GUIMBA, Nueva Ecija – Over 2,000 farmers who till a total of 3,574 hectares of rice fields in northern Nueva Ecija have appealed for “ease of life” in including them in the program area of the National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-UPRIIS) this dry crop season. The farmers who belong to two Farmer Irrigators’ Associations (FIAs), the organization of farmers who benefit from government irrigation system, sought the intervention of Administrator Florencio Padernal to effect their inclusion amidefforts of the UPRIIS to rationalize usage of water from Pantabangan Dam and different local sources in anticipation f El Nino phenomenon. “Konting pagsasaayos lang ng efficiency ng pamamahagi ng tubig ay aabutin na kami,” a farmer said saying their group had already sent a letter toPadernal last month. “Mahigit 50 taon kaming naghintay na magkaroon ng tubig- irigasyon para sa aming palayan tapos ngayon nandiyan na ay hindi kami maki-kinabang,” the source who requested for anonymity said. The letter was signed by Feredrico Cenence and Ruben Bautista, presidents of Talugtog-Guimba FIA Inc and North Guimba FIA, Inc., respectively. In their letter to Padernal, Cenence and Bautista said their groups are supposed beneficiaries of the super diversion canal 1 Extra and 2 under the multi-million dollar Casecnan Multi-Purose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP) that was completed during the dry crop season of 2013-2014. “Sa nagdaang dalawang sakahan (dry crop season 2013-2014 at wet season 2014) ay hindi po kami naisama sa programa ng patubigan ng UPRIIS sa kadahilanang ang naimbak daw na tubig sa Pantabangan Dam ay mababa,” it reads. The farmers said they have by themselves initiated steps to have their farm included in the forthcoming dry season, including canal maintenance, creation of main farm ditch, and training water management, basic leadership and financial management. “Nakikiusap kami na maisama sa program areas para sa kabuhayan ng aming pamilya na matagal nang naghihirap,” the source said. Earlier, the provincial government of Nueva Ecija and NIA conducted a water summit to thresh out action to cushion the impact of El Nino this dry season. Gov. Aurelio Umali presided over the summit that was attended by representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA), water districts, local government units, irrigators’ associations, among others. NIA-UPRIIS operations manager Reynaldo Puno, said the summit came out with projection on the extent of damage that may be caused by El Niño, adding they expect a significant decline in palay and rice production which, if not addressed, will impact on food security targets on a nationwide scale. Last July, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advised Filipinos to prepare for below normal rainfall in the last quarter of the year, as scientists are predicting the development of a “weak to moderate” El Niño during the period.
