Benigno S. Aquino Sr. Farmers' Training Center rises in Ecija

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines  – A P22.5 million state-of-the-art training center for Nueva Ecija farmers named after the grandfather and namesake of President Aquino will soon be in operation in this city.

The two-story Benigno Aquino Sr. Farmers’ Training Center is nearing completion at the compound of the National Irrigation Administration’s Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems headquarters here. It will be inaugurated on Feb. 17.

Engr. Reynaldo Puno, NIA-UPRIIS operations manager, said the facility, a brainchild of his predecessor, now NIA administrator Antonio Nangel, has a training room which can accommodate at least 70 farmers. It also has nine rooms, six of which are named after the six UPRIIS division managers and three suites.

The project, which used to house the office of the Commission on Audit building, was covered by an advice of allotment of the NIA central office, funded through the UPRIIS’ project savings.   

Puno said farmers can hold live-in trainings and seminars for up to three days. He said that the facility will be replicated in Region 1 where NIA regional director John Celeste will put up a similar training center.

Although it will serve as a specialized facility catering to farmers, other government agencies and organizations may utilize the training center. This way, income will also be generated by the NIA-UPRIIS.