Arroyo leads orientation on the IRR 

of the Free Irrigation Service Act in Bohol 

TAGBILARAN CITY, March 19 (PIA)--Former President and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the orientation on the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Republic Act 10969 or Free Irrigation Services Act in Bohol on Monday. 

Gov. Edgar Chatto welcomed Arroyo and other guests including Agriculture and Food Committee chair Cong. Jose Panganiban Jr., National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Gen. Ricardo Visaya, NIA-7 regional manager Engr. Modesto Membreve, Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 Regional Director Atty. Salvador Diputado, Bureau of Soils and Waste Management Director Angel Enriquez and Deputy Speaker Art Yap, as well as the farmers and irrigators associations. 

Dr. Leo Gallego of the NIA Institutional Development Division presented the IRR on the Free Irrigation Services Act to the public including farmer and irrigator associations during the orientation held at the Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City. 

RA 10969, otherwise known as the Free Irrigation Service Act (FISA) was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on February 2, 2018. 

The law exempts all farmers with landholdings of eight hectares and below from paying irrigation service fees (ISF). 

All unpaid ISF and corresponding penalties, as well as loans, past due accounts and corresponding interests and penalties of the irrigator associations (IA) will be erased from the books of the NIA. 

The NIA will continue to develop, operate and maintain the national irrigation system (NIS) but might pass on the operation and maintenance of secondary and tertiary canals and farm ditches to capable IAs. 

The NIA will issue the necessary policies, qualification requirements and selection process in determining the capability and capacity of IAs. 

The law gives life to the State’s policy “to promote comprehensive rural development, food self-sufficiency, equitable access to opportunities and sustained productivity as key strategies to raise the quality of life in rural areas and attain overall national development.” 

The province of Bohol has 60 hectares of rice land, 27,500 hectares of which are irrigated and has reported an increase to 7-9 tons of harvested rice. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol) 

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the orientation on the IRR of RA 10969 or Free Irrigation Services Act at Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on March 18, 2019. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)