CITY OF MALOLOS — The irrigation allocation from Angat Dam to irrigated ricelands in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga has been extended until November 15 this year.

Josephine Salazar, National Irrigation Administration Central Luzon director, explained to ARKIPELAGO NEWS BULACAN that initially the scheduled irrigation allocation coming from Angat Dam to the said ricelands has been scheduled only until October 30.

However, Salazar said that they have requested the National Water Resources Board for the extension of the irrigation allocation to provide sufficient water to rice crops that were replanted due to the devastations of floodwater to farmlands caused by the southwest monsoon, typhoons Egay and Falcon in July and August.

On the other hand, Francisco Clara, chief of the water control and coordinating unit of Bustos Dam, said the floodwater has devastated a total of 7,477.24 hectares of irrigated ricelands in Bulacan and parts of Pampanga.

The extension of the irrigation allocation to the replanted rice crops would provide sufficient water to the rice crops that will have a delayed harvest time compared to its original target date, said Mel Domingo, a farmer leader in the City of Malolos.

He noted that the original target date of the harvest time for this cropping season is from late October to early November.

However, farmers that replanted their rice crops due to the floods caused by the southwest monsoon and typhoons Egay and Falcon are expected to be harvested by late November and early December, Domingo added.

Photo: Mon Lazaro