Declaration of Policy
- Promotes comprehensive rural development, food self-sufficiency, equitable access to opportunities, and sustained productivity.
- Aims to improve quality of life in rural areas and achieve national development.
- Ensures availability of vital support services, particularly irrigation through construction, repair, and maintenance.
- Committed to lowering the cost of production by providing free irrigation and relieving farmers and irrigators associations from unpaid irrigation service fees (ISF).
Scope of Free Irrigation Service
- Exempts farmers with landholdings of 8 hectares and below from paying ISF for water from national and communal irrigation systems funded and managed by NIA and other government agencies.
- Applies also to irrigation systems turned over to irrigators associations (IAs).
- Farmers with more than 8 hectares, corporate farms, plantations, fishponds, and others using water for non-agricultural purposes continue to pay ISF.
Condonation and Writing Off of Loans, Past Due Accounts, and Penalties
- Unpaid ISF and penalties of farmers with 8 hectares and below to NIA are condoned and written off.
- Loans, past due accounts, interests, and penalties of IAs to NIA are also condoned and written off.
Operation and Maintenance (O and M) of National Irrigation Systems
- NIA shall continue to develop, operate, and maintain National Irrigation Systems (NIS).
- May delegate O and M of secondary, tertiary canals, and farm ditches to capable IAs.
- NIA will provide equivalent funds for O and M of delegated facilities.
- NIA responsible for issuing policies and criteria for determining IA capability to operate and maintain these systems.
Operation and Maintenance of Communal Irrigation Systems
- Communal Irrigation Systems (CIS) shall continue to be operated and maintained by IAs.
- National government to provide equivalent funds for O and M of CIS in lieu of ISF previously billed to exempt farmers.
Collection and Use of Irrigation Service Fees (ISF)
- NIA shall issue guidelines on collection and use of ISF from those not exempt under the Act.
- Includes measures for collection of unpaid ISF from non-exempt users.
- National government funds supplement O and M of both NIS and CIS.
Technical Assistance to Irrigators Associations
- NIA and other government agencies to provide technical assistance to IAs on O and M of irrigation systems and farm enterprise management.
Appropriations
- Necessary funds for implementing the Act to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Implementing Rules and Regulations
- Within three months from effectivity, NIA in consultation with concerned agencies, farmers, IAs, and stakeholders shall promulgate implementing rules and regulations.
Separability Clause
- If any provision is declared invalid or unconstitutional, other unaffected provisions remain effective.
Repealing Clause
- Republic Act No. 3601, as amended, is amended to the extent it is inconsistent with this Act.
- All other conflicting laws, issuances, executive orders, and regulations are repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.
Effectivity
- The Act takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or two newspapers of general circulation.