MANKAYAN, Benguet – Officials in this municipality commended the Poy-ok Lip-atan Farmers Association for their cooperation in the completion of the Poy-ok Lip-atan Pump Irrigation Project (PIP) and urged them to maintain and strengthen their group as the key stakeholder of the project.
This developed during the simple turnover and acceptance ceremony of the Poy-ok Lip-atan Pump Irrigation Project to the farmers’ group in Brgy. Guinaoang on July 11, 2020.
“The irrigation project is really a big help to our farmers especially during the dry season when the weather is good for farming. With its completion and use, we expect that crop harvest and profits of our farmer-beneficiaries will also increase,” said Barangay Captain James Guanso.
With a total project cost of two million pesos, the project was funded under the CY 2019 Establishment of Groundwater Pump Irrigation Project (EGPIP). The project has generated a new service area of six hectares.
Photo by Armando M. Bolislis
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Mayor Frenzel Ayong of Mankayan lauds NIA for initiating irrigation projects in Mankayan especially in its far-flung areas as there were five irrigation projects implemented in the municipality for CY 2019, one of which is this project. He committed funding for the improvement of the farm-to-market road to facilitate transport of crop produce.
As the project is now turned over to the irrigators’ association for operation and maintenance, Engr. Godofredo Velaque, provincial head of NIA-Benguet Satellite Office, urged all members for teamwork especially that pump projects require more maintenance, and scheduling of water delivery and distribution must be conducted.
Veronica Comafay, president of the farmers’ group, accepted the responsibilities in the operation and maintenance of the irrigation with the help of all the farmer-members. Even with the restrictions currently implemented, she and her fellow members commit to complete necessary requirements and formulate policies and procedures on maintenance, water delivery and distribution.
Velaque also encouraged the irrigators’ association to commit to the Irrigation Management Transfer and the signed contract with the NIA. Under the contract, the irrigators association will be provided with an operations subsidy of P150 per hectare per season based on the validated list of irrigated and planted area and a maintenance subsidy of P2,800 per canal section per maintenance period which occurs in every 45 days with a maximum of six in one year. One canal section is equivalent to 3.5 kilometers for earth canals and 7 kilometers for concrete lined canals or along the pipelines.
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