ALMERIA, BILIRAN—The town people’s dream of becoming the rice basket of the province is gradually coming true as the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recently turned over P37 million worth of rural infrastructure projects that would help farmers increase their harvest.
DAR Assistant Regional Director for Program Beneficiaries Development Ismael Aya-ay led the turnover of three irrigation projects, a farm-to-market road and a potable water system to the local government of Cabucgayan and Almeria.
Aya-ay said that the farmers would greatly increase their yield with the construction and rehabilitation of three irrigation systems in the towns of Cabucgayan and Almeria.
“In Almeria, the constructed irrigation in Barangay Iyusan and the rehabilitated one in Barangay Jamorawon can service about 102 hectares of rice terraces in the upland villages, and the rehabilitated irrigation system in Cabucgayan can supply water to about 53 hectares of rice fields in Barangay Magbangon and the adjacent Barangay, Libertad,” said Aya-ay.
Almeria Mayor Dominador Agajan said during the turnover that this is the first step towards the realization of their town’s vision of becoming the tourism hub and the rice basket of the province.
On the concreted 4.4-kilometer farm-to-market road project turned over by DAR, Agajan said he is awed by its beauty and durability.
“The road stretching from Pitoguhan of Barangay Jamorawon to Barangay Iyusan, was so nicely concreted. The 2,600 residents are so glad because road accidents in this area will now be avoided,” Agahan added.
Cabucgayan town Mayor Gemma Adobo said the potable water system in Barangay Balaquid would be “a big help in safeguarding the health of the 208 households in our barangay. Like irrigation, the health of this community is also an important factor in rural development.”
DAR Regional Director Sheila Enciso also announced that an agricultural warehouse in Barangay Balaquid in Cabucgayan would soon be turned over to the agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO) to complete the package of support services in the area.
The infrastructure projects were funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and implemented under the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project (ARISP).(Pinkyroque)
