First District Representative Edgar Chatto is seeking to realize full potential of various irrigation facilities in the first district of Bohol.
On Nov. 17, 2021, in a meeting with National Irrigation Administration (NIA) regional manager Engr. Reyne Ugay, Chatto asked NIA to reevaluate operations of current irrigation facilities operating in service areas throughout the first district.
He said that while serviceable areas in the 1st district cannot compare to other districts, a number of areas can be developed for agriculture, particularly for rice and vegetable production.
Chatto said this can be the 1st district’s contribution to overall agriculture objectives of the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh), which is led by Gov. Arthur Yap and Vice Gov. Rene Relampagos.
The PGBh has placed a premium on the agriculture industry as a pillar for the province’s growth and development.
In the first district, about 1,470 hectares are covered by 39 NIA- assisted communal irrigation systems, 90% of which are operational areas.
Almost 3,000 members of farmers and irrigators associations benefit from these irrigated areas, a report from Chatto’s office said.
The solon and the NIA regional manager were joined in the meeting by Engr. Vilma Uayan, head of Bohol-Cebu-Siquijor Irrigation Management Office; Engr. Orencio Apale, Engineering Division Manager; Evaristo Borja; assistant provincial agriculturist Larry Pamugas; Chatto’s office chief of staff Atty. Abel Damalerio; and consultant Alfonso “Ae” Damalerio II. In the meeting other irrigation projects that will be funded for 2021 and 2022 were also discussed.
The NIA officials also presented devolution plans for communal irrigation systems in the first district.