ROSALES–Abono party-list representatives filed on July 26 a House Bill abolishing irrigation fees and other related fees to dramatically help farmers and improve their productivity.

House Bill No. 1887 authored by Reps. Conrado Estrella III and Vini Nola Ortega noted that rice farmers have to pay an equivalent of five cavans of palay per hectare as irrigation service fees during dry season cropping and three cavans per hectare during wet season cropping.

The number of cavans amount to an average of P2,400 per hectare during the dry season and P1,700 per hectare during the wet season, they said.

Other farmers covered by communal irrigation systems pay according to the loans they acquired for establishing the systems, and for maintenance of the said systems, they added.

The two congressmen said if their bill becomes law, the amounts intended for irrigation will augment the income of the farmers to help defray others household expenses.

The authors also pointed out that farmers organizations and irrigators associations affiliated with the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura or SINAG led by Engr. Rosendo So and other farmer federations have long demanded previous governments to abolish irrigation service fees as among the measures that will help small farmers.

They also pointed out that candidates running for elective positions during the May 2016 elections were unanimous in voicing their support for the farmers’ demand to abolish irrigation service fees.

They are optimistic that their bill will find the support of the Duterte government since it has declared its intent to pursue a genuine agricultural development strategy by providing support services to the small farmers to increase their productivity and improve their market access. (Tita Roces)

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