FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. NO. 2349 
Introduced by SENATOR FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. 
Explanatory Note 
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) was created by law in 1963 
primarily to address the needs of the "Irrigation Age", and specifically to, 
"investigate and study all available and possible water resources in the 
Philippines, primarily for irrigation purposes; to plan, design, construct and/or 
improve all types of irrigation projects and appurtenant structures" (Section 2, 
R.A. 3601, as amended by P.O. 552 and P.O. 1702). For this purpose, the NIA 
has been given the necessary flexibility of a corporate vehicle and the 
administrative autonomy to pursue its statutory objectives. 
Based on its 2010 First Quarter Progress Report to the President, the NIA 
reported that in regard the status of irrigation development in the country, "as of 
December 31, 2009, the total service area developed was 1,539,937 ha or 49% 
of the estimated potential irrigable area of 3,126,340 ha. x x x. The remaining 
potential area to be developed is still 1 ,586,960 ha. x x x." 
According to the NIA itself, its current success rate is forty-nine (49%), or 
less than half of the country's potential. While according to experts, the country's 
self-sufficiency in agriculture will be achieved if we can irrigate ninety-five percent 
(95%) of irrigable areas. 
This congressional initiative comes in the face of a dwindling outlook in the 
country's agricultural output, the increase of which is the ultimate objective of 
government's irrigation programs. In fact, according to the situationer as of May 
2010 provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in its website: 
Production in the crops subsector dropped by 6.15 percent 
this quarter. The subsector shared 47. 75 percent in total 
agricultural output. The output gains recorded by coconut, 
tobacco, cassava, onion and mango did not offset the huge 
production losses in palay at 11.41 percent and corn at 
16.76 percent. There were also big cuts in the production of 
sugarcane, mongo and rubber. 
The subsector grossed 
P170.5 billion at current prices or 0.36 percent lower 
compared to previous year's level. 
I 


In regard palay and corn production, the DA continued: 
Palay 
The January-June 2010 palay production may decrease by 
10.5%; from 7.38 million mt in 2009, production may drop to 
6.60 million mt. This is largely attributed to the production 
losses resulting from the EI Nino phenomenon in the 1 st and 
2nd quarters of the year. Area harvested may contract by 
6.6% or 128 thousand hectares. From last year's record of 
1.95 million hectares, area harvested is likely to go down to 
1.82 million hectares. Yield may drop by 4.2% in the first half 
of 2010. From 3.79 mt per hectare in 2009, yield is expected 
to go down to 3.63 mt per hectare. 
This year's January-March palay output was 3.49 million mt, 
11.4% lower than last year's 3.94 million mt. The major 
sources of the decline were the production losses incurred in 
Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN and 
Northern Mindanao. The volume of losses in these regions 
summed up to 421 thousand mt or 93.6% of the total 
production loss in the country during the quarter. Heavily 
affected by EI Nino was Cagayan Valley where 182 
thousand mt of palay 2 were lost during the first quarter of 
2010. This was 40.6% of the country's total production loss. 
Corn 
The January-June 2010 corn production is expected to drop 
by 24.8%, from 3.22 million mt last year to 2.42 million mt 
this year. Area harvested may decrease by 15.0%. From 
1.13 million hectares in 2009, area harvested may go down 
to 0.96 million hectares. Yield is likewise expected to drop by 
11.5%. The adverse effects of the EI Nino phenomenon in 
major corn producing areas such as Cagayan Valley, 
SOCCSKSARGEN, Western Visayas, CAR and Northern 
Mindanao may bring about these reductions in production, 
area harvested and yield in the first half of 2010. 
The January-March corn output was recorded at 1.60 million 
mt, 16.8% down from the 1.92 million mt produced in the 
same quarter of 2009. Only lIocos and Davao Regions 
registered 
production 
gains. 
Cagayan 
Valley, 
SOCCSKSARGEN, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao 
and CAR incurred production losses of 280 thousand mt or 
87% of the total production loss of the country for the period. 
Cagayan Valley was the biggest loser with 140 thousand mt 
of production losses due to EI Nino. (Department of 
Agriculture website) 


