By I. Inojales | 06:12 PM June26, 2026
TAGBILARAN CITY—
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) clarified that the crumbling siphon canals featured in a viral video are not newly constructed facilities but old structures built in 2011 that are currently undergoing repair and rehabilitation.
During the recent Kapihan sa Philippine Information Agency (PIA), NIA Visayas Regional Manager Engr. Eusebio Villamanto said the agency remains focused on ensuring the irrigation system continues to operate efficiently rather than assigning blame over the condition of the damaged canals.
NIA Engineering Section Chief Engr. Allan Revita explained that the siphon canals were constructed years before the Mabini-Cayacay Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) was funded and have since been exposed to natural wear and the elements. These old canals were eventually integrated into the project’s network, which consists of 187 canal structures, more than 21.5 kilometers of canals, and about 3.6 kilometers of farm ditches.
According to NIA, inspections conducted before the project’s test run revealed that several critical siphon canal sections required rehabilitation. The agency requested funding from its central office as early as last year, and repair and rehabilitation works began in 2025.
NIA Operations Chief Engr. Maria Donesa Autida said repairing the aging siphon canals is crucial because without them, irrigation water could only reach about 80 hectares of the project’s intended 530-hectare service area.
The Mabini-Cayacay SRIP was initially launched in 2017 with a project cost of P725 million before its budget increased to P828 million. Construction was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but was eventually completed and inaugurated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2026.
Farmer-beneficiaries in Mabini and Alicia said the project has already improved agricultural production. During the 2025 test run, irrigation water reached around 80 hectares of previously rain-fed farms, with another 80 hectares added as rehabilitation of the old canal system continued.
One farmer from Barangay Cabidian, Mabini reported that irrigation had significantly increased his rice harvest from about 20 sacks to around 60 sacks from a half-hectare farm despite pest infestation.
Meanwhile, Bohol Provincial Board Member Nathaniel Binlod, who conducted an ocular inspection following the circulation of the viral video, also confirmed that the damaged canals shown were part of the old irrigation system and are already covered by NIA’s ongoing repair and rehabilitation program.
NIA maintained that ensuring irrigation water reaches farmers remains its priority as rehabilitation works continue on the aging canal network.
