NIA shelves move to cover Barili sinkhole

CEBU, Philippines - The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) - 7 will not proceed yet with covering the sinkhole at Mantayupan Falls in the town of Barili after the latter requested to halt the activity because the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 has yet to undertake a study.

NIA-7 Regional Manager Diosdado Rosales said they were already instructed by NIA administrator Antonio S. Nangel to proceed with its plan to fill up the sinkhole at the Mantayupan Falls with boulders and cover it with concrete slab which cost at least P450,000.00.

Rosales added that he already instructed his assistant, Norma Monisit, to arrange a meeting with the local government unit concerned and MGB soon to come up with a timeline because the hole may become bigger.

“Conditions may get worse to the disadvantage of our farmers, among others,” Rosales said.

Sometime on July 10, 2012 at approximately 1.5 kilometers upstream of the Mantayupan Falls, a sinkhole suddenly appeared along Mantayupan River.

The sinkhole caused a “draining effect” wherein the water from the river flowed into the sinkhole and follows an underground waterway. As a result, the farmers whose rice farms are located downstream and dependent on the water coming from the said river suddenly found themselves without water.

In a report, the NIA stated that various stakeholders affected by the sinkhole phenomenon such as the Municipal Government of Barili tried to fix the problem by dumping filing materials into the sinkhole but failed to completely plug the hole.

This is why the NIA decided to temporarily reroute the river by placing sandbags and excavated the right bank portion to return the flow of water to its original route.

However, the report stated that such is only a temporary solution and a flashflood can easily wash away the sandbags.

The irrigation was constructed in 1985 with the Mantayupan River as its primary source of water. Upon its completion in 1985, the system has irrigation facilities like diversion works, irrigation canal and canal structures. It covers three barangays namely Campangga, Daro and Napo with a total service area of 170 hectares with 155 farmer-beneficiaries.

It is one of the biggest irrigation systems in the province with an average yield of 95 cavans per hectare. The beneficiary, Barili Rice Irrigators’ Association, is also one of the most active and most productive in Cebu, garnering local and national awards. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JPM(FREEMANNEWS)