After almost fifty (50) years of existence, there is still much more to be 
achieved in the attainment of the yearly targets and actual accomplishments of 
the NIA. Thus, on reaching the NIA's half-century of its existence, there is a need 
for the Legislature to study the efficiency and possibly reassess the capabilities 
and worthiness of the NIA in the agricultural sector and bureaucratic structure in 
general. 
Under existing law, NIA is obliged to only directly furnish a fiscal report to 
the Legislature and not a report of its operations and accomplishments. Thus, 
there is a need to require the NIA to directly furnish the House of 
Representatives and the Senate a detailed status report of its programs, 
accomplishments and failed targets for a period of five (5) years, to enable the 
Congress to determine its efficiency rate. 
This bill proposes to accelerate irrigation development in the country in 
order to address the pressing agricultural needs of our countrymen. It mandates 
the National' Irrigation Authority to come up programs and plans of action to 
achieve this goal, within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act. 
In view of thereof, the passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
, 
FERDINAND . MARCOS, JR 
;( , 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
SENATE BILL NO. 
., i 
2349 
Introduced by Senator FERDINAND R. MARCOS, JR. 
AN ACT MANDATING THE NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINSTRATION (NIAl 
TO ACCELERATE NATIONAL IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress Assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as "The National Irrigation 
Program of 2010." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to pursue 
a comprehensive agricultural development, through effective and progressive 
irrigation programs. Guided by the principle of self-sufficiency, the agricultural 
sector shall make full use of human and natural resources in order to attain 
greater productivity of all irrigable lands in the country. 
SECTION 3. National Irrigation Program. 
The National Government shall 
undertake a comprehensive irrigation program, guided by the following 
objectives: 
1. Generation, restoration and rehabilitation of the irrigation systems and 
facilities using progressive and modern irrigation methods; 
2. Reformulation and upgrading of the irrigation method through 
continued research and development and application of technological 
advancements in the field of irrigation; 
3. Acceleration of agricultural production through an improved irrigation 
methods; 
4. Strengthened coordination with local government units, cooperatives, 
farmers' associations, hon-governmental organizations, and technical 
assistance and development of the irrigation systems used in their 
respective areas and jurisdictions. 
SECTION 4. Expediting of Irrigation Development Programs. - In line with 
the national policy objectives, the NIA is mandated to expedite its irrigation 
development programs and be able to irrigate ninety-five percent (95%) of 
irrigable lands all over the country, within a period of three (3) years from the 
effectivity of this Act. After the lapse of the three-year period, the NIA shall then 
submit to Congress a detailed report and satisfactory proof of its completion of 
the ninety-five-percent target. 
, _.' 


SECTION 5. 
Continuing Research and Development. 
The NIA shall 
conduct continuing research and development as well as application of 
technological advancements in the field of irrigation. 
SECTION 6. 
Technical Assistance to Local Government Units, 
Cooperatives, Farmers' Associations, Non-governmental Organizations. The NIA 
shall provide technical and financial assistance to local government units, 
cooperatives, farmers' associations, and non-governmental organizations with 
respect to irrigation systems located, utilized, and managed in their respective 
jurisdictions. 
SECTION 7. Submission of Detailed Status Report to Congress. - The NIA 
is hereby mandated to furnish Congress a detailed status report of its programs, 
targets and accomplishments for the preceding five (5) years. This is without 
prejudice to the NIA's obligation to furnish Congress with a Fiscal Report under 
Article VI, Section 11 of R.A. 3601. 
SECTION 8. Funding and Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry 
out the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged to the NIA. Thereafter, 
such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act 
shall be included in the succeeding General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - The provisions of this Act are hereby 
declared to be separable and if any clause, sentence, provision or section of this 
Act, for any reason, be held invalid or unconstitutional, such invalidity or 
unconstitutionality shall not affect the other provisions or application of this Act 
which can be given force and effect. 
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, charters, executive 
orders, administrative orders, proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts 
thereof insofar as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
completion of publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation. 
Approved,