Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.______ 
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative Shirlyn L. Bañas-Nograles 
________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to create an irrigation management office of 
the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the City of General 
Santos, Province of South Cotabato.  
Irrigation systems are vital in rural areas. Farmers rely on 
efficient irrigation systems in many ways, such as in the 
planting, cultivating, and growing of crops and in protecting their 
farmlands against droughts, crop infestation, pollution, and 
climate change. 
The NIA, an agency created under Republic Act No. 3601, as 
amended, entitled “An Act Granting the National Irrigation 
Administration,” is responsible for constructing, improving, and 
administering the irrigation systems in the country.  It 
establishes irrigation management offices (IMOs) which are 
responsible for the construction and rehabilitation of irrigation 
projects in one or a cluster of provinces.  IMOs also implement 
the operation and maintenance plans for irrigation systems in 
collaboration with the farmer-beneficiaries. 
November 10, 2021
6:10 pm
10471


2 
In some places, like the City of General Santos, irrigation-
related services are difficult to access because of the distance. 
Farmers residing in General Santos must travel 67 kilometers to 
reach the irrigation management office of NIA located in 
Koronadal City.  The time and efforts required to complete the 
trip and follow the protocols consisting of queueing and waiting 
until the transaction  is  over  are  tiresome,  exhausting,   and 
time-consuming,   not   to mention the frequent bad weather 
conditions and the traffic which they may encounter along the 
way. 
The establishment of an irrigation management office in the 
City of General Santos will reduce travel time and costs in 
transacting with the NIA. This will provide adequate level of 
irrigation services to the farmers on a sustainable basis, 
consistent with integrated water resource management principles 
and with greater efficiency and effectiveness.  This will help 
farmers produce more crops and increase their income. 
In order to increase agricultural productivity, and hasten the 
economic development in the area, which will benefit not only the 
residents of the City of General Santos but also its neighbouring 
municipalities in South Cotabato, immediate approval of this bill 
is 
earnestly 
sought. 
SHIRLYN L. BAÑAS-NOGRALES 
Representative 
1st District, South Cotabato 
& General Santos City 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.______ 
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by Representative Shirlyn L. Bañas-Nograles 
________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT 
1 
ESTABLISHING AN IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT OFFICE OF 
2 
THE NATIONAL IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION IN THE CITY 
3 
OF GENERAL SANTOS, PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO 
4 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS   THEREFOR 
5 
6 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
7 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
8 
9 
SECTION 1.  There is hereby established an irrigation 
10 
management office of the National Irrigation Administration in 
11 
the City of General Santos, Province of South Cotabato. 
12 
The irrigation management office shall be responsible for the 
13 
construction, improvement, and rehabilitation of irrigation 
14 
projects, and implement the operation and maintenance plans of 
15 
irrigation systems in collaboration with the farmer-beneficiaries. 
16 
        The irrigation management office shall also provide frontline 
17 
10471


 
 
 
services of the National Irrigation Administration in the conduct 
1 
of its business and in the exercise of its powers and functions as 
2 
provided under Republic Act No. 3601, as amended, entitled “An 
3 
Act Granting the National Irrigation Administration” and such 
4 
additional powers and functions as hereafter be provided by law.  
5 
SEC. 2.  The chairperson of the Board of Directors of the 
6 
National Irrigation Administration shall appoint the necessary 
7 
officers and employees to operate the irrigation management 
8 
office in the City of General Santos, Province of South Cotabato, 
9 
subject to civil service laws, rules, and regulations. 
10 
SEC. 3.  Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, 
11 
the chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National 
12 
Irrigation Administration shall, in coordination with the Secretary 
13 
of the Interior and Local Government, issue the necessary rules 
14 
and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
15 
 SEC. 
4. 
 
The 
amount 
necessary 
for 
the 
initial 
16 
implementation of this Act shall be charged to the current 
17 
appropriations 
of 
the 
National 
Irrigation 
Administration.  
18 
Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for its continued 
19 
implementation shall be included in the annual General 
20 
Appropriations Act.  
21 


 
 
 
SEC. 5.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
1 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
2 
circulation. 
3 
Approved,
4