DAR-funded irrigation project in Lawaan completed

By JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
August 8, 2024

LAWAAN, Eastern Samar – Rice farmers here may not be able to determine yet whether their harvest will increase now that the rehabilitation of the communal irrigation system in Barangay Taguite is completed, but one thing is certain, they can now plant rice twice a year.

Edgardo Gabornes, president of the Taguite Irrigators Association, Inc., shared that they used to plant rice once a year only for they are just dependent on rain alone. But with the completion of the irrigation project, Gabornes added, water will now continuously flow into their rice fields all year round giving them opportunity to plant rice even on dry season.

On Friday, July 26 this year, Engr. Rizalina Gallarde, Acting-Irrigation Management Office Manager for Eastern-Western Samar Irrigation Management Office, turned over the completed project to the Taguite Irrigators Association, Inc. for the latter’s maintenance.

Gallarde disclosed that the said project, implemented by her office in two phases with a total project cost of P6-million, was funded under the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF) provided by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Celso Cidro, chief of the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD) of DAR Eastern Samar Provincial Office, said that intervention for irrigation is among the priority agenda of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, which explains why this project was realized. Cidro represented Atty. Robert Anthony Yu, DAR Eastern Visayas Regional Director, during the said occasion.

Meanwhile, Engr. Benjie Guarino shared that the project included the construction of more than 200 meters of concrete main canal, 30 meters of flume, carabao crossing and turnout during the first phase, while construction of additional 228 meters of concrete main canal, 204 meters of lateral canal, turnout, head gate and carabao crossing during the second phase, which can now supply water, sourced out from the Taguite River, to approximately 30 hectares of rice fields.

In his acceptance message, Gabornes also expressed his gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Estrella for the realization of this project, which will be benefited by the 50 members of the Taguite Irrigators Association, Inc. where 38 of them are agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).