₱46.5-M PRDP irrigation project to boost farming in Lubuagan, first of its kind in Kalinga

LUBUAGAN, Kalinga — A ₱46.501-million irrigation project under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) is set to improve water access for farmers in Mabongtot, Lubuagan, marking what the provincial government described as Kalinga’s first PRDP-funded irrigation project.

The project, officially listed by the Department of Agriculture-PRDP as the Improvement/Rehabilitation of Saod-Sucnip-Ambinjong-Ladog Communal Irrigation System, has a project cost of ₱46,501,000 and is designed to serve an area of 43.49 hectares in Barangay Mabongtot.

Governor James S. Edduba highlighted the project during the provincial government’s inter-agency flag-raising ceremony on Oct. 5 at the Kalinga Sports Center in Bulanao, emphasizing its importance to the province’s agricultural development.

Edduba said the Mabongtot project was important enough for him to prioritize, and thus he cannot attend the turnover ceremony of outgoing Kalinga Police Provincial Office director Col. Gilbert Fatiig.

“Diay maysa nga activity gayam nga importante ket diyay project idiay Mabungtot. This will be under the PRDP isu haanku talaga mabalin nga absent'an,” Edduba said.

He explained that the project would strengthen agricultural infrastructure and provide support to farmers in the area.

The PRDP, implemented by the Department of Agriculture, supports investments intended to improve agricultural productivity, increase rural incomes and strengthen climate-resilient infrastructure. Its I-BUILD component covers projects such as communal irrigation systems, farm-to-market roads, bridges and other rural infrastructure.

With its 43.49-hectare service area, the Mabongtot irrigation project is expected to improve the reliability of water supply for agricultural production and help farmers become less vulnerable to irregular rainfall.

Edduba also stressed the importance of implementing government programs effectively, noting that the performance of projects would influence future budget support and investments for the province.

The project is currently listed in the DA-PRDP infrastructure database under PRDP Scale-Up with a status of Approval. The ₱46.501 million figure therefore refers to the listed project cost, not necessarily the amount already released or disbursed.

The Mabongtot irrigation project is among the PRDP investments being pursued in Kalinga as the province seeks to strengthen its agricultural infrastructure and improve support for local farmers.