Press Release

More than 1,700 farmers will benefit from the rehabilitated Dumacaa River Irrigation System in Quezon inaugurated this week.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) supported the rehabilitation project citing that the agriculture sector can play a key role in the Philippines' economic recovery from COVID-19. The project is under the ongoing National Irrigation Sector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (NISRIP) of JICA in partnership with National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

COVID-19 has burdened the Philippine economy with job and livelihood losses. Despite this, the agriculture sector was the only sector that posted growth in the second quarter of 2020 at 1.6%, indicating that the sector has potential to further grow and uplift the battered economy.

"JICA is supporting the rehabilitation of more than 10 irrigation facilities all over the Philippines as part of our development cooperation activities in the Philippine agriculture sector. The rehabilitated Dumacaa River Irrigation System will help improve farmers' output, increase their income, and support food security in time of COVID-19," said JICA Chief Representative AZUKIZAWA Eigo.

The NISRIP project includes not only agriculture infrastructure but also capacity building of irrigators' associations and farmers. When completed, the project sought to benefit a total of 25,376 farmers not just in Quezon but also in Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Palawan, Iloilo, Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, Maguindanao, and Agusan del Sur.

For the Dumacaa River Irrigation System, the rehabilitation included infrastructure works in the river canals, drainage, farm structure, and other support facilities.

"JICA will continue to support the Philippine economic recovery from COVID-19 through our development cooperation projects in different sectors to boost the people's income and promote a better quality of life for all Filipinos," said Azukizawa.

Over the years, JICA has provided an estimated 191 billion yen to the Philippine agriculture sector, including grant aid, technical cooperation, and loan projects.

Ribbon cutting ceremony for the inauguration of rehabilitated Dumacaa River Irrigation System held in Tayabas City, Quezon with (L-F) NIA Division Manager A of Quezon Irrigation Mngt. Office Engr. Fidel Martinez, JICA Chief Representative AZUKIZAWA Eigo, EOJ Minister of Economic Affairs NAKATA Masahiro, NIA Region IV-A Regional Manager Engr. Romeo Lopez, NIA Sr. Deputy Administrator BGen. Abraham Bagasin (Ret.), Tayabas Municipal Mayor Ernida Reynoso, and NISRIP Project Manager Engr. Silvino Navarro

Ribbon cutting ceremony for the inauguration of support facilities provided under NISRIP held in Lucena City, Quezon with (L-F) NISRIP Project Manager Engr. Silvino Navarro, JICA Chief Representative AZUKIZAWA Eigo, NIA Sr. Deputy Administrator BGen. Abraham Bagasin (Ret.), EOJ Minister of Economic Affairs NAKATA Masahiro, Ginintuang Butil ng Sta. Teresita IA President Miguel De Chavez, NIA Region IV-A Regional Manager Engr. Romeo Lopez

Unveiling of the marker for the rehabilitated Alsam Dam under NISRIP at Tayabas City, Quezon (from L-F: NISRIP Project Manager Engr. Silvino Navarro, JICA Chief Representative AZUKIZAWA Eigo, EOJ Minister of Economic Affairs NAKATA Masahiro, Tayabas Municipal Mayor Ernida Reynoso, and NIA Sr. Deputy Administrator BGen. Abraham Bagasin (Ret.)).

Unveiling of the marker for support facilities provided to Ginintuang Butil Sta. Teresa Irrigators' Association Inc. under NISRIP at Lucena City, Quezon (from L-F: NIA Region IV-A Regional Manager Engr. Romeo Lopez, NISRIP Project Manager Engr. Silvino Navarro, EOJ First Secretary for Agriculture MORI Tetsuharu, EOJ Minister of Economic Affairs NAKATA Masahiro, NIA Sr. Deputy Administrator BGen. Abraham Bagasin (Ret.), JICA Chief Representative AZUKIZAWA Eigo, JICA Senior Representative HIROSAWA Jin)