NIA chief vows zero tolerance on anomalies

MANILA, Philippines - National Irrigation Administration chief Claro Maranan yesterday vowed to stamp out corruption in the agency amid graft allegations raised by its employees’ association.

Saying the NIA is guided by the “daang matuwid (straight path)” governance policy espoused by President Aquino and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Maranan said the NIA under his watch is geared toward zero tolerance on irregularities.

“I did not allow and I won’t allow any irregularities within NIA under my watch and we will always adhere to the principles of good governance and transparency,” he said in a statement.

The NIA chief issued the statement in response to the open letter of the NIA Employees Association of the Philippines (NIAEASP) and three other groups which called on Aquino to investigate alleged irregularities and anomalies in the agency.

The letter, published in a national daily this week, was signed by officials of the NIAEASP, the Association of the Regional Directors and Operation Managers, National Confederation of Irrigators’ Associations, and the National Federation of Employees of the Department of Agriculture.

In a report, the agency’s internal audit service, tasked to investigate the alleged irregularities, said it has not uncovered any serious irregularity or anomaly in the agency.

The audit report was furnished last March 20 to the NIA board of directors which directed Maranan to provide copies to the NIAEASP, the DA and Malacañang.