PILAR, Bataan – The National Irrigation Administration over the weekend announced the rehabilitation and restoration of the Magsaysay Community Irrigation System with a P30-million budget in anticipation of El Niño.
Engr. Nestor Fernandez, provincial irrigation manager, said the project entails the repair of the diversion dam, continuation of the concreting of canal lines and repair of the Panikihan dam, an auxiliary of the Magsaysay dam.
The rehabilitation and restoration program was made possible through the initiative of Rep. Albert Garcia per request of Pilar Mayor Carlos Pizarro, Jr. to help farmers cope up with the impending dry spell.
El Niño is not yet felt in Bataan unlike in Bulacan but the congressman and the mayor would like Pilar be ready considering that the town is the rice granary and food basket of the province in the second district, said Fernandez who is also concurrent administrator of Bataan – Pampanga Irrigation Management Office.
Pizarro said the Magsaysay dam services 1,051 hectares of ricelands tilled by more than 300 farmers. “Gusto nating matulungan ang mga magsasaka dahil sa napipintong El Nino upang hindi lumaki ang kanilang gastos at hindi mabawasan ang produksiyon ng bigas,” the mayor said.
Construction works, hopefully, begin before March, Pizarro said.
NIA supervises three national irrigation systems in Bataan – Colo and Layac-Balsic dams in Dinalupihan and Tangilad dam in Samal-Orani area. The agency helped in the building of 50 other communal dams that were turned over to irrigators’ associations.
Fernandez said they service 10,530 hectares out of more than 15,000 hectares planted to rice in Bataan. There are more than 20,000 hectares of arable lands in the province composed of 11 towns and a city.
Engr. Nestor Fernandez, provincial irrigation manager, said the project entails the repair of the diversion dam, continuation of the concreting of canal lines and repair of the Panikihan dam, an auxiliary of the Magsaysay dam.
The rehabilitation and restoration program was made possible through the initiative of Rep. Albert Garcia per request of Pilar Mayor Carlos Pizarro, Jr. to help farmers cope up with the impending dry spell.
El Niño is not yet felt in Bataan unlike in Bulacan but the congressman and the mayor would like Pilar be ready considering that the town is the rice granary and food basket of the province in the second district, said Fernandez who is also concurrent administrator of Bataan – Pampanga Irrigation Management Office.
Pizarro said the Magsaysay dam services 1,051 hectares of ricelands tilled by more than 300 farmers. “Gusto nating matulungan ang mga magsasaka dahil sa napipintong El Nino upang hindi lumaki ang kanilang gastos at hindi mabawasan ang produksiyon ng bigas,” the mayor said.
Construction works, hopefully, begin before March, Pizarro said.
NIA supervises three national irrigation systems in Bataan – Colo and Layac-Balsic dams in Dinalupihan and Tangilad dam in Samal-Orani area. The agency helped in the building of 50 other communal dams that were turned over to irrigators’ associations.
Fernandez said they service 10,530 hectares out of more than 15,000 hectares planted to rice in Bataan. There are more than 20,000 hectares of arable lands in the province composed of 11 towns and a city.
