The Zamboanga del Sur Irrigation Management Office (ZDS IMO) of NIA Region 9 conducted its 1st batch of mass Pre-construction Conference and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Signing to six (6) barangays under Zamboanga del Sur to benefit from the new irrigation projects of NIA-9 for CY 2021. The activity was held at KCCP Hotel and Convention Center, Pagadian City on May 7, 2021.

The 1st batch of barangays from ZDS to work with NIA for the new irrigation projects are the following:

1. Manga 1, Pagadian City – Project Cost: 5M; Irrigable area: 10 has

2. Lourdes, Pagadian City – Project Cost: 5M; Irrigable area: 20 has

3. Ditoray, Pagadian City – Project Cost: 7.1M; Irrigable area: 10 has

4. Canunan Balongating CIS Extn, Baloboan, Dumalinao – Project Cost: 10M; Irrigable area: 30 has;

5. Bobuan, Bayog – Project Cost: 10M; Irrigable area: 30 has

6. Katipunan CIS Extn, Ramon Magsaysay– Project Cost: 10M; Irrigable area: 30 has

The Zamboanga del Sur Irrigation Management Office (IMO) of NIA Region 9 released Operation Subsidy for Dry Season Crop 2021 to six (6) Irrigators Associations of Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur on May 03, 2021.

The following IAs received the following amount to aid in their operation and maintenance expenses:

1. Balocan IA, Inc. - Php44,400.00.

2. Kawayan-Guipos IA, Inc. - Php23,350.50.

3. Primatell IA, Inc. - Php12, 250.50.

4. Sekabada IA, Inc. - Php6,000.00

5. Bogwac Highway Communal IA, Inc. - Php6,000.00

6. IA OF Brgy. Pob. Guipos, Inc. - Php2,550.00.

30 members of Lumayang Irrigators Association, Inc. of Zamboanga City benefitted from the three-day Quality Enhancement Skills Training on Virgin Coconut Oil hosted by DTI-CARP and Coconut Industry last February 3-5, 2021 at Purok 5, Lumayang, Zamboanga City.

The activity was initiated in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority. It was done through series of lectures and demonstration by technical experts Mr. Arsenio Laput and Ms. Ma Rita L. Molin. The IA was trained on the village-level processing technology, general operation requirements, basic costing and operation and maintenance procedures using coco by-products focusing on virgin coconut oil.

At the end of the three-day event, the training certainly gave awareness on social transformation, anchoring on different range of concern especially on developing skills of our farmers.

The officials along with other members of Lumayang IA expressed their utmost gratitude for all the learnings they gained and had pledged to share the learnt skills not only with their families but with their community as well.

Sindangan, ZDN – The National Irrigation Administration IX turned over Talinga Small Irrigation Project (SIP) to Ingin Irrigators’ Association, Inc. on February 24, 2021 at Brgy Maras, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.

This project was originally implemented in 2014 in two packages: Package 1 which covers diversion works and Package 2 for canalization and canal structure funder under SIP 2014 amounting to 60 million. Sometime in 2017, the project was terminated by default of the contractor. On 2018, it was continued through Admin Works and was fully completed on August 2020 through a 20-million support from 2020 SIP Buffer Fund. Because of the cooperation and unity of members, coupled with persistence and transparency shown by officers, Talinga SIP was successfully completed. Soon, it will be fully operational irrigating 90 hectares of agricultural land in Zamboanga del Norte.

Linduman Small Irrigation Project located in Brgy. Linduman, Zamboanga City is by far 95.41% complete as of April 26, 2021. The scopeof the project includes construction of intake structure, ground level reservoir and pipe laying, which is expected to be fully operational by July 2021.

Linduman SIP is being implemented by ZAMBASULTA Regional Sub-Office, under the supervision of Acting Manager Robert Berni L. Rada II and monitoring of NIA-9 Regional Manager Manuel L. Rañeses.

This irrigation system will irrigate 30 hectares of agricultural land that will benefit more or less 15 farmer beneficiaries in the said barangay. The implementation of this project is in line with the objective of the agency to develop and maintain irrigation systems in support to the agricultural program of the government.