Ecija irrigation office makes ‘record-breaking’ ISF collection
CABANATUAN CITY — A windfall collection totaling P1.7 million in irrigation service fee (ISF) payments from farmers having landholdings in excess of eight hectares has been posted by the Division 5 office of the National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (NIA-UPRIIS) in Nueva Ecija, it was learned.
NIA-UPRIIS chief Engr. Rosalinda B. Bote said the “record-breaking” collection for the ISF payments was reached by the Division 5-Guimba office of acting division manager Engr. Rogelio C. Macatula after a farmer owning more than 35 hectares paid P1.58-million in ISF current and back accounts or about 93 percent of the P1.7-million total collection during the agency’s cut-off date on May 20, 2022.
Farmer Jennifer Miguel, a member of the MANACASANTA Guimba Irrigators’ Association under IA President Apolinario Liwanag, settled their current ISF dues for the Dry Crop 2022 worth P94,462.20 plus the ISF back accounts and penalties amounting to P1,491,672.29 for a total payment collection of P1,586,134.49. Miguel issued a check payment to NIA-UPRIIS on behalf of her deceased mother who owns 35.28 hectares of farmlands situated within the Division 5 service area.
Engr. Bote also credited Macatula’s team composed of Gigi Geronimo, administrative and finance section chief, Engr. Roberto Matias, O&M section chief, Jennifer Divina, cashier head and Lolita Valeroso, senior water resource facility technician, for being instrumental in being able to collect such huge amount pursuant to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Republic Act 10969 or the Free Irrigation Services Act (FISA).
The NIA-UPRIIS chief said that as of May 15, 2022, a total of 354 farmers’ requests for condonation and 141 certificates of exemption were already approved, covering land areas of 618.98 hectares and 213.48 hectares respectively.
For those farmers with more than eight hectares, the NIA-UPRIIS Division 5 has collected a total amount of P213,620.05 for current account and P1,491,672.28 for back accounts including penalty, as of May 20, 2022 for the dry crop season. By STEVE GOSUICO
