CATARMAN, Northern Samar (PIA) – The Northern Samar Irrigation Management Office has installed some solar-powered irrigation pumps to aid farmers in rice production in the province.

The project is funded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, which aims to ​​improve the capacity and productivity of farmers and increase their income, leading to a better and decent quality of life.

According to Georden Lemsic, division manager of Northern Samar Irrigation Management Office, the national government through the National Irrigation Administration has demonstrated its commitment to providing effective and efficient irrigation systems to our farmer-beneficiaries.

There are currently two additional solar pump projects underway. One of them is located in Barangay Gebulwangan, Catarman, covering an area of 49.40 hectares with a budget of P35 million for testing this quarter.

The other project in Barangay Flormina, Mondragon, is almost complete with a budget of P65 million, covering an area of 79 hectares.

Several factors are affecting rice production in the province, as cited by some irrigation officials. These include climate change, poor drainage, and inadequate irrigation facilities, conversion of agricultural land to residential areas, high cost of inputs, calamities, crop damage, and pests and diseases.

Based on the 2023 report by NIA, there are 16,545 potentially irrigable hectares. Of these, 11,682 hectares are being developed, while the remaining 4,772 hectares are for development.

In the last quarter of 2023, Abundio M. Tagalog, the president of CM Recto-San Jose Irrigators Association Inc., accepted the project worth P35 million. The project aims to irrigate 60 hectares of farmland and benefit 34 potential farmers.

Tagalog expressed his gratitude to the national government for this unique project. He ensured its long-term use, which will benefit the member-beneficiaries with the help of the barangay officials and other partner agencies that supported the program.
(AAC/ADiaz/PIA Northern Samar)

One involved in the killing of 3 cops

TACLOBAN CITY—The police regional director in Eastern Visayas reported that at least four criminal armed groups in Samar province are the subjects of their operations.

These armed groups, which are engaged in contract killings and have outstanding warrants of arrest, include those responsible for the killing of three police officers in Sta. Margarita, Samar during a shootout on January 30, which also wounded four other cops, B/Gen. Reynaldo Pawid, the police regional director, said in an interview on Monday (Feb. 12).
“Our operation continues without letup. But we are appealing to the public to help the police force in our operation, especially if they know these persons who are notorious criminals, armed and dangerous,” Pawid said.

The manhunt being conducted by the police organizations operating in Samar province came about amid the shooting incident in Barangay Mahayag last January 30 involving police personnel and members of the Ampoan Group.

The police personnel, belonging to the 1st Samar Police Mobile Force and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, were in the village, 15 km away from the town proper of Sta. Margarita, to serve warrants against the three members of the Ampoan Group, namely Edito Ampoan, the leader of the group, and his members Jojo Altarejos and Rogelio Macurol.

The three were accused of killing Tiburcio Ocong, barangay chairman of Bislig, Gandara town, also in Samar, on October 23, 2015.

The shootout resulted in the death of Staff Sergeant Christian Tallo; Corporal Eliazar Estrelles Jr.; and Master Sgt. Paul Terence Paclibar. Wounded were Cpl. Rannel Pedamato; Cpl. Mark Jason Sixta; and Patrolmen Ham Kritnere Capalis and Mark Redoblado.

B/Gen. Pawid said that seven of their members, who were arrested during that fateful day, were already charged with multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, and multiple attempted murder before a regional court in Sta. Margarita a day after the incident. However, the subjects of their operation, Ampoan, Altarejos, and Macurol, remain at large. All three were also included in the charge sheet filed by the police.

But Pawid said that they would not stop until all members of the Ampoan group and the three other criminal groups, whom he did not name, are arrested and brought to court. “How can we give justice to their victims if they will not be arrested? That is why we need the support of the public,” the Police Regional Director said. “But we are giving you our assurance that our operations against these criminal groups will continue,” Pawid added.

According to their information, the four criminal groups have a combined membership of about 30 who are moving to different areas in Samar to evade arrest. Pawid, however, declined to say if these crime groups are being supported by local politicians. “We are investigating that,” Pawid said.

Meantime, Pawid said that they have learned some lessons from that incident, saying that before any operations could be launched, they should first familiarize themselves with the terrain or place where the target lives or hides.

It was learned that the houses where the three subjects of the arrest and their other members have foxholes.(JOEY A. GABIETA)