THOUGH the effect of El Niño phenomenon in Pangasinan is still mild compared to other provinces, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is now scheduling water to the farms equitably.

This was disclosed by Oscar Navata, information officer of NIA regional office, who said that Pangasinan is luckier than other provinces, like Cagayan and some provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao, whose farms have almost dried up because of  El Niño.

He said the only problem of the water scheduling is that farmers, especially those whose farms are isolated in the tail ends of irrigation systems, sometimes refuse to observe the water schedule and get as much water, drawing more than what they need for their farms. 

Noting that this is the perennial problem with Pangasinan farmers, NIA reminded irrigators’ associations to observe the water delivery and distribution schedule that was prepared by themselves.     

However, in order to help ease the situation and prevent possible tension in the farms, NIA deployed its institutional workers and water resource facility technicians or water masters to increase liaison with irrigators’ associations so the members can be monitored.

Navata believes that if the water schedule will be faithfully observed all farmlands will be served especially now that San Roque dam is normally discharging water downstream.

At the same time, Navata sees no need for the government to undertake cloud seeding in the Pangasinan area as the rainy season, anyway may now be forthcoming.

He also revealed that NIA Region I headed by Regional Director Vicente Vicmudo is  innovating its service systems and improving its facilities to earn International Standard Organization (ISO) Certification.

“Farmers may not have yet noticed this because everybody is preoccupied in coming with the problem of El Niño but we now have an improved systems and improved our main and lateral canals,” Navata said.  

He said the rehabilitation of the Binday Dam in San Fabian has been resumed after a short delay owing to the effects of the typhoon that visited Pangasinan last year.  (Leonardo Micua)

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments