The National Irrigation Authority (NIA) Regional Office No. 8 held an orientation on the Communal Irrigation Systems (CIS) Devolution to the City Government of Borongan, that aimed to provide a common understanding of the functions and responsibilities of NIA for devolving CIS to the City LGU.
NIA Central Office IDD Manager Dr. Leo L. Gallego led the orientation virtually and gave participants an in-depth discussion of the salient features of the CIS Devolution/Basis of EO 138 and highlights of the devolution plan.
City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda reassured the NIA that the learnings, assistance, and the trust they will impart to the Irrigators Associations (IA) of Borongan will not go to waste.
Borongan City has six (6) NIA-assisted CIS Facilities. Currently, only four (4) are operational – Borongan CIS in Surok, Cagbonga CIS, San Jose CIS, and Sta. Fe CIS. These CIS Facilities will be developed into fully functional facilities to ease the difficulties rice farmers face in their respective irrigations.
Barangay Sta. Fe’s IA President, Jovino Bula, expressed his gratitude to NIA and LGU Borongan.
“Dako tak pasasalamat hit LGU Borongan ug hit NIA nga nagkamay-ada devolution plan para direkta na it bulig ngadi ha amon nga mga parag-uma”, Bula said. (I’m very thankful to LGU Borongan and NIA for having a devolution plan to help farmers directly.)
Ms. Daisy Cachuela, OIC IDS/Senior IDO, noted that the LGU’s actions are part of Mayor Agda’s efforts to develop Borongan into a more progressive city. Borongan City is expected to be the first LGU in Region 8 to be devolved with NIA’s CIS.