NIA sues erring Cagayan farmers
Tuguegarao City (3 October) -- Region 2 Irrigation Manager Vicente Galvez said that the National Irrigation Administration (NIA-R2) filed cases against 55 farmers who failed to settle their Irrigation Service Fees (ISF) to NIA, despite repeated demands and offering of the Comprise Agreement Program.
Galvez explained that similar cases were filed and decided earlier by the court infavor of NIA where the court ordered for the litigation of farmlands of erring farmers.
However, to ease the burdens of the farmers with accumulated accounts on ISFs, NIA implemented the Compromise Agreement Program or CAP.
Under the program, the farmer could avail of 60% discounts on the monthly interest of unpaid balances. Several extension dates on the deadline for payments were given but some farmers continuously ignored and refused to settle their accounts.
Based on records, there are 21 cases filed in court against Dummon River Irrigation System, 19 for Abulug-Apayao Irrigation System, 7 for Baggao Irrigation System and 4 for Iguig-Alcala-Amulung Pump Irrigation System and Lower Chico River Irrigation System respectively, Galvez said. (PIA-Cagayan) [top]
