Irrigation project benefits Ilocos Sur

By Joyah Mae C. Quimoyog

SAN JUAN, Ilocos Sur - - Residents and farmers here, expect increased crop yields in the coming days with the completion of the Barbar Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) here in Barangay Barbar.
    Inadequate supply of water for agricultural production has been a problem for farmers in some barangays in San Juan especially those located at the lower portion of the municipality.
    However, through the Barbar SRIP, farmers of most barangays are expecting an increase in their agricultural production even with the coming summer season.
    “Malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa gobyerno para sa proyektong ito para sa ating mga magsasaka kasi kapag ngayon na summer, wala ng nakukuhang tubig ang mga barangay sa ibaba at ngayon, natutuwa ang aming mga magsasaka at hindi na nila problema ang patubig na gagamitin para sa mga tanim na tabako,” barangay chairman Martin Jimenez said.
    Implemented by the National Irrigation Administration, the Barbar SRIP with 846-hectare service area aims to provide sustainable development to the 1,156 farmers and their families of the 11 barangays of San Juan namely: Barbar, Camangaan, Nagsupotan, Nagsabaran, Muraya, Immayos Sur, Guimod Sur and Bacsil, and the barangays of Macatcatud, Caraisan and Barbarit in the neighboring town of Magsingal.
    “Sa palay naman, kahit umabot pa sila ng third crop dahil lahat ng ating mga magsasaka mula sa iba't ibang barangay ay may kanya-kanyang panahon ng pagpapatubig ng kanilang mga tanim, lahat ay mabebenipisyohan ng dam na ito,” Jimenez added.
    The project, which was implemented starting on January 1, 2010 and completed on November 30 last year, is hoped to contribute to the attainment of the government’s program of food self-sufficiency.
    NIA Administrator General Ricardo R. Visaya (Ret.) said, “Nag-iimport tayo ng bigas, ngayon, marami pa tayong mga lupain na kailangang i-irrigate. Actually mayroon pa tayong about 3.6 million hectares ang irrigable area sa buong bansa and out of that, more than 2 million hectares pa lamang ang pinapatubigan natin so kapag natubigan na natin ang about 80 percent of the 3 million hectares we can have at least rice sufficiency so kailangan pa nating gumawa ng malalaking dams aside from the small dams na kagaya nito.”
    The 846 hectares irrigable area of the project will provide at least 84,500 metric tons of paddy rice annually with 1.61 million pesos equivalence.
    The Barbar SRIP was inaugurated on May 6.
    The unveiling of the project’s marker was led by NIA Administrator Visaya, Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson, Ilocos Sur First District Rep. Deogracias Victor Savellano, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Efren Rafanan, San Juan Mayor Ma. Elaine Sarmiento, other NIA top management officials led by NIA Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance Major General Romeo G. Gan (Ret.) and Regional Director engineer Angelito S. Miguel, and project beneficiaries as represented by its irrigators’ association officials.
    It was followed by the dispersal of 10,000 tilapia fingerlings from the provincial government in addition to the 50,000 fingerlings from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) earlier poured at the dam.
    Gov. Singson pledged to help the NIA and the local government unit of San Juan in developing the dam area into an eco-tourism spot in the province, establishing small cottages scattered in strategic locations around the dam and reservoir area, and providing cell site or antenna for cell phones and modern communication systems to strengthen the accessibility to communication signal.
    “The reinforcing livelihood component of the irrigation project, turned system, is expected to boost the morale of the farmer-beneficiaries and have them more inspired to take care and cherish the project that NIA had gifted them, and that will likewise redound to the benefit of their future generation,” Ilocos Sur Irrigation Management Office division manager Gertrudes A. Viado said. -- PIA Ilocos Sur