RICE farmers in Central Luzon can now start planting after the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has decided to release water to 11,000 hectares of farm lands planted to palay in Bulacan and Pampanga.

Manuel Collado, NIA’s director for Region III, said heavy rains dumped by typhoon Chedeng in Luzon has increased water level in the Angat-Maasin river irrigation system.

“With the increase in water supply, NIA has decided to again release water to 11,000 hectares of irrigated farm lands planted to rice in areas in Bulacan and Pampanga,” said Collado.

He noted that planting in San Idelfonso, San Rafael, Baliuag in Bulacan and those in San Luis, Candaba and Arayat in Pampanga for the wet cropping season was delayed by three weeks because of the lack of irrigation water.

Rice farmers in Bulacan and Pampanga did not receive irrigation water from Angat Dam after the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) decided to drastically cut its allocation for irrigation because of the continuous decline in Angat’s water level.

Based on figures from NIA, Angat Dam’s service area covers some 26,000 hectares of rice farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga.

The water level in Angat Dam—considered the main source of irrigation water in Central Luzon and drinking water in Metro Manila—dropped to critical levels because of the prolonged dry spell that hit the country in recent weeks.

But the rains caused by typhoon Chedeng brought relief to dams in Luzon as well as other water sources like the Angat-Maasin river irrigation system.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said his department would provide postharvest facilities to farmers such as flat-bed driers to ensure they would not chalk up postharvest losses due to floods and storms.

Meanwhile, the NWRB reported that the water level in Angat Dam has risen to 179.7 meters as of 1 p.m. Thursday following heavy rains in Luzon brought about by typhoon Chedeng.

This, however, is still below what is considered the critical level of 180 meters.

RICE farmers in Central Luzon can now start planting after the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has decided to release water to 11,000 hectares of farm lands planted to palay in Bulacan and Pampanga.

CLARK FREEPORT—The proposed location of the controversial central business district (CBD) near the Clark Aviation Complex here could adversely affect plans to make the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA)  the future international airport of the country.

THE lack of focus and interest in agriculture is one of the major factors why more Asians, including Filipinos, in the countryside remain poor, according to international agriculture and rural development experts. 

THE National Economic and Development Authority’s (Neda) Committee on Infrastructure (Infracom) has recommended the rehabilitation of National Power Corp. (Napocor) plants before privatization.

IBA, Zambales—Governor Amor Deloso has offered industrial estates in Zambales province as alternative sites for expansion projects of business locators in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to tap P900 million this year from the $60-million Diversified Farm Income and Market Development project funded by a multilateral financing institution the World Bank (WB).

SOME 50 top businessmen, executives, entrepreneurs and investors will join the First Philippine-Vietnam Business Mission scheduled in Ho Chi Minh City from August 29 to September 1, 2007.