CABANATUAN CITY – The National Irrigation Administration- Upper Pampanga
River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-UPRIIS) has exceeded its programmed
service area this season, a ranking official said Wednesday.
Engr. Rosalinda Bote, NIA-UPRIIS department manager, said that they scheduled
142,000 hectares to supply irrigation water this wet season. But as of July 31, she
said, the agency has served a total of 145,000 hectares.
"Meron pa rin kaming additional kasi anticipated natin, yung mga rainfed areas ay
nakasama na sa atin," she said.
NIA-UPRIIS which operates Pantabangam Dam and other smaller dams, supply
irrigation water to farms in Nueva Ecija and portions of Bulacan, Pampanga and
Tarlac.
The agency managed to efficiently program its activities with the continuous
modernization of irrigation system, particularly automation of their facilities that
provide them real time date monitoring, she said.
"Yung modernization program ng central office (NIA) kami ay recipient ng
automation so automated na po ang ating Rizal Dam and ngayon ay nakalinya ang
ating Atate Dam," Bote said.
The automation which clearly shows the input of water to impounding places
enable them to analyze on real time basis the required action in dam operation.
The provision of an advanced communication system also enable her office to
monitor rainfall in any specific place within UPRIIS service area thus they can
readily cut off release to maximize rain water and save for the next season.
