NEWSFLASH

P2.1-B IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN CAGAYAN, QUIRINO, ISABELA

Quezon City, April 24, 2000 -The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has been ordered to finish ahead of schedule the P1.2 billion Apayao-Abulog irrigation improvement system in Cagayan and the P900 million Addalam River Irrigation project in Quirino and Isabela. The projects aim to provide water and raise crop output in 23,000 hectares of farmlands in Cagayan Valley.

Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara said the Apayao-Abulog project could bring water to some 7,000 has. of new farmlands in Abulog, Ballesteros, Aparri and Allacapan in Cagayan; and Pudtol, Luna, Flora and Sta. Marcela in Apayao.

The other hand, the Addalam River project will provide irrigation water to some 5,000 has. of new farmlands in two Quirino towns: Aglipay and Saguday, as well as the Isabela towns of Jones and Echague.

"It is the desire of the Estrada administration to see these irrigation projects fast-tracked," Angara said. "The government is giving them top priority so as to alleviate poverty in Northern Luzon to make farmers more productive and globally competitive."

At present, Cagayan Valley has 472,600 hectares of potential areas for irrigation, but only 218,031 hectares are actually irrigated.