THE Magsasaka Partylist (MPL) has lauded the decision of several government agencies to support the proposed transfer of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) from the Office of the President back to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

MPL Rep. Argel Joseph Cabatbat branded as a welcome news the decision of the Executive department.

“The MPL has always been behind this proposal, and we’re hoping the show of support will finally get the ball rolling, ” Cabatbat said. “As I’ve said time and again, this is a logical and sensible move to get NIA into shape again.”

The Department of Finance (DoF) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) voiced their agreement with the proposed transfer in a statement late Tuesday.

In a memorandum for President Rodrigo Duterte dated April 20, 2021, Finance Sec. Carlos G. Dominguez said that by making the NIA an attached agency of the DA, they will be “better able to fulfill their respective mandates and deliver better outcomes for their shared benefit—the Filipino farmers.”

For his part, NEDA chief Karl Kendrick Chua said that his agency “agrees with the merits raised by the DA to ensure stronger and better complementation of interventions and activities to develop the agriculture sector.”

For the fifth year in a row, the Commission on Audit (CoA) cited red flags in NIA’s management of contracts.

Last year, CoA reported 841 contracts amounting to P6.579 billion that may be in violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

It was found that NIA contractors presented documents that lacked details like project cost and percentage of accomplishment, according to Cabatbat.

Should NIA come back under DA’s management, Cabatbat said coordination among other attached agencies will be seamless and swift especially during times of pandemic and natural calamities like typhoons.

Studies show that proper irrigation is a major driver of productivity in farms, he said.

For instance, Cabatbat said more than 60% of rice fields depend on irrigation more than rain water.

By virtue of Executive Order (EO) No. 165, NIA was placed under the OP in 2014.

It is currently led by former Armed Forces chief of staff General Ricardo Visaya, with Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles as Board of Directors chairman.