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No dry spell in Region 1

URDANETA CITY (Mar. 4) — Early signs of the El Niño phenomenon are being experienced in some provinces in Region II but spared fortunately are the provinces in Region I, including Pangasinan.

The report came when Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services administration (PAG-ASA) released a Drought Advisory listing areas prone to be hit by the warming. As of February, authorities have pointed provinces in Region II in Luzon grid which are affected by the phenomenon.

The dry spell is brought about by the lowering than normal of tropical cyclone activity and rainfall that lead to drought. In 1997, the warming condition among crop-planted areas in Regions 2, 5, 6, 9 and 11 has reached alarming level.

In Pangasinan, the agriculture sector has largely depended on irrigation supplied by the mighty Agno River which traverses 19 towns. During dry season, Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) National Irrigation Administration (NIA) responds to minimally dry-stricken river plains by putting up shallow tube wells. Since 1997, NIA has been targeting to install over 8,000 shallow tube wells to cover around 44,440 ha nationwide.

As soon as the temperature rises a critical 32 degrees Celsius, NIA and concerned local government units along Agno River plains hold a dialogue with the San Roque Dam management to mitigate the problem.

San Roque Dam with its power component in place in May 2003, was operated without the other non-power components such as irrigation. During the same period, farmers around San Manuel and San Nicolas towns protested to demand the dam management to release stored waters for irrigable farmlands.

Irrigators Associations (IAs) and the dam management annually hold consultation to coordinate a negotiable water release. The dam permits to release 26 cubic meters every dry season which according to authorities, is sufficient to support the Agno River Irrigation System (ARIS) up to the lower river basin.

Farmers also formulate a crop calendar to adjust to the condition. Grown crops are rice, corn, peas, onions and other cash crops which require less irrigation. Farmers’ discipline would in turn become problem say NIA Region I Information Officer Adoracion Soriano.

“Some farmer groups resist to share the limited irrigation supply by making small dams to divert the water thereby depriving others,” she said.

Peasant group Timmawa, which has been calling for the megadam’s stoppage since 1998, has criticized San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) and National Power Corporation (NPC) of dispelling the burden to people by ‘snatching away’ their livelihoods. They demand its closure ‘to free the Agno’ to bring back lost livelihoods and counter future risks.

The group claims that the dam is incapable of watering immediate agricultural areas during dry season because it stores water to operate its power component.

Meanwhile, acting on possible El Niño effects government plans to rehabilitate Communal Irrigation System (CIS) covering 60,000 ha nationwide, construction of 20,000 small farm reservoirs covering 20,000 ha, assisting farmers with farm materials and intensified cloud seeding operation particularly in Regions 1 and 2.

NPC assures that availability of power supply would last despite critical levels of dams and rivers. Other sources of electricity are available should hydropower plants be affected. # Jhong dela Cruz for NORDIS

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