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This page features the full text of
Republic Act No. 6978
AN
ACT TO PROMOTE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING FOR AN ACCELERATED
PROGRAM
WITHIN A TEN-YEAR PERIOD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRRIGATION PROJECTS.
REPUBLIC
ACT NO. 6978AN
ACT TO PROMOTE RURAL DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING FOR AN ACCELERATED
PROGRAM
WITHIN A TEN-YEAR PERIOD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRRIGATION PROJECTS.
Section
1. It is hereby declared to be
a national policy to promote the quality of living of every Filipino
through
the provision of adequate social services including, but not limited
to,
the provision of adequate irrigation projects facilities to increase
agricultural
production.
Sec.
2. The National Irrigation Administration
shall undertake a ten-year program for the construction of irrigation
projects
in the remaining one million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) hectares
of unirrigated but irrigable lands, whether in the lowlands or in the
uplands,
including other related project components nationwide. The program
shall
give priority to areas with social and economic problems, taking into
consideration
population, area served, project cost and other economic and
environmental
factors as may be deemed necessary in undertaking the program within
the
context of the national development plans. The National Irrigation
Administration,
in consultation with the provincial and municipal development councils,
shall determine the areas which shall be given priority. chanrobles virtuallaw libraryred
Sec.
3. The National Irrigation Administration
shall observe the following priorities and guidelines in the planning,
construction and management of irrigation projects:
(a) Funds
provided for in this Act shall be used only for the construction of new
irrigation projects;(b) Priority
shall be given to the construction of communal irrigation projects. At
least fifty percent (50%) of the funds shall be used for communal
irrigation
projects; chanrobles virtuallaw libraryred
(c) Priority
shall be given to the following:
(1) Beneficiaries
of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program; (2) Members
of the indigenous cultural communities;
(3) Beneficiaries
in areas where there are farmer-irrigators associations; and
(4) Beneficiaries
in fifth and sixth class municipalities;
(d) The
irrigation projects must be equitably distributed among the provinces
and
municipalities, giving priority to those provinces and municipalities
without
any irrigation system;(e) The
farmer-beneficiaries of communal irrigation projects shall participate
in all stages of the project. The beneficiaries shall participate in
the
project planning, identification, design, management of the project
funds,
construction and monitoring;
(f) The
beneficiaries of communal irrigation projects shall pay fifty percent
(50%)
of the project cost without interest for a period of fifty (50) years:
Provided, That, in case the beneficiary dies, his legal heirs or
whoever
may own the land benefited by the project at any given time during the
term of payment shall shoulder the remaining obligation of the
land;
(g) The
communal irrigation system shall be managed and maintained by the
irrigators
association or cooperative. The National Irrigation Administration
shall
help organize the irrigators association or cooperative and shall
assist
in the conduct of orientation seminars and training to the members of
the
said association or cooperative; andchanrobles virtuallaw libraryred
(h) The
provincial offices of the National Irrigation Administration shall be
responsible
in the preparation of the feasibility studies and design of communal
irrigation
projects.
Sec.
4. Such sums as may be necessary
for the implementation of this Act shall be taken from any available
appropriations
of the National Irrigation Administration under the current General
Appropriations
Act. Thereafter, the succeeding appropriations for its continued
implementation
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act until the
program
shall have been completed by year 2000. In addition, the portion of
financial
grants and concessional loans extended to the Philippines by foreign
governments
and multilateral agencies including, but not limited to the Philippine
Aid Plan, the amount to be determined by the President, shall be
allocated
by the Department of Budget and Management and augment the
appropriations
of the National Irrigation Administration until the program is
completed
as envisioned in this Act.
Sec.
5. Whenever practicable, the
construction of irrigation projects under this Act shall consider any
or
a combination of the following related or complementary purposes:chanroblesvirtualawlibrary
(a) Prevention
of flooding;(b) Ensuring
water supply for drinking purposes; chanrobles virtuallaw libraryred
(c) Erosion
control;
(d) Watershed
management;
(e) Fish
culture;
(f) Power
generation; andchanrobles virtuallaw libraryred
(g) Tourism
development
Sec.
6. In any part or provision of
this Act is held unconstitutional, other parts or provisions hereof
which
are not affected thereby shall be in full force and effect.chanrobles virtuallaw libraryred
Sec.
7. All laws, presidential decrees
execution orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed.
Sec.
8. This Act shall take effect
fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a
newspaper of general circulation.
Approved:
January 24, 1991
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