INTRODUCTION:

Disappointed former Pres. Aquino III reprimanded the NIA (National Irrigation Administration) for failing to
meet the targets they have set for themselves during its 50th anniversary. NIA is a government corporation
or agency responsible for irrigation development and management, and is mandated to provide farmers a
sustainable irrigation system. One of the platforms of former president Aquino III was to provide and
maintain sustainable irrigation for all farmers. Hence, NIA set the below targets.

TARGET (HECTARES)
YEAR ACTUAL TARGET %
2012 52,372 81,170 64.52%
2011 32,824 37,759 86.93%
Table 1. 2011-2012 project status.

Former President Aquino III added that it’s already halfway through of his term yet NIA’s performance is
poor and dreary, and it seems that NIA still don’t know what to do.

NIA Administrator Engr. Antonio Nangel responded and explained their side. Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) was
to blame for the agency’s failure in meeting the set targets. If NIA started with other projects, the working
projects’ water supply would be compromised.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda believed the explanation of Engr. Nangel to be unacceptable. He
added that the typhoon hit the province of Mindanao only in December. Thus, NIA still have the rest of the
year, 11 months, for substantial work done in the areas wherever the projects are located. That’s why NIA
is being investigated.

PROBLEM:
Every agency has its own set of plans and targets for them to accomplish within a specified time. For the
case of the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), in the past 3 years, the government agency has constantly
generated low accomplishments for new and restored irrigated lands (Serafica, R., 2013). And because of
that Pres. Benigno Aquino III, the country’s president during that time, scolded them for failing to meet the
target it set of irrigating 81,170 hectares of farmlands in 2012, as well as missing their target in 2011 under
the Irrigation Services Development Program (Gutierrez, N., 2013).

* in billions of pesos 2009 2010 2011 2012

Allotment received 16.203 15.930 17.854 27.803

Cash/Non-cash support 13.155 12.483 11.466 19.915

Total allocation to NIA 29.358 28.413 29.320 47.718

Expenditures 15.202 14.017 13.653 24.218

Table 2 Budget and expenditures of NIA compiled by Commission on Audit.

* in hectares 2009 2010 2011 2012

Target area 18,457 12,989 33,341 100,994

Actual coverage 9,909 6,603 23,923 55,500

Percentage 53.69% 50.84% 71.75% 54.95%

Table 3. NIA's performance target 2009-2012.

As shown in Table 3, NIA’s performance for the past 4 years was relatively low given that they have sufficient
funding by the government and also by private sponsors as shown in Table 2. In response, then NIA
Administrator Engr. Antonio S. Nangel said that the agency’s failure to hit its target was due to Typhoon
Pablo. As an overview, the latter devastated 801M NIA-XI irrigation structures (Robin, B., 2012) when it hit
the Davao region last December 4, 2012; it destroyed diversion structures, irrigation facilities, rice lands, to
name a few. In response, NIA Administrator Antonio S. Nangel signs concurrence of Mindanao Cluster
Commitments signifying agreement to expedite irrigation project implementation and checked
performance during the Strategic Planning Seminar and Workshop on CY 2013 Program and CY 2012
Accomplishment and Performance for Mindanao Cluster. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda then
said that this explanation given by NIA Administrator Nangel was not acceptable because the typhoon
happened only in one month, the agency is still expected to deliver substantial work done in the areas
wherever the projects are located.

OBJECTIVES:

- To develop, rehabilitate and enhance irrigation systems in the Philippines.

- To provide sustainable irrigation systems for the Filipino farmers.

ALTERNATIVE:

- We suggest that the agency reassess its capabilities when bidding for any project. It must consider
the projects’ attainability and the target must be realistic for the Filipino people to not hope too
much.

REASONS:

1. To act for his clients* in professional matters otherwise than as a faithful agent or trustee, or
to accept any remuneration other than his stated charges for services rendered to his clients.

2. being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, their employers/employees and
clients;

3. Civil Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall strive
to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their duties.

4. True leadership is servanthood. Put the interests of others at the center of your decisions.
PROPOSED SOLUTION:

- As a government agency which serves Filipino people, public’s welfare must be the utmost priority
for implementation of any project. Hence, regardless of calamity or disaster that arises,
government must have and must be always prepared in order to cater the needs of the areas
affected but as continuously working on on-going projects.

REASONS:
1. To act for his clients* in professional matters otherwise than as a faithful agent or trustee, or
to accept any remuneration other than his stated charges for services rendered to his clients.

2. being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity the public, their employers/employees and
clients;

3. Civil Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and shall strive
to comply with the principles of sustainable development in the performance of their duties.

4. True leadership is servanthood. Put the interests of others at the center of your decisions.

RECOMMENDATION:

We recommend that the National Irrigation Administration have more strategic planning when it
comes to project biddings and implementations in order to accomplish further its mission and vision for
the welfare of the public, farmers in particular. The agency must also formulate back-up plans for
unforeseen events in order for them to avoid delays in hitting their supposed targets.