Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is a government-owned and 
controlled corporation (GOCC) primarily responsible for irrigation development 
in the Philippines.  
This House Bill seeks to undertake a program for the construction of irrigation 
projects in the remaining one million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) 
hectares of unirrigated but irrigable lands, whether in the lowlands or in the 
uplands, including other related project components nationwide. 
This House Bill shall give priority to areas with social and economic problems, 
taking into consideration population, area served, project cost and other 
economic and environmental factors as may be deemed necessary in 
undertaking the program within the context of the national development plans. 
The National Irrigation Administration, in consultation with the provincial and 
municipal development councils, shall determine the areas which shall be given 
priority. 
Earnest approval of this bill is hereby requested. 
MICHAEL L. ROMERO Ph.D. 
July 1, 2022 
11:41 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by Representative Michael L. Romero 
AN ACT 
INCREASING THE CAPITALIZATION OF THE NATIONAL 
IRRIGATION ADMINISTRATION (NIA), TO PROMOTE RURAL 
DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING FOR AN ACCELERATED 
PROGRAM, AND THE CONTINUING CONSTRUCTION OF 
IRRIGATION PROJECTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress 
Assembled: 
SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY - The State shall hereby provide 
an additional Five billion pesos (₱5,000,000,000.00) to promote the quality of 
living of every Filipino through the provision of adequate social services 
including, but not limited to, the provision of adequate irrigation projects 
facilities to increase agricultural production. The Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM) is hereby authorized to provide its appropriations, in the 
current year of the date of the effectivity of this Act to conform with its mandate 
and requirements. 
The National Irrigation Administration shall observe the following priorities and 
guidelines in the planning, construction and management of irrigation projects: 
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(a) Funds provided for in this Act shall be used only for the construction 
of new irrigation projects; 
(b) Priority shall be given to the construction of communal irrigation 
projects. At least fifty percent (50%) of the funds shall be used for 
communal irrigation projects; 
(c) Priority shall be given to the following: 
(1) Beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program; 
(2) Members of the indigenous cultural communities; 
(3) Beneficiaries in areas where there are farmer-irrigators 
associations; and 
(4) Beneficiaries in fifth and sixth class municipalities; 
(d) The irrigation projects must be equitably distributed among the 
provinces and municipalities, giving priority to those provinces and 
municipalities without any irrigation system; 
(e) The farmer-beneficiaries of communal irrigation projects shall 
participate in all stages of the project. The beneficiaries shall participate 
in the project planning, identification, design, management of the project 
funds, construction and monitoring; 
(f) The beneficiaries of communal irrigation projects shall pay fifty percent 
(50%) of the project cost without interest for a period of fifty (50) years: 
provided, that, in case the beneficiary dies, his legal heirs or whoever may 
own the land benefited by the project at any given time during the term of 
payment shall shoulder the remaining obligation of the land; and 
(g) The communal irrigation system shall be managed and maintained by 
the irrigators association or cooperative. The National Irrigation 
Administration shall help organize the irrigators association or cooperative 
and shall assist in the conduct of orientation seminars and training to the 
members of the said association or cooperative. 
SECTION 2. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS – the amount 
as may be necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be taken from any 


available appropriations of the National Irrigation Administration under the 
current General Appropriations Act (GAA). Thereafter, the succeeding 
appropriations for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual 
General Appropriations Act until the program shall have been completed.  
In addition, the portion of financial grants and concessional loans 
extended to the Philippines by foreign governments and multilateral agencies 
including, but not limited to the Philippine Aid Plan, the amount to be 
determined by the President, shall be allocated by the Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM) and augment the appropriations of the National Irrigation 
Administration until the program is completed as mandated in this Act. 
SECTION 
3. FUNDING 
– 
the 
amount 
of 
Five 
billion 
pesos 
(₱5,000,000,000.00) as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act 
shall be included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the year following 
its enactment into law. 
SECTION 4. PERIODIC REPORTS - The NIA shall submit periodic reports 
on its findings and make recommendations on actions to be taken by Congress 
and Senate and the appropriate department, and in order to carry out the 
objectives and mandates of this Act, an additional amount of Five billion pesos 
(₱5,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated. 
SECTION 5. AUTOMATIC REVIEW - Every three (3) years after the 
effectivity of this Act, an independent review panel composed of experts to be 
appointed by the President shall review the policies and programs in the NIA and 
shall make recommendations, based on its findings, to the President and to both 
Houses of Congress. 
SECTION 6. REPEALING CLAUSE. All laws, executive orders, issuances, 
rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed 
or modified accordingly. 


SECTION 7. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.  If, for any reason or reasons, any 
portion or provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the 
remaining provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and 
effect. 
SECTION 8. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its publication in any newspaper of general circulation.  
Approved,