TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct. 30 (PIA) -- Farmers from 32 barangays in Bohol hope that the implementation of the P1.537 billion Bohol Northeast Integrated Irrigation Project (BNIIP) would deliver irrigation water to the rainfed ricefields in the four towns that the project covers. 

During the groundbreaking of one of the six series of dams that comprise the BNIIP, irrigation association representatives shared their hopes of an improved harvest with the irrigation service once completed in 2027. 

National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Ricardo Visaya led the groundbreaking rites of the integrated irrigation projects on Oct. 27 in Tomoc, San Miguel. 

According Visaya, the project is expected to increase the irrigated areas, cropping intensity from 114% to 200%, and rice production of the areas to provide efficient, reliable, and sustainable irrigation service to the local farmers, and reassert Bohol’s claim as the rice granary in Central Visayas.

The said project involves the construction of six series of dams that are set to flow into 2,133 hectares of rice farms in the towns of San Miguel, Danao, Trinidad, and Bien Unido.

NIA estimates some 683 farmers in 30 barangays of these towns in the Second District of Bohol to benefit from the project, but irrigators associations said the economic ripples of the irrigation can go beyond the farmer families and into the communities of the general area.

The dams would be built in Dagohoy Danao (Isumod diversion dam), San Jose San Miguel (Cambangay catchment dam), Santo Tomas Trinidad (Kinan-oan diversion dam), Bongbong Trinidad (Hinlayagan diversion dam), Hagbuyo San Miguel (Cambangay diversion dam), and Bugang San Miguel for the Ipil diversion Dam.

The Isumod diversion dam can serve 213 hectares of rice farms for the June to October and November to March cropping in the farms of Dagohoy, Cantubod, Sta Fe, Remedios and Conception, all in Danao, when a main supply canal would be built to pour water into these barangays and irrigate 61.14 square kilometers of drainage areas.

From the Cambangay catch dam, a new supply canal would be built to flood irrigation services to 325 hectares by connecting a supply canal from Cambangay catchment dam to Hinlayagan Ilaya dam and then to Kinan-oan dam, serving a total of 814 hectares of rice farms during the June to October cropping and 242 hectares in the November to March cropping.

Meanwhile, Hinlayagan Ilaya diversion dam can bring irrigation water to 308 hectares of rice farms and Kinan-oan can also cover 181 hectares of rice lands down its catchment area. 

From Ipil, a supply canal would bring the water to 1,106 hectares of rice farms, providing water to 625 hectares in the rice-planting months of June to November and July to October where 629 hectares from Trinidad to the underserved rice farms of Bien Unido would benefit.

“Kasabay ng groundbreaking ceremony na ito ang pag-usbong ng pag-asa para sa ating mga magsasaka. Sa loob lamang po ng ilang taong paghihintay na matapos ang proyektong ito, madaragdagan na po ang inyong ani at kita sapagkat may sapat nang patubig para sa inyong mga sakahan,” Visaya was quoted as saying in his message.

NIA OIC Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance Sector Engr. Freddie Toquero also attended the event along with NIA Region 7 Acting Regional Manager Engr. Reyne Ugay and the NIA personnel from PAIS and administrator's office of the NIA Central Office.

San Miguel Mayor Virgilio Mendez thanked the agency, citing outgoing NIA Region 7 Regional Manager Engr. Wilson Lopez for the irrigation project.

Also present were Gov. Arthur Yap, Atty. Jiselle Rae Villamor in behalf of 2nd District Cong. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, Bien Unido Mayor Rene Borenaga, Trinidad Mayor Judith Cajes, and Danao Mayor Jose Cepedoza, and the project's farmer beneficiaries. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)