Quirino irrigation project inaugurated

President Arroyo inaugurated on Wednesday the P1.31-billion Addalam River Irrigation Project in Quirino province that is expected to increase rice and corn production in the region.

The President, who arrived in Quirino after a two-hour land travel from San Jose, Nueva Ecija, led the unveiling of the marker of the project at 10:30 a.m. in Barangay San Leonardo, Aglipay town. The event was part of the activities to celebrate the 37th anniversary of the province.

The ARIP is the biggest infrastructure project in the history of the province funded under the national budget. The project, expected to benefit some 4,500 farmers in the two provinces of Quirino and Isabela, is one of the big-ticket projects of the Arroyo administration designed to increase rice and corn production in Region 2.

She arrived with Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and was welcomed by some 200 residents and local officials led by Quirino Gov. Dakila Carlo Cua, Quirino Lone District Rep. Junie Cua, Aglipay Mayor Jerry Agsalda, and Nueva Vizcaya Archbishop Ramon Villena.

She was briefed on the project by Yap while Villena led the blessing of the irrigation site in Barangay San Leonardo.

The project involves the construction of a diversion dam across the Addalam River in Barangay San Leonardo, a canal distribution and drainage systems, access and service roads, a Palace statement said.

Local officials said the irrigation system is the biggest project funded through the General Appropriations Act. Scheduled for completion next year, the project will irrigate more than 1,000 hectares of farmlands in Quirino and another 7,000 hectares in Isabela.

“Definitely this is one of the biggest, if not the biggest irrigation projects, and perhaps the only dam that is funded through the GAA. This project is very timely considering our government’s food security program,” the governor said.

For his part, Cua described the project as a “classic example of patience and perseverance” in sourcing out local funds. “The biggest release of almost P1 billion came during the term of the President,” he said.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has constructed new irrigation systems and rehabilitated old ones that have so far increased the country’s irrigable farmlands to an unprecedented 1.5 million hectares.

Quirino province is the third biggest corn producer, and fourth rice producer in Region II.

While in the province, Mrs. Arroyo also distributed P3.2 million worth of checks to farmer cooperatives, and assorted farm implements, including post-harvest facilities.

Aside from the P3.2 million worth of checks under Land Bank’s rice production loan program, she also distributed seven flatbed dryers, and assorted vegetable seeds.

On April 1, the President signed Administrative Order 225, “Harnessing Idle Resources to Uplift the Poor and Boost Rice Supply to Cushion the Country from Price Spikes.”

Under AO 225, she directed government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) to allocate five percent of their 2007 surplus for rice production, microfinance and other pro-poor projects.

From Quirino, she proceeded to Isabela province where she inaugurated the Jones Bridge 2, a P168-million span that is expected to help boost agricultural production.

The bridge spans the Cagayan River and links Jones town’s 12 barangays to the muni­cipalities of San Agustin and Echague in Isabela, and the northeastern parts of Luzon, particularly the commercial centers of Isabela, Cagayan, Kalinga, Apayao and Nueva Vizcaya.

After the briefing, the President unveiled the bridge’s marker and led the inaugural drive through the 361.20-lineal-meter bridge, one of the 113 modular steel bridges built nationwide with funding assistance from the Austrian government.