2 irrigators associations win Casecnan awards

Two irrigators associations were recently handed Casecnan awards meant to enhance their respective loan programs in rice production, palay trading and farm inputs.

The winners this year are the Buluan-Pigcawayan Irrigators Association Inc. based in North Cotabato and the Bagong Silang IA based in Alicia, Isabela.

Sponsored by CalEnergy International, the Casecnan awards were established in 2003 and honors the top IAs that have won in the National Irrigation Administration’s annual competition.

To date project grants have amounted to almost P0.5 million.

The awards were named after the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Hydroelectric project in Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya which CalEnergy operates in partnership with NIA.

"The Casecnan Awards shows the strong commitment of CalEnergy to the Filipino grassroots farmers. It is also a vehicle to help them achieve their lofty goals," Joseph Sullivan, CalEnergy president said, adding the project has also supplemented irrigation requirements of Pampanga river communities.

Bagong Silang IA and Buluan-Pigcawayan IA excelled in categories related to operation and maintenance, organization, financial performance, organizational discipline and other indicators such as credit assistance to IA members, livelihood programs and involvement in women’s groups.

"The Casecnan Awards is a very unique undertaking because it honors not only the direct beneficiaries of the Casecnan Multipurpose Project. The awards therefore highlights NIA’s efforts in recognizing the good performance of the IAs," Marcelino Tugawin, NIA deputy administrator said.

Good performance includes providing hard-pressed farmers a better alternative to usurers when they need to buy seeds and fertilizers.