Submitted by admin-r4b on
Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro - Supported by National Irrigation Administration (NIA) - MIMAROPA Acting Regional Manager Ronilio M. Cervantes, NIA - Occidental Mindoro Irrigation Management Office (OMIMO), headed by Division Manager Raymundo L. Calusin, together with the consultant from the University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc. (UPLBFI), recently conducted a four-day stakeholders’ consultation meeting for the ongoing formulation of Watershed Management Plan. This initiative falls under the Rehabilitation and Protection of Water Resources Supporting Irrigation System (RPWRSIS), which commenced on September 26, 2023, at NIA Training Center, San Vicente, Sablayan.
The primary objective of this activity is to craft a comprehensive plan that ensures the sustainable and efficient utilization of water resources to support the agricultural irrigation system in Amnay and Lumintao.
The consultation took the form of a focused group discussion, involving the active participation of Irrigators Associations (IAs) under the Amnay River Irrigation System (RIS) and Yapang Communal Irrigation System (CIS). Dr. Vida Q. Carandang of UPLBFI led the said activity, which encompassed a series of activities, including Problem Tree Analysis, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Analysis, Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, Gender Analysis, Biodiversity Assessment, and formulation of Mission, Vision, and Objective.
On the following day, representatives from Sablayan Local Government Unit (LGU) led by Municipal Mayor Hon. Walter B. Marquez and various government agencies, such as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), attended the event. Lumintao IAs, Gutad IAs, Tanyag IAs, and Calintaan IAs joined the activity on September 28, while Calintaan Municipal Mayor Hon. Dante C. Esteban, representatives from Calintaan LGUs, Rizal LGUs, NCIP, DAR, BFAR, and DENR participated on September 29.
Personnel from NIA-OMIMO, including Economist Jinky E. Santos, Environmental Analyst Nadelyn Joy T. Pastro, Senior Water Resource Facility Technician (SWRFT) Roseche C. Casuncad of Amnay RIS, SWRFT Dante Bueno of Lumintao RIS, Irrigators’ Development Officers (IDOs), Community Relations Officer Ronnie M. Rapilo, as well as Hydrologist Ruby Angelie C. Villanueva and Environmental Specialist Rhea Flores from NIA-MIMAROPA Regional Office, also facilitated the event.