NIA seeks P28.8-B budget for canal repair

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is seeking a budget of P28.8 billion for 2015 to repair about 4,500 kilometers of canals and related structure next year.

Next year, the NIA intends to rehabilitate 1,049 kilometers of canals and work on 1,092 kilometers of canal linings and 2,321 kilometers of irrigation structures, the agency reported.

Overall, the NIA’s target is to restore irrigation services to 26,151 hectares of farmland. The agency also seeks to provide irrigation services to 26,155 hectares of farms.

Last week, the NIA said, it secured the approval of the House of Representatives for its P28.8-billion budget for 2015.

The agency said that P16.6 billion, or 57 percent, of the approved budget had been earmarked for so-called locally funded projects, which included small reservoir irrigation projects, small pump irrigation projects, feasibility studies and detailed engineering.

Also included are initiatives under the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Projects and Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan Program, as well as major projects like the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project Phase II, Balog-Balog Multipurpose Irrigation Project Phase II, Malinao Dam Improvement Project, Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project Phase II, and Umayam River Irrigation Project (URIP).

Of the NIA”s budget, about a quarter, or P7.7 billion, will fund the expansion and rehabilitation of existing facilities, climate change adaptation works, support services for the management of irrigation facilities and payment of right-of-way and other claims related to such infrastructure.

Of the remainder, P2.3 billion will go to counterpart funding for foreign-assisted projects, P1.6 billion to general administration; and P578 million to support to operations.

The NIA is one of four agricultural agencies under the supervision of the Office of the President’s Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization.