NIA and DAR officials together with the IA members during the ceremonial ribbon cutting
BUGANG SUR, BILAR – On Friday, March 23, 2018, the National Irrigation Administration Regional Office 7, through the Bohol Irrigation Management Office formally turned over the newly completed Bugang Sur & Norte Communal Irrigation Project (CIP) to its beneficiary, the Kumilaw Irrigators Association Inc. of Barangay Bugang Sur and Cabacnitan, Bilar, Bohol, headed by its president Domingo D. Salces for them to handle the operation and maintenance of the said irrigation system.
The turnover ceremony began at around 10:00 o’clock in the morning and was attended by the NIA R-7 Planning, Construction & Design head Engr. Nelson Doliente, IMO personnel, IA officers, 2nd Dist. Cong. Yap’s representative – Winsor Palgan, R-7 Department of Agrarian Reform head Grace B. Fua, and Barangay officials.
Engr. Doliente led the turnover ceremony in behalf the NIA Region 7 Regional Manager Modesto G. Membreve who failed to grace the said event since he is in the NIA Central Office to attend a very important meeting.
In his turnover message, Engr. Doliente expressed words of thanks and joy for the successful completion and turnover of the project which the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) had worked together for the farmers to benefit.
According to him, the beneficiaries should always remember the role of the trees in securing the continuous and abundant supply of water.
He also reminded the IA members to develop and maintain cohesiveness as a group because according to him, it will help impose the strict implementation and maintenance of the irrigation system.
As final message, he told the beneficiaries to sincerely take good care of the system because it was undertaken from the funds of the government which came from the hard earned money which we paid the government through our taxes.
For his part, IA President Salces expressed heartfelt gratitude to the NIA and the DAR leaderships for their tireless service and readiness to aid the farmers in their needs.
He also promised that as head of the IA he will encourage and motivate more the members to be active so that their organization will become strong and cohesive.
As final message, he encouraged his fellow IA officials and members to actively involve themselves in the care and maintenance of the irrigation system by not allowing the carabaos to stay along the irrigation system to prevent its destruction.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) Grace B. Fua, expressed her overwhelming joy for the successful completion and turnover of the irrigation system which the farmers will benefit.
According to Fua, the National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Agrarian Reform had been partners for a long period of time and zealously worked hard in order to help improve and uplift the lives of the farmers.
“This project which came from the CARP funds and was implemented by the NIA will surely help the farmers improve their cropping production because from now on water is already abundant.“ said Fua.
Representatives of the different local and national officials have also expressed and shared their words of thanks and praise for the collaboration of NIA and DAR that led to the successful conveyance of the irrigation system to its beneficiary.
The Catugasan Communal Irrigation Project will cater the eighty (80) hectares service areas of Barangay Bugang Sur and Cabacnitan, Bilar, Bohol that have ninety two (92) strong IA members.
The fund of the said project was sourced from the CARP-IC of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) that amounted ten (10) million pesos. It was implemented by the NIA R-7 through the Bohol Irrigation Management Office. Its construction was undertaken by the CPR Construction and Supply under the supervision of Cornelio Belnas as project-in-charge, Glenda C. Cario and Jennifer N. Agbon as Institutional Development Officers from the Bohol IMO.