countries. He addressed and commitments delivered. also helped in the development and Dr. Padernal is a Civil Engineer who implementation of over 20 foreign assisted - The agreement highlighted the Inter- specializes in the fields of project/ water supply projects in remote and poor Agency Coordination Meeting at NIA 6 construction management, master and areas of the country. attended by JRMP II officials and development planning, institution and representatives of partner government capability building, and engineering. The Outstanding Professional of the Year agencies. Aside from Engineering, he also specializes Award, first given by the PRC in 1977, is on public administration. the highest award given by the Commis- Guests in the coordination meeting sion to a professional “as recommended included Capitol lawyer, Attorney Dennis For over 36 years of professional excellence, by his/her peers for having amply demonstrated Ventilacion, Economic Development he has held prominent positions in his career.