CAR irrigators convene for 3rd Congress

Engr. Eduardo Eddie Guillen, newly designated member of the NIA Board of Director, with his wife Piddig Mayor Georgia Guillen, stand stall with the CARFIA Board of Directors for photo ops after his sharing of the best practices in agriculture of his town Piddig, Ilocos Norte, an awardee of the Galing Pook Award.

CAR irrigators convene for 3rd Congress
PBBM lauds CARFIA, NIA’s new Board of Director urges for convergence in agricultural programs

BAGUIO CITY—At least 120 farmer-members of the Cordillera Federation of Irrigators’ Association (CARFIA) from Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga and UCRIS-Quezon, Isabela area gather for the 3rd CARFIA Congress at the Hotel Supreme in Baguio City, November 23-25, 2022.

The congress provided an opportunity for the members to strengthen their partnership and to be updated on the programs of the various government agencies and some private entities on agriculture, as well as discuss on issues and concerns of the Irrigators' Associations in the region.

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. lauds the efforts of the CAR Federation of Irrigators’ Associations (CARFIA) to consolidate plans and operations to harmonize irrigation systems, consistent with our national environmental and agricultural goals, policies, and agenda.

In his message as guest of honor and speaker read by Hon. Remy Albano, Apayao Vice-Governor and president of the National Confederation of IAs (NCIA) and CARFIA on November 25, 2022, the President assures that the government’s support to Irrigators’ Associations as they continue to contribute to the improvement of irrigation systems and the state of agriculture as a whole.

The CARFIA, represented by its board directors from the six provinces of CAR and UCRIS-Isabela, manifested its full commitment and unwavering support to the agricultural program of the President though the signing of the Pledge of Commitment during the Congress.

Engr. Eduardo Eddie Guillen, newly designated member of the NIA Board of Director, sits with the NIA-CAR officials, Regional Manager Benito Espique, Jr., Engineering and Operation Division Manager Raymundo Calusin, Administrative and Finance Division Manager Grace Fanged, and Apayao Vice-Governor Remy Albano who is also the current president of the National Confederation of Irrigators’ Association (NCIA) and CAR Federation of the Irrigators’ Association (CARFIA) on November 24, 2022 during the 3rd CARFIA Congress in Baguio City.

Meanwhile, Engr. Eduardo ‘Eddie’ Guillen, newly appointed member of the NIA Board of Directors and former Mayor of Piddig, Ilocos Norte, shared the various success stories of his hometown in agricultural programs, adopting the whole-of-nation approach (convergence initiative project) as enabler of sustainable and inclusive rural development. Guillen urged the convergence among the various government agencies of all agricultural programs, projects and activities.

NIA-CAR officials headed by Regional Manager Benito Espique, Jr., Engineering and Operation Division Manager Raymundo Calusin, Administrative and Finance Division Manager Grace Fanged, as well as section chiefs, Irrigation Management Office Division Managers and Provincial Heads graced the event.

DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey and NIA-CAR Regional Manager presented the Pledge of Commitment of the CARFIA, represented by its board directors from the six provinces of CAR and UCRIS-Isabela, as it manifested its full commitment and unwavering support to the agricultural program of the President during the 3rd CARFIA Congress held in Baguio City on November 23-25, 2022.

Among the speakers, aside from NIA officials, are DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey and his staff, representatives from the DSWD Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), and MERJ.ALA.H, an agricultural company.

The CARFIA also crowned Kalinga irrigator candidates, Mr. Simplicio G. Agurin, 57, and Ms. Mary Angeline Lumas-i, 56, both of Tabuk City Kalinga, as Mr. & Ms. CARFIA 2022 during the congress. The Search for Mr. & Ms. CARFIA 2022 was participated by seven pairs of candidates representing federation of IAs of  Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga and UCRIS-Quezon, Isabela.

Photo Caption 1: Engr. Eduardo Eddie Guillen, newly designated member of the NIA Board of Director, with his wife Piddig Mayor Georgia Guillen, stand stall with the CARFIA Board of Directors for photo ops after his sharing of the best practices in agriculture of his town Piddig, Ilocos Norte, an awardee of the Galing Pook Award.

Photo Caption 2: Engr. Eduardo Eddie Guillen, newly designated member of the NIA Board of Director, sits with the NIA-CAR officials, Regional Manager Benito Espique, Jr., Engineering and Operation Division Manager Raymundo Calusin, Administrative and Finance Division Manager Grace Fanged, and Apayao Vice-Governor Remy Albano who is also the current president of the National Confederation of Irrigators’ Association (NCIA) and CAR Federation of the Irrigators’ Association (CARFIA) on November 24, 2022 during the 3rd CARFIA Congress in Baguio City.

Photo Caption 3: DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey and NIA-CAR Regional Manager presented the Pledge of Commitment of the CARFIA, represented by its board directors from the six provinces of CAR and UCRIS-Isabela, as it manifested its full commitment and unwavering support to the agricultural program of the President during the 3rd CARFIA Congress held in Baguio City on November 23-25, 2022.