Two irrigation projects in Bohol have been awarded to contractors recently.
Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District), who is still on vacation, visiting with his siblings now settled in the United States, bared this development yesterday.
Aumentado said these are the Benliw Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (SRIP) in Ubay town and the Cayacay SRIP in Alicia and Mabini towns.
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) last year had lined up both projects for implementation this year.
Both had been proposed by the solon’s namesake father and immediate congressional predecessor Erico Boyles Aumentado to Regional Irrigation Manager Modesto Membreve. Aumentado had caused the creation of the Tagbilaran City-based NIA Region 7 office, with Engr. Membreve as the first regional manager.
Feasibility studies and preparation of detailed engineering designs (DEDs) however, take time. The bidding process  also has a rigid time frame that cannot be rushed, hence, the implementation of the project will start only now.
Death had overtaken the elder Aumentado so that the son took over in following up the projects he had thought were viable to improve the lives of Boholanos.
The father always had a soft spot for farmers. While they feed all people with other lines of work, farmers are often left with the proverbial empty bag when all expenses have been paid. Farming in the Philippines, especially Bohol where there are relatively no large tracks of land, is also capital and labor intensive, he had observed.
The younger solon, however, could not be reached for details due to the time difference.
Membreve, on the other hand, was in Cebu for the weekend. (June S. Blanco)