Turnover in Bohol: New NIA-7 director takes post

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Alejandro Alberca takes on the position of regional director of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-Region 7, replacing Diosdado Rosales, after a turnover ceremony held on Friday at regional office in this city.

The turnover rites was attended by Gov. Edgar Chatto, Rep. Aris Aumentado (2nd dist., Bohol), former NIA-7 director Modesto Membreve, Reynaldo Concordia who represented Agriculture Sec. Proseso Alcala, Rene Espinoza who represented Rep. Arthur Yap (3rd dist.) and NIA-Bohol manager Olimpio Galagala, among others.

Membreve in his brief remarks said Alcala had ordered the reshuffling of NIA officials across the country, as an offshoot of President Aquino's disgust over the agency's "poor performance."

Membreve however was quick to point out that in the case of Central Visayas could not be likened to others with unsatisfactory performances to show.

Chatto, for his part, cited NIA-7's contribution to rice sufficiency in Bohol. He said Rosales was succeeded by another good director because the regional office has been a performing one.

Besides the increased palay harvest in recent years, Bohol is still the food basket of the region due to close coordination and commitment exerted by NIA-7 in the province, said the governor.

Rosales was cited before as Outstanding Irrigation Management Office (IMO) head, covering Cebu and Bohol, while Alberca was a 3-time Hall of Fame awardee while assigned in Mindanao.

Under Rosales watch, NIA-7 earned P40 million in income, as of August this year, which is higher than the P36 million earnings last year.

NIA-7 has a total of 371 communal irrigation systems and 138 of these are in Bohol, such as in Talibon, Ubay and Pilar towns, another 78 are located in Negros Oriental and 14 in Siquijor, said Rosales.  (FREEMAN)