717 Bohol farmers to get year-round irrigation 

from P828.8 -M Mabini-Cayacay project

By Elvira Bongosia

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the reservoir’s inauguration on June 22.

He said the project forms part of the administration’s efforts to protect farmers from the effects of climate change and unpredictable weather.

“Isa ito sa ating mga mahahalagang hakbang upang tulungan ang mga magsasakang matagal nang umaasa lamang sa ulan upang mapalago ang kanilang mga pananim (This is one of our important steps to help farmers who have long relied solely on rain to grow their crops),” Marcos said.

Implemented by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the project will provide year-round irrigation service to 530 hectares of farmland in Barangays Abaca, San Roque, Aguipo, and Cabidian in Mabini and Barangay Cayacay in Alicia.

The facility has a 32.20-meter-high, 210-meter-long dam; an ungated ogee weir spillway; and an 11.31-kilometer main canal.

The inauguration coincided with the 63rd founding anniversary of the NIA, established on June 22, 1963.

NIA Administrator Eddie Guillen said the project is intended to support farming communities and contribute to the development of Bohol’s agricultural sector.

“The Mabini-Cayacay SRIP is a symbol of hope, a fruit of cooperation and a legacy of development for future generations. With every flow to the farms, there will be opportunities for our farmers to have a better and more prosperous livelihood,” Guillen said.

Rito Muring, president of the Mabini-Cayacay Irrigators Association, said the project will help the more than 700 farmers who previously relied on rainwater.

“Kami mapasalamaton kaayo ni Presidente BBM alang niini nga proyekto. Atong gisaad nga atimanon kini pag-ayo tungod kay usa kini ka importante nga imprastraktura nga atong mapasa sa atong mga anak (We are deeply grateful to President BBM for this project. We promise to take good care of it because it is important infrastructure that we can pass on to our children),” Muring said.

Gov’t steps up preparations for possible severe El Niño

Marcos said the government is intensifying preparations for a potentially severe El Niño that could last until 2027.

“Ayon sa ating datos, malaki ang posibilidad na makararanas ang bansa ng matinding El Niño na maaaring tumagal hanggang sa susunod pang taon, 2027 (According to our data, there is a high probability that the country will experience a severe El Niño that could last until next year, 2027),” Marcos said.

“Because of the threat of El Niño, we have advised some farmers to plant high-value commercial crops such as watermelon, ginger, yam, peanuts, and eggplant instead of rice, which requires a large amount of water,” he said.

“We have promoted modern farming methods suited to the climate, such as the use of solar pumps and water reuse and recycling systems in areas frequently affected by drought,” he added. (ECB/PIA-7 Bohol)

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — At least 717 farmers in the towns of Mabini and Alicia in Bohol will receive year-round irrigation from the P828.8 -million Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP).

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the inauguration of the P828.8 -million Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Barangay Abaca, Mabini, Bohol, on June 22, 2026. The project is part of the Marcos administration’s efforts to modernize agriculture, expand irrigation services, and achieve long-term food security under the “Bagong Pilipinas” vision. (Photo grab from PCO)

Bohol’s JobStart program trains 95 

young professionals for employment

By Elvira C. Bongosia

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — Ninety-five young Boholanos completed the Soft/Core Skills Training (SCST) 2026 under a provincial government program preparing young professionals for gainful jobs.

The beneficiaries were recognized during a ceremony on June 13 at the Ceremonial Hall of the New Provincial Capitol in Tagbilaran City, marking the end of a week of skills and values training designed to help them move from school to work.

Part of the JobStart Program, the training aims to prepare young jobseekers for the workplace through skills enhancement and values formation, aligned with the Strategic Change Agenda of the Provincial Government of Bohol.

The Bohol Employment and Placement Office–Public Employment Service Office (BEPO-PESO) implemented the activity in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment–Bohol Field Office (DOLE-BFO).

Beneficiary Sharry Capangpangan thanked the provincial government, BEPO-PESO, and DOLE for the opportunity.

“The government is actively investing in programs that support young professionals,” Capangpangan said. “This experience was truly memorable, and I hope the government continues to create programs like this to help us transition smoothly into our professional lives.”

She said the training helped her gain insights and confidence as she prepares to enter the workforce.

BEPO-PESO Department Head Maria Vilma Yorong and DOLE-BFO representative Darling Mae Napoles commended the participants for completing the training, citing the importance of developing both workplace skills and positive values for employment readiness.

Supervising Administrative Officer Metodio Maraguinot Jr., representing Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, said the provincial government remains committed to empowering individuals through capacity-building opportunities.

Maraguinot said providing people with the necessary skills and opportunities remains one of the most effective ways to help families and communities overcome poverty.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to apply what they learned as they enter the workforce. (ECB/PIA-7 Bohol)

The Provincial Government of Bohol and the Department of Labor and Employment–Bohol Field Office (DOLE-BFO) recognize 95 beneficiaries of the Soft/Core Skills Training (SCST) 2026 during a June 13 ceremony at the Ceremonial Hall of the New Bohol Provincial Capitol in Tagbilaran City. (Photo courtesy of the Provincial Government of Bohol)