LUTAYAN, Sultan Kudarat — Water is flowing once again into the rice fields in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, after the completion of the rehabilitation work of the Antong Dam irrigation system.
This development brings renewed hope and confidence to thousands of farmers who have faced years of unstable irrigation.
The rehabilitation project by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), which exceeded P1 billion and received support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., successfully restored irrigation services to over 1,500 hectares of farmland.
This area had suffered from a lack of reliable water supply due to severe flooding and typhoons that damaged the dam in 2021 and 2022.
For local farmers, the resurgence of steady irrigation means an opportunity to recover lost harvests and restore their livelihoods.
“The project will significantly benefit us rice farmers, as irrigation is crucial since Antong is rice land,” said Alcher Loria, a farmer and vice president of the Upper Center Lower Baluno Irrigators Association, in the vernacular.
Engineer Diosdado Rosales, the director of the NIA Region 12 office, said the project involves constructing a new diversion dam, protection dikes, irrigation canals, and access roads. These developments aim to facilitate easier and more efficient water delivery to farmlands.
“As far as the system is concerned, it is operational now, and irrigation will begin this May,” he said.
Rehabilitation works started in 2024 and were completed this year, including system testing and final improvements.
Barangay Antong Chairman Johnny Sorongon thanked the government and project partners for helping realize the long-awaited rehabilitation.
“We are truly grateful to our leaders and the NIA representatives for making our dream a reality. Many of us have been waiting to have irrigation water,” the barangay official said in the vernacular.
For his part, Gov. Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu described the project as a legacy program for Sultan Kudarat and Region 12, emphasizing its contribution to food security and climate resilience.
“This project not only addresses the concerns of a municipality or a province, but it also helps thousands of farmers,” the governor said.