Bohol farmers cry foul on poor irrigation

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  — Farmers and landowners belonging to different irrigation associations served by Malinao and Bayongan mega-dams situated in Pilar and San Miguel towns, respectively, complained over the inadequate irrigation services by the National Irrigation Administration.

Farmers Development Center (FARDEC), a non-government organization, said NIA through a memorandum of agreement seemed to have failed its commitment in leveling farmlands to irrigate.

FARDEC coordinator Eloy Tabada, one of the signatories of the MOA, said some farmers in two barangays of Dagohoy town were also affected because their farmlands remained not leveled for irrigation, but they were still made to pay the NIA for the leveling work even if this has not been done.

The MOA was signed on September 1, 2010 by former NIA-7 manager Modesto Membreve, director Marlene Rodriguez and officials of various irrigation associations, and witnessed by Yashuki Tanaka, deputy director general of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and researcher Hosue Hatae.

It provided for actions to be taken by parties concerned, such as land leveling work, and condonation process, which however showed little progress. “After the physical inspection and validation, a thorough evaluation will be made to determine if physical intervention is still needed in the area,” the MOA stated.

“If the area is higher than the water surface elevation of the farm ditches and or irrigation water cannot reach the area because of physical barriers and water shortages, NIA-7 will recommend to the NIA top management to condone the payment of loan for land leveling and subsequently seek approval from the NIA board,” after which “relevant documents shall be returned to the landowner,” the MOA provided.

The MOA pointed out that NIA-7, in coordination with LGUs and irrigation groups, is “mandated to develop, operate and maintain” the Bohol Integrated Irrigation Systems, comprising of the Malinao Dam, Bayongan Dam and Capayas dam in Ubay town to improve the socio-economic status of the farmers.

It also provides for the implementation of techniques called AWD (alternate wetting drying) of water delivery and downstream/upstream system in the rotation of irrigation water and water savings technology as well as reforestation of the watershed areas.

Earlier, farmer Reynaldo Luchana, former chair of Brgy. Caluasan in Dagohoy and tilling some 12 hectares owned by his in-laws, said only four hectares of these are being served by the irrigation because of lack of water. The eight hectares remain idle, he said, adding that the renegotiation of the contract between NIA and the landowners should be revisited.

Luchana said his contract with the NIA has already expired and this needs to renegotiated for an equitable payments of irrigation services, which was too burdensome for farmers to pay for of about 150 kilos to 175 kilos per hectare per harvest.

According to the Women Development Council, landowners are made to pay ISF in the amount of P1,500 per hectare or its equivalent to number of kilos of palay harvest and it was increased to P2,000 per hectare.

A total of 1,363 farmer-landowners, supposedly beneficiaries of Malinao Dam irrigation (stage I) services in Pilar and neighboring towns, are still languishing in paying debts arising from “expensive” servicing dues, even if with “poor” water supply to the farms, the WDC said.

Tabada said he did not know yet what transpired in the meeting last week held in time of the visit of JICA people apparently for evaluation of the irrigation services.

Efforts to contact NIA-7 regional manager Diosdado Rosales for comment proved futile. (FREEMAN)