Pangasinan hit only by dry spell, not drought–NIA
THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) confirmed that only a dry spell was felt in Pangasinan from March to May unlike in the three other provinces in Region 1–La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte—that experienced drought during the last three months.
But NIA Regional Manager John Celeste said that being close to the drought-hit provinces, Pangasinan was also affected by dry spell which is a milder form of drought.
Drought is felt when there is 60 percent less rain in a particular area and dry spell when there is absence of from 20 to 60 percent, said Celeste, speaking during the KBP Forum in Dagupan.
However, the report of NIA contradicted findings of the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) attributing the fissures found in Barangay Balite Sur in San Carlos City behind the Balite Sur Elementary School to be caused by ground subsidence as a result of the lowering of water level due to drought.
“It was the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Atmospheric Administration (PAGASA) that said Pangasinan was spared by drought and only experienced dry spell,” countered Celeste, claiming that San Carlos City along with Malasiqui are within the downstream of the Agno River last to be reached by irrigation water.
In San Carlos City, as in many other areas, farmers had already plowed and harrowed their fields, anticipating the rains in just a few days.
Celeste said there are seven national irrigation projects in Pangasinan, the biggest of which is the Agno River Irrigation System which provides water to some 12,000 hectares of land.
The combined irrigated areas of the seven and 202 communal irrigation projects with 202 irrigators associations joining NIA in overseeing their operations, comprise 50 percent of the total agricultural areas of Pangasinan, the other 50 percent are rain-fed areas. (Leonardo Micua)
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