PRIMEX organized a successful study tour on irrigation management transfer (IMT) for 12 officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC). The study tour, conducted under the auspices of the ADB loan/grant-funded Water Resources Management Sector Development Project (WRMSDP), involved visits to different irrigation systems in the provinces of Pampanga, Tarlac, and Benguet in Luzon.
The study tour, held from 1-9 August 2015, was conducted by Mr. Bayani Ofrecio and Mr. Ricardo Lopez of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). Mr. Chuon Bithol, Deputy Director General of Technical Affairs of MOWRAM, led the Study Tour participants who came from various MOWRAM departments at the national and provincial levels.
“The participants left with a good understanding of IMT and the various aspects of irrigation development and operation and maintenance (O&M) in the Philippines. We are grateful to NIA for their efficient and effective conduct of the Study Tour and to PRIMEX for the excellent organization and facilitation of the various activities,”
Mr. Bithol.
Aside from meeting the NIA Administrator and other senior management officials of NIA, the Study Tour group met with the Director of the Upper Pampanga River Irrigation System. They also visited Pantabangan Dam, the NIA Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) office in Benguet, the Tarlac irrigation management office, and one groundwater pump irrigation system in Tarlac.
The study tour enabled the group to understand the concept of IMT and hear about actual experiences of irrigators’ associations (IAs) in their practice of IMT in various irrigation systems. They also learned about underground water uses and water distribution in upland areas during their trip.
PRIMEX in association with DCCD Engineering Corporation (Philippines) and CADTIS Consultant Co. Ltd. (Cambodia) have been providing project management consulting services to MOWRAM in the implementation of the ADB loan/grant-funded WRMSDP since March 2012. Dr. Jose A. Galvez, a former NIA Assistant Administrator, is the PRIMEX Team Leader, and Engr. Prum Viratha is Deputy Team Leader.
Mr. Leo Pura, PRIMEX Vice President for Technical Services, was mainly responsible for the organization and management of the Study Tour.
