TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The National Irrigation Administration recently turned over the Laya West Communal Irrigation Project (CIP)-Phase I to the Jose Anniban Farmers Irrigators Association.
The association with 53 farmers who are agrarian reform beneficiaries will now operate and maintain the project located at Laya West, this city.
Kalinga Irrigation Management Office (KIMO) Division Manager Ronilio Cervantes said the Laya West CIP-Phase I is an inter-agency project funded under Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program-Irrigation Component CY 2019 with a total project cost of P10,000,000.
The project was designed to irrigate 54 hectares.
The turnover was witnessed by Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang; Gov. Ferdinand B. Tubban; NIA-Cordillera Manager Engr. Benito T. Espique, Jr.; NIA Consultant Ret. Col. Herman P. Asanyas, Jr.; NIA-KIMO employees, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Edaño G. Canao; DAR Kalinga; Presidential Agrarian Reform Council Committee headed by Francisco Alunday and the farmer-beneficiaries.
In a related development, Espique led other officials in a monitoring activity conducted on the ongoing improvement of main canal of the Upper Chico River Irrigation System (UCRIS).
The NIA-KIMO is committed to monitor the ongoing P137 million UCRIS rehabilitation whose contractors were directed to complete the project ahead of schedule. – Peter A. Balocnit
